D a w n :
I smoothed my hair back down, peeking out of the closet to see if anybody was lingering in the hallway or classroom.
"Is it clear?"
I nodded, pulling down my dress before I stepped out of the closet, walking away from it as fast as possible.
"Hey, wait up!"
I heard Tripp calling to me, but I ignored it until I heard a crash and the clattering of metal on metal that followed it. I turned around to see Trip's foot caught in a trombone, in the middle of the classroom.
This is why it's not good to hook up in the band closet. Noted.
I ran back, pushing him inside and turning on the lights in the closet.
The harsh light greeted us and I scrambled trying as fast as humanly possible to get him unstuck from the trombone and out of the closet before the class period ended.
"Sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen." Tripp said.
I looked up at him, chuckling. "You know, for somebody on the basketball team, I thought you'd be less of a klutz."
He laughed at that, finally pulling his foot free. "Yeah well, so did I but I was blessed with large feet." He stood up, opening the door. "Come on, let's go before someone comes in."
We left the closet and the classroom as fast as possible, parting ways when we got to the hallway. I turned to go to my next, class but he stopped, me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
Oh great. I thought, this part was always annoying because it happened every single time with every single boy and I just don't see how they don't seem to get it.
"Are we gonna do this again sometime?" He asked.
Probably not.
"I don't know, we'll see." I said, giving him a smile before I left to go to my class, right as the bell rang and students started to fill up the hallway.
It's not that I'm embarrassed by what I do, because I'm pretty sure people know, but I'm not the kind of girl who goes around parading the guys she's with. If I find someone attractive and something happens to take place, that's between me and the guy.
I try not to let them get attached, which is hard with some boys, but others get the gist and are easier to handle.
I picked up my backpack from my locker, rushing to my next class, home economics.
I walked in, thankfully before the bell rang and made my way to the back of the classroom, sitting next to my friend Daryll.
"Hey what's up?" He said, smiling at me.
I sat down, dropping my bag onto the desk. "Hey, my day has been a total bust, I completely forgot that I had homework in environmental science and so I rushed to do it during lunch and I'm pretty sure I turned in two pages of complete bullshit."
Daryll laughed at that.
"It's not funny, my parents are going to be pissed when they see it, meaning I'll have to grovel for their forgiveness if I want a social life anymore."
"I don't understand why they're so strict, you're already a math tutor for people in our own grade, you do excellent, why would one bad assignment be so terrible?" He asked.
"Because, 'I'm Dawn Caparelli and I have the potential of thousands'." I said, mimicking my father.
He nodded slowly, "Right..."
I hit his arm lightly. "You know I do, clearly I'm fucking awesome, so..."
"Clearly." He agreed.
Then Mr. Jameson, our home ec teacher, walked into the classroom, putting down his briefcase, he turned to us and smiled.
"Class, it's that time of year." He said.
"What time of year?" Daryll called out mockingly.
Mr. Jameson rolled his eyes, "It is your final assignment for this class before graduation, or as I like to call it; Baby Project 2.0."
"Oooh." A few of the students murmured, feeding Mr. Jamesons need for theatrics.
"Not only will this project prepare you for how to take care of a baby, it will also prepare you for how to be in a real marriage."
Marriage.
Cool.
"So every group will get one baby and one baby alone, the baby will be given to you with a point score on the back of his or her neck and that score will be a 100. Every time you drop, forget to change, leave out in the cold, or fight in front of this baby, it will lose points."
"What if you and your beloved partner are consummating the marriage?" Damien, a guy in the class asked.
Mr. Jameson raised an eyebrow at him.
Damien held up his hands in defense. "What? If we're going to be in a real marriage, then we need to do real marriage things."
"First of all Mr. Samuels, you have a baby, therefore your marriage has already been consummated. And secondly, I am not the person you should have said that to, but don't worry, I'm going to try broaden my horizons."
"What does that mean?" Damien asked.
"It means, we should be inclusive of all types of marriage and you're going to be a good example, our first homosexual marriage."
Damien's jaw dropped. "N-No, come on Mr. J, I was just joking, I respect all the rules!"
"Stop talking and maybe I'll change my mind." Mr. Jameson said
Damien looked hopeful. "Really?"
