15

“I’m nervous. He’s never sat near us before.” She whispers as though this is some mortal sin and then sinks back within herself when he steps back to us and nods directly behind me.

“We will sit there. Jordan and Sam have gone to the back.” He gestures to the two vacancies, and I turn enough to see my admirer gazing at me longingly from the back row, where he is huddling up with two of the shy girls in our class. Both are pretty smart and in the chess club, so I am glad they picked a decent group.

I feel bad for Jordan that Dane always seems to pick on him in subtle ways and intimidate him constantly. I have never understood why he dislikes him so much, as Jordan is such a sweet person. It seems like since we were about eight years old, Dane just decided Jordan was someone he would always pick on.

“Sit behind me … because otherwise, Dane will spend the next week prodding me, hanging over my shoulder, or pulling my hair. I know what he’s like.” I am turned in my seat and tap the desk directly at the back of my chair for Tyler to take and get a grin from him as he throws his bag to the one behind Elisa. Mr. All-American hotty style.

“We both know the second I sit, he’ll move me…. Give in to it, Kayla. Dane lives to torture you. It’s the only joy he gets from being related to you.” Tyler winks at me. The same cheeky arrogance as his best friend, and it’s not hard to see why they are always glued together. Like their entire friendship group of ‘bros’ they hang out with. They are a bunch of fuck boys with fast smiles, quick comebacks, and brains dialed into nothing but beer and girls.

“Asshole.” I prod at him with my pen, but he chuckles and slides into the seat behind Elisa before seemingly noticing her.

“Hey, redhead? Are you going to turn around and say hello to your study partner? I don’t think we have ever actually met.” He taps her on the back of her head with his middle finger and earns the fiercest scowl from me.

“Don’t do that to her, and her name is Elisa. I already told you that at my house. What is wrong with you?” I shove his arm back and rub her on the shoulder, knowing this direct interaction probably has her hyperventilating into her lap. She is stiff as a board and seemingly no longer breathing.

“He…. hell… Hiya …” A tiny timid voice emerges from her hunched-down posture and silky hair, and Tyler leans up, stretching out to stare down over her.

“Hi, Elisa…..wait… wasn’t there an Elisa in our kindergarten class too? I remember that name on the peg near mine in the coat hall.” He seems impressed with putting the dots together on a familiar name, even if it makes my mouth drop open, and I give him the ‘are you kidding me’ stare.

“It’s only taken you how many years to realize she has been in the same classes as you, me, and Dane since Kindergarten?” I snort at him, not holding back the utter disdain for how unobservant this moron is. How can a guy be around the same human for most of his life and still not know who she is?

“Sorry…. I mean, it’s not like I am unaware of this little …umm… I see her with you all the time. I just… I’m bad with names.” He shrugs as if this is the only explanation needed, and I continue to gawp at him.

“Unless it’s someone you are hooking up with….” Dane cuts in and slides down behind me, tossing his bag under his feet, and leans back, stretching out, so his boots come under my chair and knock the back of my heels.

“Hey.” I turn to him. “You’re kicking me!” I point out and get an infuriating wink and shrug as a reply.

“Not true… I forget those just as fast.”Tyler chuckles, and they fist bump with matching grins as though this is somehow an admirable admission and something to be praised.

“Ugh, you two are gross. I’m ashamed to admit to knowing either one of you.” I roll my eyes and turn my attention back to Elisa, who has started scribbling notes on her desk with her face like an inch from the paper to hide her red flame of shame. She’s using her hair again as a shield, and I brush it back behind her ear so I can at least see her.

I don’t get this girl. She so badly wanted Tyler to work with us, and now I know she will spend five days avoiding him and hiding under her desk this way until school break.

“Right guys….. all sorted?” Our professor strolls in, carrying a bunch of metallic envelopes in his hand, and waves them in the air. “I have numbered cards correlating to topics on the whiteboard, so one person from each group raise a hand, and I will pass them out at random.”

Without prompting, I raise mine, and seeing we are at the front, I get handed a gold one right away before he walks past us and continues dishing out glittered notelets. Our teacher has always been weird and lame in this way. Adding sparkle to mundane projects. I flip it over, open it and slide out a piece of white paper with the number 6.

“What did we get?” Elisa forgets her shyness for a second and leans over to peer at it before looking up at the board to find our topic subject. For once, sitting up straight so I can actually see her face. Academics always make her forget her surroundings. My brainy bot bestie.

“Gimme.” Dane leans up and over and swipes it from behind out of my hand before flashing it at Tyler, and all of us turn our attention to the board.

