Adrift

Chapter 1 Rayna

I had never been forced into a more useless class as a graduation requirement. Who needs to communicate, anyway? "Everybody," our teacher would say. "To be mentally and emotionally happy, and sane." All the class did was push my sanity to its limits. Why couldn't we go back to prehistoric time with cavemen and neanderthals where we communicated with a series of grunts and gestures. I couldn't say I wouldn't enjoy hitting someone on the head with a club to show anger). It seemed to work pretty well for them. But, of course, that would be "barbaric" in addition to being effective.

            There was a 50% chance that I would have gotten the cool, fun, and hilarious teacher. However, fate was not on my side, and I was stuck with Mr. Dallman, who was super dull and hardly a man.

            He droned on about some new project as I examined my french manicure. There was a chip in the polish on my thumb, and I made a mental note to fix it ASAP.

            I froze when I heard him say the words "speech" and "present in front of the class" in the same sentence. Public speaking wasn't my thing, okay? I relaxed a little at the word, "partner," but that was ruined when he added the words; "that I will assign to you." Assigned partners never worked out well.

            "Keegan," Mr. Dallman called. "You will be working with..." I sunk lower in my desk automatically. Keegan was just about the biggest idiot in the eleventh grade. He was held back in the fourth grade, and no one was surprised. Intelligence of the average bear, this one had. Don't pick me. Don't pick me. Don't pick me. I thought to myself.

            Mr. Dallman's eyes locked on me and I slunk even lower almost instinctively, but he smiled. "Rayna. You two will be partners." Keegan grinned stupidly at me as Mr. Dallman named off the rest of the partners. My friend Aqua was paired with Kenny, Keegan's nearly just as stupid friend. 

            After everyone had a partner, I saw Kenny sit in an open desk next to Aqua and scoot the desk closer to hers. He started talking excitedly, and she gave me a look of disgust from across the room. It was funny until Keegan did the same to me.

            "We should do our project about aliens." Keegan stated plainly.

            "Why?"

            "Well...because they're cool."

            "That's a stupid reason."

            "Says you!" Keegan said looking offended.

            "That's right, and what I say is final. No aliens." I sounded like my mother. Yet another valid reason to hate partner assignments.

            Keegan pouted as Aqua moved to the open desk behind me, and Kenny sat behind Keegan.

            "It's not fair!" Kenny complained to Keegan. "She won't let me do aliens for the project!"

            "I don't think we'll be able to get enough proof," Aqua lied. She didn't care about proof. It was only a speech. "Plus it's a total cliché," She added.

            Neither of the boys looked convinced. Probably because they didn't know what cliché meant. "I wish we were partners." Keegan said to Kenny as he crossed his arms to pout.

            I had one of those beautiful light-bulb-flashing-above-my-head moments.

            "Aqua, do you think you could work your teacher's pet magic and ask Mr. Dallman to rethink his partner assignments?" I suggested with a grin.