that but thankfully said nothing more on the subject.
“Lunch is almost over, we should probably get to class, I can’t afford another late.”
She held out her hand to pull me up.
“I’d splash some cold water on your face too, your eyes are still pretty red.”
Nodding, she left as I turned to look in the mirror for the first time today.
My eyes were red, swollen and had dark circles beneath them. I had a cut on my lip from where I had been chewing it absent mindedly and my hair was far away from its usual sleek, silky look. What I was wearing didn’t help either but I had gone for comfort today rather than looks; my oversized hoodie offering support when I snuggled into it. I decided I wasn’t going to be able to do anything to improve my looks and headed to history regrettably.
Ian was already sat down, as was most the class when I arrived. A few murmurs and curious glances looked my way as I walked to my seat but I ignored them, still deep in my own thoughts.
“I heard what happened last period, are you OK?” He looked so sincere as he spoke while I was sitting down next to him.
“Just a rough night.” I said nonchalantly, trying to brush off his questions and prying eyes but he knew me too well.
“I know you’re lying Rea. C’mon, you can tell me. Is it that ass Kai?”
I smiled slightly, despite my best efforts to hide it. As soon as I realised I would have to tell him though my smile dropped instantly. The thought of having to reiterate everything was creating a lump in my throat that I couldn’t shift.
“No, as much as I wish it was guy problems it’s not. It’s my dad; he um... he died.” I whispered so quietly I’m not sure he heard. I was shocked by how bluntly the words had come out and as they did they rang with finality. It was the first time I had actually said the words out loud and for once I believed them, some gut feeling was telling me it was true.
I heard Ian gasp loudly besides me, interrupting my thoughts and then felt his strong arm as it wound around my shoulders; giving them a squeeze. He didn’t say anything for awhile, obviously in shock but soon his eyes found mine again.
“How?” Was the only word he said.
“Forest fire near the house. That’s all I want to say though OK? Because I seriously can’t handle much more right now and I don’t want to have to run out of another class because I’m about to cry.”
He gave my shoulder another squeeze as I found my head leaning into the familiar shape of his body.
“Miss Jackson, would you care to answer me?”
I snapped up at the sound of Mr Bait’s voice. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I peeled myself out of Ian’s arms.
“Sorry Mr Baits, I didn’t hear you,” I said guiltily.
“I can see that Serena. How about you Ian? You got the answer to my question?”
I hated Mr Baits for what he was doing. I felt like telling him why I hadn’t been listening and making him feel as embarrassed as I did, but that would have meant confessing my dad’s death to the whole class so I kept my mouth shut.
“Sorry Sir, I can’t help you,” Ian said with one of his cocky, laid back smiles that always seemed to get him off the hook.
Mr Baits muttered something under his breath before moving on to someone who was listening, giving Ian the chance to turn back to me. “I’m sorry Rea, I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I’m here for you if you want okay?”
Nodding I whispered a thanks and we sat through the rest of the lesson in silence, even though neither of us were paying attention. As we got up to leave, Ian stayed with me.
“You sure you’re going to be okay?” he asked, making me face him by holding me at arms length so he could study me.
“No of course not, my dad just died, but I’ll manage.”
He seemed satisfied with my response, probably because it was honest.
I started walking towards the main entrance when I noticed he was still following me.
“Don’t you have
“Lunch is almost over, we should probably get to class, I can’t afford another late.”
She held out her hand to pull me up.
“I’d splash some cold water on your face too, your eyes are still pretty red.”
Nodding, she left as I turned to look in the mirror for the first time today.
My eyes were red, swollen and had dark circles beneath them. I had a cut on my lip from where I had been chewing it absent mindedly and my hair was far away from its usual sleek, silky look. What I was wearing didn’t help either but I had gone for comfort today rather than looks; my oversized hoodie offering support when I snuggled into it. I decided I wasn’t going to be able to do anything to improve my looks and headed to history regrettably.
Ian was already sat down, as was most the class when I arrived. A few murmurs and curious glances looked my way as I walked to my seat but I ignored them, still deep in my own thoughts.
“I heard what happened last period, are you OK?” He looked so sincere as he spoke while I was sitting down next to him.
“Just a rough night.” I said nonchalantly, trying to brush off his questions and prying eyes but he knew me too well.
“I know you’re lying Rea. C’mon, you can tell me. Is it that ass Kai?”
I smiled slightly, despite my best efforts to hide it. As soon as I realised I would have to tell him though my smile dropped instantly. The thought of having to reiterate everything was creating a lump in my throat that I couldn’t shift.
“No, as much as I wish it was guy problems it’s not. It’s my dad; he um... he died.” I whispered so quietly I’m not sure he heard. I was shocked by how bluntly the words had come out and as they did they rang with finality. It was the first time I had actually said the words out loud and for once I believed them, some gut feeling was telling me it was true.
I heard Ian gasp loudly besides me, interrupting my thoughts and then felt his strong arm as it wound around my shoulders; giving them a squeeze. He didn’t say anything for awhile, obviously in shock but soon his eyes found mine again.
“How?” Was the only word he said.
“Forest fire near the house. That’s all I want to say though OK? Because I seriously can’t handle much more right now and I don’t want to have to run out of another class because I’m about to cry.”
He gave my shoulder another squeeze as I found my head leaning into the familiar shape of his body.
“Miss Jackson, would you care to answer me?”
I snapped up at the sound of Mr Bait’s voice. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I peeled myself out of Ian’s arms.
“Sorry Mr Baits, I didn’t hear you,” I said guiltily.
“I can see that Serena. How about you Ian? You got the answer to my question?”
I hated Mr Baits for what he was doing. I felt like telling him why I hadn’t been listening and making him feel as embarrassed as I did, but that would have meant confessing my dad’s death to the whole class so I kept my mouth shut.
“Sorry Sir, I can’t help you,” Ian said with one of his cocky, laid back smiles that always seemed to get him off the hook.
Mr Baits muttered something under his breath before moving on to someone who was listening, giving Ian the chance to turn back to me. “I’m sorry Rea, I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I’m here for you if you want okay?”
Nodding I whispered a thanks and we sat through the rest of the lesson in silence, even though neither of us were paying attention. As we got up to leave, Ian stayed with me.
“You sure you’re going to be okay?” he asked, making me face him by holding me at arms length so he could study me.
“No of course not, my dad just died, but I’ll manage.”
He seemed satisfied with my response, probably because it was honest.
I started walking towards the main entrance when I noticed he was still following me.
“Don’t you have
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