The Dreaded Partner Assignment... (Open)

[Ashley Benson]

This was what happened when Ashley followed the advice of the people who told he she needed to get out more.  She'd been perfectly happy taking most of her college courses online and living in the little world she'd managed to carve out with her 'roommate' and their cat.  It was a simple life, to be sure, but it was one that had suited Ashley far better than she could have ever imagined.  There was safety and security to be found in its familiarity and she hated to see it disturbed.  Nonetheless, here she was taking a class that could have just as easily been taught via distance learning and now forced into a project with a partner.

There had been a stab of fear that tightened Ashley's chest the moment the professor explained the assignment.  It was the last project of the year before finals and it was a huge part of their grade for the course.  This would mean long hours spent by this random person's side if they hoped to get a decent mark.  Normally Ashley wouldn't panic over something so innocuous but she had obligations at home.  She couldn't be sitting in some college dorm all night with her cat home alone, her roommate would have a fit and she couldn't very well bring her work partner home because, again, her roommate wasn't one for random company.

Ashley had lost herself in her own mind even as the pairings were announced and the rest of the students started relocating to sit beside their new partners.  Unless called upon, Ashley had spoken nary a word to any of the other students the entire semester, not even to borrow a pencil.  She normally sat in the front but off to the side so she could concentrate on the professor and nothing else.  She didn't spend lunch in the cafeteria, opting, instead, to retreat home to her apartment to eat and she wasn't involved in any clubs or sports.  For all intents and purposes, Ashley had been a ghost for months and she'd liked it that way.

When her assigned partner slipped into the seat beside her, Ashley snapped back to reality with a jump.  She let out a surprised 'oh!' before clearing her throat and turning her brilliant, azure eyes to her fellow student.  "Sorry."  She said a bit too quickly, her brow furrowing as she worked to get her brain to catch up with what was going on around her instead of remaining locked inside itself.  "I, uh-"  She trailed off before glancing down at the blank notepad in front of her and frowned.  After letting out a soft exhale of breath Ashley steeled herself and focused her attention on her new academic partner.  "Sorry."  She repeated, this time with much less waver to her voice.  "I zoned out."  She waved a hand dismissively.  "You know how it goes.  Anyway, I'm Ashley."  She said as if she wasn't in a class that called roll every day.

[Jaxon Crain]

Group projects. 'These are a perfect way to meet people your age and get involved, socially.' The shrink had told Jaxon this in their session after the class. 

Jax wasn't one for book smarts. He was a mid C, maybe B range student. He actually didn't mind group projects as long as he got a smart project that he could lead along to do most of the work. The hard work at least. 

His motives set in as the teacher called out who would be partnered up with who. 'Jaxon Crain and Ashley Benson.' The professor called out as he pointed out to Jaxon her seat. As he approached, Jaxon figured why the professor suggested he go to her. The didn't look the most out going but neither was Jaxon, really. But nevertheless, this was good. The introverts were always the smartest, he knew this. 

He climbed over a few seats in his row in the back as a shortcut to her all the way in the front. He hopped over the back the chair and slid in. Accidentally, he startled her without meaning to. "Sorry, sorry." They both said in unison. He smirked. "It happens to me a ton." He reassured her with a shrug. Jax smirked as she introduced herself. Never mind that the teacher had announced it. "I'm Jaxon. Crain." 

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley gave a small, almost relieved smile at Jaxon's response. While she was hardly bullied or ostracized, her near silence while in class often garnered less than favorable looks from her peers. That Jaxon had all but shrugged off her admission of 'zoning out' was a promising start to a project she had been dreading the moment the professor announced it.

It took her a moment of gathering herself before Ashley could speak again. Her eyes lowered to the open notebook sitting on the table in front of her. Her notes from the day's lesson were neatly scribbled across the page and she stared at it, letting the smooth, curved lines of the pen she she swept over the paper capture her focus while her nerves settled. After a few seconds where she seemed to get lost in her own mind she exhaled slowly and the smile returned to her features.

"Sorry." Ashley said again, her voice soft. She shook her head, almost feeling sorry for Jaxon now that a good portion of his grade in this class was partially in the hands of the class weirdo who could barely keep control of herself. "Anyway." She turned her gaze toward Jaxon. "So, uh, where do we start?"