I stared daggers at the creature, eyebrows knitted so much they almost touched each other. I prayed my aura of animosity was enough to warn the creature of how dangerous I could be and that it would keep its distance from me. However, it did not seem to be working; the loathsome animal came closer slowly but surely. I was in the corner of the room and had no means of escape. I pondered my options. A real dagger would have been ideal but there was no such option. Would it be better if I picked up the chair in front of me and use it as a shield? Should I try my luck and scream my lungs out, hoping that it might attract the attention of someone?
While I could feel more and more sweat droplets bead my forehead, I could not come to a decision and was in grave danger. The creature approached me, inching closer still. I shut my eyes real tight and was about to let out the loudest shriek of my life when I heard a familiar voice calling out-
"Now that you all are in your assigned pairs, please work together as a team and get started on your project," Mr Low announced to the class.
"Maybe we could get started if you'd let me get closer. How can we discuss if you are seated three seats away from me?" Elias said while giving me a warm and sincere smile, wishing that that would be enough to convince me that he was trustworthy. He then attempted once again to move one more seat closer to me while I responded by moving another seat away. I refused to allow the distance between us to close.
"Emberlynn and Elias," Mr Low said while suddenly appearing beside us. I swear he must have a secret job of being a ninja and being a teacher was just a cover-up. "I believe my instructions were to get started on your project, not to play musical chairs. Please get started."
Shoot. I've been checkmated, I thought to myself bitterly, while looking down, wanting to avoid any eye contact. I clasped my hands tightly against each other while twiddling my thumbs.
Not wasting that golden opportunity, Elias moved and sat right beside me while I remained rooted to my seat, knowing very well that Mr Low would not put up with any more of my antics. I continued looking down with occasional glances to see what Elias was doing. Flashing a charming boyish grin while giving a thumbs up, he answered reassuringly, "Don't worry Mr Low. We've got this. It would be a project that would impress the class and you. Right, Ember?"
That was a first. No one has ever called me that before. He looked at me in the hope of getting me to agree with him.
Fat hope.
I remained silent and continued my downward gaze. Mr Low looked at the both of us before walking away without saying a word.
Elias then immediately turned and faced me. "Any ideas how we can make the project a resounding success, beautiful?" he broke into his boyish grin again, believing that it would be enough to charm me into looking at him. While that remark did nothing to move me at all, my blood, however, had a different mind of its own. That out-of-the-blue comment caused it to rush up to my face, resulting in my face flushed into a full-blown red. I was so embarrassed by that comment even I could feel the tips of my ears burning scarlet red.
"I've got a great idea for our project!" he quipped with great enthusiasm while perking up, complete with a beaming smile that radiated brightly like the sun. It was almost as if what we had thought about him was wrong. Maybe he was a good catch and Georgina could be right. If that was so, I could find a reason to talk to her, giving me certainty that our friendship would survive this disastrous misunderstanding.
Maybe he really would be the bright shining light to mending our relationship, I contemplated with a ray of hope. The grip on my palms loosened up slightly though I remained immobile.
"Let me lean closer to you to whisper into your ear so no one else can steal our idea, alright?" he said in a gentle tone while leaning closer toward me.
He bent even closer to me and positioned his mouth just a few inches away from my bright red ear. If I had been able to see myself, my ears probably would have been Rudoph red-nosed red. I still had not moved an inch but sweat already travelled down my palms.
Giving me a comforting and soothing smile, he chirped, "My great idea is: You will come up with the entire contents of the presentation and the script, and I will just present the first and last slides. Wonderful idea, isn't it?" My eyes opened wide like saucers upon hearing what he said and for the first time in an eternity, I moved and swivelled my head slowly at him in disbelief. I noticed the evil glint in his eyes while his lips curled into a diabolical grin. So much for him being a ray of hope; more like a reign of terror.
