Dark Eyes

Chapter 7, Touch

A/n Hello beautiful people! Good morning, good afternoon, good evening or good night! Take in account suitably haha. Ah I know I have kept y'all waiting enough. But here we go, Enjoy! Keep going, I love you all.

Chapter 7

Touch

"When he looks at me, the way he looks at me. He does not know what I lack or how am I incomplete. He sees me for who I am, as I am."

As soon as she reached home, she carefully took out the delicate branch of lavender and placed it in the copy of her current favorite book, The shape of water by Guillermo del Toro. It was poetic, dark, deep, and Athene thought about how it would feel like to have someone actually look at you, and not just see you.

Pathetic, she said to herself, to hope it would be Drace. Which was weird, because she couldn't stop thinking about him, and she hated that he had such an effect on her. She hated how a part of her longed to see him again.

"Hey Athe!"

She did not know how Blaise had put up with her just isolating herself, and had not gotten sick of her yet, but she was thankful for it.

"Hi Blaise, how are you?"

She tried to smile as warmly as she could up at him, and he smiled back at her.

"I am good, you look cheery."

She walked towards him and hugged her best friend.

"Oh wow, okay."

He gasped and returned her hug with the same warmth, and that smell of familiarity hit her like a truck. She felt overwhelmed by all the emotions swirling in her, and she stood there for a while, in her best friend's arms, silent tears pouring down her rosy cheeks. It...hurt at some point, but at the same time, she felt some sort of relief. Relief that she was not alone, because maybe in this world full of misery and tragic moments, she had the longing relief of having the heat of love, platonic love.

Most times, she was with people, distracting herself, when everyone used to say that they have to go, she pleaded for them to stay just five more minutes. just enough to say goodbye to that relief, because when everybody was gone, she was there, left alone, with her thoughts and the questions swirling in her mind. Questioning her choices, her words, the way she walked, the way she dressed, all the little things and then there were bigger parts of her subconsciousness's questioning, questioning the people, the universe, and the supernatural entity that everyone believed to be god.

She was not particularly atheist, she did believe that there was something bigger than all of us, something having the power to create life, and also to take it away, but she did not believe in terming a supernatural entity that everyone declared as god. Her dad, however, was a theist, a big believer of things, and so her family was into worshipping who hath blessed them with breaths.

"there there, Athe, you okay?"

She looked back up into his emerald eyes, they looked like forests, calming, deep, and realistic. Reality, she had been living in a numb daze these days, that she had forgotten the reality of things.

" I am okay, Blaise, just...missed you. That's all."

"Aw, I missed you too. Come here"

And he pulled her in another hug, and this time it was a happy hug, another relief. When he pulled away, they both had goofy grins plastered over their faces, and Athene tickled him in the neck.

"HELP Ah!!"

and they both burst into a fit of giggles.

He saw her laughing again, and it felt so good to hear the musical sound of her laugh. Many assumed he had feelings for her, and the truth was, that he did. He loved her, but people usually mistook it as romantically. In reality, she was like his own sister. Blaise had an elder sister, and he could not even begin to imagine the loss of the hand that has held you through it all. Comforted you, guided you, loved you, taught you to ride your first bicycle, mentored you in becoming the person you are right now.

She looked at him, with her big beauteous eyes and he saw her face fall as her eyes landed somewhere far away. He frowned, as she shoved past him and mumbled a bye. He did not realize that her eyes had fallen on a certain dark haired boy.

"Hey! Drace!" She called out to him, but he kept on walking. She realised then, he had his earphones on. She sped her walk to catch up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun and she gasped as she saw a bruise on his cheek. She greeted him softly and her fingers hesitantly traced his irritated, bruised skin gently.

Her touch left a scorching trail on his cheek, and he slightly flinched at the feel of her soft skin against his. He felt like she was burning into him, but at the same time healing him, cooling him down. It was a momentary bliss.

She pulled her hand back as soon as he flinched, and she realized he had been staring at him without blinking.

"Hey, are you okay? What happened?" She breathed out to break the silence.

"I..uh, nothing. It's not really your concern."

Her heart ached at his words.

"Oh um...okay...I am sorry, I didn't mean to pry, just wanted to make sure that you are okay."

He looked down at her, she looked so small in front of him, so fragile, so soft. He noticed her wrist, it was scarlet. His hands immediately went down to gently hold her wrist in his hand, caressing it, and making sure he doesn't hurt her further.

"What are these? What happened? Athene?" His voice pitched ever so slightly at her name.

"Nothing." She responded with a look devoid of emotion, as she pulled her hands back from his hold. But something flickered in her eyes. He was getting better at reading her, as he saw agony, fear flicker in her eyes. He knew it was not just nothing.

"Meet me at dispersal, okay Athene?"

He held her by the shoulders now, as he lowered his head to look her in the eyes.

"Okay?"

He asked again and she nodded, not taking her eyes off his dark pools of warmth. They were not as warm today as they were that day. But the heat was there.

He did not know what came over him but one of his hands went up to her ear, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched and he quickly pulled back.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I am sorry."

"I...oh no...it's okay."

As the bell rang for the next class, he gave her a long, hard look, whispered to meet him in the library, and walked past her.

She stood there for a minute, stunned, with emotions swirling in her, she was left here confused, but reality hit her, and she continued with her day, with an icy face.

Her day dozed on, as she dragged herself sleepily, from one class to another.

The bell rang, as her final class ended and she walked to the library. The hair on her arm rose, as memories of yesterday flooded back.

A/n So, this took quite a while, i had quite the writer's block, but here we are. Enjoy, i love you all!