Crazed Minds | ✔️

thirty five

"All of this is tearing us apart."
-All of This (Stripped), The Naked and Famous
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Her footsteps are getting louder, and more outcomes of me getting expelled are flashing in my mind. I've been here for a week, and I'm already about to be expelled?

That must be some sort of record.

I'm about to come up with a reason for why I'm hiding underneath her desk with my student file in my hands, when there's a knock at the door.

Rosa stops and says loudly, "Yes?"

Someone enters the room, and when I hear their voice I swear my stomach unravels. "Miss Rosa," Seth says warmly.

My lungs finally fill with air again, my heart beating at a slower pace.

"What can I do for you, Seth?" Rosa asks. I hear the desk creak a little so she must be leaning against it on the other side.

Why is Seth here? I'm glad he is, sure, he's saving my ass by being here. But why?

Seth moves around a bit while replying smoothly, "Just wanted to ask you something."

"And that is?"

His footsteps get closer to the desk, until he walks past it. When his eyes briefly meet mine, he smirks and winks, before looking up at Rosa and saying, "I wanna know when I can see my parents again."

"Christmas, you know that."

"They didn't show up last Christmas, or the Christmas before," he reminds, moving away from the desk.

"Maybe this year, Seth," she says reassuringly. I sit up a little and bob my head over the desk to see what is happening. I can see Rosa's back and Seth pacing around, trying to bring Rosa subtly away from the desk so I can make a break for it.

Seth nods, and I can see worry form in his eyes when she begins to round the desk. I duck down again quickly.

After a split second consideration, he sighs loudly with distress, obviously catching Rosa off guard since she has stopped in place again.

"What's wrong?" she asks with a hint of exhaustion while I carefully crouch to see above the desk again.

Seth sighs again, before heading towards the right wall which is filled to the brim with books. "I've finished reading all my books, and if my parents don't turn up and bring me some more, I'll have to reread the ones I've already read."

"Seth-"

"Do you know how many times a person can reread Twilight? Do you?" he presses, raising an expectant eyebrow.

She breathes out, stepping towards the bookcases. Seth shoots me a smirk, before following her.

Rosa is looking up at the books with Seth copying the motion, occasionally throwing me side-ways glances. "How about Alice in Wonderland?"

"Absolutely not, Miss Rosa, I swear I saw my cat smile at me once. It brings back bad memories," he says, and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to burst out laughing.