Heartfelt Transitions [First Draft]

All my life, whenever I was in a tough situation, my parents taught me all but to run away from it. Stand up, jut your chest out and face it head on. I hadn't been following that policy down to T in recent times if I were to be honest. But it was time again where I was forced to recall it.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. I was going to come out stronger from this.

With that final thought, I opened the door to the classroom.

Heads turned around to look at the one who had just entered and a few of them chuckled to each other, whispering.

I marched stiffly ahead to my seat.

"Dear lord, Sinclair, who knew you could sing like that huh?" Jess tilted her head and grinned.

"Neither me," I gritted out and marched on. I sung? I fucking sung?!

"I am definitely inviting you to any party I hold next," Danielle remarked with a nod as I walked past her seat.

"Do let there be enough alcohol for her to be any fun," Zack said with a laugh.

Maybe running was a sound policy.

I reached my desk where James was sitting. He twirled the pen in his hands and underlined something in the textbook in front of him.

I cleared my throat.

His hand froze and he glanced at me.

"Hi," I said. The harmless 'hi' came out in a tone that sounded more like I was saying 'I think I want to die'.

"Hi!" He smiled. His 'hi' sounded like he was having a rather charming morning and just had been offered free ice cream for lifetime. "You are early today."

I forced a nod. "Follow me. I need to ask some stuff."

His smile only widened. "Of course, ma'am."

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James whistled with intense cheerfulness until we reached a secluded corner near the infirmary, all the while his eyes took keen interest in me, staring daggers into my skull.

I stopped and turned around. "Tell me all of it."

He tilted his head in a questioning manner.

"What all happened yesterday?" I clarified. "How much fool did I make of myself?"

Still smiling, he began telling me all that had been put in place by my pristine self. As he spoke, my eyes widened only more and my will to bury myself alive only increased. What was I thinking? No, I clearly had not been thinking at all.

James (bless his heart) was kind enough to reassure me and calm my nerves in the midst of his storytelling but no, it was not helping! I started counting on my fingers- how many apologies did I have to awkwardly say out? How many people had witnessed all that glorious mess? How many more embarrassing encounters?

My fingers and toes were too less to hold a complete account of my shenanigans.

Ugh.

"And then you fell asleep."

I blinked. "Where?"

He gestured at his lanky arm. "On this baby."

And as he continued further, I realised the first person who I had to face was the one in front of me. I had made a complete and utter buffoon of myself in James Rosemonde the most.

My entire face was completely colored vermillion by the time he finished.

"And well, that's all."

"That's all, huh," I scoffed.