Chapter 3: I'd Much Rather Choke On Something Else.

Rosalie

"Was that Levi?" Evan arched an eyebrow, looking back at the retreating figure quickly walking away from us.

I avoided his gaze, "...No."

Obviously, he didn't believe me. "You know you're supposed to steer clear of him," he said quietly.

I clenched my fists. Like I didn't already know this. "I know."

He frowned at my action. "I know it sucks-"

"It's fine Evan."

It wasn't fine but he saw my facial expression and knew to leave it at that.

Confident, kind, caring, and handsome. Evan Miller's the glue that holds the Royales together, the type of person to break up a fight before it even began. A natural-born leader. Basically everything I wasn't anymore. It sometimes felt tiring always standing beside him or being compared to him like we're not two different people but it was worth it. We've been best friends since we were five and he's always been there for me, defended me when no one else didn't. We're like two sides of the same coin. One conformed to society's rules and the other sort of abandoned them. This might not look like much but it's the least I can do for repaying him after all these years. So I decided to put my personal problems aside and just be there for him as well.

He suddenly cupped my face, startling me. "Hey you shouldn't do that," he said, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I know what you're thinking. Stop putting yourself down again, you're not a nuisance, ok?"

I nodded and he let go, rummaging through his brown leather book bag. A few seconds later, he pulled out a container and I opened it to see two pieces of a strawberry sandwich. "I know I already gave you your birthday present but here you go."

"Thanks."

Without hesitation, he replied, "Your welcome."

We both said nothing until we reached my class door for 1st period.

"Anyway, you have to come to my house so we could plan the finishing touches for the Social Gathering next week."

I made a face. "Seriously? I don't wanna go."

"Like hell, you're not. You're going even if I have to drag you there myself."

"What if I run away?"

"You can try."

"And if I succeed?"

He thought about it before saying, "...You can try." He then placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, "Have a nice first day back. You have double AP Calculus this afternoon right?"

Ugh.

I gave him a fake smile. "Please go choke on a cactus."

"I'd much rather choke on something else."

"What?"

"I said love you too!" and he was off to his own classes.

I watched his retreating figure slowly disappearing and the same frown appeared on my face.

He still had his eyes on that Abbott kid.

---

I headed into class and was about to head straight for the back when my eyes narrowed to slits at an all too familiar platinum-colored head sitting at the very front of the classroom.

Oh yeah, it's definitely him.

It's as if he felt me staring at him because he looked up and our eyes met.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Miss Davis," I heard Mrs. Cuthberry say.

"Yeah, whatever." I noticed the desk next to him was unoccupied.

So I occupied it.

Levi

"Settle down, class. Thank you," Mrs. Cuthberry clapped her hands to get our attention. Chatter around the classroom slowly seized to a stop. Still trying to process what happened this morning, I stopped doodling on my exercise book and looked up at her, listening to what she has to say.

Mrs. Cuthberry was a woman in her early forties who liked to show her students pictures of her wife and cat called Whiskers (it's always Whiskers) even after the bell's already gone. No one's rude enough to say anything since she's one of the most loved and respected teachers so we just let her and listen to what she says. After building a close enough bond with her, I asked her if she was willing to write me a letter of recommendation I can use for college applications and scholarships and she said yes. Earlier this morning, before anyone had arrived, I also asked Mrs. Cuthberry if there was anything I could do to help out with the play and she said I could join the tech crew for a while and observe or help out so I get to do cool tech stuff too so it's a win-win. And I want to earn that recommendation.

"Ok! We're going straight into the most important topic in this subject. This semester's assignment will be on Romeo and Juliet-" of course "-because as you all know, a selected number of you students, will be doing a school play on the novel for the School Showcase."

The whole class erupted into a mixture of groans and cheers.

Crestview Arts hosts an event called "The Big Showcase" every year, which agents and other talent spotters are invited to attend to watch a bunch of students from different majors and groups present stuff they've been working on like plays, art, makeup looks, dances, songs, instrument playing, films e.t.c. so they can judge whether they want to cast them or accept them in their colleges/universities personally.

