Things are finally happening in this chapter!

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I was tired as I always am on Mondays. I had my morning run though, which meant I woke up early. Having practice at the end didn't help anything.

Monday was hell, teachers never understood.

I dragged myself through the school hallways, smiling at everyone who smiled and smirking at every girl. Again, Monday was killing me.

"You look great." Drake snaking his arm over my shoulders. I pushed him away.

"Thanks. Now go away."

"Aw, come on, don't be like that. You didn't even reply to my text last night."

I ignored him and continued to our homeroom. Brian was already there, glaring at us. "You had a movie night without me."

"Correction, Katie had a movie night without you."

"You were there and so was Drake."

I shrugged, "she invited us."

I knew he wasn't going to actually take it to heart. The dude was a replica of Tracy. Those two never took anything serious. "I'm going to talk to Katie."

"No, you're not."

I turned to see a lady at the door. 

The whole class went quiet as we watched her walk to the front of the class, dropping the stack of book onto the table. She wore an inked shirt and a long tight-skirt. A typical office wear. Let's not forget the hair bun.

"Everyone, to their own seats please." Almost everyone listened. We glanced at each other, thinking the same thing: did something happen to Mr. Rick? "Nothing happened to your homeroom teacher. He's just taking a few months off because he's got a new family member now."

The girls started gushing and we chuckled at the back. Of course, we all knew that Mrs. Rick, whoever she was, was pregnant. The teacher made sure to remind us once in a while because he was so excited.

"So that means, you need another teacher to finish off your works and that's why I'm here. I'm actually new, just moved states. So, we'll just start with a few introductions. You can mention your name and how you're known around the class." She seemed like a laid back teacher. Maybe in her late thirties or something. "I'll start. My name is Maria Loy, I'm married, I teach English and everyone around me say that I'm the best matchmaker there is."

Just like that, the class started to join in, introducing themselves when it was their turn, having fun for the first time in years. Maybe English wouldn't be so bad.

Boy was I so wrong.

When we got back in for English, she did the whole introduction thing again and then got straight to work. She mentioned the syllabus, which I didn't know the teachers did. She wrote down the assignments we needed to finish by the semester. She decided that we could study the book of the term by ourselves at home and said that she'd give out the project for it instead.

I missed Mr. Rick in a few seconds.

"Alright, so, for the assignment, since I don't know how you guys are and the people you hang around with, I'm going to be choosing your partners." Everyone groaned. She was making it hell. "If you get a friend as one, then lucky you. Trust me, this'd be fun. You either get a friend and have it easy or get a new classmate to call a friend by the end of this term!"

No one cheered with her. She's going to forever be alone in this school.

"Okay, so, this is totally random, I'm going to go through the alphabetical order. Abigail Anderson?" The girl at the front raised her hand. "You're with... Brian Bright."

Everyone laughed. I snickered along. Poor Abigail.

She didn't say anything and lowered her hand, moving her hair out of the way. Brian though, he didn't mind. Everyone was going on about Mrs. Loy being the matchmaker of the year. Lucky brat.

"Alan Baker?" I lifted my head, lazily putting my right hand up. "You're with, Max Winters."

The whole class cracked up. I was too frozen to react. I noticed Max turning back in his seat, giving me an amused smile. I wanted to rip him to pieces.

Matchmaker my foot.

"Good luck man."

I ignored Drake and stood up. "I think you'll need to change that Mrs. Loy. I don't work with him."

Mrs. Loy stared at me before brushing her hair behind her ear. "Alan Baker?" I nod. "You don't get a say in this. Unless you have a signed note that says you can't work with Max Winters from the principal, then you have to do as I say and get the project done with him."

I groaned, banging my fist on my table. "Please, come on miss. I really can't work with him."

"No can do Mr. Baker, now sit back down."

