Chapter 50 THE PARTNER I NEVER WANTED
Today was Friday.
To everyone else at the school, that meant hanging out with friends, staying in, or spending time with family.
For me, it meant I had a week until I had to turn in money to Andrew. I had a week until I'd have to risk hoping he would take whatever amount of money I made from work and not kill me.
I knew I would be nowhere near the amount I had to pay back. So, I made a plan while I was laying in bed last night when I couldn't sleep.
It showed on my eye bags this morning when I got up for school. And also in the way I was drowning out every word Mr.
Silas was speaking.
The plan was simple, I would finish cleaning the rooms and completing my other duties, then as soon as midnight hit I'd sneak out the back door and walk my way to the main city where there was a nightclub called Etheral 20 minutes away from the estate.
The place was too fancy for me to even think of working there, but when I'd seen the job opening for a cleaner during night shift getting paid nearly $120 an hour plus tip I couldn't just pass by it.
In all, it seemed too good to be true, but 1 didn't exactly have time to think over the logistics.
The application wasn't hard either, I just had to send in some basic information and a picture of myself. I didn't have a ton of those, but after a good search I managed to find a reasonable one.
It wasn't long after that my application had gotten approved and the manager called, his voice raspy and low, saying tonight I'd start my first shift at 1am which gave me plenty of time to get there.
"Ms. Hart, everyone has chosen their project partners, why are you still sitting alone?" Mr. Silas says and I feel my heart race as I get out of my daze.
The project, I'd forgotten about that.
Mr. Silas grumbles in frustration before giving me a disappointed look. " Does anyone else not have a partner?" He snaps to the entire class and I bite my lip in embarrassment as I feel everyone's judging eyes on me.
As if on cue the door suddenly opens and Calvin strolls in, 25 minutes late to class and not a care on his face as he throws his bag down and sits in the seat behind me.
Whore. He called me a whore last night.
I hated the spark of pain that word brought to me when he called me that. I hated that word in general.
The same word the men my mother would bring home called her after my father’s death, the same word Roger would call me after he'd touched me.
I try my best ignoring his presence, until the next words that leave Mr. Silas bring a pit hole in my stomach.
" Perfect, Mr. Conner will be your partner."
He says, and I feel my fingers tightly wrap around the paper with the project instructions written on it which crinkle in return.
No
" Everyone bring your desks next to your partners to discuss the project. Remember I want this due by Monday morning, no later, no earlier." Mr.Silas says before sitting down behind his desk.
I look down at my crinkled paper as I hear everyone moving their desks before swallowing all my fear and standing up as i walk straight towards Mr. Silas and stand in front of his desk.
" Mr. Silas, I..I can't be partners with him."
I whisper out, my fingers wrapping around each other as I look down at my shoes.
"Ms. Hart you need to learn to work with the people you don't like in life. I have to do that every day and I'm still alive, aren't I?"
He says and I purse my lips, about to respond until a girl with long legs, a perfect face, and strawberry blonde hair walks up to Mr. Silas causing me to move to the side.
" If she doesn't want to be partners with him, I'll gladly switch." She speaks softly and I feel myself grow relieved at her kind gesture.
Mr. Silas sighs before looking over to Calvin who was too busy sending angry glares my way to pay attention to the teacher.
I shuffle my feet nervously, looking away from his form that had been leaned back in his chair.
" Mr. Conner, are you okay with switching partners?" Mr. Silas asks and I watch the teacher dumbstruck. Why did he have to ask him?!
"No." The words leave his mouth so effortlessly and I feel my throat go dry as I look back at his taunting eyes.
He did this on purpose to mess with me
"I'm sorry Ms. Hart but if both parties don't agree I'm going to have to keep you two partners." He shrugs and I look at the strawberry blonde haired girl who was now glaring at me before she angrily walked back over to her chair.
"T.thanks anyways." I reply before slowly walking towards my seat and sitting down.
" Move the desk." Calvin more so orders then asks me. I feel my blood run cold at his voice behind me before moving the desk so it's faced towards him.
He only watches me as I hold the crinkled paper in my hands, reading over the instructions silently as I try ignoring his burning gaze through my head.
" Aren't you going to read it out loud? What kind of partner are you?" He scoffs, and I look up at him through my lashes before sighing.
"D..don't you have a paper right there." I ask, moving my eyes towards the paper lying on his desk.
"I'm a visual learner." He says in a bored tone.
Visual? Did he mean auditory? How would my reading be visual?
"T...that doesn't make any sense." I point out but he just grumbles in annoyance.
" Stop being such a smartass and read the fucking paper." He utters and I purse my lips together before starting to read the directions out.
"I..In this pro-" I don't even make it a couple seconds before he cuts me off.
" Without stuttering." He says, his voice demanding as his grey eyes swirl with annoyance.
I could already feel the sweat building up on my palms as i try calming myself down.
" In this project, you and your partner will be interviewing each other 5 questions each. These can be any questions you want, not including questions that are inappropriate for school." I start. I was reading slowly to keep myself from stuttering as I keep my eyes focused on the words in front of me and not the devil only a couple feet away.
"The answers you get from your partner will be put into a biography of them that you will organize and write in a format similar to that of the example on the next page." I continue, looking up only to see Calvin not paying any attention as he types on his phone.
I glare up at him since he's not looking, but somehow he notices my gaze on him because his eyes move away from the phone as they glance down at me. I quickly look back down at the paper, continuing to speak even though I knew he hadn't even processed a single word of what the project was about.
How would we ever finish this stupid project before Monday?