Good Enough

Good Enough - Chapter 1

BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!

I heard the noise and swore under my breath.  The day I've been dreading is finally here and I just wanted to crawl deeper in my covers and pretend it wasn't.  The first day of school.  Or as I like to call it, the first day of Hell.

You see, I don't fit in at my school.  Shocker, I know.  But I don't.  I'm not cool, at least to the cool crowd I'm not.  I don't kiss up to the populars, as I like to call them.  I'd rather eat seafood than do that, and if you knew how much I hate seafood, you'd know how serious I am about that.  

I finally dragged myself out of my warm comfy bed and forced myself into the shower.  I stood under the spray getting my long honey blond hair drenched for the shampoo.  I scrub myself clean and rinse my hair.  I try to delay turning off the shower for as long as possible but once I hear the loud knock on the bathroom door, I know it's time to get moving.

While I hate school and all the superficial crap it brings, I still want to look good.  I study myself in my full length mirror and decide what I'm wearing will do.  Blue jean jeggings, a long but somewhat tight white T-shirt, and brown suede boots.  I left my long hair down and just wore basic diamond earrings.  I highlighted my deep blue eyes with dark mascara and added a little blush and pink lipgloss.  It would have to do.

I pull up to the death chamber, I mean high school, and park as far away as I can.  The populars have their part of the parking lot that no one would dare to mess with.  I really don't care about messing with them but I'm also not in the mood to start the year off on the wrong foot, not yet at least.  

As I stroll through the parking lot to get to the building, I see the queen of the populars, Beth Shaw, sitting on the hood of someones car.  The girl bugs me to no end.  She thinks she is all that and can do no wrong.  Problem is, everyone basically lets her.  As I continue to walk, I see him get out of the car she's sitting on.  I catch my breath.  Wow he looks even better now than he did last year, if that's possible.  Mick Stanford, high school super star.  Football quarterback, straight A student, captain of the debate team, you name it, he does it.  Not only that but of course he's gorgeous as well.  I'll describe him to you as I stare at him.  Dark brown hair that's spiked in the front, light brown eyes with extremely long dark lashes (I hate him for that too), and a build that just won't stop.  And of course he's wearing jeans that hug his tight ass and a black T-shirt with our high school logo on it.  Man, it doesn't get better than Mick Stanford.

As I continue to stare, I feel someone tap my shoulder.  I swing my head around and see my best friend Cappy standing behind me with a wide grin on her face.  "I see you've already noticed Mr. Stanford this morning.  Is he hotter?  I think he's hotter.  But what's that bitch Beth doing on the hood of his car?  They broke up on the last day of school.  He'd better not have taken her back after what she did."  

I start to laugh as Cappy goes on and on.  She is the only one who knows of my mild crush on Mick.  She is always trying to get me to talk to him but there's no way that'll happen.  I'm not that stupid.  Plus, I'm also not that stupid to think for one minute that he'd ever be interested in me.  He doesn't even know I'm alive.

"Aww Cappy girl.  I love ya.  You seem to forget though, they break up and get back together like no other.  They've probably done that over and over this summer already."  As I say it, my heart breaks a little.  I don't like to show it but it's hard on me to see him waste his time on her.  She's not worth it.

"Yeah, but neither of them had cheated on the other before.  She cheated on him Andie, on Mick Stanford!"  

"You think I of all people don't remember that?"  I smacked Cappy lightly on the back of her head as I grabbed her hand and dragged her behind me to the school building.  As we got to the stairs, the warning bell rang.  "Here we go Caps.  Hold on for dear life."

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The first few weeks of school sailed by without much drama, thank goodness.  The populars hadn't bothered me yet which was actually really nice.  I had no idea how long it would last though.

I had AP English with Mick third period every day.  Man he was beautiful.  I made sure to always sit a few rows away from him.  I didn't need to be close in proximity with the guy.  

During the third week of school, I was sitting in said English class, waiting for the teacher to start.  I had my notebook out and was doodling random things on there when Cappy rushed in and took the seat next to mine.

"You'll never guess what I just heard," she stated in between breaths.  I raised an eyebrow at her indicating I was waiting to hear what it was she'd just heard.

"Okay, I got this second hand from Becca so you know how that is.  Anyway, apparently Queen Beth is on a campaign to get Mick back but so far, he hasn't wanted anything to do with her.  I guess we missed the best part on the morning of the first day of school.  Apparently he kicked Beth off of the hood of his car and told her to leave him alone.  Why it took this long for us to find this out I'll never know but I couldn't wait to tell you."

As I thought this over I couldn't help but smile at my best friend.  Her cheeks were red from running to class and her white blond hair was spiked out more than usual.  She always loves to experiment with different hair styles and the one she's sporting right now has lasted the longest.  It's my favorite.  

"Hmm.  That is interesting.  Can't say it doesn't make me thrilled but then again, what does it matter?  He'll never be interested in me."

As Cappy started to protest, the teacher rose and began class.  Mrs. Moon is my favorite teacher this year.  She's been at our school for over thrity years and is well respected.  I especially love her cute gray bun and blue eyes that sparkle from behind her owl shaped glasses.

"Okay class.  Today I'm doing something a little different than I've done before.  In the past I've always let the students decide who they're going to partner with for the book report assignment but this year, I've decided that I am going to choose who your partner will be."

The class groaned and looked around at each other wondering just who it is they'll be partnered with.  I felt a huge surge of disappointment as I realized that most likely Cappy and I would not be able to do this together.  We'd been planning on it since we heard we got Mrs. Moon.  Great, I thought to myself.

"Now now, give me a chance.  I've wanted to do this for a long time now and I'm finally doing it.  So, not only will I be choosing your partners, I'll also be choosing the book you're to report on."  Again, more groaning from the students.  "Hush hush.  You act like I'm sending you to the dungeons.  Just have an open mind students.  So now I will tell you who you're assigned to and the book you're to report on."

She started naming partners and so far, Cappy and I hadn't been called.  Just as I was thinking that maybe we'd be partnered after all, I heard her call my name, and the name of my parnter.  It wasn't Cappy.

"And to read and report on Jane Eyre I have assigned Andie James and Mick Stanford.  You two will be reporting to the class on Thursday, November third."

I sat there in shock, forgetting the class surrounding me.  I vaguely noticed Cappy's jaw dropping as I was still trying to digest what I'd just heard.  She said I'm partnered with Mick right?  No, there's no way. She did though.  I can't believe it.

I finally realized Mrs. Moon was finished telling us who our partners are and heard the dimissal bell ring.  Cappy was still looking at me with shock on her face.  "Oh my gosh!  She partnered you with Mick.  This is a sign Andie!  Oh my gosh!"  I rolled my eyes at her and rose to my feet, stuffing my books in my backpack.

As I turned to start walking to the door, I noticed Mick talking to Mrs. Moon.  A second later Mrs. Moon called my name.  "Andie dear, would you come over here for a second please?"  As I started walking to her, I turned to look at Cappy.  She grinned her humongous grin and ushered me on.  

"Yes Mrs. Moon?" I asked when I got to her desk.

"Andie, I wanted to introduce you to your parnter, Mick Stanford.  I was unaware the two of you didn't know each other.  I think this could be a good thing though.  I'm even more anxious now to see how the two of you work together and hear your report.  Mick, this is Andie.  Now I need to rush off to the office for a few minutes.  Say hi to each other and start making plans to work together.  Ta ta for now."  With that she rushed out of the room, leaving me there, alone, with Mick Stanford.