"Wow, what a powerful lesson," Teacher Lawson exclaimed, beaming at the class. "It's incredible to see how the media can have such a profound impact on society, as we learned from the tragic events of the 1994 Rwanda war."
Sarah eagerly nodded in agreement, already feeling inspired by the lesson. "Definitely, it's so important to understand the role of media in shaping our perceptions and opinions," she chimed in.
"Absolutely," Teacher Lawson replied. "That's why I want you all to reflect on what we've learned today and write a short piece on your thoughts about the Hutus and Tutsis, the use of media, and the war as a whole. You have fifteen minutes to jot down your ideas, so let your creativity flow and don't worry too much about perfection. I can't wait to read what you come up with by the end of class!"
Alex couldn't help but admire Sarah sitting in front of him. She was the type of girl who caught his attention, not just because of her looks, but because of her intelligence and dedication. Who needed superficial cheerleaders when you had someone like her?
Joe interrupted Alex's thoughts by smacking him on the head. "Stop drooling and start writing. The deadline's approaching fast," he whispered.
Alex grumbled and pulled out his paper, stealing a glance at Sarah. To his surprise, she had already written half a page in just five minutes. He suppressed a grin and began his own reflection.
As Teacher Lawson explained the concept of induction, Sarah diligently took notes. Just then, a piece of paper landed on her desk, causing her to blink in surprise.
Sarah turned towards Alex, who had just bounced a paper towards her, and he sent her a cheeky wink. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she gingerly opened the piece of paper, darting glances here and there. This was completely out of her comfort zone, especially during class. The note read: //Let's go out this afternoon. Sarah Johnson, I'm booking you for a date today.// Sarah couldn't help but let her hair cover her face as she blushed a deep shade of pink.
"Oh Alex," she said, biting her lip in a mix of nervousness and excitement. Quickly regaining her composure, she wrote a reply, sneaked a glance at their teacher, then crumpled the piece of paper and hurled it at Alex's desk. Her heart raced, but she couldn't help feeling a thrill of excitement at this mini rebellion.
Alex's eyes lit up as he caught the paper ball and unfolded it. He smirked at her words before scribbling a reply and tossing it back her way, skillfully avoiding detection.
Sarah scanned the room, her nerves on edge. Had anyone seen their covert exchange? Alex noticed her apprehension and couldn't help but find it adorable.
Sarah opened the note, but her expression turned sour as she read the contents.
// My dear Sarah, if I didn't love you so d*arn much and wasn't terrified of being ignored by you, I would have ended things with Deliah ages ago!// Alex flashed her a mischievous grin.
Sarah coughed and blushed, trying to resist his playful taunting. "If I didn't love you so much... if I didn't love you so much..." she muttered under her breath, before shaking her head and scolding herself. "Stop it, Sarah Johnson!"
Alex chuckled softly, thoroughly amused by Sarah's reactions. "Ha, you're such a good sport. I love teasing you," he teased, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the teacher, who had just looked their way.
Sarah spent the entire day avoiding Alex's little tricks, and she was relieved when the school day finally came to an end. As they both stood up to leave, Alex made his way over to Sarah's desk to talk to her. "Teacher Lawson, I volunteer!" she declared.
Teacher Lawson raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Oh, really? That's very kind of you. If you don't mind, the rag is in the cleaner's storeroom."
"Okay, I'll go get it," Sarah offered eagerly, eager to escape Alex's teasing for just a little while longer. She nodded at the teacher before darting out of the door, grateful for the brief respite.
Alex let out a frustrated sigh and David put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hang in there, man. She's a tough one to crack, especially with her loyalty to her sister."
"I know," Alex grumbled. "But I'm not giving up."
Philip chimed in with a grin, "It's so weird to hear you so determined and in love, compared to your bland days with Deliah. You're a whole different person now."
Steve playfully flicked Philip's head, "Yeah, that's because he never loved her in the first place. We should never give relationship advice to anyone ever again."
Alex chuckled and agreed, but his eyes were fixed on Sarah as she disappeared from view. A mischievous smirk crossed his face. .
So she was avoiding him? Challenge accepted. He quietly slipped into the cleaner's storeroom and heard shuffling inside. Peeking around the corner, he caught Sarah scratching her head in frustration as she searched for a rag.
Alex quietly made his way through the door, savoring the sweet fragrance of Sarah's peach perfume that filled his nostrils. Suddenly, he sprang up behind her, causing her to let out a surprised squeal and stumble backwards. Reacting quickly, Alex reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her close to him and preventing her from colliding with a shelf full of supplies. Instead, she fell against his chest, with her face mere inches away from his.
