Her good-girl uniform, her perfect body, her beautiful face... Of course she needs to have a shitty personality. She walks away, the boards smudged and three minutes until the next period. My blood gets hot. This... This girl...

I get to class late. Everyone seems to be working in pairs of two . I spot Maisie and Haddie in the back of the classroom, next to Fred, Brendan and Mick. The only place left in the classroom is next to them. Brendan turns around to shake my hand and so I take the opportunity to ask him what is the work we have to do. 

"Nothing", he chuckles. 

"Everybody else has to do the assignment..." 

"Calm down, Brainy. Today is your lucky day. You can slack off all class." 

"And be punished afterwards? I'm already in trouble with them olds..." 

He shoves me by the shoulder, answering in an irritated tone. ''God, you're slow. The ladies are gonna give us the answers.'' 

I look at Haddie and Maisie writing in their notebooks, oblivious. 

''Yeah? They offered or?'', I ask. 

They ignore my question. I could go ask the teacher for some instructions on what we are supposed to be doing, but... A part of me needs to see that Underwood girl be put back in her place. Oh, she will be so mad. She is doing all the work and we are going to steal her papers. Easy plan. 

But that moment never comes. The bell rings and for a second, I think Brendan and his friends fooled me into not doing my work. The students leave the classroom, except them. Maisie and Haddie are still there. Mick nudges my shoulder to urge me to follow him. Brendan is resting his elbows on the desk, staring at Maisie while she continues stuffing her belongings in her school bag. 

When Haddie sees Fred, Mick and I heading their way too, she speaks : ''What?'' 

She stands up, quickly grabbing her best friend's arm, but Maisie stays put, like she is wondering what we want. Her gaze runs over me, she doesn't care that I'm here, she isn't feeling threatened or curious as to why I'm here... 

Biting my tongue, I listen to Mick's answer to the simple question Haddie has asked. ''Don't worry, darling, we just need one thing and we'll leave you alone'' 

Setting his hands on both of her shoulders, the teenager grins. The girl with crow black hair freezes at his touch, her cheeks turning red. 

Maisie gives him a dirty look, spitting out : ''DON'T call her 'darling'. '' 

The three boys appear startled by her rude tone. She always talks like this with me..? Well, during the few interactions we had. 

''Please. Now, what do you need?'', she adds in an angelic voice, weirdly calm. 

I silently scoff.  As if THIS is her real temper. 

''Thank you Maisie. We would only need a copy of the work for tomorrow.'', says Brendan in an assured tone of voice. 

She's gonna say no... That girl wouldn't do anything nice for those dumb guys. 

''Sure... I'll bring it tomorrow morning'', she agrees, still doing her sweet girl act.

I frown.

I decide to follow her in the main hall, however, after less than a minute, Maisie twirls, facing me with her sky colored eyes before I can even tap her shoulder. 

''Stop.'' 

Her attitude is back. 

''I will if you show the other students your real personality. Why do you act like a witch with me and no one else?'' 

She takes a step back. I hurt her. A veil of something I can't get my mind around covers her face in a cloud of fog. I can feel the brume, I can feel her sadness in a way. It feels like that. No. I'm imagining it all because how could I feel her emotions..? I guess. Should I apologize..? No! No. 

''You should watch what you say. Maybe I'm not nice to you for a reason...''

I snort. ''So you're actually a good person? Just not with me, is that what you're saying?'' 

She turns and walks away. 

''Hey! I was not finishe-'' 

''I was.'' 

Her maroon skirt and beige blouse outlined her silhouette as I stared at her joining Haddie at her locker. 

That girl hates me.