"You have got to be kid-"
"You have got to be grateful that I'm proposing this," he interrupted before I could finish. His face had suddenly switched back to one of great innocence, almost like a saint. "Because if you do that, I will put in a good word for you to Georgina and then you two get to be besties once again. See, a win-win for everyone!" his angelic smile soon morphed into a villainous smirk while ending with, "Think of it as payment for my service."
No sooner had I heard that than I turned and looked in the direction where Georgina was. She was glaring hard at me in my direction. I could feel her jealousy permeate through my skin and dig deep into my soul. The daggers I had been staring earlier were like toy knives compared to what she was giving me.
Our eyes met.
My eyebrows furrowed and I shook my head vehemently, hoping to signal to her that there was nothing happening between the two of us. Georgina reciprocated with a deftly yet graceful turn away from me, indicating that my plea had all but failed.
"Shoot. Not a good sign," I concluded while turning back to look at Elias who had been savouring the moment the whole time.
"Well, looks like you need my deal more than ever, don't you, Ember? And, if I'm not mistaken, this project takes up a significant part of our grade for the end of year examination. I also know that you want and need a perfect score, so either way you would still be doing a fantastic job while getting a free perk. Isn't that a great deal and great teamwork?" he remarked while spreading out his hands with a face so pure it almost looked like he was advocating for world peace. He should seriously consider a career in acting; he might even give Will Smith a run for his money.
Deep inside, I was so disgusted at him calling me "Ember" as if we were the closest of friends. Even Georgina never called me that. To make things worse, he just blackmailed me into doing all the work and he would freeride into getting good grades. We were right after all - he truly is a jerk. Just what did Georgina see in him?
My eyes trailed to my keychain which is of Hello Kitty in an orange dragon costume. How I wish I could transform into a dragon and burn this creep into ember just for calling me Ember. I wanted to tell him to stop calling me that but decided that I had bigger fish to fry.
"To make the deal sweeter and more enticing for you," he said, interrupting my train of thoughts. "If you refuse, I'll tell Georgina that you tried to hit on me and that you badmouthed her."
I stared daggers at him again, yearning that they would become lasers that could bore through him, wiping him off the face of the earth. I wondered if mine were as lethal as Georgina's.
This was the first time I was getting blackmailed and I really did not have any other choice. "If I refuse him outright, I have no idea what this scumbag might do. Yet, even if I were to agree to it, there's no guarantee that this shapeshifting weasel would keep to the end of his bargain," I thought sourly to myself.
"What's it going to be, Ember?" he asked, this time with an edge in his voice, showing his growing impatience. This time he did not bother with putting up an act.
"How can I be certain that you will not play me out?" I finally replied, sullen.
His face immediately morphed into one showing great disappointment. "Aww, you don't trust me? Look at my face; can't you see that I care about you girls? Does it look like one that will scheme and betray?" he commented, sounding convincingly hurt.
"No," was my curt response.
Elias let out a soft chuckle with hints of being sinister. "You're such a clever girl. No wonder you're one of the top students in our level. You're absolutely right, my dear Ember," he continued while smirking. "There is no guarantee I will keep my promise. But if you do a great job, I might be motivated to keep my word."
I bit my lower lip after confirming my worst fears. I am the proverbial drowning man who would clutch at any straw, I thought resentfully.
I looked at my keychain and then thought of Georgina. I would do whatever it takes to mend our relationship. She is, after all, my first friend and my best friend.
In the end, with a heavy sigh, I relented, "Fine. You got yourself a deal but follow through on your agreement." I wanted to add 'dirtbag' behind but decided against it.
With his eyes forming arches, Elias once again flashed his boyish grin while sticking out his pinkie finger, "You've got yourself a deal teammate! Here's to great teamwork."
I ignored him entirely.
I peered in Georgina's direction. She had her back facing me like a wall getting taller, thicker and more unscalable; unapproachable even. For the first time, I was not sure if our friendship could survive a catastrophe of this scale.