I expressed no reaction. I didn't really care that much.

Rosalie Davis entered the classroom not having a care in the world that she's late which earned her a glare from Mrs. Cuthberry.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Miss Davis," she gave him that look. You know, the look teachers give you when they're really disappointed.

"Yeah whatever," was all Rosalie said before she sat down next to me.

I held my breath.

Rosalie Davis is... interesting. Cold, bitter, intimidating are what most students use to describe her but she's also very creative and intelligent. From what I've seen of course. Chestnut brown hair with fairy blue highlights laying on her shoulders. Her hair changes color periodically. Her interest in the creepy and scary variety has reflected into her craft many times (she writes and directs a lot of our school plays). Ranks first in the Royales group, her boyfriend Evan Miller being right under her so she can destroy you socially and financially if you try to mess with her. I've also noticed that she has a very gothic sense of style, always wearing black or other really dark colors and doc marten/combat boots. And aside from her dark, occasionally laced clothing she wears dark makeup and paints her nails black as well. She carries a black bag with a bunch of skulls all over it. She also wears a ton of chockers.

I swear I'm not a stalker. I just notice stuff.

Even most of the teachers were scared of her.

I did a quick sweep around the room. Yep. there were still seven seats available all around the classroom. Yet she decided to sit right next to me.

You know what, I'm probably just overthinking again.

And I was.

What do I do?! Do I say hi? Do I not say hi? Do I wave? Does she even know my name? What if-

Shut up, Levi.

"Uh, okay, anyway, you'll be doing presentations discussing what happens and your thoughts on the famous novel and what you think it's really about. You can watch the movie if you like but it's not compulsory. Try to go deep here guys. Find the true meaning, I'm sure you can give me that much at least. Rosalie, meet me after this period. I'd like to speak to you. The person who's sitting next to you will be your partner for the project-" Great. Just great. "-So, if you just look at your sheets, you're gonna go through all the five points. I want you to work in pairs. Please listen, alright? I don't want to strain my voice this early in the year. So um, the assignment brief, um examine the way Romeo and Juliet's relationship develops over time and..."

I looked back at Rosalie and saw that she was reading. Her mac was already opened and she was focused, typing away, not noticing me staring at her like an idiot.

"I can see you staring."

Oh, ok, maybe she did notice.

My nerves sprang up again at abruptly being called out like that and I focused my attention on the English book in front of me. Way to go, Levi, she totally doesn't think you're weird now.

She let out a long sigh, brushing her hair back with a huff. My breath hitched.

She then pulled out a switchblade and started to carve out a drawing on her desk. My eyes widened in fear and after she finished and gave me a once-over. She just got ten times scarier.

I'm not going to say what the drawing was. I'm sure you have wild imaginations, you can figure it out.

She finished her drawing, put her switchblade back in her skirt pocket, and turned towards me, her palm placed lightly on her cheek. "Hi Snowflake," she said in a quiet tone.

Is she talking to me? "Uh...um...hi?" It's as if my vocabulary disappeared. My heartbeat became irregular. That and I wanted to slap myself.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you this morning and..." Something made me stop.

The whole class was staring at me. Or, to be more specific, at us.

Even Mrs. Cuthberry stopped and put her coffee mug down to look at us.

Kids had their phones out and were now whispering and taking photos of us.

And now I feel self-conscious.

Slowly but surely, I put my head down in shame, ignoring everyone's stares and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Do you mind?" I heard her say and the flashing sounds stopped, everyone going back to what they were doing. Something tells me people are gonna be talking about this all day.

I hoped the windows were open because I was seriously considering jumping out of them.

---

Rosalie

-Earlier-

"Rosalie, can I have a moment of your time please?," Mrs. Cuthberry stopped me just as I was about to get the hell out of here.

It's probably not going to be a moment.

"Sure," I walked back into the classroom and stopped in front of her desk.

"Can I call you Rose-"

"No."

