Carys: Oi, where did you go?
Me: I ran for it the moment class ended.
Carys: Obviously. I turned around and then POOF. You're gone.
Carys: Where did you go though?
Carys: And... better yet... why?
Me: If I tell you where I am, you can't tell anyone else, okay?
Carys: And who on earth am I going to tell?
Me: Just promise me...
Carys: Yeah, yeah. I promise.
Next I knew, a meme of Lara Bingle asking me 'where the bloody hell are you' came through.
I rolled my eyes before shot off my reply.
Me: Library.
Slipping my phone away after Carys sent me a text saying she's on her way, I curled further up against the wall, ensuring no one would see me if they looked in.
My stomach rumbled with hunger as I pulled a book off the shelf to distract myself. I didn't even have breakfast this morning. Though I didn't get far into my book when my phone buzzed again.
Harley: Where are you? We said we'd meet up.
I put my phone back on silent and slipped it into my pocket, deciding that no reply was the best reply.
I was trying to read the words on the page again when a figure suddenly sitting next to me caused me to jump.
"It's just me, dude," Carys said. "Why do you seem like you're hiding in here?"
"I'm not hiding... I'm just... Avoiding."
Her eyes narrowed. "Is this to do with Harley?"
At once, my hand shot up, clamping down on her mouth. "Watch it. There's people around."
She rolled her eyes and pulled my hand from her face. "Just tell him I was too drunk and blabbering nonsense."
"There's no way he'd believe that... because I would have shot it down then and there if that were the case. Anyway, let's not talk about the why I'm in here and what I should or should not be doing... how are you today?"
She shrugged, pulling her knees to her chest as her face mulled with morose. "I just... can't believe it's happening."
"I know. I wish I could offer some words of wisdom, but I've never had to deal with my parents even fighting in front of me. All I know is I'm here for you if you need to vent or someone to cheer you up."
"Thanks, Indi," she gave me a warm smile.
"Have you decided who you will live with?"
She shook her head. "I'm still thinking it through."
"Well, no more drinking, okay? I forbid it."
She rolled her eyes. "Scared I'll out another one of your secrets?"
"I'm just so glad you didn't tell him I like him." My head fell between my knees. "It was so embarrassing." But then realisation hit me as to what was happening here. Head whipping up, I quickly blurted, "Sorry. I don't mean to turn the conversation back to—"
She shook her head. "Your dramas are much easier for me to deal with than my parents' divorce. I welcome talking about your love life. So let's keep going."
"Love life? You mean lack thereof."
"So why exactly are we hiding in here?"
Heaving a sigh, my head fell against the wall, making a rather loud thud on impact.
"Ow," Carys said for me.
But I was immune to all pains that weren't in my heart. "I just... He wants to talk."
"Then talk?"
I shook my head. "He had all weekend and he ghosted me... too busy with his girlfriend. The last thing I want to do is talk at school and face the rejection now while still keeping my composure."
"Maybe he couldn't talk on the weekend for other reasons. I mean, did he even have your number—"
"He took my number from your phone when he called me to pick you up. And he texted me before."
"He did? What did he say?"
"Just that he wants to meet... he asked me in English if we could talk at lunch and I kind of squawked a 'sure' at him. But I totally regret it and would rather we pretend nothing ever happened."
"Do you not think that, by acting like this, maybe you're making it into a bigger thing than it has to be?"
"It is a big thing, Rys! I mean, what do I say to a boy who found out he's the first ever person I've seen in colour? He's going to want to know why, and I don't have the answer... beyond... well... you know. I can't tell him that. Not when we've just become friends."
"You hiding from him and not talking to him doesn't seem much like friends to me."
I buried my face between my knees again, letting out a muffled, "I just need time to think."
Though we didn't get long in the library. As the bell sounded, signalling it was time for third session, I reluctantly got to my feet and pulled my phone out, just to be sure he didn't message me again.
But, sure enough, a little message icon displayed on my screen.
"What did he say?" Carys demanded.
Reluctantly, I unlocked my phone and opened the message.
Harley: There's no way to make this not sound creepy, so I'm just going to roll with it. I know where you live. You can avoid me at school all your want, Gadget, but I will find you.
After, he had sent a gif of Patrick laughing in flames.
"Do you still like him?" Carys asked in disbelief as she read the text over my shoulder.
"Am I strange if I say I do?" I replied, unable to wipe the amused smile from my face, but also incapable of ignoring the consistent flipping of my stomach. It certainly couldn't be good for my health.
"Why Gadget?"