Wide-eyed, Sarah looked up at Alex, taken aback by his sudden appearance. However, Alex's mischievous grin gave her a clue as to what was about to happen. Before she could react, he leaned in and planted a quick peck on her lips, causing her to gasp in shock and move away from him.
Sarah hastily wiped her lips with the back of her hand and gave Alex a stern look, "What was that for?"
"What are you doing here!" she hissed, looking at the door and was relieved to see it was closed.
"Nothing much, now." Alex shrugged innocently. "But if you want me to do something, I can." he wriggled his brows.
Sarah blushed red and she elbowed him, grabbing the rag from the shelf which she didn't know how she could have missed in the first place. "Stop your nonsense, Alex."
She darted out of the storeroom and Alex grinned. His hands went to his lips and he licked his bottom lip, smiling. "Peach again." he murmured. "I'm beginning to like that fruit a lot."
****
To keep up with the boyfriend act since he really didn't want Sarah to ignore him or cut all ties with him, Alex fetched Deliah home while Sarah was in school helping to clean the classroom.
Alex zoomed through the streets like a race car driver and made it to the Johnson house in no time. Deliah was left breathless from the speedy ride, "Alex honey, are you in a rush to get somewhere?" she asked, her face drained of color.
"You bet I am," Alex replied with determination.
"Okay, well, see you tomorrow then, Alex honey." Deliah waved goodbye as she unbuckled her seatbelt and quickly got out of the car. Alex gave her a quick nod and sped off again, leaving Deliah scratching her head in confusion, "I wonder where he's going," she muttered to herself.
As it turned out, Alex had to make a quick pitstop back at school. The guard at the entrance was surprised to see him again, "Forgot something, kid?"
"Yep, something very important," Alex replied with a grin.
Alex rushed back to the classroom, relieved to see Sarah was still there. She was busily scrubbing the windows and singing along to her iPod, albeit slightly off-key.
Alex couldn't help but grin as he snuck into the classroom and closed the door behind him.
Sarah hummed and swayed to the beat of the music as she scrubbed away at the dirt. Suddenly, she felt two arms wrap around her waist and she gasped, spinning around to see Alex. "Oh my gosh, you scared me!" she exclaimed, pulling out her earplugs.
Alex chuckled and looked around the classroom. "Wow, you did a great job cleaning up!" he praised her. "I can already tell our future home will be spotless."
Sarah blushed at the compliment but then raised an eyebrow at his next comment. "Our home? Who said anything about us living together?" she teased.
With a grin, Alex boldly declared, "Well, since you're going to be my wife, I figured we would live together." Sarah's cheeks turned even redder as she avoided eye contact and cleared her throat.
What are you doing here, Alex? You should be sending Liah home." Sarah picked up the rag she dropped and started scrubbing the windows again.
Alex smirked, "Been there, done that." He found it amusing that he had the ability to make her blush. Sarah rolled her eyes, "You should spend more time with her. Stop coming here and harassing me," she said, shooting him a pointed look.
Alex closed the distance between them, arching an eyebrow, "Who said I was here to harass you?"
Sarah's eyes lit up, "You aren't? Good." She breathed a sigh of relief, "I was starting to get scared of your tricks. You really should stop passing notes in class, Alex. It's not right. And sending messages too, what if you miss out on something important that the teacher-"
"Who said I wasn't?" Alex cut in again.
Sarah faltered and blinked up at him. "Hmm?"
With a grin, Alex tilted Sarah's head up and gently pressed his lips to hers. " I don't harass you, Sarah. I love you," he whispered.
******
As Sarah typed away at her computer, her sister Deliah lounged on the bed, lost in thought. "It feels like it's been ages since I've talked to Alex, honey," she sighed wistfully.
Sarah's fingers froze on the keyboard at the mention of Alex's name. Deliah didn't seem to notice as she continued to speak.
"He's been distant lately, like something's been weighing on his mind. I wonder what it could be?"
Sarah's heart skipped a beat, and she hastily grabbed her hot chocolate to take a sip. "Whoa, hot!" she exclaimed, trying to hide her sudden jolt of nerves.
Deliah looked up and chuckled, tossing a candy her way. "Careful, sis! what's up with you? You're acting a bit out of character," she pondered curiously. "By the way, have you heard about what Alex honey is up to these days?"
Sarah coughed to clear her throat and focused her gaze on the computer screen. "Honestly, I have no clue."