Mrs. Carter clapped her hands once, drawing the room's attention back to the front.
Since none of you seem to agree, she said, setting the marker down, "let's put your opinions to the test.
A collective groan rippled through the classroom.
Marcus dropped his head onto his desk. I knew there was a catch.
Mrs. Carter ignored him. I want everyone to work with the person sitting beside you. Write down three first impressions you had of your partner. Once you're finished, you'll tell each other whether those impressions were right or completely wrong.
The classroom came alive almost instantly. Chairs shifted as students turned toward one another, papers rustled, and conversations quickly filled the room.
Marcus spun slightly in his chair to face Andrew, a grin already spreading across his face.
"This is going to be easy."
Andrew looked up from his worksheet.
"Is it?"
"I've known you for less than a day, so my first impressions are still fresh." Marcus uncapped his pen. "Alright... first impression. You're quiet."
Andrew nodded.
"You play football."
Another nod.
Marcus studied him for a moment.
"And... you definitely look like someone who wakes up at five every morning."
"I don't."
Marcus looked surprised.
"Really?"
"I wake up at six."
Chris let out a quiet laugh from the desk behind them.
Marcus blinked.
"...Was that a joke?"
Andrew frowned slightly.
"No."
"That's somehow funnier."
Andrew simply looked back down at the worksheet.
"Your turn."
Marcus slid the paper toward him.
Andrew wrote a single sentence before handing it back.
Marcus read it aloud.
"'Talks too much.'"
He looked offended.
"That's your first impression of me?"
"You asked."
"I expected something nicer."
"It is nice."
Chris leaned forward just enough to read the paper.
"I don't see the problem."
Marcus stared at him.
"You're supposed to defend me."
"I would've..."
Chris shrugged.
"...if he was wrong."
Marcus placed a hand over his heart.
"I've never felt so betrayed."
Across the room, Mrs. Carter glanced in their direction.
"Everything alright over there, gentlemen?"
Marcus straightened immediately.
"Perfectly, ma'am."
"Good," she replied. "I'd hate to separate you on your second day."
As soon as she turned away, Marcus lowered his voice.
"She wouldn't."
Andrew met his eyes.
"Want to find out?"
Marcus considered it for a second.
"...No."
Chris smiled to himself before returning to his worksheet.
Across the classroom, Emma had already finished writing.
"My first impression of Zoe?" she said. "Stubborn."
"I'm not stubborn," Zoe replied.
Ava laughed.
"That response isn't helping your case."
"I just know when I'm right."
Nina smiled as she added another point to her page.
"I wrote competitive."
Zoe looked at her.
"That's not a bad thing."
"It isn't," Emma agreed. "Unless you're racing Year Sevens to the cafeteria."
"They had the last chocolate muffin."
"They were buying water."
"They were standing in my way."
The four girls laughed, drawing a glance from a few nearby classmates.
As the conversation settled again, Zoe's attention drifted toward the back of the room.
Marcus was doing most of the talking.
Chris only spoke when he had something worth saying.
Andrew...
He listened.
Answered when he was spoken to.
Then quietly returned to his work.
For someone who barely said anything...
The bell finally rang.
Almost immediately, chairs scraped against the floor as students packed their bags.
Mrs. Carter raised her voice over the noise.
"Don't forget your homework. One page on first impressions. I expect it tomorrow."
A chorus of reluctant groans answered her.
"Good," she said with a smile. "You'll survive one page."
She dismissed the class with a wave.
Students poured into the hallway in small groups, conversations picking up where they'd left off.
Marcus slung his backpack over one shoulder and glanced at Andrew.
"Lunch?"
Andrew zipped his bag closed.
"I brought food."
"So... lunch."
"I was planning on eating it."
Marcus sighed dramatically.
"I don't know why I even ask."
Chris stepped between them.
"Because one day he'll say yes."
Marcus looked at Andrew hopefully.
"...Today?"
"No."
"Worth a try."
The three of them stepped into the crowded corridor, moving with the flow of students,Lockers slammed shut.
Teachers called reminders from classroom doors.
Someone sprinted down the hallway before being told to slow down.It was louder than the classroom had ever been.
A few steps ahead, Zoe walked beside Emma, Ava and Nina
.
Emma was halfway through telling a story when she noticed Zoe wasn't listening.
"You okay?"
"Hm?"
"You've looked over your shoulder three times."
"I have not."
"You literally just did it again," Ava said.
Zoe blinked.
"I was just looking around."
"Mhm," Nina hummed.
Emma smiled to herself but let it go.
As they reached the staircase, the crowd slowed to a stop. Students bottlenecked on the steps, leaving everyone standing shoulder to shoulder.
Zoe sighed.
"Seriously?"
"No one's moving," Ava muttered.
Behind them, Marcus peeked over the crowd.
"Traffic jam."
Chris nodded toward the stairs.
"Looks like it."
Andrew stood quietly beside them, hands in his pockets, waiting without complaint.
Zoe glanced back out of boredom.
Her eyes landed on Andrew.
He was staring ahead, completely unfazed by the delay.
No fidgeting.
No checking his phone.
No complaining like everyone else.
Just... waiting.
As if standing still didn't bother him in the slightest.
Maybe he noticed her looking.
Maybe he simply happened to turn.
Either way, their eyes met.
For a second.
Two.
Zoe looked away first.
"We're moving," someone called from the front.
The crowd lurched forward again.
Emma bumped Zoe's shoulder lightly.
"You zoned out."
"I didn't."
"You keep saying that."
"I keep being right."
Emma laughed.
"If you say so."
Behind them, Marcus nudged Andrew with his elbow.
"You know," he said quietly, "I think someone keeps looking at you."
Andrew frowned.
"Who?"
Marcus looked toward the girls ahead.
"No idea."
Andrew followed his gaze for only a moment before looking forward again.
"I don't think so."
Marcus grinned to himself.
"Yeah..."