I sighed, glancing at her like she'd never understand our inside jokes. Then I hooked my arm through hers as we headed off to class.
Though, to my dismay, as we rounded the corner of the senior building, heading to Geography, coming our way was the very boy I had been avoiding.
"Fuck," I muttered. "Maybe I should go to the bathroom."
"Oh, no you don't," Carys replied, arm locking tightly around mine. "We're already late."
"You go ahead, and I'll—"
"Don't worry," she whispered in my ear as she continued to drag me closer to him. Harley's gaze had already lifted from the floor, meeting mine across the way as—dare I say it—delight danced over his face at the sight of me. "I'll scare him off."
"Gadget," he said when we neared. "Can we quickly ta—"
"Sorry Harley," Carys cut him off. "We're running late. Maybe second break?" Then she continued to drag me away from him and towards our class, while he just let us go.
"Second break?" I hissed. "How is that saving me?"
"It's all a part of my plan, Indi dear. Trust me."
•❃°•°❀°•°❃•
We continued to type away as the rest of our peers filed out of the room.
"Thanks for letting us stay in to work on this, Miss," Carys said, buttering up our teacher as we pretended we were desperate to keep working on our graphs. To be fair, it did help to have the one-on-one with the teacher to check I hadn't put obscene colours on my page.
"Always ready to support studious kids. I'm just going to send off some emails though while you do that. But do shout if you need help."
"Of course, of course!"
And as our teacher turned her head down to her laptop, I gently slid my phone out of my pocket, holding the power button until the screen lit up.
"Avoids him but still wants to speak to him," Carys muttered under her breath as though I wasn't the closest person in the room.
"Just... hoping he forgot me."
"Mhmm."
But as my background came into sight and the phone began to sync to the reception, a small message icon popped up.
Eyes flickering back across the room, I ensured our teacher was still distracted as I unlocked my phone and pulled down my notifications bar to see what he had said.
Harley: Promises second break and somehow avoid me again. How did you do it this time? I even waited outside your class...
"At least respond to him this time," Carys whispered to me, keeping her eyes ahead as my lookout. While we were allowed to use our phones during lunch time, I was sure phone use in a classroom was still forbidden.
Me: I'm still in class.
I was about to put my phone away when my screen lit up.
Harley: Do you expect me to believe that Indigo Forrest got a detention?
Me: It's not a detention... I'm working on my assessment.
I waited a few moments, but, this time, when no reply came through, I slipped my phone away, telling myself I could always check it later. Besides... I had an assessment to work on.
Though, as I turned my face back to my screen, movement in the door window caught my attention.
Head lifting, my eyes narrowed as I tried to make out the face marred by the surrounding light. A part of me was tempted to put my sunglasses on to help me determine if it was the very person I feared... but that would be obvious to the teacher.
"Is someone looking in here?" I whispered to Carys.
She turned her attention to me, following my line of sight. "Oh my gosh... it's Harley."
And, next we knew, the door started opening. "Hey Miss," he called out as he entered, barely paying us attention as he walked into the room.
The teacher looked up from her desk, gaze narrowing on Harley as he sauntered around like he owned the place. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr Brooks?"
"Oh, just returning a pen I borrowed from Indi."
Yes... sure... that's exactly what is going on.
"Very well. But you're not permitted to stay here, I hope you know. The girls are working on their assessment."
"Noted." Then he mock saluted the teacher before turning on his heel and coming over to us.
I was fully believing the pen story was a cover, but, low and behold, he fished one out of his pocket and placed it on my desk—one of the very ones I loaned him in the first two weeks.
"You didn't lose this?" I asked this in surprise.
"Of course not. Lived at the bottom of my bag all this time." He grabbed a chair from in front of us, pulling it closer as he sat on it, back facing his chest.
"Then why did you ask for a pen the next time?"
One side of his mouth turned up before he said, "Oh, so you're allowed to ask questions, but I'm not?"
"Who said you can't ask questions?"
"You're the one who ditched me at lunch."
"I didn't... I just... forgot."
"And what about once you read my message?"
"I... You see..."
"We were in the library working on assessment," Carys cut in like my saviour.
"Harley," the teacher then said. "You've outstayed your welcome now. Go to lunch."
"Just a second," he shot over his shoulder before facing me again. "We'll talk on the bus this afternoon, okay?"
"You're catching it?"
He nodded, though his brows furrowed like he didn't trust me.
And for good reason.
Nonetheless, he got up from his chair, tucked it back behind the desk, and exited the room. Without so much as another word to us.
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