Oh WHY did I have to be in Earth Science with that, THING!

"Okay people, time to find your 9 o' clock buddy and work on pgs 48- 52 and the review packet for tomorrow's test."

Half the class, and heck, it was a huge class, got up to check who their buddy was. Unfortunately, I already knew who I assigned for that number, and for half the year, we skipped over it. I anxiously waited in my seat, waiting for his reaction to his so called "buddy". He goes to his guy friends first and gets disappointed when they didn't have him. Seeing this, I sink lower in my chair.

My friend Kate, who sits right in front of me in the very back of the room, turned around to face me. "Hey Melissa, who are you working with?"

I opened my mouth but stopped myself. I didn't answer. I knew this day would come, but God, why does it have to be now!?!

I am in Earth Science with all them smart people (but there are some others who deserve to be in it too) and we all take a HIGH SCHOOL course in the eighth grade. Of course I was selected to be in the class, but that person obviously had the chance as well. And of course, this person is Alen Newman. I swear everyone loves him, and, as I told people many occasions before, that the only reason why he is important in my life is because of competition. Ever since the sixth grade, we have been competing, and he is fully aware of the pure hatred I have for him. ( I learned that since he has no idea for the true reasons why I hate him, he doesn' t really care, though he does use it to irritate me. This might be something I have to work on...)

Anyways, we got up and met up with our partner for the whole period. I walked over to him, and he looks around, as he was searching in vain for who his partner was. 

Well it was now or never.

I walked over to him and he just walks past me. Honestly, how rude! I call his name, and he turns to face me. I felt... , oh jeez, I completely forgot what I was going to say, but luckily I regained my thoughts and told him:

"Alen, I am your partner."

He smirks, which I have seen almost all of the time when he knows I'm uncomfortable. He doesn't say anything, so I continue to speak.

" Where do you want to sit?" 

" It doesn't matter. You can choose."

" Don't you want to sit near your buddy Moe?"

And surprisingly, he chuckles, and mumbles something about me knowing him too well.

We sit down and across from us is Moe and Mary Anne. I give him a stool, and then looks at me in a concerned way.

" Do you have a stool?"

" Yes, I do."

" Oh. I was about to let you have mine, and, you know, stand."

I said nothing. I sat down and got to work, with my nemesis sitting only inches away.

I would say that this got into a very awkward start.