She cleared her throat. "O-Ok. I think you owe me something." she gave me that look. You know, that look that teachers give you when you've done something wrong. And you know what that something is.

But I didn't know what I- Oh.

She pushed her black-rimmed glasses farther up her nose. "Well, I asked you last year to submit that essay to me but you never did."

"...Oh."

That's what I forgot...

I felt as if she wanted me to say more or apologize or something. I didn't. "Yes oh, I'm very disappointed in you Rose."

"...Ok."

Her eyebrows shot up as she blinked furiously at me. "Ok? That's all you have to say for yourself?" she exclaimed.

"Uh...I'm sorry," I said blankly. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't do the essay because I didn't want to, I'm not that kind of person. I didn't do the essay for other embarrassing reasons that she doesn't need to know about.

She shook her head. "That's not enough."

I just stared at her. Suddenly, my mouth just didn't want to move.

Knowing I wasn't going to say anything else, she continued. "For your punishment, you will have no choice but to help out in the school's Romeo & Juliet play, whether you like it or not."

My eyebrows knit together. "What? But that's not-"

"Fair? Yeah, life not's fair honey, you wouldn't be in this situation if you did what was expected of you."

"It's just an-"

"Essay? Yeah, an essay that you didn't complete."

Stop doing that!

"This is such bullshit," I muttered. I felt like punching something.

"No Rose, it's life," she said bluntly as she began rearranging the papers on her desk. "Just submit your work next time Rose. And who knows, you might enjoy working behind the scenes. The Tech Crew is very welcoming of newcomers. And you won't be alone, you'll be working alongside Levi Scott. Your classmate."

I was about to respond with something I'd probably regret when the name she called out made me stop short. "Yeah, you-wait what?"

"You'll be severely punish-"

"Yeah, I heard that part. I'm talking about after that."

"You'll be working with the Romeo and Ju-"

"After that."

She glared at me for interrupting her gain. "If you would let me finish, I would have said you'll be working with the Tech Crew alongside your classmate Levi Scott who's also your partner for the assignment. And you should be proud, he's the smartest-"

"Second smartest," I interrupted her. Again. "I'm the smartest."

She blinked. "Right, anyway, you should be happy nonetheless. And please do be nice to him."

"You say that as if I'm never nice," I accused her crossing my arms, an innocent look on my face.

She ignored that, taking her glasses off to clean them. "Goodbye Rose. Have a nice day and I'll see you tomorrow."

"You have me for AP History."

Her glasses slipped from her grasp and nearly fell into her coffee-filled mug. "...Then have a nice day and I'll see you in AP History."

---

-later-

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Category Website: General Discussion- Rosalie Davis:

Alyssa Dumas posted a photo one hour ago captioned: OMG did you see the way Rosalie Davis was looking at that kid?! I'm just saying, I wouldn't like my boyfriend to look at some other girl like that!

Like. Comment. Share

263 likes. 777 dislikes. 666 replies

John...Just John replied to Alyssa Dumas' Caption: Bro chill. They were partners for a project. It's not like they started making out or something. smh

Alyssa Dumas replied to John...Just John's reply to Alyssa Dumas' Caption: Shut up. You weren't there.

John...Just John replied to Alyssa Dumas' reply to John...Just John's comment: Yes...I was. I was sitting right next to you.

Lilly Loompa: Alyssa's right John, she was sooo checking him out! Do you think News Whisperer's gonna post something about this?

Marvin Murther Bing: Are ya'll good? Why do you guys care so much?

Lilly Loompa replied to Marvin Murther Bing's comment: We're bored.

Macy Stallion: This isn't juicy enough lol. If you want attention just say at.

Undetermined: ...Is he single?

Macy Stallion replied to Undetermined's comment: Seriously? That's what you're worried about?

Undetermined replied to Macy Stallion's reply to Undetermined's comment: Yes...I am. Now is he single?

John...Just John left the discussion.

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I'm contemplating whether I should kill off an upcoming character or not.

K peace.

~POTCHACHOE~