Lost in Love

Chapter 12 - Used to it

"What have you guys got for homework?" I decide to figure out how much time we're gonna end up taking to finish up tonight.
"I have a few math assignments left," I know Bella is good at math, so that will be no problem.
"I only have the assignment from fourth."
"Awesome, so we won't take too long. I have the same assignment as Ry, and depending on how long that takes, I might do more work on my Zodiac Killer assignment."
"How long do you have for that? You said you didn't know last week, and from what you told me, it's a pretty big assignment."
"Yeah. We all chose our cases on Thursday—so we had the night to come up with something. The rest of Thursday and Friday we did research on our phones. Today, we were told that it's due next Monday."
"Wow, that's quite a bit of time."
"Yeah, but we only have two other classes to work on it, the rest is on us. And the teacher made it abundantly clear that no matter what, it's due "Monday. Next Monday. November 21st."
"They really want it ready for Monday," Ryan laughs.
"Yup, they are a really intense teacher."
When we're back, we get straight to work, only pausing to say 'hello' to Mr. Jeffery. We work in the guest bedroom since it's got a bit more space than Ryan's.
Mr. Jeffery comes down after a little bit, with hot chocolate.
"Bella, I hope this is okay, I instinctually made it the way I make it for these two." He's always made it the same, putting cinnamon in it and evenly layering the top with marshmallows.
"This is lovely, thank you," Bella takes the mug. As do we, thanking him as well.
Bella is back to her softer, quieter self when we are here, in comparison to the person who kissed me in the hall today. I find it quite cool to see different sides of her.
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"So, I'm going to go by my leave after school and see if my parents have left, do you guys want to come?"
They both nod.
"Cool. I'm really hoping that since it's Friday, they will be gone."
"Yeah, that would be nice," Bella stops and looks at Ryan, "not that I don't like being at your place."
He chuckles, "I get it. It's kind of weird being somewhere you're not used to for a long period of time."
We finish up lunch, and head to Bella's classroom. Ryan tells me he's running to fill his water bottle down the hall, so I can head over there.
Bella stops just outside the classroom door, and I lean on the wall.
"I'll see you in an hour,"
I move to kiss her, as two guys from our grade come by and shove me back into the wall. They keep walking like it was nothing and I just roll my eyes.
"Are you okay?" Bella gets genuinely worried.
"I'm fine. It honestly isn't anything new. There's a reason I keep to myself."
"That's awful," she turns around like she's going to go after the boys, but I put my hand on her arm.
"It's okay, really," I pull her back towards me and kiss her, like I'd planned on doing before.
When we pull away, I can see her trying to hide a smile. I let myself smile as I lean my forehead against hers, which inevitably makes her smile too.
I whisper to her quickly before we go our separate ways, "I'll see you in an hour."
She nods and backs up, heading into her class.
When I turn the corner, Ryan is waiting, "what took so long?" I can hear him joking but I'm still slightly annoyed, more so towards the other guys.
"I went to kiss Bella and some guys shoved me into the wall."
"What?" He stops in the hall, "which guys?"
"It doesn't matter, I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine."
I stop before the classroom, "I'm just annoyed that Bella was around for that."
I can feel myself digging my nail into my hand, which I guess Ryan could see, because he put his hand on mine to get my to stop.
"I just know she hasn't dealt with this kind of stuff. So while I'm used to just brushing it off, she got kind of upset that they did that."
"And?"
"And what?"
"She's protective of you, that's not a bad thing."
"I didn't say it was."
He shakes his head at me, you might as well have.
I nudge him, "can we please just stop talking about it and go in the class room?"
"Fine. Fine," he puts his arm out to me, to go first.
I begin to smile, "no, no. Ladies first."
He tries so hard to look annoyed, but goes inside anyway.
Once we sit down, the notebooks and pens come out and we are ready for more notes.
When fifth roles around, Ryan and I decide to wait outside the room for Bella. We all go in and get through it so we can get to my house after.
"Did you get the Zodiac Killer project done?" Ryan keeps walking weirdly and bumping into me.
"I did, and handed it in this morning."
When we get to my house, and tell Bella and Ryan to wait at the end of the drive way, and while Ryan waits—he really doesn't like my parents—Bella comes with me. Their truck isn't here which is a plus, so I grab my keys and go into the house.
"Holy shit," Bella's eyes are huge when she pokes her head into the living room.
"What?" I walk in as well, "that's about right."
She looks at me confused.
"This is how my parents always leave the house, and if you don't like that, I wouldn't recommend looking in the kitchen."
"That's awful."
I nod and go down the hallway. I hate going into my parents room, but,it's the only way I can know for sure that they are gone. It used to be that I could go into the kitchen and there would be an envelope on the counter with the money for the next however long, but they started doing that when they got home instead, so it doesn't help.
The bed is made, which is a surprise. I open the closet, and all their winter stuff has been removed. Their suitcases are gone, and so are all their electronics and whatever else they need.
"Finally."