Chapter 4

                                                                  Jocelyn

As our first class came to an end, my brother, Leo, and I walked out and towards my next class while I brought up the boy that sat next to me in class. While my brother and I were both capable of handling ourselves, I always preferred walking to class with him so I had someone to talk to if something was on my mind. 

“I don’t get why you were even looking at the guy,” Leo said as we turned down the hall towards my science class, “He looked like your typical quiet kid, you leave him alone and he’ll leave you alone.”

“That’s not the point, Leo,” I said before we stopped outside my class, “There’s something different about him, if we have another class with him try and sit next to him, you’ll see what I mean.” 

“Whatever you say, Sis,” He said before leaving for his second hour. 

I took my seat in the front so I could see the whiteboard as everyone else flooded in, taking their seats. I was in AP Biology this year and while I loved science, I just couldn’t keep my focus on the class. Luckily, it was the first day of school meaning that most of our classes were just doing icebreakers and going over class policies. They were more or less the same throughout the school, so, I didn’t pay too much attention as my mind wandered. 

“Another thing before we get to introductions, I don’t have a problem with you guys using your phones, but please be respectful if and when you do so,” The teacher explained as he wrote some of the policies down, “If you need to answer your phone, step out into the hall.”

I tuned out as he continued lecturing about his rules for the class, back to the boy in my first class with Leo. He had one of his earbuds in and while he was paying attention to the teacher, he was also doodling in his notebook with his music being loud enough for me to hear. I wasn’t going to get my hopes up that maybe this year I would find my mate, but I was curious about that boy, and if Leo would be able to feel what I did earlier. 

“The student you’re sharing a desk with is going to be your partner for this quarter,” The teacher said as he passed out the syllabus, “If you want to change seats, now is the time to do so as I won’t be allowing a change of seats again until next quarter.” 

“Hey Jocelyn,” I heard next to me and looked to my left to see a face I hoped I never would again.

“Hello, Astrid,” I said as I grabbed my bag, “And Goodbye.” 

“Oh, come on,” She said as I moved to a different desk, “Don’t be like that!”

“After the shit that you pulled, I’d rather do the entire semester by myself than work with you,” I said and set my bag in the seat next to mine.

“Astrid, you may join another table if you’d like, Jocelyn, if you don’t want to work with a partner, that’s your choice, but that means that you’ll be doing all the work by yourself. You know that, correct?”

“Not surprising, Teach,” I said before taking out a notebook as things got resituated, with Astrid moving to a different table, and the teacher starting icebreakers.

I took out my phone and sent Leo a text about what had gone down.

‘You’ll never guess who I have science with…’

‘“Guessing by the three dots of dread, I’m assuming it’s someone I wouldn’t like?”’

‘Bingo; Astrid.’

‘“And here I thought our senior year would be at least somewhat drama-free.”’

‘Apparently not, I do want to talk to you about the guy from last hour later, okay?’

‘“Your wish is my command, your highness”’

‘Fuck off, Dimwit, Talk later’ 

I put my phone away and tuned back into the icebreakers as my peers were going around saying their names, something they enjoyed, their favorite class, that kind of thing. I wasn’t entirely paying attention, as I was trying to remain calm knowing that Astrid was in my science class. Astrid was once a friend to Leo and me, we hung out after school all the time, and sometimes she would spend the night at our place. That all changed when she confessed she’d caught feelings for us, and went so far as to claim that she was our mate. Leo and I knew she was lying through her teeth, she may have caught feelings for us, but she was not our mate; That much we could both say with certainty.

“Jocelyn, would you like to go?”

“Sure, why not,” I said before thinking for a second, “My name is Jocelyn, my favorite class is science, and I enjoy learning about mythology.”

“Thank you, Jocelyn,” The teacher said before sitting down at his desk, “With the last few minutes of class, you can talk amongst yourselves, just don’t leave your desks.”

I spent the last few minutes of class with my headset on, listening to a podcast about Greek Mythology. Listening to the podcast helped me keep a level head, and not give Astrid a death glare until the bell rang. As soon as it did, I grabbed my bag and left for the door as quickly as I could. Leo and I didn’t share another class until the last two classes of the day, so I knew I wouldn’t be taking my headset off while I was in the halls. It was a bitter irony to me that I met a boy that didn’t irrationally piss me off, and found out that Astrid went to this school as well, both on the same day. 

“Are there any other curveballs you’d like to send my way, Goddess?”