Opposites Attract (On-Hold) - Chloe Knox (novels for students txt) 📗

Ideas were ricocheting back and forth in my mind, the moment Mrs. Bowman explained the new drawing assignment to the class.

We had to make an abstract portrait—which was pretty much a drawing of a person that lacked in logic or just didn’t make sense at all—and my model was no doubt going to be my best friend, Lucy. We always work together when given the chance, ALWAYS!

Lucy’s a beautiful Hispanic with gorgeous curly black hair, and an extremely curvy body. She’s beautiful, smart, and extremely talented when it comes to painting. So I could draw a portrait and make it so that half her face is its normal, beautiful, flawless, angelicness—is that even a word? No, I don’t think so! Oh well, I’ve just created a new word—and then the other half I’ll paint instead of draw. And despite how beautiful her curly and wild hair is, she’s always complaining about how frizzy and messy it is. Every morning, except for the rare days were she’s either too lazy or wakes up late, she straightens her hair, so the painted half of her face with have elegant yet crazy curls, while the other half will have stick straight hair. It’ll look so cool, and I’m sure Lucy will love it! I need one more piece to enter in my art show, so this will be perfect! It might even be good enough to be my star piece! Then I’ll be accepted to an art college and I won’t have to go to school and become a doctor or a lawyer like my parents want me to be…Gosh! Why can’t they just accept my dreams! They’ll have to when they come to my art show and see all the passion and dedication I’ve put into this—“Ashley, you’ll be partnered with Zane Kochel,” Mrs. Bowman said as she flipped her long locks of hair over her shoulder and the teacher that I, for four years of being in the high school, considered my favorite teacher suddenly became a piñata; a beautiful piñata full of candy that me, the eight year old with the plastic bat, wanted to break open.

I was-am a good kid. Lucy even calls me ‘The Parent’s Wet-Dream’ because I get straight A’s, am the star forward on my soccer team, am in multiple academic clubs including the Latin Club, and the name is from one of my favorite movies ‘The Breakfast Club’.

But now? All I wanted to do was crawl on all fours across the wooden drawing tables to Mrs. Bowman and pull as hard as I could on her weave.

I mean, seriously! What was she thinking? Is she crazy? Mentally unstable? I always work with Lucy. My peers know that, and so do my teachers. Mrs. Bowman has never partnered me with anyone else but Lucy! So what the heck!

And Zane?

Out of all people?

My future as an artist depends on my work! I have to put one hundred ten percent of my effort into every piece I do! The slightest little thing that’s wrong, could turn off one and/or all recruiters! I want this-no! I need this!

I love my parents, but drawing is my passion! I’m going to do my best to pursue my talent, despite how unprofessional and unrealistic of a job my parents think artistry is…we even made a deal! If I’m not offered a job or given the chance to go to school for art by the end of senior year, I’m done! I’ll have to do what my parents want and become a brain surgeon or something!

Zane? He’s the biggest slacker in this school! If he’s my partner, I stand no chance! Lucy had to work with him and a couple other people once for a project in Algebra II last year, and he made them do everything. And by everything, I mean everything! He didn’t lift up a finger! He just slept the whole day…

“You okay! You look pissed!” Zane said as he took the now occupied seat across from me, where only minutes ago Lucy had been sitting.

Not wanting to talk or even look at Zane, I flipped him the birdie without lifting my infuriating face away from my agenda to his.

I heard Zane chuckle, “Good girl gone bad, huh? Sorry you got stuck with me princess, but you can’t get everything you want no matter how much money your daddy’s got.”

I went agape as I snapped my eyes to his, making sure that my most intimidating glare was on my face. Had he just insulted me? Yes! He did! I’m not a princess and I’m not spoiled, like everyone thinks! Everyone assumes things just because my parents are rich that I’m self-centered! I’m not! I just want to make a good future for myself, and Zane will never be a part of that.

I glared into his pleased brown eyes and frowned when his smirk only grew bigger. Apparently my intimidating glare isn’t that intimidating at all…

Zane winked at me and I rolled my eyes and groaned in anger as I wrote down in huge letter on the bottom of my agenda:

Get New Drawing Partner!!!!!!

