CLASSROOM B
FREE PERIOD
Elise POV
It’s been one week.
A week since Sarah’s anger brought a thunderstorm
Seven days since my outburst at Trent
The issue that divided us remains shrouded in silence, a heavy cloud over our friendship, untouched since the trio’s return from the Dome.
Trent’s interactions with me have dwindled to the bare minimum, limited to “My part” when he hands me his share of the research. Outside of project-related matters, he avoids me like the plague, creating a chasm between us.
In this unspoken agreement, I find myself responsible for compiling the research into a presentable format for submission, a task due today. The hours since our last class have blurred into one continuous typing marathon. I sat here chained to my desk editing and composing the report.
If I continue at this pace, I’ll soon need to contact Max’s ophthalmologist.
“Elise, are you busy?”
Massaging the tense muscles at the back of my neck, I raise my eyes to find a nervous Tome standing before me. His restless fingers nervously chip at each other, accentuating his unease.
“Not really. It can wait. Sit. Sit”
He takes a seat directly across from me, keeping his trembling hands away from the table. I close my laptop, removing the physical barrier between us, and providing me with a clear view of his anxious expression. I look at him with a mixture of concern and curiosity, my gaze bearing down on him, compelling him to speak. His nervousness seems justified, considering all that has happened recently. Throughout the temporary speechlessness, he kept his eyes glued on his hands.
“Tome, you look like you have something to say to me, right?”
He nods but avoids my gaze, keeping his eyes on his fidgeting hands.
“I’m listening then. Talk to me”
Resting my chin on my interlaced fingers, I lean in closer to him. The intensity of my gaze causes him to falter in his speech. I wasn’t expecting him to approach me, given the recent tensions. There must be a compelling reason for him to seek this conversation. As he struggles to find his voice, his attention remains locked in his hands. He sucked a deep breath in,
“It’s about me and Sanya. I’m a bit worried”, he whispered.
“Worried about what? Are you concerned about whether your friends will be accepted? Or about Sarah? You have to be specific”
“Those are a few of my worries. But my main concern is... Sanya. Our relationship started as a mistake. I didn’t even know if he was attracted to guys. I’m just so confused. It’s all my fault.”
He ruffles his hair in frustration, hands glitching in and out of appearance. His words are heavy with crisis and sadness.
“Concerning Sarah, I really can’t say much but I don’t think she can do anything to you. Although, I think she is just heartbroken, hence why she responded that way. But to be safe, avoid her for the time being.”
I reach out, gently prying his hands away from his dishevelled hair and holding them in mine. My fingers lightly pat his palms, my gaze locked onto his eyes, searching for the truth beneath the turmoil of his emotions.
“Listen to me, Tome, nobody should judge or blame you for loving someone, regardless of gender. Your sexual orientation doesn’t define your character, and your attraction to guys is no different from my attraction to guys. Don’t hate yourself because of this. If anyone says anything nasty to you, I will turn them into a popsicle.”
His faint chuckle lightens the air, momentarily dispelling the tension. But my next words bear a heavier gravity.
“So, have you told him how you feel?”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“How do I feel?.. I... don’t feel anything”, he claims, slowly withdrawing his hands from my grasp. It’s clear he’s not even able to lie convincingly to himself. His ears turned red, giving him away.
“You can’t keep lying to yourself. I can see that you have some sort of feelings for him. You both need to talk about what you mean to each other.”
I assert, crossing my arms and sinking back into my chair, my tone conveying the seriousness of the matter. He ponders my words for a moment.
“I will try. Thank you, Elise. I’m glad I came to talk to you. I should leave you to your typing.”
“Oh, it’s fine. I’m glad I could be of help. Everything will be fine, eventually.”
I reassure him with a reassuring squeeze of his hand before he rises and departs from the classroom. I hope things go well. Tome seems like a sweetheart. He deserves happiness.
After relieving the tension in my neck, I return to my project, typing furiously to complete the assignment. After an hour of relentless work, I finally finished. I heave a sigh of relief and prepare to take my laptop to the IT room for printing. This class requires assignments to be submitted both electronically and as hard copies.
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TEACHER’S LOUNGE
“Thank you, sir. I’ll be on my way now”
I say, bowing as I exit the teacher’s lounge. I stretch my arms and take a deep breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion creep in. Gradually, I felt the toll of sleepless nights weighing on me.
