Amy rushed down the city blocks, her book bag hitting her hip harder every time she took a step. She started to sweat, her palms damp. What if she didn’t make it to school on time? Would her college plans to Yale be ruined…how about her lawyer career? Her parents would disown her and she would end up a homeless in front of McDonalds, begging for change. She stopped at the Deli, knowing how stupid it was but doing it all the same. Amy had a soft spot for Cinnamon Tic-Tacs, she couldn’t think without them. She needed her Tacs to get through the day. She held her bag closer as she started to run.


Amy slid into the seat just as the bell rang, and took a breath of relief. She swept her brown bangs to the side and unloaded her notebook and folder, waiting for Mr. Renolds to begin. He was a short man, short and bald with a horrible taste in fashion. He was wearing a yellow and green zigzag shirt and pale cream-colored pants. He put down his laptop bag and looked around at the class. “Okay, guys, today we’re going to do something different.” Amy felt her heart sink, something different? He scratched his bald head, “We are going to write a story,” he started, and Amy smiled. She could definitely write a story, it would be an easy A. “But in the point of view of someone else. I assigned you partners and you will get to know your partner over the next several days.” Amy took out a tic-tac and sucked on it hard, oh no, she had to actually talk to the numb-skulls in her class. Then, the door slammed open and in came Danny Diam, in his leather jacket and white tank top, his jeans baggy and his black shoes dirty. Mr. Renolds looked up, “Nice of you to join us, Danny” he said, and turned back to the board. He scribbled in chalk the partners, but everyone’s eyes were still on Danny. The girls eyes lingered on his dark complexion, and then made their way down to his hard abs they could see under his shirt. Amy, however, turned her face away. To see someone come to school so… inappropriately, made Amy feel embarrassed. Mr. Renolds turned from the board and clapped his hands off of dust. Everyone rushed to the board, and some groaned while others cheered. Amy approached the board, knowing no matter who she would be put with, she would be angry. Then she saw his name: Danny. She groaned and slapped her forehead. “I heard that” came a rugged voice behind her. She turned and saw Danny standing behind her, his hands deep into his dark jeans. “Sorry… I’m just…” He arched a dark eyebrow, “Anti-social?” he offered, and she felt her cheeks burn. “No, I am not” she said indignantly, and continued, “I just…” she stuttered, because what he had said still hurt badly. She narrowed her eyes, “I just don’t like you, personally” she said, and crossed her arms over her chest. He nodded and took a small notepad out from his back pocket, scrawling something. “What are you doing?” she asked, trying to look over his hand. He smiled, “I’m taking notes. This is a project, you know.” She rolled her eyes, “How could you be taking notes on me when you barely even know me?” he laughed and said, “I know you enough.”


Amy marched over to his desk and said, “Who do you think you are?” he looked up, a half amused expression on his face. “Excuse me?” he said sweetly, putting on innocent eyes. “You know what I mean” she said harshly. He sat back in his chair; his head tilted back, his eyes burning amusement. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She puffed out a heavy breath, “You….you think you know me, but you don’t” she felt her hands curl into fists. Danny smiled, “But I do know you. You probably live in a large house, get great grades, may even be valedictorian. Also, your parents are either lawyers or doctors” Amy shook her head, “No. You’re wrong” she said quietly. He was oddly close though, and it made fear grab her. He was right about everything but her parents. Her dad was a soldier and her mom was a banker. She took out her tic-tacs and poured them into her palm. “You have nervous habits that you can’t shake, no matter what” Amy reflected back to the morning, “And you’re too scared to admit I’m right” he said, and looked back down at his notebook. She clenched her jaw and said, “Let me take a shot at you” and he looked up, surprised. “You’re parents are some drug dealing creeps and you only come to school ‘cause it’s the law. You probably have to eat can soup for dinner, and you work at a job because your parents can’t afford anything” once she said it, she regretted it. He looked up, his eyes cold and demeaning. “And you’re a rich snob who doesn’t give a cr*p about anyone but themselves. Have a nice life” he said, and got up, pushed the table to the floor and past her.


Amy poured the rest of the tic-tacs in her mouth feverently. She was searching for Danny, but she couldn’t seem to find him. She felt horrible about what she said, but he was so irritating! She sat down on the bench to the science lab and took deep breaths. What scared her most was that he was right about everything, and she was only right about one thing: that he, indeed, knew her more than she did.