Kaitlyn's POV

To be honest, the new teacher has a sort of scary aura. It's something that makes you want to run away immediately, without even thinking twice of the possible consequences. However, it doesn't seem as anyone could give a fuck about it. No-one here seems to be truly interested in learning. They come to school only to get grades and that's it. But what if it's actually what I'm doing, too?

Never mind. Anyway, Mr Porter seems to have a clear idea of what to do for this semester - and, no, it's not that stupid essay, or this is what I think.

"Okay, class, I think a good way to get to know you better is assigning you a project. I was talking to the Principal this morning and thought, why not? It's interesting but also important, because it will take up about 60% of the final grade," he explains. "So, you'd better take it seriously if you don't want to take the risk of failing, did you understand?"

Everyone nods, though no-one seems to be convinced by his words, especially I. Why the fuck should I compromise my 3.8 GPA with a stupid project? Worse still, everyone else has a quite low GPA (except for Kayla Carver, though I'm not willing to work with that snarky bitch). Oh, if only I could do it with my friends, as usual...

I know it won't happen, so I must stop think of it and rather listen to what the teacher has to tell us. Hopefully, it won't be as bad, and I'll actually learn something. This is what school is for, after all.

"Also, you'll be paired up, so, other than evaluating the project itself, I'll also take into account your teamwork abilities," he adds. Perfect. I'll surely be paired up with someone who does little to nothing and entirely relies on me to earn a good grade. Why do I have to be so unlucky?

"I advise you to actually put effort and not let your partner do the entire work, because I may punish you and therefore fail you, did you understand?" I'm the only one who's convinced by his method. Everyone else is anything but: they're not willing to work the hell out of their butt to actually get a good grade. This is something I can't really understand: is putting real effort in something so bad?

Though, don't you think I'm totally okay with working in pairs: honestly, I don't like it, unless I have the chance to work with either Suzie or Tess, which is very unlikely to happen given that Porter is new here and doesn't know us: in most cases, I think I'd be bound to work with slacker types or disrespectful brats.

When Mr Porter stops the chatter surrounding the place, he can finally announce the pairings. Let's hope I'll be lucky enough to have a good partner for once...

"Okay, let's start. When I call you, raise your hands, please," he says, "so that I can recognize you, and then you tell me something about yourselves." Everyone nods, apart from me. To be honest, I couldn't really care about him getting to know some details of my life, but what matters is that I don't get paired up with Matt Larkin, Kayla Carver or even Aatikah Summers! That mustn't happen, that's it.

"Nikko Lawson and Kayla Carver." The two snarkiest little brats in our class both raise their hands, and at the same time Nikko is clearly smirking. I don't like his attitude. I think he's being way too arrogant and full of himself while addressing to the new teacher. Why can't he just be a little more respectful? Well, it shouldn't be a matter of mine.

Anyway, if you're wondering, Porter is reading names on a list he must have been given by the Principal because, otherwise, how would he get to say names without making too mistakes. At least, I can truly believe he talked to the head teacher...

"Meeya Bowe and Daryl Baker. Breckin Shea and Lianne Maes." Mr Porter is still calling out pairs, and, as of now, no-one is complaining. Okay, maybe Breckin Shea isn't exactly very happy of being paired up with Kayla's pet friend... or this is what Tess has just understood. Never mind.

Okay, when am I going to be called? Is Mr Porter really convinced that suspence benefits us? If so, I think I have to disagree: it's actually putting me a whole load of needless extra pressure.

"Matthew Larkin and Audra Huerta." Oh, wow. I think I'm lucky. At least, I'm not going to be paired with either him or Kayla. Though, I'm still not sure I'll have a good partner. Also, it seems as the teacher doesn't want to call me right now, as he keeps calling out people, including, "Tess Sutton and Suzanne Christian." In other words, he paired my best friends together. That's incredible. I can't believe he did so.

"Kaitlyn-Marie Greens..." Oh, at last! Hearing my name being called is kind of exciting on itself, but let's not underestimate the situation. Everyone at this point could be my partner, which means I have to make things clear, especially because I won't be able to work with either Suzie or Tess. Let's still hope for the better, though.

"...and..." This suspence is killing me. Why can't he just say that other name and that's it?

"Aatikah Summers."

Words are dying inside me. He's dead for me. At this point, I wouldn't mind failing at all. Mr fucking Porter has just paired me up with a lazy-bones as blunt and disrespectful as fuck, with no idea of even how to keep her tongue held for her own good. Wow. He found the right way to ruin my good school track. He'll definitely pay for that.

Not that Aatikah is excited of working with me: she's never liked me, which is evident in her disgusted frown. I don't care. I want a good grade. I want to keep up with my GPA to have access to college. I couldn't care a fuck about her total lack of organization and ambition: it's not a matter of mine, as of now. There's only one way to succeed for this project: she caves with what I say, or I'll be the first one laughing when she's failed.