"For you? I'd hold the skies on my shoulders, if it came down to it."
*****
He didn't think she'd ever look his way. Let alone, stumble into him- and into his life. But all things happen for a reason, and sometimes- when you love someone from afar...
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THE NEXT DAY isn't any better.
Especially because I had calculus. That meant having to sit next to him for an entire class- something I wasn't sure I could do.
I can feel his gaze on me the moment I step into class. I knew he was always early, so I waited till the last possible moment to enter the classroom to avoid any sort of conversation or confrontation.
I know he's looking at me as I walk to my seat, and sit down at the edge with some very evident distance between us. I know that he's wearing green, my favorite shade of green- even though I had never told him which shade was my favorite. And I know that he wants to speak to me, even though I'm showing every sign of not wanting to speak to him.
But I don't look at him. Not once. Because I know that if I do look at him, all that hurt is going to come flooding back. All those tears, the little disagreements with every friend I thought I had, the heavy sinking feeling in my chest that seems to be constantly weighing me down- everything was going to hit me all at once.
I didn't want to feel it or deal with it. Not now, not ever.
Fortunately, today was just a review and we weren't required to work on anything at all during the class period. I stare straight ahead as Mr. Prichett drones on about limits and derivatives, without so much as a glance to my left.
I was half afraid he'd try to strike up a conversation during class, but aside from Mr. Prichett's monotone gruff voice, it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. I didn't take him to be one to interrupt these kinds of silences.
He didn't speak. Not a word, not a whisper, not even a little scribbled note on paper. But from the way he was constantly glancing my way, he either had a thing for the footballer sitting on my right or he wanted to speak to me.
I think it's the latter more than the former. I still want to avoid it though.
The moment the bell rings, I'm out of my seat.
"Ophelia-"
I duck, dodge, and do everything possible to squeeze my way out of the classroom- knowing damn well that I'm annoying a few people by bumping into them. While that would usually have me terribly mortified, I can't find it in me to care today.
I let out a little sigh of relief when I'm out in the corridor, and then I slow down slightly- making a beeline to my locker.
"Ophelia!"
Huh. Maybe I'm overly paranoid. It almost sounds like he's saying my name over the loud chatter of the crowd.
My locker clicks open as soon as I put in the combination and I begin to switch my books out. Our combined biology notes also sit right on top of the pile, reminding me that there's another thing that I inevitably have to talk to him about since it was a joint report.
