Destiny's Witch (BxB)

Chapter 7: The Distraction

Perry

The day goes by faster than I can imagine possible. Even Mrs. Winters class goes by quicker than I expected. Her newfound dislike of me has allowed me to fully retreat to the back of the classroom. Her constant checking to see if I am paying attention is annoying but at least the heat is off Jason.

Charlotte continues to point out Lucas' attention on me, despite a group of girls who have strategically placed themselves around him. I pretend not to notice his attention nor the girls.

Charlotte says Eva is meeting her at the cafe after class and asks if I would like to go. I once again decline her offer to patrol for the demon that attacked David.

Charlotte makes her annoyance known as she leaves to meet up with Eva. I head towards the parking lot, where Alan is waiting. He has texted me twice since class ended.

My exasperation is at an all-time high as I approach the front office lobby. My feet stop in place as David Gilbert emergences from the glass enclosure leading to the Principal's office the same time I enter the space.

The moment feels longer than it is. The urge to pretend I am not looking him directly in the face pulsates through my being. Something holds my feet down, countering the urge to run.

My brain does a comparison of the quarterback's current appearance as opposed to the last time we saw each other. His muscular frame looks larger now. His russet skin, a byproduct of his Afro-Latino heritage, is almost glowing. My eyes cannot help but notice how his jeans are nearly skintight to his frame. His letter jacket is even tighter around his shoulders as I gawk at him.

I panic. My conflicted emotions continue to run deeper than fight or flight. My emotions upon seeing him are complicated enough to stall all other function in my body.

David slowly walks towards me and I decide to do the same. The awkward silence that follows makes me question if I am the common denominator of awkward silences in my life. I decide to break the ice when I spot the bandages on his arm.

"Well, looks like football is out, right?" I ask.

David looks at his hand before looking back to me. "Yeah. For another week. Blows."

"Yeah."

"At least I'll be out of the house. Ma is being annoying about it." David says.

"She just cares. But you have a thing about people caring." I say.

The comment finds David how my subconscious needed it to. The words slipped out without my conscious effort. My heart spoke just when I needed it to.

"Yeah, sorry about that comment. I should go. Alan's waiting on me."

"Wait." David says. "I meant to text you. I wasn't sure what to say after we...did what we did."

"Did what we did? You can't say it?" I ask.

David looks around. "Not here. Let's go somewhere out of the open."

"No."

"No? I'm trying to explain why I didn't text and apologize to you." David says.

"No, you're trying, very horribly, to cover your ass. I don't really care why you didn't text me."

"Really? That's how it is? You're really going to be like that?" David asks.

"Dave, how did you hurt your arm?" I ask.

"I was attacked."

"All by yourself in the woods?" I ask.

David is stuck as his mind tries to find a way to talk around the circumstances of his injury. David was not alone when he was attacked in the woods, and they were not together by accident.

"You didn't call because you didn't call. It's kind of simple."

David sighs. "Can we just talk about this somewhere else."

The hallway is completely empty. The only other people nearby are in the front office, and they do not seem to care about the conversation of two students.

"Okay, fine. I freaked! You're the first, and only, guy I've ever done that with. I don't like guys." David says.

I squint at the stupidity of his comment. I take a deep breath before speaking again. "You do know how stupid that sounds, right? I am a guy. You absolute did that with me. And you liked it."

"Yeah, I did. That's why I freaked. I don't know how to deal with it. I like you but I'm not gay."

"Wow," I say, "I'm not sure what I expected you to say, but I didn't think it would sound so offensive. You really don't have to worry about liking me anymore because I think we need to stay as far away from each other as possible."

"That's what you want? To stay away from me?" David asks.

"Davey—Sorry, I mean David. Just stay away from me, okay? I've got a lot going on right now, which you would have known about if you—you know what. Doesn't matter. The last thing I need is some douchey guy screwing with my head."

The hesitation and denial in David's words reminds me of all the new, dangerous things in my life. Alan, as hard as it is to admit, is right. David is a distraction.

So, I leave the distraction where it stands as I exit the building, heading to the parking lot to find my dad.