"No." Mr. Jameson said, shaking his head, causing the whole class to erupt into laughter, and a pink tinge to graze Damien's cheeks.
"Now class, this is not only about your marriage, it is also about sustaining a family, meaning you will have to buy your own food and necessities for your apartment. Electric and water bills will be paid, but nothing else. You will all be given enough money to last you a few days, but it will not be enough for the whole two weeks, that is why you will need jobs."
Groans ensued throughout the class.
"We have an agreement with Warner's Development Inc. meaning that there will be mock jobs available for half of you. One partner in each marriage will need to get a job so that they can be paid and you and your family don't starve. The interviews will open from Saturday until the end of the time, you can go anytime you want, but the earlier you go, the better jobs are available, and the better jobs available, the more money you make. You want to make more money, trust me." He said.
"What kind of jobs will be available?" I asked.
"Well Miss Caparelli, everything from CEOs to janitors, so be proactive or else you might end up cleaning the bathroom the person next to you shits in."
People started giggling around the classroom, and Mr. Jameson walked back to his desk, picking up a notepad. "I have the list of partners here."
Everyone quieted down, waiting for the names.
"Jackson and Daisy are together, Ethan and Julia, Damien and Phillip, you two have fun by the way." Mr. Jameson smiled at Damien. "Do all the consummating you please."
Laughter.
"Dawn and Daryll are together, ..."
I didn't hear the rest of the names as I turned to Daryll, hi-fiving him as we smiled.
"We are going to be the best damn couple out there." I told him.
"Damn right we are, can we name the baby Emily?" He asked.
I laughed, nodding.
"...and since we have an odd number there is one kid left out, Mr. Evans." Mr. Jameson finished. "Mr. Evans, what would you like to do?"
Everyone in the class turned to Lane who was leaning back in his chair and he shrugged. "Let me be a single dad, the ladies love it."
A few girls around the classroom giggled, I raised my eyebrows at him, and he looked over winking at me which just made me chuckle.
"A single dad..." Mr. Jameson thought about it, before nodding. "Why the hell not, there are all different kinds of families, so I'll see you all tomorrow, get ready, because these two weeks are not going to be easy."
Seat started to scrape the floor as kids got up to leave the classroom.
I turned to Daryll, grinning so wide I thought it would split my face in half. "We're going to have such a great time!"
"I know right? I'm surprised we got put together." He said.
"I'm not, I just know we'll be great parents."
Daryll threw his arm over my shoulder. "We're gonna raise the shit out of that baby."
* - * - *
I walked up to the bus the next day, waiting for Daryll so we could get on the bus to the apartments. I could feel all the other student buzzing with excitement and I was too.
Two weeks with one of my best friends and we could basically do whatever we wanted?
That sounded pretty damn good to me.
I tapped Mr. Jameson on the shoulder. "Hey, have you seen Daryll around anywhere, he should be here by now."
Mr. Jameson looked down at his papers, looking for something. "Right, um...Mr. Smithson won't be able to join us today, he was pulled out last minute for family matters."
"Family matters?" I repeated.
Mr. Jameson nodded.
I immediately got worried, because I feel like Daryll would have told me about something like this.
Right then, Lane walked up behind me and smiled at Mr. Jameson, grabbing baby from the basket.
"Wait, Mr. Evans, as it turns out, Miss Caparelli here doesn't have a partner now."
Lane looked from me to Mr. Jameson. "So...?"
"So, it looks like you're not going to be a single dad after all."
* - * - *
Hey guys,
I can't believe it's finally up, but this book is a spin-off of How To Love A Bad Boy. It uses a few characters from that book [mostly Lane, but Janey and Colton will be in it too, and you can go to external link if you want to read HTLABB] Even though this is a spin-off book, you don't have to read the other book to understand it. Also, this will be posted in BOTH Dawn and Lane's POVs (switched every 2-4 chapters).
Dedicated to Naja [xPureChances], and if you liked it, voting and fanning would be a great step 2
UPDATE: The spin off of this book is called Freshman Orientation and it's on my profile if you want to read it when you finish this:)
much love,
Zee xx