Aden
A tray of food clatters onto the table in front of me. I look up to see none other than April Robinson standing in front of me. She gives me another bright smile. I thought she would have got the message earlier when I tried to ignore her.

"Can I sit here." April asks and before I can respond I she sit down. I look over her shoulder to see her brothers entire table glaring at me.

"What are you doing here, April?" I ask.

"Having lunch."

April pick up a fork full of her food and puts it in her mouth. Her eyes watch me as she chews.

"Well can you do it somewhere else?" I ask.

April stops chewing and frowns. "That a rude thing to say."

I look at her waiting for her to get up and go back to her brother. April doesn't move. She picks up a full of food and continues eating.

"April-"

"Do you not like black people, Aden?" April asked abruptly.

"What? No. I'm not racist. I just want to be left alone." I say.

I don't know where people get the that I don't like black people from. My step-dad is black and so is my little brother. From my experience people are people no matter what race the come from. It's just that most people are a$$holes in general.

"Okay cool, I just wanted to know where we stood before we got started on this project." April said casually.

"April, were you not listening to the part where I said I wanted to be alone."

April shrugged. "I did. I'm just choosing to ignore it."

I stare at her not sure what to do. She seems so casual about everything. She doesn't understand how her being around affects me. Jamal is already looking at me like he wants to rip my head off.

"Look April if it's the project you're worried about I'll handle it. You won't have to do anything I'll just say you helped at the end." I say.

April drops her fork down. She stares at me and there is a heated anger in her brown eyes. "Are you saying you don't think I'm smart enough to help?"

" What? No, I didn't mean it like that."

I really don't see what her problem is. I just offered to do the whole project for her. It's clear from our pairing that biology isn't her strong suit. She should be grateful that I'm offering to do all the work.

"I'm not an idiot, Aden Harris. I may not be as smart as you but I am perfectly capable of handling my part of the project." April says and I can tell she's really upset by this and I'm still not sure why.

"Um, okay?"

"Good, now that we have an understanding we should go over availability times. I know that Ms. Carter said the first part wasn't do until the end of the month but I want to make sure we get a head of this project."

I stare at April and am surprised to see that she is completely serious. I was not expecting her to be this serious about her work. There is a look of pure determination in her eyes. I think she might be the only Robinson who actually cares about school work.

We spend the rest of the time comparing schedules. Outside of my bi weekly trips to my dads and piano lessons I'm pretty much free. April tells me that she free most of the week except for the photograph class she takes on Tuesdays and her brothers football games on Fridays.

"So you play the piano?" April asks after we finish going over schedules.

"Yup, seven years now." I say going back to eating my food. I've accepted that she's not leaving any time soon.

"I've always wanted to learn how to play an instrument but I'm not exactly talented."

"Uh huh."

This is another reason why I don't have many friends. I absolutely hate small talk.

"Do you have any other hobbies?" April asked.

"Not really and piano isn't a hobby. My mom put me is classes. I didn't really have much of a choice."

"Oh, that sucks."

"Yup."

There's a pause and I can tell she's think of something else to say.

"What about movies? Do you like any specific movies?"

"April." I say putting my fork down. "We're not going to be friends. That's not how this is going to happen."

"I never said we have to be friends. I just thought that since we were going to be working on this project together we might as well get to know each other. We don't have to be friends to be civil toward each other." April said.

"You don't have to know my favorite movie to complete this project." I counter.

April narrows her eyes. "I'm starting to think you enjoy pushing people away, Aden Harris."

I smile back at her. "Are you just now catching on to that?"

"Fine, be that way." April say standing up with her tray. "But your not going to push me away, Aden Harris. I'm your partner and your going to have to learn to get along with me weather you like it or not."

April turns to leave.

"Stop calling me by my full name." I shout after her.

She looks back over her shoulder. "Whatever you say, Aden Harris." April says teasing out the last two words.

I shake my head but am surprised to find that I'm not as irritated as I normally am after talking with another student. April Robinson is definitely something else. That girl is going to cause problems for me, I just know it.

The lunch bell rings and I put my tray away. My next class is English which isn't the best but it's not horrible either . I take my usual seat in the front of the class.

I'm surprised to see Keith when he walks into the classroom. We had English together since the start of the year but he almost never comes to class. Keith makes a bee line straight for my table.

"Sup white boy." Keith says plopping down in the chair next to me.

I don't say anything.

"I heard you and April got partnered up in class today." Kieth says leaning over toward me.

I still don't say anything. Keith reach out and squeezes my shoulder with his massive hand.

"The way I see it this is a good thing. Poor April has been really struggling with her classes. You can help her out. Make sure she passes all of her classes. Be there when she needs you. You can be her little b!tch." Keith says with a laugh. He give my shoulder a tight squeeze. His fingers digging in bruising my skin. I groan and he lets go.

"Just make sure you don't get too close. April's not into basic white dudes." Keith says before standing up and walking to the back of the class with the rest of his friends.

I grit my teeth and clinch the pencil in my hands. Keith doesn't have to worry about me having any feeling toward his sister. There's no way I'd be attracted to someone who calls him brother.