Collision Of Asteroids

This is a Mistake

Carlotta POV:

Reach for the stars, they said. The only thing I reach for is my textbooks at the top of my locker. Which I am doing right now. 

My fingertips graze them, but I can't get high enough to reach them. And I'm not dwarf height either; I'm a good 5'3. These stupid lockers they put in school are made for the tall kids. I wish I could go back to the middle school lockers, where you share the top and bottom half between you and your friend, and keep candy in it, and decorate it with all of your favourite posters and fairy lights. Oh, those glorious lockers. How I miss those.

In my midst of daydreaming about tiny lockers, an arm reaches out an brings my textbooks down for me.

Gunnar Blakely. The jock in school, and I've been going to school with him since forever. He's also always liked me forever. He's not embarrassed about it either; he's just that kind of guy.

"Have you checked your schedule yet?" He asks, and I frown up at him.

"I could've got that you know." I huff, taking the textbook from his big hands.

"Right." Gunnar stretches out the word skeptically. "So have you checked it?"

"No." I reply, taking my phone out from my pocket. "You?"

"They out me in some stupid astronomy elective." He groans. "I should've signed out the elective form earlier."

"No kidding." I reply, "You really have to get on that kind of thing. I do." 

"Whatever." He shrugs. "It shouldn't be too hard, should it? It's just astronomy. I'm just glad that the rest of my schedule has a lot of sports time. But seriously, why do they even offer astronomy as a class? Nobody wants to be in it."

Gunnar plays legit every sport you can think of, from soccer to weight throwing. I have no clue what weight throwing even is. But he won the tournament last year, so he must be good at it. I don't know.

I stare down at my screen, and realize that the schedule I have doesn't look right for my electives.

"What the f-" I stutter before realizing there is a teacher behind us. 

"Everything okay, Miss Ramirez?" The teacher gives me a look, and I nod, tight lipped and smile pursed.

As he walks away, Gunnar raises an eyebrow.

"I may have an organization problem, but you have a swearing problem." He laughs. "What was it now?"

"They put me in astronomy. Astronomy! I put in home ec, woodworking, track, and business. But instead of business, it's astronomy!" I stare at my phone, wondering if the results might change if I stare at it long enough.

"Hey, at least you're with me." Gunnar shrugs, and stretches his arm out to carry something for me, but I pull away.

"I can carry my things on my own," I roll my eyes. "And this is a mistake. I'm not the best student, but surely this was just an accident." 

Gunnar rolls his green eyes back at me, mockingly, his blond hair so golden it almost hurts my eyes. 

"Anyways." He shrugs. "The reason I came over is because I have two tickets to see the movies. Wanna come?" He acts cool about it, but this is the third time.

"Nope." I put it simply. "I'd rather sit at home alone, watching Netflix in my room."

"I could come over there." He says as I shut my locker. "I'll bring the popcorn."

"Nah, go and enjoy that movie yourself; or better yet, go get yourself a girlfriend and quit following me around." I walk off to first period class.

✨    ✨     ✨

"But- I don't understand, there was plenty of room still left in the classes I signed up for." I frown, "Can't you make an exception?"

Mrs. Fern sighs. 

"Every year, I have one student ask if they can switch electives after not handing their form in, and every year the answer remains the same; no." She gives me a hard stare. "You will participate in astronomy class, and if you cease to attend, your grade will drop. Now go sit down, Miss Ramirez."

I flush, the entire class having watched that debacle. It was humiliating, but honestly, I've survived worse.

I sit back down in my seat at the back of the class, and a paper airplane falls into my lap.

I look over to where it came from; Ailynn Maren. The ace of the baseball team, the resident sports girl, the girl who's name I think was spelled stupidly. Don't get me wrong, she's nice, but why her parents spelled her name like that I will never know.

She nods to the paper, indicating me to read it, and turns back to the class to proceed to pretend to pay attention. 

I open the paper in my lap, and read the note.

You too, huh? They messed up my form too; I picked baseball, football, soccer, and weight training (Damn this girl trains hard), but they switched football for astronomy. They did it with my friend Caleb's as well, and I think Gunnar from Class 6. Although I saw you guys talking in the hallways, so I'm sure you already know. - Ailynn

I scribble at the bottom of the note,

Yeah, I didn't get business like I signed up for. I really needed that course. - Carlotta

I hand it back to her, and she scribbles something and hands it back.

Business? I mean, I respect the hardcore learning, but I'd rather do anything than business. Booooring. No offense. - Ailynn

None taken. I'm glad I'll have someone I know besides Gunnar. - Carlotta, I scribble.

Ailynn takes the paper, and smiles, giving me a thumbs up, and turning back to the front of the class again.

Well, I think were friendly ish now. I hope. I really don't want Gunnar to be the only one I know there. Gunnar, he's a nice guy, but... he tries too hard, and there are plenty of other girls he could go out with; why would he choose to consistently ask me out? I honestly can't think of a reason.