Shades Of Blue

Chapter 19|You And I

"So, I can show you to the office if you'd like and then you'll get someone to be your guide or something" I explain as I walk toward the school entrance with Zander in tow.

He breathes out, "alrighty" and we make our way in.

As we walk through the entrance hall toward the office, I already know few people, who actually notice me, see Zander walking beside me. I know what those people are thinking and half of them are disgusting, hormonal and not one bit holy. I'll avoid sharing those thoughts. Eris gets those thoughts daily too and it's beyond gross.

I see the administration window up ahead as I fasten my pace a little hearing my footsteps being followed in sync and me being me, I laugh.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

"Huh? Oh no, I'm just..." I pause as I see a familiar face that I want to avoid, "talking to myself, hey uh, so the office is basically right there and I realise my first class is on the other side of school so, I gotta go, sorry"

I don't give him a chance to reply before I swiftly make move toward the opposite direction and away from the face that I am trying, with all my power, to successfully avoid. I also may or may not have told a slightly small lie. Well, it was just some slight misinformation. Zander wouldn't notice anyway so, it's not a big deal at all. 

Plus, he is gonna be fine, he's a big boy. 

He'll probably have people left, right and centre wanting to show him around or something. 

"Elaine!" 

I come to a stop as I hear my name and as suspected it comes from the boy I've desperately been trying to subtly avoid. Henry Forrester.

"Hey Elaine, long time no see, how are you?" he questions as he nears.

I plaster a smile on my face as I try to think of a quick reply, "Henry, hey I'm honestly so exhausted and possibly late to class, I'll catch up with you around lunch, yeah?"

He furrows his eyebrows in question and as I turn to walk away he reaches out for my hand, "Elaine, is everything okay?"

"Okay? Why would anything not be okay?" 

"Well, I only ask because it just feels like forever since we've spoken or hung out together, I'm still sorry that I couldn't make the beach date" he says as he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, "my mom needed some help with the shop over the weekends plus, shifts at the roller rink, it's hectic" 

"It's okay, Henry. I totally understand and to be honest, it wasn't all that fun, I wasn't hyped" I say as I slowly take a step back.

He smiles a little as he follows, taking a step forward, "You, not hyped over the beach? That's unheard of, fairly odd"

"Fairly? Hmm, well I mean, I was surrounded by your fairy friends for the most part, if it were just, I don't know, you and I, it may or may not have been worth the hype" I shrug taking another step back as he follows with a sly smile.

He hums in response and just as he's about to speak the warning bell for first hour blares across the halls of the school.

"Well, I guess this conversation is a to be continued, huh" I say as I begin to back away slowly with my hands in a shrug and the last thing I hear is the most exhilarating sound of his laughter. 

Which, of course, forms a light blush to my cheeks. 

-

I've always loved science, it has always been my favourite class growing up and even outside of school. I always competed in science competitions and science fairs. It's always been my comfort thing. Except, right now I wish that I were anywhere else. After the weekend I've had I had forgotten one thing, Beckinsale Carter was in my science class and he sat at the desk in the front in front of me. 

I had also forgotten that Meredith shared this class me also. I had forgotten that we were doing assignments with partners. I had also forgotten that she was my partner. 

Following the overly dramatic and unnecessary but, also somewhat violent approach of events over the weekend, thanks to Mere.  Plus, the arrival of an unexpected distant family member, a.k.a. Zander, I had literally forgotten about the class full of people that I have been attempting, unsuccessfully, to avoid.

Goddamn Universe.

So, here we are, science class. No-one says a word as Mrs Clearwater lectures the class about the structure and function of organisms. If it weren't for the fact that an overdramatic teenage sociopath was sitting next to me and King Dingus sitting directly in front of me, I'd be fully engaged and committed to this lesson. 

"All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themsel-" she explains as we get deeper and deeper into the lesson.

I zone out like majority of the students around me and without realising I'm staring right back at Beck. He says something as he holds a stack of papers out toward me.

"Laine? Earth to Laine"

"Huh? Oh sorry" I mumble as I take hold of the sheets of paper to see that it's an outline of our assignment.

His lips turn up into a small smile as he turns back to the front.

"So, we can split the work, I know you love this shit so, you can take first pick of what you wanna work on" Mere says in a low tone and if it weren't for the fact I'm next to her, I wouldn't have heard it. 

I take a moment before directing my focus toward her, I study her expression to see a forlorn expression across her face. 

I sigh lowly, "uh, okay, thanks"

Mere purses her lips as she faintly nods without looking in my direction with a quiet, "sure"

That was it as the bell rings through and students hastily begin to disperse into the halls, of to their next classes. 

In a split decision without any thought I say, "Hey, Mere wait"

She halts in her place, turnings to face me, "Yeah?" 

"Uh, I was just wondering if you and Eleanor wanted to go grab some smoothies or something during lunch or maybe... maybe after school?" I hesitantly ask. 

"Oh, I would, really" she waits a moment as some students walk by us, "It's just that I've got some things to do plus, family plans, sorry El, maybe some other time"

And with that she smiles weakly as she picks up her books, walking out. As I exit the room, I see Beck standing down the hall with his group of friends and our eyes connect. After a moment of, I don't even know what, he switches his focus back to his friends and with a roll of my eyes, I head to my next class.

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