Health class had never been one of Chloe's favorite subjects. It was the same thing every year; the only thing that changed was the teachers and the student's faces. You still had the idiots in the class who cracked a joke or snorted every time the teacher said 'Penis' or 'Vagina' and you had the students who could excelled in the class and could name any in every part in the female and male anatomy. Compared to everyone else in the class she was absolutely normal, excluding the fact that she could, you know, see ghosts. Not that anyone knew of course, it's something you could drop on someone in an everyday conversation. Other than that though, she was just a student needing another elective credit for the year.

Having moved past all the sex talk in the class, the teacher decided to drop a project on them that would last until the end of the semester. It consisted of a partner and a life-like baby that needed to be cared for 24/7, the ideal project for a High School student. The class still had four months to go until the first semester ended. The only reason Mr. Davidoff had even thought of a project was because there was absolutely nothing left to discuss that was appropriate for a mixed grades Health Class. He knew he couldn't just leave the class and let them do whatever; he was also the Principal of the school, only filling in for the actual teacher who was on maternity leave.

The class had moaned at the thought of having to take care of something that may not be living, but did indeed make a lot of racket. But, they made even more noise when Mr. Davidoff said he was going to be the one picking the partners. Chloe was a little worried for her grade at that moment, seeing as she had no experience whatsoever with babies or children for that matter.

Chloe glanced around the room trying to look for a familiar face from the back of the classroom. She had never paid attention the first month of class, only turning in her homework and not even bothering to make simple small talk with anyone else. To her disappointment she found that she did not personally know anyone in the class.

Mr. Davidoff made his way to the front of the classroom and set his papers on the podium. "I will now begin calling out the names of partners. After your name is called please come to the front of the room and collect your baby," he motioned to his desk where multiple plastic babies laid haphazardly. "I will hand you one and you will not complain. Do not ask for a specific gender. You will get what I randomly give you. Is that clear?" He didn't even wait for a response from the class before reading off of his list. "Julia and Reggie, Sara and Joseph,"

As the teacher drone on and on, Chloe placed her head onto her fisted hand and looked out the window at the dreary weather. She felt herself begin to zone out and was only shaken out of it when Mr. Davidoff loudly repeated her name for, apparently, the third time. She shook her head and her cheeks colored when she realized that the whole entire class was looking at her with amused expressions. She met the teacher's stern gaze and nodded.

"As I was saying, Chloe and Derek please come to the front of the classroom to collect you baby."

If Chloe's face had been bright red moments before it was a sickly pale color now. She gulped and stood up, slowly making her way to the class where Derek was already standing, having had to wait for her to respond moments prior. She looked up at him as Mr. Davidoff handed her a baby.

"Ah, congratulations on your new baby girl." Mr. Davidoff said with a smile as he shooed them away to their table that they were now supposed to share.

Chloe nearly tripped over herself as she walked over to where Derek had placed his things. He looked up her and glowered. She stammered out an apology and set the baby on the table, trying to avoid his glare.

If there was one thing Chloe had learned in her past year at school it was that Derek Souza did not smile. He sneered, scowled, and frowned. God forbid he smirked. But, he did not smile. He wasn't exactly avoided at in the school hallways, but, he wasn't exactly welcomed by many people. He was a tall looming figure with shaggy black hair and emerald green eyes that stared at you with such a scrutiny it felt that you would shrivel into nothing within a few moments.

And at the moment those scary eyes were focused on her. She swallowed back her sense of dread at the thought of being paired with a boy who some people avoided like the plague. Although she couldn't see why people did such a thing, there wasn't anything wrong with him except for the fact that he was as intimidating as hell. He had a nice face; even though she could Mother Nature had had her fun with him as she examined the tiny acne scars on his face. You couldn't really tell if you weren't looking, not that Chloe was, she was just trying to figure out why people would be so terrified of him.

"Would you stop looking at me like that?" Derek snapped as he pinned her with a fierce glare.

Oh, well that was why. Intimidating as hell and he definitely didn't like people. She opened her mouth to offer an apology, or maybe even tell him off for being a jerk about her examination. Chloe was cut off by a small high pitched cry that came from between them on the table. Their heads turned simultaneously and they stared at the baby.

Derek rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You've got to be kidding me."