4. Fairytale Life

Not the best chapter, but it's needed. Enjoy! :)

The day was going excruciatingly slow as I thought more and more about what had just happened during lunch. It was painful for me to think about, but every time my mind steered clear from the incidence that had just occurred, I’d always get a glimpse of his face in my mind. English, the class I had been looking forward to, was the class that I now dread. The class that was coming sooner and sooner.

 

As I entered the classroom, I thought of what I would say to Seth. Should I ignore him? Or should I talk to him about it? I honestly didn’t feel like talking about it, but I new that it would be the right thing to do. But, I wasn’t in the mood for righteousness right now. I walked slowly to the table and took out the notes I borrowed from Seth. Should I give them to him myself? I decided I couldn’t talk to him, so I set them down on his side of the table and wrote “Thanks” on a sticky note and stuck it to his notes.

 

I felt bad for doing that and not having the guts to talk to him, but I just know that if I talked to him, I’d just end up exploding and hurting him. I opened my books, reading over the notes that we were given yesterday.

 

The bell rang after about five seconds, and just as it did, Seth walked in at the same time as Mrs. Renn. As he approached the table, I looked back down, but when he pulled out his chair, I decided to risk a quick glance at him. He had his notes in his hand, looking at the sticky note. He looked at me painfully. Serves him right.

 

“Alright,” Mrs. Renn called. “Today, you’ll all be getting your partners for a surprise project: Romeo and Juliet.”

 

Half the class erupted into cheering, while the half groaned.

 

“Yes, I know. We’ve all been waiting for this project. Now, calm down, everyone,” Mrs. Renn shouted. “I know you all have already been assigned partners, but I thought it would be more interesting for you to work with other people.”

 

Just as Mrs. Renn turned to her desk to take something out, I saw Seth slide a note in my direction. I looked at it, but decided not to pick it up. Let him suffer, I don’t care. He gave me a nudge with his arm, and I looked at him. He gave a slight jerk of the head towards the neatly folded note. I rolled my eyes, sighed and picked it up.

 

Alex, I’m sorry.

 

I crumpled up the small piece of paper, and slid it back to him. If he thought he would get away with just a simple “sorry”, he was wrong. I know I’m not one to feel like this, to do things like this, but I hated him. I hated him more than I hated those people at his table. They weren’t the ones that chose his words for him, it was all him. I looked ahead and tried to focus on something else.

 

“So, this is what I’m going to do,” Mrs. Renn explained. “I have two containers. One has all the boy’s names, and the other, the girls’. I’ll be picking one from each, and the person whose name is picked with yours will be your partner. You and your partner will be given a scene from Romeo and Juliet, and you’ll be performing it front of the class. You’ll also have to do a 2-page paper on your thoughts and opinion on this play. Any questions?”

 

She went on to picking to picking names and I gave a discreet sigh of relief. Maybe I won’t have to deal with him today. I tried to drown out all the talking between partners.

 

“Alex,” My head snapped up. She had just picked my name, and as she reached into the second container, I fiddled with my pen. “And Kevin.”

 

I smiled at this. Kevin was one of the nicer people in the school, and, like me, he was painfully shy. I had a feeling my luck would start coming back to me. I waited as she picked the rest of the names.

 

“Oh,” Mrs. Renn began. “I’m afraid we’re short one girl.” She took out the last name from the container.

 

“Seth,” she called. “Are you okay with doing the paper individually, or would you rather have done the full project with a partner?”

 

“Well, I would have liked to do the project,” Seth said.

 

“Alright, is there anyone willing to do just the paper individually?”

 

I scanned the room for any hands and found one. One. Kevin. No. Please don’t let it be Kevin.

 

“Kevin,” Mrs. Renn said. “Okay, you won’t have to present anything, so your assignment will be due two classes from now. That means, Alex, you will be partnered with Seth.”

 

No. No. No. No. No. No. No way. “Sure,” I tried to say with as much enthusiasm as I could.

 

“Okay, Seth, look,” I told him as he came back to give me a sheet with our assignment, no emotion, whatsoever, on my face. “All I want is to get this project done and get a decent mark. So, I’ll do my part, and you’ll do yours, alright?”

 

He nodded once, and said no more. Silence; it was all there was between the two of us, while other pairs were talking noisily about their roles. It was killing me. Not getting any words from him just hurt me. I looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes. That’s how long I’d still have to spend in this non-existent bubble of mine.

 

RING!

 

The bell. Thanks goodness.

 

I got up quickly, and gathered all my books.

 

“Alex!” I let out a sigh, and rolled my eyes, then turned around.

 

“Yes?” I looked at Seth with cold eyes.

 

“Do you mind working on this after school?” he asked me as he packed his books in his bag. “I’m not doing anything after school, anyways. My house?... If it’s okay with you.”

 

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I answered, taken aback. I didn’t think that he would want to invite me to his house after what just happened. “Um… Yeah, uh… let me just get my things…” I walked to my locker, not looking back, still shocked. I called my parents, telling them that I would be going over to Seth’s house to work on a project.

 

***

 

Seth’s house wasn’t a far drive from school. It was only about a 10 minute drive, yet the car ride was still painful. Silence, other than the car’s engine. Seth didn’t even turn on any music, and I was far too afraid to request that he did. We stopped at large house with a huge, beautiful garden at the front. As we walked inside, I couldn’t help noticing the large, bright living room. Honestly, the house was just like something you’d see off a movie.

 

“Your house is beautiful,” I told him, finally breaking the silence.

 

“I’ve been told that,” he said quietly, smiling a small smile to himself.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Seth, is that you? Do you want anything to eat?” A short, aged woman stepped in the room. “Oh, who’s this?” She smiled at me.

 

“Sara, this is Alex.” Seth looked at her then me. “Alex, this is Sara. She’s the one that’s been taking care of me and she’s been with us since I could walk.”

 

Sara smiled a warn smile at me. She seemed friendly. “Do you kids want anything to eat or drink?” I shook my head no, and just said a simple “thanks”. Sara gave us another quick smile and walked back into what looked like the kitchen.

 

“It must be nice to have had someone like her to take care of you.” I told Seth, who was unpacking all of his books.

 

“Sara’s been a part of the family since I was 2.” Seth explained quietly. “My parents are really busy. They’re both doctors.”

 

“Oh. Wow. So, your parents are at work now?” I wondered.

 

“Uh, yeah. So, can we start working?” That was all he said before we completely switched over to Romeo and Juliet. We just rehearsed parts, started the paper. I couldn’t get my mind off the earlier subject and why he changed the topic so suddenly, but I decided not to ask him. His voice seemed annoyed.

 

***

That night, I dreamed of how it would be like, living a life only one would find in fairytales. A life like Seth’s. 

Reviews

[The Invisible Girl]

This is really good!!! Can't wait for the next chapter!!

[Arabella.]

This is fantastic! I really enjoyed it.
I love the Character of Alex, she's so bold and confident, but she is also just a fragile girl.
I really want to give Seth a smack in the face for his actions. Total moronic boy.
Other than that, its wonderfully written and i can't pick many faults with it at all.
I only wish you had continued this, it would be a great book if finished.
Here's hoping you come back and write more on it!