A neatly listed bunch of random topics in blue marker cover the whole thing. My eyes settle on number six with confusion, disappointment, and a heavy feeling that this will not be easy. We probably got the most ironic and pointless topic among them all, and I sink down and sigh, picking at my pencil with deflation. Now I regret agreeing to partner up with the two frat boys behind us.

Number six - What makes a successful dating relationship?

“You’re kidding, right?” Tyler snorts at it and then shoulder-shoves Dane behind me and laughs. Both chuckle and pass hush-mumbling comments that I can’t make out, and I know it’s either crude or downright mind-numbing.

“This has to be the worst topic for us….Right, Kales? It’s not like either of us has any idea what that is. No great role models and I don’t think either of us has dated anyone long enough to form a successful relationship.” Dane’s words are steeped in sarcasm. Only I don’t disagree with him.

I’m staring at the board with a million thoughts in my head, ignoring them with their stupid remarks, and I catch Elisa glancing at me with hesitation. The face of prey caught in a trap, and I know she is thinking the same thing as me. It’s not like either of us has ever had any romantic encounters, and the two behind us have to be the most toxic dating boys in our entire school. They date, sure. Lots of short-term and shallow dates. Their primary goal is sex and nothing else, so what can they contribute?

“This sucks.” Sighing and slumping as I stare at the words over and over. I verbalize louder than I meant to.

“A difficult topic you can’t relate to often has the best outcome when you get to it. I have faith in you girls.” Our teacher swoops by, tapping my desk as he passes with a wink, startling me to a jump, and my stomach drops. Even my own teacher seems to know I have never dated anyone in my entire school life, and Dane snort laughs behind me before patting me on the head.

“Don’t worry… we can date for a few days to give you a great list of what not to do… that’s a start. I mean, in that, you will actually have finally dated someone.” He laughs louder, barely concealing how entertaining this is, and it grates on my nerves.

“Shut up, Jerk.” I flick his hand away and cross my arms. Sulking and not in the mood for his lame jokes.

We don’t get a chance to discuss it further as the home bell rings, signaling the end of the day, and students jump to alert to start packing up. No one likes to loiter when the day is over, especially on a  Friday afternoon, and I slowly begin to pick up my things.

We are surrounded by the humdrum of chatty students and scraping chairs.

“Are we going to meet up and talk about what to do and how to research this?” Elisa fixes a gaze on me as she leans sideways to fish her bag out. She is already on planning and problem solving, which is so like her. She thinks there is always an answer to be found in books and the internet and probably already has a mental tick list of what we should do. This is why I love my shy little genius.

“Count us out.. we two have something on tonight. Don’t wait up, honey. I’ll take you for something romantic tomorrow if you’re a good girl.” Dane leans forward, still amusing himself with his ongoing joke, standing behind me as he slings his bag on his shoulder and ruffles my hair.

“Fuck off.” I yank my head sideways to get him off me, and he smirks and leans right down over my chair so his mouth comes level with my ear. My body hits rigidness in impulse, and I hold my breath as his voice drills right into my brain with husky lowness.

“If your mom asks where I am, tell her I’m studying at Tyler’s and will be back late. Cover for me, and tomorrow I promise, we will get started on this.” He lingers close enough that his breath fans my cheek, and I bristle all over with goosebumps before lifting my hand and shoving his face away. I hate how he makes me feel weird, tingly, and breathless when he dips on me that way. He does it so often, and I hate it.

“Tell her yourself. You know you have a curfew.” I snap.

“And face the Spanish inquisition. She asks too many questions….nags too much….kinda reminds me of you.” He prods me in the ribs as I stand to shove things into my bag, and I try my hardest not to react. Pupils are pushing by and leaving, and yet he’s hanging over me, lingering. Elisa gets up and moves to the door away from Tyler, but the idiot follows her thoughtlessly, and I see her make a dash to exit and leave me here. I shake my head at how skittish she can be.

“Just text her… come home on time…. don't cause problems. For once, Dane, can you make one day drama free.” I turn and lock my eyes on his to drive the point home. Trying to appeal to his softer side with a sincere tone and blank expression. Pulling my bag onto my shoulders without breaking our intense gaze.

Lately, our parents have been fighting a lot when he’s not around, and it’s because of this whole situation. I hate hearing it and that he is oblivious to how he’s pulling our parents apart. I lived through one broken home, and I don’t want another one to go the same way.

“You’re starting to sound like a bossy sister….I don’t like it.” He taps me on the end of my nose, so I squint away. Moves out of the desk area and slides past me with a hand in the air as if to wave. Dismissing me with that nonchalant self-centered asshole swagger.

“I’ll be home when I’m home. Lie for me if you wanna avoid drama…. Or don’t. I don’t care either way.”