A/N: Sorry it's been so long! D: I haven't been able to get to a computer, which truly sucks. But hopefully I will be able to get back to updating frequently and I hope you guys still love this story and care to review. Tell me what you think, I'd love to hear all about it.
~ Raven
Chapter Six
First hour was awkward. Noel sat behind me chatting it up with Chriselda, who enjoyed every minute of it as she (barely) tried not to cackle real loud as he muttered jokes in her ear. If I didn't know any better I would say he was trying to make me jealous, but that was the thing. I didn't know better. I didn't know if that was his main idea or if he just really felt like telling her a joke. I tried not to listen to them, tried ignoring their conversation that lay just beneath Mr. Donahue's lecture, but I couldn't. Their words kept surfacing and I was too weak and nosy to block it out.
"Gosh, Lockwood," Chriselda whispered, her French accent making it hard to fully understand her, "You are so funny."
Noel takes a moment—probably to smile or shake his head, any modest reaction that makes him seem even more perfect. "I don't think I am, but thank you," he responds, his voice so low I'm lucky to even have heard.
"You are! I really like the jokes you say. I would love if you sat with me at lunch to say the same jokes to my friends."
There was another moment of silence. This time my curiosity gets the best of me, so I tilted my head a bit and turned it just a tad doing it all slowly so I wouldn't look like I was trying to see. And just as I'm able to get Chriselda in view, Noel takes her hand, leans closer, and kisses it. Then follows it up by saying, "I wouldn't deny that invitation even if my life depended on it, doll," his voice a bit edgy, a bit seductive as they slip past his lips every so gently before turning into daggers as they reach my ear. I quickly sit up straight with eyes forward as Chriselda explodes with soft giggles.
When it came lunch, Peris was the only one at our table, waiting with his phone in his lap as he picked at the salad before him. I sat across from him, peering through the crowd near the food lines trying to search for Quin's obnoxiously blonde hair.
"She went home early," Peris said rolling his eyes but not looking up from his food. "Said she wasn't feeling well—cramps—and needed to go home."
I nodded slowly. "That sucks."
He nodded with me. "And Noel decides to ignore me. Not even a wave as he passes by to sit with Chris. Did you know about them?" Peris looks at me, his eyes big and worried, but I could tell that wasn't the only thing bothering him. "Plus, Wes is totally ignoring my texts."
I frowned, almost feeling like I knew this would happen. Stuff like this always happens to Peris. I feel awful knowing this table is the only thing keeping me from giving him a hug before I decide to just get up, walk around, and comfort my best friend. I hug him for quite a few minutes, taking in his strawberry perfume, before pulling away.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," I mumbled, knowing an apology from me is not going to do anything for him. It's not going to make Wes text him back. "Maybe he just has a lot on his plate?"
Peris just shakes his head. "He was too cute," he sighs, "Too Cute boys do not fall for me."
My heart broke just as he said that.
But he just shrugs. "Anyway," he tried changing the subject, tried plastering on a smile to make everything lighter, "Noel is being totally ew. I mean, he seriously just looked my way and turned, and kept following Madam Chriselda to her stupid table."
I sighed. "We got in a little . . . tiff, so to speak. I mean—well, I don't know what I mean." I frowned, but mostly at myself, for not clarifying things better.
Peris gawked at me. "You never cared to explain? You guys were so into each other last week. What's the deal and why didn't I know sooner?"
"I didn't want to talk about it then. I still don't, but I didn't know he was going to act like he never knew us, so I guess I'm forced to explain . . ."
"Uh, yeah."
My eyes flickered to Noel, as if they knew where he was at all times, waiting for the chance to meet his eyes to convince him to come back, to apologize. But his back was facing me as he sat rather close to Chriselda, laughing and joking with her when she wasn't teaching him French phrases. His longish hair shaking with every chuckle. I look back at Peris, my face sad as he waited. His expression softening as he realized how distressed I felt and not bothering to make me hurry and spill the beans, even though he's completely dying to know inside.
"We were together," I started, and then I noticed his eyes widen and quickly add, "But only for a day. I mean, technically a night. When he came over, he—uh—he made me feel like I loved him."
Peris's face twisted up. "He made you feel like you loved him? What kind of bullshit is that, Evie?"
I almost punched myself in the face for how ridiculous I made that sound before letting myself believe there was no other way to reword it. Sparing my face, thank God. "You should have heard him that night," I said, shaking my head a bit. "His words were so convincing. He told me he loved me and explained what love was. His definition of love. And it was like the biggest characteristics of his love were what I was experiencing, too. So I told him I loved him back—"
"You what?" Peris's jaw nearly hit the hard table.
I shook my head again. "I told him I loved him. I didn't know, I was so emotionally vulnerable, I couldn't help it. Then when he left, I went back to thinking logically. I wasn't ready for a relationship with someone I barely knew. I mean, I know nothing about him. Sure, ran off that one day, and he told me quite a bit about himself, but that still doesn't help. I want dates and stuff. So the day before yesterday morning, when he pulled yet another surprise visit, I was really annoyed and he could tell. I didn't need to tell him for him to know that I was having second thoughts. And every since, I guess I'm now dead to him."
Peris sighed, pulling me in a hug that was so tight and warm, I was thankful for it. "What an ass for just dropping us—I mean, you—like that. It's not your fault you didn't want him so soon. I totally understand."