A few laughed at my last name but I continued to glare at Max fucking Winters's chair. I was so done.

~~~

I quietly sat on my chair, pulling out the book that I hated the most and sighing for the hundredth time. It was maths and I was alone. In literal sense. None of my friends or team mates were in it and it was mostly because it was advance. Why did I take it for my last year? I had no idea. I barely passed my maths classes in the past.

The only person I'd talked to in the past, in the class, was Max Fucking Winters. Of course he was in the most intelligent class there is in school. But there was no way I was going to talk to him, even if it meant dying of boredom.

"Hey..."

I turned to my right to see Bailey standing near the empty seat. I nod but she continued to stare at me. Her natural black hair like mine was out today and she had a jumper tied around her neck by the long sleeves. She was pretty.

"Can I sit here?"

I nodded again, eyes wide. She was really polite too. Wow, such females exist. I thought she would've turned into a mini Tracy after hanging out with her.

"How are the classes going for you?" She knew that I moved up a level in maths before she came here. But then again, the whole class probably did. Which means they probably knew that I fell asleep in each of them. "Not too hard I hope."

I didn't want to sound like a dumbass. "Not what I thought but what can I say, it is advance maths. I'm getting there, so, don't you worry."

She giggled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't." She stared at me and I returned the gesture. Even if I wasn't going to succeed in maths, maybe succeeding a girl was better than nothing. And Bailey was smart. "Sorry about last time. I didn't know that Katie was your sister. I honestly thought that you were jealous of Mason."

I scanned back on my memory to remember what she was talking about. Right, last week. I nodded, waving her off. "Katie's adopted, but she's been with me ever since I could remember."

Bailey seemed surprised but shyly went back to sorting her things out and I continued to stare. She was really shy. Maybe the change of personality would do me good. I hadn't really met with anyone since last year. Bailey would be a great distraction.

"Mr. Baker." I groaned, turning to face Mrs. Yeum. She had to come in early before the bell rang. Then I remembered, this was a fucking advance maths class. Everything had to be fucking advance. "You have to concentrate in my class if you even want to think about passing."

I nodded numbly while Bailey just bowed her head in embarrassment. Okay, now she was just overdoing it.

The class continued. Bailey was a good distraction from Max, who was the only person answering the correct answers to every fucking question Mrs. Yeum asked. Before I knew it, it was the end of school and I was ready to jump out of the place. Practice would really help the maths stress to me.

"Hey Alan." I made my attention known to Bailey, who was busy picking her things in slow-motion. I wanted to bluntly tell her, get a move on girl, but I knew that it'd be too rude. "I was thinking, maybe... maybe, we could go out, or something."

I stared at her. Did she just make the first move?

I wanted to smirk. She had some balls. Maybe there's more to her than smart-maths and shy smiles. "Sure, how about a movie?"

She seemed surprised. Maybe she didn't expect a guy like me to say yes so easily. I hoped that it wouldn't bruise my reputation in Stratford. She did sit with my friends during lunch. "A movie? Okay, sure."

We exchanged number, me ignoring how slow she was moving, and left that to it until Friday. I was busy for two hours on Friday, good for me. 

I was at practice right before coach ticked me off as absent. We did the same routine, running, stretching, passing and taking shots to goal. Then a friendly match with the new comers.

All throughout, with Max Winters watching. He was always there, watching, staring. It was starting to get weird. He was there every time Mason was there.

Did they live together or something?

After practice, it was getting well passed four since coach took him time, I made my way over to the lockers, pulling the school bag out. I shower home so I didn't wait for Drake and headed towards the front doors when I hear footsteps rushing behind me.

I turned, recognizing the figure as Max, the golden boy, himself.

He came close to me, ready to pull my hand. I stepped away, continuing my walk. "Get the fuck away from me."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Dude, when are you going to give up? Everyone knows it clear and well by now Baker. You hate me, yeah, we get it."

I snorted, almost. Max fucking Winters was fucking clueless for the first time in his fucking perfect life.

"Well, I'm not satisfied so hate me back."

It took a while for him to reply. "Sure, okay. I hate you too?"

I gave his a glance, wondering what he was planning. Was I really wasting time on him?

I pushed passed the front doors of the school, not even giving a glance back. "It's not enough. Hate me harder."