Chasing Pavements

I had discussed the "study date" with Seth in the hall after class. The stares from students passing by were evident. What the hell are they doing together? They know each other? I had ignored the muttered questions and tried my best to focus on the boy in front of me, who had been staring blankly at me. Eventually, I managed to talk him into coming to my house tomorrow after school to go over the materials he would need for the test. I wasn't excited and couldn't think of a way to explain to my parents why there was a strange boy in our house.

On the car ride home, Alexis was chattering endlessly about the schools latest gossip. About things I didn't care about. I didn't have time to worry about who was dating who, the newest trends, or what rumors were being spread. All I could think about was Seth. What I was getting myself in to. He wasn't the type of boy I'd like to hang around. Everyone knows he is into drugs and drinking and sex. I'm more of a stay home and study kind of girl. Life is easier that way and safer, too.

"Seth is coming to my house tomorrow, " I blurted out, interrupting Alexis mid-sentence.

Her jaw dropped, "Seth who?" Although we both already knew, "Seth Green is coming to your house tomorrow? What possessed you to let him do that?"

I knew she wouldn't understand. She would think that every little thing I told her was a lie. That I had honestly just invited him over to hang out. Like I liked him, but that's just crazy.

"We have a Biology test on Friday and Mr. Kyle paired us as partners for Study Group. He also requested that Seth and I get together after school as well, since Seth is basically an idiot."

She smirked and flipped her hair off of her shoulder, just like she always did when she thought I was lying, "Uh huh. So what are you gonna do? Study?" Of course she would turn this into something suggestive. But that's all it was. Studying. Just studying.

"Yes, were going to study and I mean just study. Don't be getting any ideas in your head, okay? It isn't like that. I'm being forced into this for the sake of my grade. It's getting me bonus points, you know. Not that I need them."

But it really wasn't the bonus points I was doing it for.

~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

This was it. Any moment now, Seth Green would be knocking on my door and I would casually open it and invite him in. Maybe he would be carrying his textbook, although I doubt it, and we would sit at the kitchen table and try to hammer information into his brain. If he even has any brain cells left from all the marijuana he's been smoking.

And that is exactly how it happened. He knocked on the door, a little too loud and a little too rough, and I opened it with a fake smile plastered to my lips. He smiled back and I invited him in. It was obvious that we both didn't want to be in this situation. Together. Studying in my house at my kitchen table on a Tuesday afternoon. I'd much rather be in my room, studying alone, for a test I knew I'd pass anyways. And I'm sure he would much rather be off skate boarding or doing drugs and carrying on with his immature friends. But no, here we are. Together and studying instead.

"Okay, so an atom is the basic unit of a chemical element. Write that down, " and he did, "Now a molecule is a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest unit of a chemical compound that can be in a chemical."

"Are you a fucking talking textbook or some shit?" Seth asked, a confused look on his face.

I shook my head, annoyed at the fact that he just cursed in my house while my parents were home, and at the fact that he wasn't taking this serious. I pointed at the notebook underneath his hand and raised my eye brows. He got the point and started writing down what I had said... Sort of.

"Are you even listening to me? No. No. no. That's not the definition. Are you even taking any of this seriously?" I was highly upset.

He laughed and dropped his pencil onto the table, "I'm trying, I'm trying! You just talk so damn fast, I can't keep up with you. This sounds like bullshit anyways." Again with the swearing.

"I would appreciate it if you would just sit down, shut up, and write down what I tell you to write down, okay? And quit swearing in my house! My parents are home and that's disrespectful. I don't want to be here anymore than you do. Honestly, I'd rather be doing anything else than to be with you. So let's get this done so you can get out of my house."

I hadn't meant to blow up like that. But what else could I do? He thought he could walk all over me and I would just sit back and take it, but that's where he was wrong. I won't take it. I won't tolerate his immaturity. Epically with him disrespecting my parents. The look on his face now was priceless. His hazel eyes were wide, mouth slightly open, and a blank expression on his face. I'm sure he didn't know what to say after that. Good. Maybe he would finally stop talking.

"Can you repeat that definition again?" He asked quietly, still staring at me.

I sighed and repeated it again. I finally set boundaries and boundaries are no meant to be broken.