I set my head on his shoulder, shrugging lightly. "Boys are just not into us these days."
Peris huffed. "Not even a little."
When I got home, Quin was sitting on the doormat, waiting for me. She was sitting in her pink robe, texting away before looking up and giving me a welcoming smile, as if she's been waiting for me all day.
I walk up to her, taking in her bedridden hair and pale face, along with her matching pink nose that wasn't hard to miss thanks to its color and her sniffling. She was definitely sick, which confused me even more since she wasn't home. Why would she be sitting outside my house when she clearly needs to be in bed, maybe taking another dose of Dayquil before commencing yet another book to fill up her day? I glare at her, studying her as if I'll find the answer by just watching her. But I don't.
Quin stood up and started to lean in for hug, but quickly stepped back and covered her mouth with a tissue, a smile still on her face. "Virtual hug," he mumbles beneath the tissue. "Since I'm just too sick to be passing around real ones. I don't want to give you the sickness."
"Oh, I wouldn't mind it," I shrug, smiling in return as I unlock the door. "Anything to get me away from school, I don't care."
Then her consistent smile vanished. "Peris told me all about it."
I nodded slowly. So that's why she's here.
She shoved her tissue in the pocket of her robe and crossed her arms, following me inside my house to the kitchen. "I'm so sorry. I mean, the way Peris explained it made it seem so awful. I knew you really liked him, too."
I nodded, offering a bottle of water or PowerAde to avoid saying anything about Noel. It felt like I was talking about him all to Peris, texting back and forth through classes of what to do, what I think he's doing, and not to care to much. How can I not care when Quin is here trying to make me feel something again.
"I texted him," she said, taking the blue PowerAde and twisting off the cap. I gaped at her. "I didn't tell him anything, I just asked what was up and if I was missing anything in third period."
I took a seat at the kitchen table and she followed. "What did he say?"
Quin's blonde hair fell out of the messy bun she lazily made and over her shoulders as she shook her head. "No reply. It's like he completely hates us all now."
I frowned, feeling guilty and knowing it was all my fault.
"Anyway, I came to ask you a favor."
I squinted, waiting to hear what she wanted to ask from me, hoping it wasn't anything too absurd. "What kind of favor?" I asked.
She smiled shaking her head. "Calm down, I'm not asking you to kill anyone for me. I just want you to take my shift for the next two weeks. My nana is sick—like, worse than me—and my mum wants me to help out. I only work Wednesdays through Saturdays and I'll give you my paycheck. Or you can ask Emil to just pay you directly. I asked him and he said it was alright. You can say no if you'd like. I can still ask Peris. He'd love working at that tiny bookstore with no time to text." She laughed softly, her soft chuckle echoing throughout the kitchen and living room.
I shrugged, unsure what to say. Mum would be proud I'd be finally taking on responsibility, but then again I'll only be welcoming a tiring week. What would I really be losing?
Quin continues, hoping to convince me, "On Wednesday and Thursday, you'll only have to work four hours, and Friday and Saturday, you'll work eight. I would owe you big time if you could just do this one favor for me."
What would I really be losing?
Nothing.
And if Noel ever decides not to be a jerk anymore, I thought, and tries coming over, I wouldn't have to deal with him—as long as its Wednesdays through Saturdays. So I agreed. It would get me out the house and away from my obnoxious mum and stepdad and it would keep me busy while also getting paid. I thought it would have been foolish to reject.
"Thanks so much, Evie! You really saved me!"
Quin works at a bookstore called Lilith Po. Her job is to shelf books and help customers when they need anything. Her boss, Emil, greeted me happily, as if Quin missing was causing the shop to go down hill. He showed me around and helped me with stuff I'm sure I could have figured out on my own, and when he was sure I was alright, he left me to start my new job.
It was hard shelving books when I had no idea where they were. It took me forever just to find the right place for one book, nevermind the boxes of books waiting for me in the back. Nearly thirty minutes in and two books shelved, I was already getting bombarded with questions by different customers, hoping I could save their life by finding the right book for them only to be disappointed when I told them I was new and knew nothing.
"New? I couldn't tell." And the way this customer smirks at me, sends chills down my spine. My eyes quickly look over him, inspecting him. He was only a couple inches taller than me. His hair was blonde and short. His eyes were a deep ocean blue that stared back at me, losing myself within them. He wore a blue cotton V-neck and dark denim jeans with black Converse that looked so aged I would've believed him if he told me he walked in them each day.
I nodded, nervously pushing my red hair over my shoulder. "How can you not? I'm obviously failing at this job by how slow I'm taking."
He shook head, smiling gracefully and welcomingly. "You just need practice."
I smiled back. "Thanks for having faith in me."
The customer held out his hand. "My name is Horizon," he introduced himself. "And your name, beautiful?"
I couldn't help but blush. I had to. For the first time since Noel arrived, I've never been so swayed since. And yeah, it was only a week, but still. I liked him a lot and he just left because I didn't want to give him a chance so quickly. And now here is a boy who is making me feel the same way Noel used to: giggle, nervous, and a stomach full of butterflies. I take his hand and shake it, mentally shrugging away the thought of Noel. He has Madam Chriselda anyway
"I'm Everleigh," I responded, flashing my most charming smile, making sure he sees my pretty whites. "Nice to meet you, Horizon."