The Football Player's Parallel Obsession

Partners??

Sofie

I spent all weekend working on my stupid essay. I barely managed to fill an entire page. Half of it talked about my brother too. After proofreading it, I grimace. I need to get out and find a life.

By Wednesday I have a routine down, including the best ways to dodge Baylor Larson. For some reason the star quarterback has decided he wants to talk to me. Delaney says it is because he broke up with his on again off again girlfriend Mila. I have learned where not to walk between classes. Interestingly enough he has yet to figure out I am in this writing class with him. He’s too busy eye f*****g the dance team members that sit with his group I guess. Hopefully it stays that way.

Professor Mafferty walks in and gets everyone’s attention. “I have read all of your essays and based on what I saw, I have paired you up for the rest of the year to work on your collaborative works. This will be your partner the entire year. You will have a new assignment each month and will contribute half the work. I paired some of our stronger writers with some of our challenged ones to facilitate your development in this course. I will go down the list. Your first assignment starts today and you will have six weeks to complete it as we are starting halfway through the month and this is your first one.”

I look worriedly at Delaney. This does not sound good.

She starts going alphabetically. I listen carefully hoping and praying I get Delaney.

“Delaney Burke with…Clint Mitchell.” I bite my lips to stop the grin and look to see Delaney sitting there shell shocked. “Delaney.” I whisper and kick her foot. She shakes her head and I see Clint turning in his seat to find her. As he catches my eye, I point at Delaney with a blank face. He turns back around and I check on my friend again. “s**t Sof, I can’t be his partner. I will never be able to work with him.” She desperately whispers wringing her hands together. I reach over and stop the nervous motion. “You’ll be ok Delaney.” I whisper and continue to listen for my name. I see Baylor sitting down ahead and send up a silent prayer. Please anyone but him or Grady. Please please please.

“Webb Jameson with Sofie Riles.” Damn! Well it’s not Baylor or Grady but seriously. The one guy who will trade me out for a different partner. I see him stiffen up and he slowly looks around. Clint jerks his thumb over his shoulder and he turns slowly finding me. I give him a tight smile and figure I’ll have a new partner by the end of the day after what happened last time.

I look back ahead and now see Baylor searching for me. Double damn. Now he knows I’m here. He grins widely and winks at me. Seriously asshole. I’ve been watching you flirt with the dance team in here and you wink at me?! I just look away and listen.

“Baylor Larson and Sam Grantham” I see Baylor shake his head and want to laugh. Creepy Casanova got another dude. I hear Delaney chuckle lowly and she wiggles her eyebrows at me. We are on the same page.

Professor Mafferty finishes and I see Baylor’s hand fly into the air. She says with a resigned air “Yes Mr. Larson?”

“Can we trade partners? I wanted to request to work with my good friend Sofie Riles. Our writing styles would…mesh very nicely.” His voice is syrupy sweet and I want to vomit. No, no, no! My stomach turns the more I think of it. I shake my head my eyes pleading with Professor Mafferty. She spares me a look before turning back to Baylor. “I am sorry Mr. Larson but there is no trading. That is your partner from now until May.” I blow out a relieved breath and fall back into my chair. I see Colby turned around laughing at me and I glare at him. Guess that means Webb is stuck with me too. Great!

“Alright everyone. I am going to explain your first assignment, then you should have about ten minutes to meet with your partner.” But she gets so many questions there is no time as the timer goes off signaling the end of class.

We spot Colby walking ahead of us but he’s alone. Delaney calls his name and he turns stopping to wait for us. “Hi ladies. So what do you think of our last class announcement? Sofie, you going to be bringing Professor Mafferty a pie or cake to say thank you?” His eyes dance with delight and I find myself laughing at him.

With a rueful smile “I probably should. Maybe a very generous coffee gift card. She saved my bacon. Although I’m sure she’ll trade me to someone else by Friday.”

He gives me a funny look “Why do you say that?”

I shrug my shoulders “Just my prediction based on past events. I’m strongly disliked as a class partner, Colby. Part of my penance for being ugly.”

Delaney laughs at his obvious confusion. “Water under the bridge Colby. Personally my favorite part was Larson’s partner.”

“Yep, Creepy Casanova got a dude.” I grin widely and Colby dissolves into a fit of laughter.

“Damn girl you always this funny?”

“Freaking hilarious.” Delaney says with a grin. “You haven’t even heard her get going yet.”

“I am so looking forward to it.”

We sit down at our table and begin our assignment. As we leave today behind Colby, his three friends are waiting again. I watch as Clint pushes off the wall and walks over. “Hi Delaney? I’m Clint. I don’t have much time to talk right now because we have to sprint to make it to next class but can I have your email or phone number so we can talk about our assignment later.” He licks his lips nervously. I nudge Delaney who has just frozen next to me. She blankly stares at him. Sighing in exasperation I pull her phone from her back pocket. “Here drop your contact info in.” I hold it out to him and he nods his head quickly. “I’ll revive her and have her text you.” I tell him quietly.

“She alright?” He asks worriedly.

“Probably low blood sugar. See you later.” I yank Delaney along with me noticing that Webb barely even glances my way. Yep, I’ll have a new writing partner if I don’t already.

Ten steps away, Delaney finds her voice. She buries her face in her hands, and I keep a hand on her so she doesn’t crash into anyone. “Oh, how f*****g embarrassing was that? I can’t Sof. How am I supposed to work with the guy I’ve had a crush on forever?! He didn’t even know I existed until today! I’m going to go appeal to Professor Mafferty. Maybe she’ll pair us up and Webb can have his way of getting rid of you to have Clint.” I reach into my backpack to grab her a soft peppermint from my never-ending stash. I catch sight of Manny standing right there. He looks guilty as I narrow my eyes at him knowing he heard every word. I thrust two peppermints at Delaney. “Here eat this. You need sugar.”

Webb

“Webb are you planning to go trade out your writing partner?” Colby suddenly asks me seriously.

I jerk my head back “What?!”

“Sofie said she’d probably have a new partner for that class by Friday. Something about past events and she’s strongly disliked. Penance for her being ugly. It was weird.”

Shit! She is thinking of chemistry lab freshman year.

I give him a sheepish look “I might have abandoned her once before.”

Clint starts laughing. “Yeah and you stuck her with freaking Ryan Tanner. She should have punched you for that.”’

“Wait Ryan Tanner as in the assistant coach’s son? That dude is dumb and doesn’t pull his weight at anything. All he does is play online games. I think he really believes he lives in that world.” Colby asks.

“Yeah, I traded lab partners with him so I could be with Clint. It was after two weeks.” I bite my lip feeling bad she thinks she did anything wrong. And being ugly? She’s stunning.