fragile [PREVIEW ONLY]

Chapter 12

After our talk, Theo walked with me to the north side of the park where he waited with me for my bus to come. We chatted a bit more, hardly more than superficial conversation, and when Bus 29 came into view, I told him goodbye and that I'd see him on Monday.

When Monday rolled around, I don't know, I think I expected things to go back to the way they were. Theo showed me a different side of himself in the park on Saturday, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, right? People can have a moment of weakness. Need a friend. Who knows? I was just in the right place at the right time.

The day went by slowly, and - for a Monday - it wasn't half bad. Shocker, I know. I saw Theo at lunch briefly. He walked in with Zach, Lily, and the others looking just as he had the week prior. It shouldn't be legal for someone that attractive to be a high school student, but there he was probably breaking hearts by simply breathing.

He spotted me and I smiled, like an idiot, but it was too late for me to take it back. I figured he'd ignore me. I was half expecting him to flip me the bird or something, even though I knew that wasn't his style, but he didn't. Instead, he smiled back at me. It was one of those small, secret smiles that you always imagine someone sending your way, and - even though he was across the cafeteria - I definitely got his message.

"Hey," he mouthed, just as Zach turned to catch the glance between us.

Oh god, of course he did. The asshole stood there for a split second, saying something I couldn't make out to Theo, before smirking like an idiot and heading my way. Panic surged through me as I fought the urge to close my laptop and sprint out of the lunchroom, but instead I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin to face the oncoming storm.

It didn't come.

There I was being all brave and shit, and for nothing. Zach was intercepted halfway through his trek by Theo, who threw his arm around his shoulder and redirected him away from me. For the casual onlooker, they looked like two best friends chatting like always, but you have to remember that I am not the casual observer.

I noticed the way Zach's hands tightened into a fist, his jaw clenched as Theo pulled him away and whispered something to him, and he forced a sarcastic grin on his face as he responded. Once Theo dropped his arm, both of them dropped the act and I watched as Theo's carefree smile slipped for a split second to show a worn expression before returning.

He looked...tired.

I spent the rest of the day trying to decide whether or not I would ask him about it, but by the time photography class rolled around I didn't have the courage. It was one of our few lecture days in class, and Mr. Buchanan already had the lights dimmed for the Powerpoint presentation. Because I couldn't see him very well in the dark, this meant I had a free pass to doodle on my notes as desired since he would give me a detailed set of notes after class.

I loved the photography, and he was one of the best teachers in the school when it came to accommodating for my hearing loss, but sometimes you just can't win. I learned to roll with it a while ago, and now my notebooks are filled with plenty of doodles.

Theo slid into the seat behind me, and I tapped my pen nervously against my desk while trying to decide what today's glorious artwork would be. Before I could decide, however, there was a poke on my shoulder. I twisted around to face Theo, barely able to make out the 'hey' he mouthed to me in the dark, before I noticed the folded up sheet of paper he was passing to me.

Taking it, I turned back to the front and quietly unfolded the note to make out the words 'thank you' scratched on the very first line.

For what?

I scribbled back my reply, quickly folding the paper and passing it back to him. He took a few moments, and - without turning around - I wasn't sure if I should even expect a response. It's not like I could hear him writing or anything behind me, so I just kept my head down and stared at the blank notebook in front of me.

Another tap on my shoulder, and I retrieved the folded square of paper from Theo to reveal:

For listening. :)

A small smile tugged up the corners of my lips as I read his reference to my joke on Saturday. I hated it when people walked on eggshells around me. They treated me like I was invisible or like I was breakable, when - in reality - I was neither. I wanted to be normal. A normal teenage girl living a normal life in a normal city.

Mr. Buchanan took a step in my direction, and I quickly stashed the note under my notebook. This time, when I stared at the blank page in front of me, I wasn't thinking about photography class, what I was going to draw, or even the assholes who went to my school.

For once, just once, maybe not everyone sucked.