Miserable number 7

Serena sat frozen, trying hard to focus on the professor at the front of the class who oddly enough, didn't react to the late intrusion at all. No glare,no reprimand, nothing. He was so calm as if this happened all the time. As if he already expected it. She clenched her jaw, desperately trying not to look to either side, but her eyes and mind were traitors. Every tiny movement from either side,a head tilting,a breath drawn, and her eyes flicked before she could stop them. Her thoughts screamed louder than the professor's lecture.

Why did they have to sit next to me?

No wonder no one sat in the middle

Everyone is staring.

You know what, Serena? Next time, pick a sit far away from them. Very far away.

That was her resolve, she made mental checks of the most isolated seats in the class, she needed to avoid them at all costs.

Unfortunately fate had other plans.

The professor's droning voice finally shifted as he moved to the day's final task.

" Now class, as you are all aware this class is a joint program for many art and history courses between different academic years hence in order to unite this class I have decided to assign a group project on the topic History; an illusion created to hide an unsolved truth" he announced. " In groups of six. You will each pick a number from the bowl. Whoever draws the same number in disregard to their individual courses will be grouped together."

He pointed at a student who sat in front of the class handing him a the bowl filled with wrapped papers. The student quickly stood up- tall,lanky with curly brown hair and thick glasses that kept slipping down his nose. He moved from desk to desk, holding out the ceramic bowl for the class. " Pick one and pass it along" he muttered with a slight smile. When the bowl reached Serena, her hands trembled slightly, she drew the paper praying within her for her lucky number 7, she unfolded it carefully .

Yes number 7 !

A sigh of relief left her lips. Hopefully her group would be normal people and not overly intimidating like...

No!

Please no!

To her left, Mr blue eyes unfolded his paper, the number 7 written boldly just like hers in the center of the paper. Her body quivered as she slowly turned to her right.

Mr cold green eyes unfolded his: 7 written as well.

Behind her the other two , friends of the black haired mystery shared glances,all the same number in their hands and from the very back, a student pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, letting out a small nervous chuckle as he looked at his slip and mouthed," Seriously?"

Serena sat hopeless in her sit, how could her lucky number betray her so badly.

Group 7.

The oddest group in the class. Her. The four most intense guys in the class. And a sweet, awkward boy in glasses. She didn't know whether to laugh,scream,or run. Instead, she let her head fall lightly against her desk. "Truly I'm cursed" she whispered.

Momentarily, Simon's eyes shifted in her direction a streak of red shimmering in his eyes, his jaws clenched, unable to understand how he felt seeing her face again, that face, Olivia's face. The rest of the lesson faded into a muffled drone, drowned beneath the thudding of her heart. Number seven. Out of all the people in the class it had to be them.

As the class came to an end and chairs scraped Against the floor, students grouped together with their team mates trying to analyze the assignment. Some glanced at Serena awkwardly, whispering as they passed by, others well mostly females gave her dirty looks. " Why?" Serena yelled in her.

Do they really think I want to be here.

Serena remained seated, frozen, blinking at the white wrap of paper in her hand like it had personally betrayed her. The two men around her silent until now began speaking amongst themselves in calm voices, unbothered by her presence. " Yo Xavier you got a seven right?" The blonde one sitting directly behind her asked, casually flicking his shaggy hair out of his eyes. Xavier turned slightly, nodding once. No words, no acknowledgement of her. Just a silent confirmation as a member of there group. Then he shifted his entire seat around to face his friends behind them, fully turning his back to her.

Serena blinked quite baffled by the way he ignored her yet relieved at the same time. At least she didn't have to engage in silly small talk with this brooding block of ice or try to pretend that she wasn't incredibly uncomfortable.

I could just sit here, pretend to vanish into the background. She thought keeping up her pencil pretending to be scrambling down ideas on the topic she didn't know what it was about.

But her relief was short lived because the mystery on her right was still facing forward, his aura slightly more intense than before. His presence felt heavier now that the others were speaking behind them. He hadn't said a word. He didn't need to. His energy alone already made it hard to breathe.

Serena risked a sideways glance, praying he wouldn't notice. His jaw was set, his fingers laced together on the desk, with an unreadable expression on his chiseled face. He looked carved out of cold marble. A second later, sensing her glance, he turned his head slightly.. just a sliver. Their eyes met again.

Serena's stomach flipped. His eyes consuming hers with an intensity she could not keep up with. She quickly looked away, feeling a cold sweat run down her neck. Her fingers fiddled with the ends of her shirt desperately looking for a way to keep themselves busy.

Just breathe. It's fine. It's one project that's all. Just one and you would be done with these guys. The group behind them began tossing around vague ideas, names she didn't know and themes she couldn't follow, how could she when she barely paid attention in class. She stayed where she was, awkwardly half turned toward no one in particular. Maybe if she waited long enough, someone would tell her what to do. Or maybe the ground would open up and swallow her whole. That option was starting to sound appealing.