"I never liked group work in school."

I completely understand where Brendan Fehr is coming from. They don't really make much sense and they get too complicated. All of this depends on the group too, but it always is more effort than if you have just done it by yourself.

The reason I was thinking this was because we had just been given our next assignment, and it was in pairs. To make matters worse, we didn't get to choose who we worked with.

Please let me be with someone who will make this enjoyable! At least someone I hang out with! Please!

Mrs. Peak was putting all of our names in a hat and drawing out two names at a time, those people would work together.

"Bronte and Alexandra," Mrs. Peak called first. I tried to contain my laughter. Bronte hated Alexandra! I did too for that matter! I think it had something to do with her obnoxiously loud personality and incredibly orange skin.

"Alec and Tamsin," the teacher called next, and I looked over at Alec and smiled at him. He smiled back and I noticed that he had a dimple smile.

Wow, that was.. wow.

I felt like jumping up and down! I wasn't stuck with a complete bimbo! Yay!

I also didn't know Alec as well as I knew the rest of the guys, so I was looking forward to working with him.

Mrs. Peak called out the rest of the names, then began to explain the task.

"Okay everyone, settle down. This is very different from anything we've done. This is a presentation, but it is done alone, as you are doing your presentation on your partner,"

What?????

"To clarify, this will not be on boring, basic information like name, age, where they're from, ecetera ecetera. You are to do this on their essence, who they are as a person, to give us an inside veiw on them. This can be done through an form of presentation. For example, you could prepare an oral, a video, a slideshow, or anything else that you can think of. You have two weeks to complete this, and I suggest you simply spend time with them, don't try to put your presentation together until the last minute. Yes, I know, what teacher actually says that? But it will help with your presentation, and I am happy to give extensions if necessary. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favour,"

Did she just quote Hunger Games?

I turned around to look at Alec, who was sitting in the chair diagonally behind me. He smiled, and just as I was about to look away, he winked.

Did I really just see that? Did Alec just wink at me? Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was just imagining it or it actually happened.

So what if he did? He was just being nice...

I got up and walked out of the room, seeing a bright smiling, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. Dahlia!

I nearly squealed with excitement as I ran into her arms.

"You're back!!!" I exclaimed, as i looked into her bright eyes.

"I am!" She exclaimed back, almost jumping up and down.

"How was it? Was it fun? Did you meet any cute guys?" I questioned, as she was looking a bit, different.

"It was so much fun Tam, you would have loved it! And cute guys? There were soooo many, I was in heaven!" She sighed, as if she wanted to go back, which she probably did.

"Did anything happen between you and one of the cute guys?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

She looked down to her black converse, her cheeks going bright red.

"Oh my god! Something did happen!!!" I actually squealed this time, and I nudged her with my shoulder, as we had started walking side by side to the library, to pick Bronte up before we all went to her house.

"Okay, I wasn't going to tell you until B was here too, but I just can't hold it in! I met this really cute guy and he is so sweet! He pestered me for my number for the whole three and a bit days, so finally I gave in! He has not stopped texting me since! Look!" She smiled from ear to ear, gesturing to her phone that she was now holding out.

Wow, she wasn't kidding. There were hundreds of messages from this guy and they were all really sweet as well.

"Awh Miss. D that's so cute! Are you going to see him again?" I asked, smiling back at her.

"Well, I mean, I really want to, and he does too, but he lives an hour away and it could be just too hard! But he wants to come down this weekend," She replied, as we walked into the library doors, searching for Bronte.

"Well, I know that Alec is having a party tomorrow night, just with our friends, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind you bringing someone extra. Mase was going to tell you about that tonight I think,"

We found Bronte sitting in her usual spot, surrounded by books. She looked up at realised from our expressions that it was time to go, so she began packing up her things, after greeting Dahlia.

"Oh, so you and Alec are close now?" Dahlia asked me, resuming our previous conversation.

"No, not really. But I am paired with him for this class presentation. We have to do a presentation on the other person, so we probably will be closer in a few weeks..." I trailed, thinking about what type of presentation I could do. I was pretty good at making movies, so I decided on doing that. That way, I wouldn't actually have to talk in front of the class!

Dahlia raised her eyebrows at me but said nothing.

"What was that for?" I fired at her... She was so confusing sometimes.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing..." She replied, smirking a little, but looking away.

I decided to drop the matter, there was no point in pushing it.

A few hours later, all four of us were on the couch eating popcorn and watching 'The Avengers'. Mason had just arrived from football training, and he was just getting settled in.

