Forced Arrangements

Carter

Click, clack, click, clack

Her high heels make the subtle metronomic tapping sound that is currently feeling the now silent dining hall as they hit the ceramic floor. The sound of forks, spoons and knives hitting the porcelain plates had stopped and so had chattering that was going on a few seconds ago. For a moment, everyone stopped eating and had shut their mouth, and yes I said shut their mouth because that is exactly what it is, a command.

Everyone stop whatever you are doing and shut your mouth, The Queen is here.

I do not have to look up to know everyone got their heads up to look at the person who has decided to grace us with their presents. I do not have to be a magician to know that it is Meagan fucking Cavallari, either.

With her blue eyes, a perfect pecky nose, that can have Priyanka Chopra run for her money and a fucking pair of pink bow shaped lips, there is no denying that she is goodamn gorgeous. And her long strawberry blonde hair and long legs gives her the final touch for her to be Elite Academy’s own prominent queen bee.

With her head held high, chest out and a straight up facial expression she had mastered, and how she struts around the place as if she owns it, I would not be surprised to look up and see people bowing down to her. The idea made me roll my eyes inwards and I buried my face furthermore into my plate, stuffing my mouth with the mac and cheese in my plate. I got a paper that I am half way through and it is due in two hours. I do not have a second to waste taking glances at her. I need to feed myself and get the hell out of here.

The click of her heels stops and the room goes dead silent. Out of curiosity, I lift my head and she is standing right and the centre of the hall, her eyes darting around. Our eyes meet and her glare lingers on me before she starts walking towards me.I looked around to see if there is any of her groupie anywhere near me. I see none. Aside from me, nobody is sitting in this corner, not even a freshman she doesn’t know exists on this earth. I frown,training my eyes on her for a split second. Now that I am sure she is here for me, I am anticipating the world to crumble down.

‘What,’ I grunt out as soon as she stands next to me.

She is standing close, way too close

Totally invading my space. Her distinct and signature flowery scent takes over my favourite smell of mac and cheese in my nostrils. I try to ignore that and keep my focus on the current important thing, which is eating. Doing that automatically killed two beds with one stone. Firstly I will get to finish my lunch sooner and most importantly,she gets the message that, unlike everyone else, I do not, and never will, worship the ground she walks on.

‘This,’ she slams a paper in front me, ‘Is for you,’

I glanced at the sheet and at the top, in bold capital letters, it is written, ‘CASE STUDY,’

‘And that is for what?’

‘Our in class, I did the last one, and now it’s your turn,’ she says and my head shot up and I am looking directly at her for the first time since she walked in here. I should have known she was bringing trouble and the moment I saw her walking towards me I should have run in the opposite direction.

First term in our senior year, our Economics professor, Mr Wilson had decided to pair us up for particular assignments and he decided it was best to use the register. I would not have had a problem with that, but then my ancestor had find it best to call themselves Calligan and that placed me right next to Cavallari fucking Meagan. We both had tried to talk Mr. Wilson so we could swap partners, but we both couldn’t sway him so we were stuck together for the whole of our senior year. We had tried to be civil for once, work together on whatever assignment we would have been given but that did not pan out well at all.The last time it had ended up with my macbook broken and her iPhone across the room. That is when we started taking turns to write these assignments whenever we had to endure one.

‘And you better make sure it gets a grade A, I don’t want to get another B because you can’t be a grown up for once and stop playing games with me,’ she said and turned to leave.

‘I can’t do that, I am literally squashed,’ I almost shouted after her.

I never want her to get the satisfaction of knowing how much she frustrates me, but I was way too gone at the moment. I had way too much on my plate. And when the fuck did Mr. fucking Wilson add his damn stupid assigments to the lord? Ok, maybe it’s not stupid, it is one of my favourite modulles and I happen to be good at it.

‘‘And mind you, it is due on Thursday,’ she said and she turned again, walking away, making sure she keeps her head held up and adding a little sway which I am sure it’s not because she wants attention.She has enough of that. She fucking wants to annoy me and I hate to admit it, she is succeding.

Today is a Tuesday and it is already lunch hour so that means I have less than fifty-one hours left. I don’t even want to think about deducting the time for the monthly fraternity meeting that I can not miss later tonight. I am sure she had the assignment for close to a week now and wanted to hand it to me at the very last possible moment, just like I did the last time.,’

‘Fuck,’ I cursed out of frustrartion and slammed my spoon on the table, no longer interested in eating.

How does she fucking manage to get on my last nerve! At this point I am starting to believe she has some super powers. I picked my phone from the table and walked out, heading for the library to finish up that paper. I should not worry about Cavallari and the assignment, but I can't help it. I thought of sabotaging again and writing at sub par but I have gotten us enough Cs to last us for the remaining senior year and if I don’t ace this I will be spitting and cursing my own self too with a B on the modules. I had to figure out a way to stretch out my hours and make this work.