This chapter is dedicated to XxMidnightSinnerXx because she's such a sweet soul who really did motivate me to finish this chapter✨❤️.
ALSO THIS AMAZING COVER UP THERE WAS DONE BY chasingfirefliesx ❤️❤️❤️❤️ LOVE LOVE LOVE IT
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I took a deep breathe. I can do this. It's only high school. I told myself that about 50 times before I actually believed it. Here it goes, I thought.
I opened the door to see 25 faces facing me. It took all my willpower to not run away. I stood there like an idiot until the teacher, Mr. Blake, spoke.
"Welcome back Ms. Pierce. It's great to have my star student back." He said with a wide, genuine grin. Star student? Sir do you want them to kill me? It already happened once, who's to say it won't happen again.
"Uh thank you sir. It's good to be back." I forced a smile. Looking around, people who normally wouldn't even give me a second glance were excitedly waving in my direction. Pffft. Hypocrites. So it takes someone to have a close to death experience for you to start caring about them?? I'm so done with high school WHEN CAN I GRADUATE ALREADY.
Anyways. Back to reality.
Being the person that I am, i smiled and waved back.
Our chemistry lab is huge. Every person and their partner would have a whole row to themselves. Each desk had a microscope, bunsen burner, sink and a few sample dishes, and finally; goggles. The acids and chemicals were safely placed inside locked closets that could only be opened with the teacher's swipe card.
With the class split in the middle and there being 25 students, I assume I'm someone's partner. Hmm I wonder who it could be. Although i really preferred working alone, it's a school rule to have a partner.
"As you know, each student was already assigned a lab partner and since you were absent I took the liberty of choosing yours for you. Your partner for the remainder of the year would be," he looked through our partners sheet, his bright neon watch almost blinding me," Mr. Ross." His watches are always unique and bright as heck but I always admi- WAIT WHAT WHO NOW?! Ross?? As in Jace Ross??
Oh God no! I was hospitalized because of one hairless baboon and now I'm partners with another?! What's he gonna do? Pour acid all over my face and claim he was trying to lighten up my eyeballs? I knew this year was gonna be horrible, I just didn't to what extent until now.
Partner for the remainder of the year kept resonating in my head. Remainder. Of. The. Year.
It was only November.
Just prefect.
I groaned as I made my way towards the coat hangers, then found my way to my place; next to the spawn of satan himself. As i put my bag on the floor, I briefly looked at him. And he looked back. With a smile. Not an "Im gonna accidentally set your hair on fire" kind of smile. No. It was a kind smile.
Did he undergo plastic surgery?
Is that why he's smiling?
He must've sensed my astonishment because he said "Welcome back partner."
Is he a robot?
Was he abducted by aliens? I mean not that I'm complaining or anything.
Why is he not so demonic all of the sudden? Is he dying? Is that what this is??
Then he continued "Let's see what different colors we could 'accidentally' color your hair in." He finished with a smirk.
AAAANNNNDDD he's back.
Let me tell you a few things about Jace Ross. I don't know much about his domestic life except for the fact that he has 3 older siblings, but I do know this: he's a grade A pain in everybody's butt. He's the type of bully who would torment you from here to hell just to pass time. You know what he did to me on my first year here? He stuffed my locker to the brim with oil-paint filled balloons. Let's just say I had to order new books and I basically had to burn my clothes and cut my hair. I didn't nickname him spawn of satan for nothing. He does this to a lot of people but ever since I came here he became specialized in annoying the crap out of me.
He's a star player on the basketball team where Jaycee plays, and being a jock means no one ever reports him. So he does as he pleases without ever facing the consequences and of course his team vouches for him.
Mr. Blake excused himself to get us some supplies for our spectrophotometry and centrifuge assignment from the storage room, so we had about 20 minutes to ourselves. I tried to stay as calm as humanly possible because the slightest movement from me would awaken the beast next to me and attract attention from the rest of the class. Weird I even thought of that because that's exactly what happened regardless.
"So partner, how's life." He started, resting his chin on his hand, looking at me.
"Good." I replied, clearly not wanting to talk to him.
"What happened to you by the way? We all heard you were in a hospital but we never knew why. I wanted to come visit you but your friends wouldn't tell me where you were because they thought I'd cut off your oxygen supply or something." He said earnestly. The look in his eyes said he was genuine but I knew him too well to believe that.
"You wanted to visit me? Why so you could feast on my dead body? Make fun of the fact that I was lying helpless on a hospital bed? I said I'm fine Jace so would you just leave me alone and drop the act?!" I said a bit too harshly and maybe a bit too loudly. The whole class turned to look at us.
He flinched. Hurt cast on his eyes before he masked it with nonchalance.
