detrimental ❣ jse

i

"Sometimes you'll feel alone, scared, a detriment to society, but keep your head up. You may be damaged but we will fix you."

Jenna Morrison, she had a sorrow radiating from her. She acted happy, wore a smile, but I could tell. It was like a bubble surrounding her, a cage she was stuck in. All the boys surrounded her like she was a fragile bird ready to fly away. To them she was perfect, to me? To me, she was damaged, broken, sad. She didnt know who I was, in her eyes nobody could see through her glass wall. We had just about every class together so it wasn't unusual for me to see her twice or more a day. As morning came to an end the first period bell rang, each passing minute reminded me it was our senior year, the class of 2017, and that we were only months away from graduation. She tore away from the mob surrounding her and walked toward our first class, AP Biology . As soon as she entered I slowly made my way and to my surprise our teacher was pairing people off for projects.

"Since I know none of you can behaved well enough to choose your own partners I've paired you off alphabetically." She began to pair off everyone and I already knew what would happen. "Kendall and Lambert, Mcloughlin and Morrison, Owens and Peterson..." She glanced around the room, clearly she didn't know I was even in her class so I walked up in front of her.

"I'm Mcloughlin, Sean if you will." She smiled meekly.

"Oh, hi... I'm Morrison, Jenna, I guess." She laughed awkwardly as the teacher pointed to the lab table we'd be sharing. As the class slowly walked to all their seats our teacher began to explain the project in detail.

"You all will be doing a social experiment for our new unit Perception, this unit it all about peer pressure, your minds ability to be easily influenced etc. You will all be writing a four page essay before the end of your last semester. I will fail you and your partner if this project is not completed, and you will not graduate." Everyone groaned, I looked over at Jenna and she didn't say a word, she wasn't even paying attention. She was off in her own little world, drowning out everyone else around her. I was fascinated, her whole essence reeked of depression and sorrow but she looked so expressionless, with a faint smile peeking through, looking out the window daydreaming about whatever it was till suddenly, the teacher yelled out for Jenna's attention, knocking her out of her trance and me as well. " Ms. Morrison don't make me fail you already."

"I'm sorry, yes ma'am." she nodded at the teacher with a pretty convincing fake smile and the teacher bought it.

The rest of class the groups talked about what they would do, some people made jokes about pushing people to suicide which the teacher instantly shot down and said that wasn't what the project was about. all of a sudden I heard a small faint voice.

"idiots." Jenna mumbled.

"huh?" I said. She looked back with a surprised look.

"Oh my god, did you hear me..?"

"yeah.." I whispered as she groaned.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." we sat there in silence for a couple of moments before she spoke up again.

"So.. what do you want to do for this project?" her tone of voice definitely revealed she didn't have a lot of social skills, and honestly I could see why, she didn't really talk to people at the school. She was more of a statue of praise not a socialite. She just wasn't that kind of girl. If she went to a big party it was rare and people mostly just talked to her with her nodding and going along with the conversations without even saying a word.

I tried to think of something we could do for the project but the bell rang before I could get a word out.

"I guess we can figure it out later, if you want to come over to my house later this week." I nodded. "I'll see you then,...Sean wasn't it?"

"Yeah and actually we have next class together.." I said quietly. Her eyes widened.

"R-really? I'm so sorry I didn't realize." She looked extremely embarrassed.

"It's okay, I promise, want to walk to class together?" she nodded.

"it's the least I can do after I probably just hurt your feelings." she laughed still slightly embarrassed.

"Okay" I chuckled while we exited the classroom and headed to our next class.

"So..uhm.. I sit over there..." she pointed to the far side of the room as we entered.

"I sit right here." I pointed to the nearest side of the room.

"Uh.. I'm sorry, I just wanted to know if you wanted my number, ...for the project of course." I was caught off guard by her question but responded anyway.

"Y-yeah! Yeah here's my phone if you want to put it in." I stood there awkwardly as she typed in her contact. Once she handed back my phone I looked at the contact and saw she had already messaged herself and I look at her to see she was already walking to her seat. We parted ways in complete silence. Only for her to glance back in my direction with what seemed like a smile.