yet something inside told me that smile was fake. As the night wore on, I decided that I’d try to get her to really smile, to get those green eyes to light up and those lips to curl in a sincere, genuine grin.
I couldn’t say why I felt so strongly so quickly about this girl, but I did. I knew I couldn’t go back to sitting in my chosen seat in class in the middle towards the front. No, I had to sit beside her and pry back those layers she had positioned to protect herself.
Oh, if there was one thing I was, it was stubborn.
When Wednesday rolled around, I was ready. Ready and eager to see her again. I made it to class before she did, plopping myself down in the same seat I’d taken up when I’d arrived late. I was in the process of pulling out my laptop when someone stood beside me, wanting to squeeze in past me to get to the chair on my left.
I looked up, feeling a smile grow on my face as I met Bree’s concerned gaze. “Morning,” I said. I woke up early, prepared and ready. I’d ingested a hell of a lot of coffee to wake my ass up earlier and make sure I was mentally prepared for her.
She said nothing, instead gazing around the room.
“What? Don’t I get a morning back?” I asked, still grinning. “Don’t tell me you’re going to sit somewhere else, just because I’m here. If you do, I’ll just get up and follow you—so really, you should just give up and sit right here.” I reached over and patted the seat beside me.
Bree sighed, closing her eyes as she forced herself to inch past me and sit beside me. Class hadn’t officially started yet, so we had some time. Today her pink hair was drawn in a braid across her shoulder, a beanie still on her head. She wore different jeans and a different sweater, but still, the aura she gave off was the same.
It was more than obvious she didn’t want to talk. To me, to anybody. But you know what? That wasn’t going to stop me. If there was one thing I was, it was stubborn. Persistent. Unwilling to give up and throw down the towel.
I leaned over to her, whispering, “Any thoughts on who you’re going to partner up with for the project?”
Oh, yeah. I’d already thought of asking her to be my partner for it, but I knew if I did it now, she’d only turn me down. I wasn’t stupid. I just wanted to spend more time with her, for whatever reason. Call me crazy.
“I emailed the professor and asked if I could do it alone,” Bree said, shooting an unimpressed glance my way.
My heart actually skipped a beat at that. That was not something I’d taken into account. Damn it. My plan could be pointless, though talking to her more in general would make it worth it, still. “And what did he say?”
“He said it’s called a group project for a reason,” Bree muttered, frowning to herself. “I have to have at least one partner.” She did not sound happy to tell me that the professor had denied her request to do the project alone.
I mean, she had some balls, at least, having the courage to email the professor and ask in the first place. Most kids didn’t care enough to do anything like that. Or, I thought, maybe she just really hated everyone in class and abhorred the fact that she’d have to work with someone else.
Someone like me.
“You know,” I spoke, unable to stop smiling, “I don’t have a partner yet. I’m totally free, and I’d be more than happy to work with you.” At this point, we didn’t even know what the project would entail, but since this was a psychology class, I could assume it would involve making an experiment and conducting it, then analyzing the results.
Bree looked at me, her eyebrows slightly furrowed as she studied me like I was some strange alien that just landed on Earth, like she didn’t know what to make of me, whether or not she could trust me. “Why would you want to work with me?” she asked, her voice quiet. “You don’t know me.”
That much was obvious. What I thought should also be obvious was that I wanted to know her.
Who was this girl, with the brightly-colored pink hair, loose sweaters, and expression that made me feel