"Fine whatever." Was all he said as he sat slouched on his chair, his cheeks burning bright red.
I looked up to find everyone looking at us.
"I'm sorry does look like a circus act!?" And they all looked away; surprised.
Mr. Blake didn't come back yet and we only have about 15 minutes left of class. I felt bad about blowing up in his face when he was worried about me -or perfectly perfecting his act- so I decided to apologize.
I took out a piece of paper and wrote. "I'm sorry I flipped, I've just been going through a lot. Thanks for asking but I'm fine now :) " and I gave it to him.
He read it quickly and turned to me, with a smile on his face.
"It's ok. I'm glad to hear that." He said.
Am I dreaming? Did he just say that? What happened to the school when I was away?
"Don't get used to the nice treatment though." He said with a smirk. Nope. I wasn't dreaming anymore.
"By the way, if you don't mind I want to ask something from you, please." He said with so much politeness that I was startled.
"Sure go ahead."
"Um I'm kind of falling behind on chemistry and trigonometry and I was wondering if maybe you could help me with them? I mean if that's not a problem."
"Why me?"
"I don't know. You're really really smart and you're my partner remember? I don't know who else to ask anyways, people don't particularly like me because of all the pranks and stuff and unlike you, they hold grudges and don't forgive." He said with a tone of sadness masking his voice.
Who said I forgave him?? But I wasn't about to ruin the moment of sincerity.
"Awwwww Jace. I'm glad you think of me as someone and not as a lab rat! I would be glad to help you." I said, trying my best to ignore the nagging feeling that something doesn't feel right. I decided to be the bigger person and lend a helping hand to a human in need. Or, sorry, a semi-human.
He took out his phone and told me to type my number and call myself, which I did. Just then, the bell rang signalling the end of the class. Mr. Blake was still a no show but of course no one else noticed except for me.
New contact saved: Spawn of Satan👹
"See you later partner and thank you so much." He said as he made his way outside class.
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I grabbed my tray and found my friends and went to sit with them. Jaycee and Ashton weren't here for reasons I know and thank God no one asked anything about them.
I texted Jaycee to ask how things were and he said it would take a day in the latest to get it fixed, and that Ashton and him would most probably just skip the rest of the classes because there was no basketball practice today.
"So ladies what are your plans for this weekend?" Asked Aaron as he munched on his fries.
"I'm staying home and not going anywhere just in case someone else plans on killing me." I said as i ate my heavenly Alfredo.
"Stop being dramatic Lexi no one wants to kill you. I on the other hand don't feel like doing anything and besides we should be applying to universities." Said Brenda, always the mother of our group. She's applying to MIT, Harvard, Stanford and UCLA. She's very smart, an amazing writer an amazing singer too! She is a part of the school paper, secretary of the student council and part of the school choir. We always told her that if school doesn't work out for her, a career in writing or singing would be ideal for her.
"I don't feel like doing anything either. HEY! We should have a girls night!! Said Sabrina, her eyes lighting up. "With everything that's been happening to Lexi lately we all really need a day to ourselves.
"That's a wonderful idea! I'm in!" Said Aaron.
"Uhhh DUDE, you're not a girl." Said Brenda
"Well I'm a part of this group and I refuse to be discriminated against!" He said stomping his legs like an infant.
"That's actually a great idea guys. We need a day in for our group, we are family after all." I said.
"Sounds great."
"Ok fine."
"We could watch movies, make hot coco, order in and just be lazy and spend the whole day in our pyjamas. You can come over to my house, my parents won't mind; not like they'd be home anyways." I said
"It's a deal then. We'll come around Saturday morning to help you set up and we'll bring some other stuff with us!" Said Brenda excitedly and we all agreed. We really needed this. I missed spending time with them that didn't involve meeting them in the hospital.
We heard sirens outside but dismissed it and continue chatting about random stuff. It wasn't until they came running down the hallway and passed the cafeteria did they take our full attention.
The PA blared loudly all of the sudden, "Attention students. The administration advices that you all remain in the cafeteria until further notice! I repeat REMAIN IN THE CAFETERIA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY."
What the hell was that about. We all rushed to the cafeteria doors but they were all locked from the outside. We had a long row of roof-to-floor windows which meant that we could clearly see whatever it was that was happening outside.
Everyone was worried mumbling incoherent words but that all died down when the paramedics walked past us, holding a stretcher with someone on it, covered with a blanket that was soaking with blood. As they passed us, the body's arm fell limply outside the stretcher.
The victim was wearing a unique watch. A neon watch to be exact. We all gasped in unison as we realized who that was.
Mr. Blake.
Everyone went berserk.