Make-Believe Ballroom

She handed over every item that was contained in her blazer that it was possible to inscribe with. Everything rested on Lauren's desk so she couldn't give into temptation of responding.

It was all a part of her friends grand scheme of finding out who she was writing to, without the nessecity of breaking into school records with their only leads being a name beginning with J, in lower sixth form who took maths and music. This, was simpler than that but not when it was put into practise.

"You didn't reply." A simple statement that quite literally broke her heart when she read it. She hadn't responded after his friends interference the other day. She didn't know how to.

Although, she did smile as she looked at the vacant seat to her left and saw that 'Max' had left her something on what she naturally assumed to be his seat in this classroom. "I knew you couldn't resist me over the queer =]." However, this also remained alone as well.

She threw herself into watching Mrs. Humpherson's efforts of educating them about the wonders of circle theorems. Something that didn't grasp her attention at all, even though she didn't fully understand the concept of them, she failed to listen. Despite the guarentee of their appearance on the test paper in a few months that would essentially determine her future. Nothing captivated her mind more than the methods of tricking Lauren into giving her stationary or simply taking it.

"Stop twitching, you're making me nervous." Lauren hissed quietly to her, taking in her friends anxious state. Not understanding completely how she allowed herself to get so worked up over this.

Saskia wasn't a hundred percent sure that was irking her the most. Her inability to reply to the boy who noticed her absence of response or the prospect of what would happen when the bell rang. She decided on a equal split between the two.

"I can't." she admitted quietly. Her mind now occupied with the fascination of watching her forefinger move softly over the pencil marks, being cautious of her movements to prevent the smallest smudge of a single line.

The new debate talking place was whether she truly wanted to do what was coming next, or whether she has allowed herself to give into Lauren's plot too soon.

Time ran out for her as the bell sang in the classroom, leaving her with no time to comprehend what she wanted to do. As the rest of the class began to collect their things, she opened her mouth to confess her change of heart. She was left gawping as she watched two pencils, three pens and a few colourful highighters hit the ground. Lauren beginning the execute her scheme before she could make an utterance.

She reached out to catch her friends arm as she began to retreat, but Lauren smiled and shot her a wink for encouragement. Usually, she would be one of the first out of the door, to secure her freedom and prevent Mrs. Humpherson embarking on a conversation with her. Now, she was left sitting there, in a fluster, suddenly regretting wearing her pleated skirt instead of slim black trousers.

She was grateful that Lauren considerately pushed her belongings over to the right, so she wouldn't be on her hands and knees near her actual desk. The mere thought of the boy seeing her in that position and knowing it was her sickened her.

Without anymore pauses to linger over the embarassment, she slipped out of her chair and her hands touched the carpeted floor. Not wanting to imagine what had been trodden or dropped on it from the less than civil people that attended the school.

She prolonged the retrival of her things longer than it would have taken her usually, waiting for a glimpse of legs entering the classroom and taking their seats. She rotated, so she was looking at the row where she had been sitting at minutes ago.

The place next to her that was always empty was taken by a boy in fitted jeans and a black jumper which belonged to the cothing label Drop Dead's collection. His nose was nearly touching the table as he inspected the desk closely. She knew it was to see if she's given him a response; as she knew that was Max.

A person dragged back the seat she had only just tucked under, which was her cue to pay extreme attention. Automatically, he looked down, and she grimaced at the fact she couldn't see his face because of the fringe that swept across it.

"There's nothing Max." he sighed irritably, turning to look at his friend.

"Chill Josh, maybe she's off school or something." he reasoned.

Josh. She stood up straight, pocketing everything she had reclaimed and felt around for the bag that she was positive she had put on her shoulder. Panic rose as she looked around the area she was in and didn't see the black and white checkered tote bag. Dread trickled down her spine as she saw it sitting tauntingly under her desk.

The only options that she knew she could take were either leaving it, and collecting it during break, or the one she was going to give a shot at. She inhaled deeply and moved in front of Max.

"Can you check if my bag was kicked back under here?" she asked bravely, addressing the companion of her confident. Knowing she didn't have enough courage to do that.

But she was knocked breathless as both boys looked up at her. Fully aware that she was staring at Josh. It was a blurr as she felt the strap of her heavy bag fall into her grasp before she quickly scurried out of the room.

"Well?" Lauren asked, rising from the wall she had been leaning against as she waited for her friend to emerge.

Her friend remained quiet, and contiuned to walk expecting her to fall into her step quickly. She was trying to gain as much distance from the classroom in the smallest amount of time possible. Not daring to say a word until they were far away from the Maths corridor.

"Lauren, he's gorgeous." Saskia whimpered, not being able to clear the image of his bright eyes from her thoughts.