Page 16 of Scrimmage

“Hey, me too." Alexi laughs. The rest of the class laughs with him while I wonder how hard it would be to bash my face in.

The professor moves down the list. Alexi settles into his seat, satisfied with himself. I stare straight ahead trying to find a way to make this torture end. I can’t drop this class or I’ll be behind. I could go out of my way to make Alexi hate me, but that clearly won’t fare well since the professor seems to be familiar with him. My only option is to ignore him and guarantee he can’t sit next to me for the rest of the semester.

As class starts, I’m hyper-aware of Alexi’s presence next to me. I try to ignore it by pulling out my sketch and continuing to work.

“What’s that?” Alexi whispers, dragging my paper toward him. The charcoal smears across the page. I’m fucking enraged. I barely even let Penny see my sketches.

I snatch it back. “You don’t just take people’s shit."

“Is there a problem, Ms. Bradshaw?” The professor asks. All eyes are on me.

“I just spilled some water on the table,” Alexi lies, saving me. “Clumsy everywhere but the field.” Everyone accepts his answer immediately and turns back to the front. I don’t know what he's aiming for, but he’s setting me off.

“Just give it back,” I hiss.

He stays silent, handing it over. For the rest of the class he doesn’t bother me. I’m surprised that he actually takes notes. I stay leaned over my paper, erratically drawing until my hands are covered in charcoal.

“Does anyone know why the Quechuan language almost became extinct?” The professor asks. Everyone stares at each other.

“Ms. Bradshaw. You look extremely invested. Do you know the answer?”

I don’t bother looking up. “Because the Christians came and tried to convert the indigenous people, forcing them to speak a Christian version of their own language in order to incorporate 'God' and make them less ‘heathen’. This led to them pushing Spanish onto the natives until they assimilated.”

It’s silent long enough for me to look up. Everyone is staring at me. The professor looks surprised. “Very good, Ms. Bradshaw. A little honest, but correct.”

“I don’t think sugar coating the oppression of indigenous peoples and their cultures will assist in recovering what they’ve lost, but yeah. Honest.”

Alexi coughs to cover up a laugh at my response. The professor smiles and then directs attention back to the history of the Spanish invasion of South America. The rest of class bores me with shit everyone could have easily already learned if they read the first five chapters of the textbook or even google searched and read one article. I’m just glad when the class is fucking over. I dart out of the door the second we’re released.

I toss my long board onto the sidewalk, ignoring the signs that say no boarding, and head in the direction of the coffee shop Cole works at. I need fucking caffeine and a burrito.

“Hey! Ashland!” Alexi tries to get my attention, sprinting toward me.

I give him an exasperated huff. “Fucking hell. What do you want? Was I not clear?” I try to make the board go faster, and he jogs next to me. He’s quick. It doesn’t even seem like he’s exerting any energy. I slow down, accepting my fate.

“I was gonna offer you my notes when I thought you weren’t paying attention, but now I’m wondering if I could have yours.”

“You were right there. You know I wasn’t taking notes.” I cast him a ‘get the fuck away from me’ side glance, but he doesn’t take the hint; he blatantly ignores it.

“I noticed,” he chuckles. “I was thinking we could be study partners.”

I stop in my tracks. “What on earth could possibly make this interaction end?”

“Agreeing to help me with this homework.”

“No." I push off of the ground, heading across the quad. The coffee shop is in sight. He follows me, of course. “Why are you still here?” I demand.

“Running you to your next class.” He shrugs, staring straight ahead. I don’t know what god I pissed off to take me to this new circle of hell, but I am not in the fucking mood.

“I don’t have anymore classes.”

“Even better. Neither do I.” He flashes a grin. “I’m gonna bother you until you finally find me charming.”

“Listen, Alexi.” I kick my board up, stopping a few feet from the patio. “I’m sure you’re the most charming boy on campus, but I’m not interested.”

“What about being friends?” he suggests.

I glare up at him. “I don’t think we have anything in common.”

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