Ryan and Alice are two teens in high school who are best friends. Alice has olive brown hair. Soft and silky hair. She has a black tee with a brown jacket. With black eyes she can send shivers with a glare. Ryan on the other hand is not a skinny nor bulky person. He's a little tall and has black hair that can be rough and spikey. He likes to wear the same jacket as Alice but for males. They enjoy matching. Alice slumps onto her desk grumpily. She blew a few stray hairs out of her eyes. She was supposed to be doing her assignment with Ryan, her best friend, but her heart wasn't there today. It never was. Ryan knew she hated school. But he tried his best to cheer her up. "Feeling okay?" He asked caustiously. Sometimes he could upset her if she hadn't slept well. "Just tired." "Oh, are you now?" "Yes, "Alice...You say that every other day." Alice's face flushed, and she looked away. "S-Shut up-" She punched his shoulder playfully. Ryan snickered and messed with her hair a bit. She yelped quietly. Careful that the teacher wouldn't hear. "Ryan! You know I don't like my hair messy!" Alice glared and tried to look angry. But she wasn't. Ryan grinned. "But it's so much fun to mess with you-" She put her elbow on the desk and lay her head on her cheek. She tried to look as nonchalant as possible and not show how embarrassed and flustered she really was. The teacher glanced over at them and then around the room. The teacher pinched his nose and announced with mild frustration, “Class, let me be clear, you may pick your partners IF you're working only. No chatting about unrelated topics until after you have completed your assignment.” Students started looking around the classroom to see who wasn’t working, which caused the teacher to make that announcement. Alice fumbled for her pencil and pretended to work, but the most annoying girl in the class, Emmie, called them out, “Come on, lovebirds, do your work, or you won’t be allowed to be together.” Ryan looked down quietly. To avoid eye contact. Alice might as well have been a tomato. She was blushing fiercely. She could feel her fingers twitch. Ryan saw it before her and tried to stop her. But she was already out of her seat and looking right at Emmie. “Sorry to disturb you, Emmie, but unlike you and your posse, I actually have friends. I have people who want to be around me because they like who I am. Not because I think I’m the center of the universe. But you’ll never understand what that feels like. Because nobody enjoys your company. The people who do hang around you don’t actually like you. They aren’t actually your friends. So if you have something to say about us. You can shove it back down your throat!” Emmie looked stunned. Emmie never actually worked with other people. She just shoved herself into whatever conversation she could and tried to spread as much gossip and drama as she could. Emmie’s eyes watered, but she rubbed them and tried to put on a confident smile. She opened her mouth to say something when the teacher cut in. “Alice, Emmie, both of you are acting unacceptably. I want you both to go to the office for the rest of this class. Preferably far apart from each other.” Emmie sneered at Alice. Alice’s hands were shaking. She looked down shamefully and walked out of the classroom without another word or glance at anyone. Ryan looked at the teacher and at the door. He sighed and got up, following Alice. “Ryan-!” The teacher was too tired and sat back down. He picked up the class phone and dialed the office’s number. “Hello? Yes, I have three students coming down to the office. Alice Reed, Ryan James, and Emmie Martin.” The other students strained their ears to hear what the office was saying back, but they were too far. It came out muffled for them. “Emmie and Alice started arguing, and some things were said by both of them. Ryan didn’t do anything but run out after Alice before I could say anything.” The office said something else, and then the teacher hung up. “Alright, the rest of you, back to work.” Meanwhile, Ryan ran and grabbed Alice’s sleeve. Ryan stopped moving, but Alice didn’t. She kept going another two feet until she gasped and was forced back by Ryan, holding her sleeve. “Alice, slow down!” Alice grumbled under her breath. Ryan tilted his head and said, “Hey, look, thanks for sticking up for us, but it was okay, really.” Alice snapped in a harsh tone, “No! It’s not okay! I’m sick of sitting there being made fun of and bullied. What I said was true, and she had it coming!” It was the worst she’d ever treated Ryan. She felt bad but was too angry to keep calm. “Alright, you're right, it’s not okay. But can you calm down? Please? I’ll walk with you to the office.” Alice closed her eyes, took a breath, and allowed him to take her hand and walk her.
(Small continuation before some mini author notes) Emmie had stopped to watch and listen. She was lost in thought. Still thinking back to what Alice had said. “Nobody wants to be your friend.” It’s true. Isn’t it? She thought. I’m a jerk that nobody wants to talk to. She blinked away tears and walked to the office far behind the duo in front of her. Written by Librarian Brightney Some notes: I already had the idea, but when I found out about the contest, I knew it was the perfect time for me to use Alice and Ryan's story. Their story is meant to be a romance story. These two have so much romantic tension and yet never get romantically involved. If that should change. Lmk! I'll write that part in! Also should I do some revisions and continue the office scene? Should I evolve Emmie's character? Ryan's? Alice's? AAA! Tell me what I should do next!
