Worst Impressions

Chapter Six

I helped Meg to get her things out of her bag and moved my chair a little closer to hers. It wasn't like I was avoiding Jenny, but I figured she'd want just a little bit of privacy with Charlie. She was quiet at the best of times, and he seemed as though he would be timid around a girl he liked. If the pair of them were locked in a room together, they'd probably pass the time in total silence, both too shy to utter a word.

And poor Meg.

She was just as quiet, but it wasn't for lack of an interesting personality. With the number of books she'd read and her level of intelligence, Meg was always good for a lively conversation. It was just next to impossible to get her to open her mouth in the first place. Always so immersed in whatever she was reading or studying, she barely noticed my attempts to whisper to her or to make her giggle during the lesson.

Eventually, I gave her up as a bad job and dared a few furtive glances in Jenny and Charlie's general direction. On the surface, it appeared as if they were focused on our teacher. But I spied a few stolen smiles and subtle blushes when their eyes met, each chancing a look at the other when they thought they might not be caught.

It was adorable and so old-fashioned.

At such a pace, they wouldn't mention the word love until they were at an age to retire from society.

As I turned my head, meaning to see what on Earth Mr Hargreaves was babbling about, I caught the attention of someone I hadn't expected. William's eyes met mine for a moment. He opened his mouth as if he were going to call out to me, and I forced my gaze away sharply. Whatever William Darcy had to say, I wasn't interested. He'd made his feelings about our school, and me, perfectly clear already.

I couldn't imagine he could make a worse impression.

I worked hard to avoid looking in his direction again until the bell rang. I'd been so determined to focus on the lesson, I hadn't taken in a single thing Mr Hargreaves had said. That was until he announced, 'And this will be on the next test! So, make sure you learn it!'

'What's going to be on the what?' I asked Meg.

'Weren't you listening?'

'I... I wasn't not listening.'

'That's a double negative.'

I groaned. 'Okay, I wasn't paying any attention. Are you happy now?'

'I'll help you later,' she said in a hushed tone.

I'd wondered why she'd lowered her voice. That was until I realised Charlie was towering over us. He smiled and said, 'I was thinking that it'd be good to get a tour of the school when classes finish later.'

'Didn't you have that already?' Meg asked sheepishly.

I elbowed Meg gently. She didn't get the hint and just looked moderately offended that I'd assaulted her. Rather than explain it with diagrams, I said, 'Jen' can show you around. Meg and I need to study, sorry.'

'We can invite your friend,' Jenny said. 'Don't you think?'

I groaned internally. It wasn't much of a date if William was going to be with them. Honestly, the girl had no sense about her at all when it came to that sort of thing. Did she think that she needed a chaperone?

No, she was probably thoroughly convinced that it was the right thing to do. I imagined that she was concerned that William might also get lost wandering around in the school.

'Charlie?' Chantelle asked, wasting no time in coming to her brother's rescue. At least, she probably thought that she was saving him if it meant taking him away from me. She didn't break character and smiled at him sweetly while William was waiting on her. She continued, 'Are you coming with us to the next lesson?'

'Yeah - uh - Jenny and I were just talking about a tour of the school.'

'Really?' she took one of Jenny's hands in hers. 'Then, how about we all go together? It'll be fun! I mean, just the four of us.'

'Well, if Beth and Meg want to –'

'It's fine.' I cut Jenny off so she wouldn't suffer a verbal backlash from Chantelle, 'We're busy later, right, Meg? Studying for the test.'

'Don't feel as if you're not welcome,' Chantelle said. I could tell from the way her eye involuntarily twitched that she was struggling to keep up the kind facade in front of me. 'I won't stop you if you want to join us.'

'I have no objection to it, either,' William added.

'Let's go, Meg,' I said. 'Before Chantelle strains something.'