"So what's happening tomorrow night?" Bronte asked Mason, probably just to clarify details.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! We are all going over to Alec's for a bonfire. Bring warm clothes by the way, it is freezing where he lives."

We all nodded in agreement, except for Dahlia, who was staring intently at the screen. Then I suddenly remembered that she had wanted to invite that cute guy from her trip.

"Hey Mase, do you reckon it would be okay if Miss. D over here invites her new boy toy?" I smirked, and everyone flipped their heads immediately in Dahlia's direction, except for Dahlia, who was now glaring at me.

Oops, maybe a bad choice of words...

"TAMSIN!" She scolded me, and I couldn't help it, I just burst laughing, Mason and Bronte joining me.

After the laughing cooled down, Mason replied, "Dahlia, it's fine! Your new boy toy can come, Alec won't mind I'm sure!"

"Cool..." she trailed, obviously thinking about this new guy of hers.

"The phone is in the kitchen, go call him now," Bronte added, her eyes not moving away from the screen. She loved the Avengers, so did all of us actually.

I leaned over Mase to get the remote, and paused the movie. It was just at the part where Thor and Iron Man were fighting.

Damn! Robert Downey Juniour is hot for an older guy!

As Dahlia got up and went to the phone, I turned to Mason and Bronte, who were talking about tomorrow night.

"Hey guys?" I interrupted, not quite sure how to start this conversation without them assuming things.

"Yeah?" They both replied in unison, making Bronte giggle.

"What is Alec like? Because I am paired with him for an assingment, you know Mase the one we got in english. Anyway, I need to find out what he's like, and I thought I may as well start while we're not busy..."

That didn't really come out right, shiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Clearly the other two thought the same thing and were clearly trying to contain their laughter.

"Honestly, he is a really great guy. He is a really good guy to have as a friend," Mase replied.

"Oh, and he's hot!" Bronte interjected.

Yeah, like I needed that reminder.

I just rolled my eyes at her.

"Wow, thanks guys! Real useful!" I stated sarcastically, as Dahlia walked back into the room, clearly happy.

"He can come?" I asked her excitedly, bouncing up and down in my seat.

"Yeah, he can..." She trailed, and she looked ecstatic!

After the movie had finished, we all had to go home. We had eaten dinner at Bronte's, so I could basically just go home and go to sleep.

Just as we were saying our goodbyes, Mason remembered that he had to tell us something.

"Oh, by the way, we are all staying at Alec's tomorrow night. It would be too hard to organise getting home, especially because his house is on the edge of the town and it is hard to get to. We also might be drinking so we don't want to risk anyone getting hurt."

That sounded like a reasonable idea.

"Sounds good! Anyway, I need to get some sleep, I am trashed," Dahlia stated, as she walked to her car and waved before she drove away.

Mason was giving me a lift home, so we waved goodbye to Bronte who was standing on her porch, and drove off.

Once we were on the main road, Mase turned up the volume to his new CD, which was a Coldplay one! Score!

It was Parachutes, and the song 'Yellow' was on.

I started to hum the tune, as it was one of my favourite songs.

Mason turned the volume down and looked at me with a look I had seen many times before.

"It's not happening okay? Besides, you've never even heard me sing so you can't tell me to start again because I'm good at it!" I cut him, before he could have the chance to say anything.

"Tamsin," he replied, dragging the 'i' like a whiny four year old trying to get an icecream.

"No, okay? We are not going through this again, I'm not doing it, okay?"

"You are completely right. I don't know what you sound like because I have never heard you sing. But I know why you don't and I don't think he would want you to stop, just because he..." Mason didn't finish his sentence, as he could see the tears building up in my eyes.

"I just... It's too painful..." I whispered to him, just as he was pulling into the driveway.

"I know Tam, I'm so sorry," He whispered back, and pulled me into a hug.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, until I had to go inside.

"Thanks, Mase. I'll see you tomorrow," I said into the open window, and turned around to start up my footpath toward the front door.

"Oh and Mase?" I called, just as he was starting to wind his window up.

"Yeah?" He replied, looking in my direction.

"Stop worrying about me! I appreciate it and you know I do, but there's no need to. Goodnight!" I sighed, and walked into the front door.

It was about 10 o' clock, so I headed into the lounge room, to find my Grandparents sitting on the couch listening to music and just talking.

I quickly said goodnight to them, and headed upstairs to my room.

I got into my pyjama shorts and my 'I love New York' t-shirt and crawled into bed.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day.

That is the last thing I thought, as I fell into a dreamless sleep.