At last, this project is complete! I can finally make up for all those sleepless nights.
While I daydream about returning to my welcoming bed, I’m intercepted by the sound of approaching footsteps. My half-lidded eyes lazily scan his body. Despite my fatigue, his presence exudes strength, and I can’t help but notice his woody, earthy scent wafting toward me.
“I just submitted it. God, I deserve a nap,” I remarked aloud, attempting to sidestep him.
“Where are you going?” He inquires, grabbing my arm to halt my retreat.
I scratch my head, letting out a yawn. “Trent, I don’t have the energy to fight with you. I’m going to sleep.”
“Come with me.” With that, he proceeds to guide me. At least, I sense no anger radiating from him. The journey to our destination is a blur, as I’ve already begun to feel the weariness of my sleepless nights.
“Sit,” he instructs, and I suddenly become aware of our surroundings. Before me lies the tranquil waters of the pool, a serene sight. I obey and take a seat without questioning why he’s brought me here.
He joins me, and we both sit in contemplative silence, our gazes fixed on the calm water. Its gentle ripples have a soothing effect on my fatigue, and I gradually feel myself being drawn into a state of drowsiness.
Just like that, my head droops and lean against his shoulder, the fatigue overwhelming me.
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SWIMMING POOL AREA
Slowly, I begin to regain consciousness, finding myself stretched out on a bench. I crane my neck and groan as my muscles protest when I stretch. Supporting my head is a folded school-crested sweater, an unfamiliar one. The usual phoenix was accompanied by a single flame stitched to its side.
“Finally, You’re awake”
A voice startles me, and I gradually remember how I ended up here. Trent brought me to this spot, and a flush creeps onto my face as I recall that I’d fallen asleep on his shoulder. I feel a strong presence, and despite my exhaustion, I’m aware of his proximity.
I thought you were avoiding me, Mr Trent I’m too cool because I have pretty hair and nice spider veins arms
“Must’ve been a nice dream if it’s making you blush”. He chuckles, his lips quirking upwards.
My response is swift as I hastily wipe away the grin from my face. His strides carry him closer to me, and I sense his formidable presence even through my weariness. His footsteps echo through the area as he approaches me.
“Are you crazy? I didn’t have any dreams. I’m... it’s hot in here”
It is quite warm here, now that I think about it. I was getting used to the constant cold.
I shot out of the seat, staring at him with open eyes. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as he draws closer. The beating of my heart was so loud against my ribcage. Sweat forms across my forehead as I reach to wipe them away.
“I’ll take a walk around the pool. To cool down and stuff”
With shaky legs, I walked past him to the sidelines of the pool. Trent strode behind me until he was standing by my side. He glanced over at me but returned to look at the water.
“Much better now?”
The soft husk in his tone almost made my knees buckle. Pushing my hair over my ear, I nod without taking my eyes off the water. I’m glad his ability has nothing to do with heightened hearing. I feel the intense need to clear my throat, anything to feel the tension.
Running my hands up my arm, I took short steps around the sidelines, a line of curbs between us and the pool edge.
“I’m sorry for what I said to you last time.”
I explain, letting my gaze fall to the ground I was walking on. After my anger subsided, I felt guilty for my outburst. However, the busy week allowed for no time for me to properly apologize until now.
“...”
At least, that’s better than nothing. Expecting an apology back was a far stretch. So a grunt of acknowledgement would have to do. His steps mirrored mine as he maintained a close distance behind me.
A childish thought came to my head. I stepped up to the curb and tried balancing on it. It was wide enough for one foot to occupy.
In two strides, Trent was beside me.
“Not to be a pessimist or anything but this is stupid.”
“It’s not stupid. See, I’m being careful.”
Taking wobbly steps, I tried to carefully walk on that. At that moment, I felt like a carefree child.
Laughter flowed from me, my hands put to my sides, steadying myself. Trent’s lips twitched upwards as he watched me. Out of nowhere, I miss a step and stumble into Trent. His reflexes kick in as his arms catch me around the waist. The sudden impact causes our lips to meet, and we both freeze in shock.
His lips are on mine.
We kissed.
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