His Nepenthe | complete

48. Lingering

L I N G E R I N G S T A R E S

*

I stared out the window, tapping my pen against my leg anxiously. I gnawed on my lip attempting to focus on something like the clouds. The way they moved in the wind, pacing one another in ways i couldn't quite understand. The white -

fuck, who am I kidding?

I knew I had to think of anything but Brandy, but fuck me. Where was she? Was she okay?

If anything happened to her I have no idea what I'd do.

Thinking about my apology that day, I really didn't know what I'd do if she didn't accept it. If I had to live without her. I'm sure I could manage, if I really tried hard enough. But I would need someone like her to help me through.

But there was no one like her. So what would I do?

"Mr Valdez, if you wouldn't mind stopping that obnoxious tapping?" Mr Loubois said in a way that was definitely not a question, but a direct order.

I pretended not to notice the way people turned in their seats to see what my reaction to his request would be, as I placed my pen down, instead moving to pick at my knuckles.

I had split them again the other day when a accidentally punched a brick wall when I turned the corner, distracted as I smiled at Brandy. She, of course, laughed - checking if I was okay, in her natural fashion - but laughing all the same.

That girl is going to be the death of me, I swear.

...

Too soon?

There was a knock at the door, gaining my divided attention. Loubois sighed as if it were the biggest inconvenience he had ever encountered, shuffling over to the door and opening it.

There stood Brandy, perfectly fine, an apologetic smile on her face.

After a brief explanation to Mr Loubois, one too quiet for anyone to overhear, she headed straight over to me.

At this point, the class was rather unsettled, and knowing the lazy old man who hardly attempted to teach us, he wouldn't care if we stayed rowdy until the end of class.

Brandy's eyes softened when they met mine, her teeth taking her bottom lip, "I'm so sorry, I know you were probably freaking out about where I was, I couldn't reply because -"

I took her hand from across my desk, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles with a soft smile, "Brandy it doesn't matter why you didn't reply, as long as you're safe."

I noticed her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink at my words, her eyes slipping from mine to my lips before catching back up to my stare, "I have to talk to people about the assignment, I'll tell you about it at lunch?"