I Swear I'm Not a Hopeless Case

"She WHAT?!" Liz inquired loudly. She leaned back in her chair and looked up, placing her hands behind her head, nearly touching the leg of the yellow beanie baby she donned today. "Wow. That's...that's something new. And awful- really, really awful."
I rolled my eyes and let my head fall upon my folded hands. I groaned, attempting to convey how right Liz was. Leanne's attempt at 'girls' night' was a total and utter failure. I recognized that it was partially my fault, but it was also Patricia's. Mostly Patricia's, in fact. "Let's just drop it. No matter how long we talk about it, it isn't going to change the fact that she's trying to bond with me, even if it's just for my father's sake."
Liz sighed, sitting up straight and placing one arm on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Liv. But shit happens."
I was about to retort her bluntness with something seemingly witty or clever, but class began. I thought it was going to be another boring lecture about the different types of government around the globe, but I saw no notes on the board. Only freshly written names, randomly selected and put into different clusters. Above each group of names was a different type of government.
"Okay class," Mr. Levinson, our teacher spoke whilst wiping the chalk from his hands, "We are going to be doing a group presentation."
Excited whispers scrambled the frequency of the room with people desperately trying to find to whom they would be grouped with. Mr. Levinson caught on quickly. "Before you think you can point across the room and claim your best friends as the people you're working with, think again. " He gestured to the board behind him. "It's pretty self-explanatory. Find the people who are in the same list of names as you, and there's your group. Above each group is a type of government or hierarchy used in the modern world. You will do an oral presentation on it two weeks from now." He sat in his desk chair and leaned back. "Now shoo, go. Find your classmates and get to work."
I felt my stomach drop. I hated working with others. Not that I hated people, but it meant I had to actually make an effort into socializing, which I absolutely sucked at. i glanced across the board, desperately hoping Liz was in my group. Unfortunately, she found her name first.
"Sorry, Liv. Looks like I'm in Monarchy." She said, smiling apologetically and moving across the room with her group.
I searched the board once more and found my name under "Dictatorship". I anxiously looked at the other names on the list, desperate to know whom I'd be working with. It felt as if a concrete brick hit my stomach when my eye fell upon the last member of the group: Adam.
I got up from my assigned seat, grabbed my backpack and hesitantly moved to where I saw the other students in my group sitting. They had already moved the section of seats they had into a sort of mini circle. I quickly grabbed a seat next to a girl named Jane. She had always been nice to me before, so I felt safest with her. She had dark brown hair tied back into a tight ponytail, with perfectly even bangs in the front. She had pointed features, with brown eyes and thin lips. Her wardrobe selection always reminded me of something out of a J. crew catalog. Despite the possibilities of snobbiness, she defied them all by being everyone's pal. She had the ability to make you feel like her best friend when conversing with her, even if you had just met her. I always admired that.
She ended her conversation with another student and turned around in her seat to face me. She grinned widely. "Are you ready for some tyranny?"
I smilled, nodding. I knew if I spoke, my voice would tremble. Until I calmed down, talking was not a good idea.
"Are you alright?" Jane asked, then looking at my chest. I followed her gaze only to find my hands turning white from the deathly grip my hands had on my textbook. I was clutching it to my diaphragmt in an attempt to feel more secure. I smiled, looked up, and placed my book on the desk in front of me. "Yes", I said as strongly as I could muster. "I'm good,"
She smiled, setting her pencils all in a perfectly straight line. She looked at the empty seat next to me and furrowed her eyebrows. "Who are we missing?"
My stomach dropped, knowing exactly what the answer was. A part of me was scared, another part angry. I let the latter take control of my mouth. "No one, I think."
"Tsk, tsk, Olivia. That's rude."
I felt a burning sensation flush my cheeks red. I didn't need to turn around to know who just spoke. I felt my hands begin to shake once more and my hope for being able to engage in this project dwindle.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jane look from me to Adam. "Oh, don't worry. She probably just thought we had everyone. Your name is written smallest on the board, after all."
Adam sighed, taking the only open seat-next to me. "I guess you're right."
As he plopped his backpack onto the floor next to him, I gave Jane a small smile of thanks. She had just prevented a possibly very embarrassing dialogue between me and that pig.

Jane took lead and began the group by asking everyone to name a famous dictator and what they were famous for, just to get us brainstorming. Despite how engaged I was in the intellectual conversation, I was still hyper-cognizant of the fact that Adam was sitting next to me. At times, I even felt his eyes burning a hole in me. If it was up to him, he would make sure I remembered that night every single second of every single day- and do whatever he needed to do to keep me quiet.
Eventually, the bell rang and with it I let out a giant sigh of relief. It was over for now. Before I began to reach for my backpack, I felt a hand place itself on my forearm. It was cold, clammy, and sent shivers and equally terrifying sensations through my body. " Don't worry about before, Livie., I was just playing.' He said.
I looked into his evil eyes and saw the gleaming amusement engulfing his pupils. I whipped my arm away from his touch. How DARE he touch me again...and in front of all these people! I was livid, and admittedly, terrified.
I didn't even bother putting my books in bag before grabbing them and running for the classroom door. I heard Liz yell my name behind me, but I didn't stop. I needed to get as far away from Adam as I possibly could. I knew that this wasn't just another one of his 'cat and mouse' tactics. This was much worse, much more insidious. We now were going to be in close quarters every day for the next two weeks. He was going to try and undermine my strength at every turn, but I knew I needed to stay sane. I needed to keep my composure- and most importantly, make sure no one finds out what happened that night.