"Ashley, I understand that this means a lot to you, I really do, but I highly doubt that one boy will completely jeopardize your future.”

I scoffed sarcastically, so shocked that she was defending him! I mean, all the teachers hate Zane! Don’t they…?

He never does his school work! He’s always disrespectful and obnoxious during class! And around girls he turns into either a complete douche, or an immature pervert!

“Mrs. Bowman, please! Just let me work with Lucy! Or-actually! No! I don’t even have to work with Lucy! Pick anyone! Anyone else in class, just not Zane! I need someone who takes art seriously!”
Mrs. Bowman stood up as she sighed to lean on her desk and look me straight in the eyes, “Ashley…take a deep breath and calm down,”

I listened to her soft voice and took in a deep breath, my rasping breaths and my heart slowing back to its normal pace, “Now that you’ve calmed down…I’m not going to change your partner—“

“—But—“ I began but Mrs. Bowman flicked her pointer finger at me, immediately silencing my plea.

“—like I was saying, I’m not going to change your partner. Yes, Zane doesn’t take school as seriously as he should, but he’s got a lot going on in his life, and school, to him, isn’t a priority right now.”

“And so you partnered me with him, why? School is a priority for me! It’s my top priority, actually!”

Mrs. Bowman sighed again, “That’s exactly why I’ve partnered you with him. He might slack off in school, but he really is a good kid. He’s smart, too. Just give him a chance, Ashley. Be his beacon of light, for lack of a better phrase.”

“What?” I asked so befuddled by her reply.

“Give him some hope for a better future.” She said with a soft and small smile, one of sympathy and sadness...it was a smile that made me wonder…

Why did Mrs. Bowman have empathy for Zane?

Why would ANYONE have sympathy for such an irresponsible, reckless, ill-mannered….jerk, like Zane?

“Hey, partner! I wasn’t expecting you! You just can’t live without me, can you?” Zane said as he ran a hand through his spiky and short black hair, that same annoying smirk that made me want to slap him on his face.

I dropped my lunch tray, letting it slam into the lunch table which was only occupying him…the poor guy, sits alone at lunch. He doesn’t have ANY friends, literally.

“Yeah! I just can’t live without your good-looks and charm.”

Zane’s smile grew, “Oh really?”

I rolled my eyes, “Haven’t you ever heard of sarcasm?” I asked feeling so abruptly angry that it made my breaths catch in my throat. I’ve never felt so frustrated and annoyed in my life.

“So what you want partner?” Zane asked, never faltering or losing the smirk.

“What do I want? Not you! If we’re going to be partners you’re going to change! No more slacking! No more partying or drinking or getting high or whatever it is you do to waist your weekends—“

Zane’s eyes went wide as he laughed, “—And what do you do on the weekends? Study? Community service?”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his comment and continuing on with my little speech, “And no more disrespect! You don’t know me, so stop acting like you do! You have no right to say the things you do!”

Zane’s smirk disappeared and instead he squinted at me as if he couldn’t believe what I was saying, “You’re right! I don’t know you, but who the hell do you think you are to tell me how to act?” Zane said softly, yet there was an edge, a bit of anger, behind his words that made me shiver and second guess myself. I was wavering…I never waver!

I stood motionless and silent for a moment, eyes big and fluttering, “Um…excuse me?”

Zane rolled his eyes in anger and stood up slamming his palms onto the lunch table. He leaned forward, across the lunch table to glare down at me, making a shiver go up my spine. For the first time I didn’t feel superior to Zane…I felt scared!

“You have no right to talk to me like I’m some peasant, some poor bad-mannered kid that you’re higher then, cause you’re not! You’re no better than me!”

My heart leapt into my throat and I stuttered, “Well-I…I n-never said that.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s quite clear that you think you’re better than me, just by the way you think you can order me around! You think I don’t see the stares I get from the football team, your boyfriend more specifically?”

“Well-I…”