Internet Friends | Luke Hemmings

Chapter 18

The usual stampede of students erupted out of their classrooms as the bell echoed through the dull corridors. I'd avoided the push and shove of it all by asking to go to the toilet and never going back to the maths lesson, it's shit , we'll never use equations out of school anyway.

I'd been back at school for 6 and a half weeks now and the populars had already dissolved my confidence back to the no existent state it was in before the holidays. The usual name calling, the 'accidental' trip ups and the sniggering behind my back had slipped back into my normal routine, I was naive to think my time with Sammy would change the way they effected me.

The rest of the class had arrived and walked into the classroom, making our way to our seats. The teacher had rearranged the seating plan over the summer holidays because we were in the same class, putting Lily and I in the corner at the back. However Lily was in bed with a fever so I was alone, I spent my break and lunch hiding away in the toilets or the bench outside.

"Right class." Our teacher stood up from the chair at her desk. Miss Cross was young, pretty and was really good at eyeliner so I liked her. "I want you to analyse the poems that I've put on your desks, they're quite challenging so you're going to be working in pairs with the person sat next to you."

I pulled out my pen and was about to put pen to paper fully accepting the fact I'd be working on my own when Miss Cross spoke up.

"Thomas, you go work with Izzy at the back" i lifted my head up from my work and my eyes widened. What?! I could hear the eruption of sniggers the class made under their breath.

He stood up from his chair and came to join me at my desk at the back. The sniggers turned to the low hum of the class discussing work not caring about laughing anymore.

"Hi" he finally broke the silence between us.

"Hi" I mumbled trying to focus on the work we were supported to be doing, But on the inside, I was shitting myself. This is like the first time ever I've talked to him and I've been crushing on him since my third day in this school.

"The idea is that if we work together we have to speak." He bugged on, waiting for answer that he wouldn't get, well, what was i supported to say, I couldn't exactly quote some 80s movie like I normally do, I'll just make a fool out of myself. This is why I try to avoid getting feelings for people, you can't speak to them without the constant fear of what they'll think of you.

I shrugged my shoulders "I know" my voice came out like a whisper. Ugh why am I so nervous around him. Oh wait, I remember, he's like the most popular boy in our year, and well I was on the complete opposite end of the popularity spectrum.

"I'm not like everyone else, I won't take the piss out of anything you do." He took my chin in his fingers and lifted my head up from the paper, forcing my to look in his heavenly chocolate brown eyes. What was he doing?! Just the friendly gesture of placing his fingers under my chin causes the butterflies lingering in my stomach to explode and I have to turn my head away so he doesn't see the scarlet shade my face has gone.

I tried to continue to focus on the work we were supposed to be doing but I couldn't help but hear Thomas chuckle from beside me "Your so cute" he mumbled quietly suggesting he didn't want me to hear.

I turned my head to him, surprised by his words. It was now his turn to go bright red.

"Right, what poem are we looking at then?" He said, quickly to change the subject

"Erm, Hour" I replied staring at the title printed in bold black across the top of the work sheet .It really had to be a romantic poem didn't it.

Not just once but six times I caught a certain orange person staring at me from her seat at the front, she'd look at Thomas then her eyes would flicker to me, she'd send me a dirty look before turning back to her own work. Everyone knew she had a thing for him, well by thing I mean she flirted with him more than anyone. But there was something not quite right she'd turned around the final time with a smirk on her face not realising I was looking, how odd.