I arrived barely in time for second period. The air conditioning blew loudly around me, drying my slightly sweaty skin. I walked with the crowd to my class and sat down in my usual seat. It was a well known fact by now that I had left detention and I constantly was catching beady little eyes staring at me.
"Erica." I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder, causing me to jump in surprise. I turned to face my attacker. Weston's gentle face looked down at me, smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"It's cool," I smiled back. Weston had a way of making me relax. His hands were always extremely soft and he was always smiling. I'd never seen him angry or talk in a way that was not calm and harsh. He was a constant and it was wonderful.
"I heard about your detention fiasco." He mentioned, leaning up against my locker. The between classes commotion was all around us, but it felt like it was just us two, as always.
"Oh, yea. Wes, I'm sorry. I'm really trying to be better, you know that. I just-It's hard. I can't focus being all perfect and ideal and it makes my head hurt thinking of it and-" I rambled on.
"Hey," He said softly, cutting me off. "You're okay."
That set me over the edge.
"Wes, but I feel so bad. I feel so so bad. My mom. She tries but I just can't and you try but I can't and I try but I can't. It all moves too fast and I just want everything to stop so I can catch up and my grades are falling and-" I breathed heavily. Weston seemed to always get me to spill what I was really feeling in a good two seconds.
"Shhh." He pulled my head into his chest. "You're okay, you're okay." He whispered to me over and over until I calmed down.
"I'm sorry Wes." I lifted my head up.
"You're good, I always have you Erica. We can study and talk and hang out tonight, if you want." I nodded. He sent me another one of his perfectly soft smiles. "Come on, we better get going so we aren't late." With that, we headed to our next class.
***
Christian didn't show up until the final period of the day. He was apparently in that class with me and neither of us knew it until the minute that the class began.
"Shit." I said underneath my breath.
"Fuck." I heard him mutter. He was sitting one row to the right, and two seats in front of me.
The class continued with awkward glances and silence from the both of us. The silence was also awkward, and probably greatly appreciated by the teacher of whatever-this-class-is.
The final bell for the day rang, dismissing us. I immediately stood up and made my way to the door as fast as I could.
"Erica, wait." Christian's firm hand was wrapped all the way around me upper arm. I turned around and faced him as our fellow students streamed out of the class around us.
"What?" I asked, shaking his hand off my arm. I crossed my arms across my chest and waited for a response.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have kissed you." He said. "But it was great though, right?" I turned around with this additional comment and I started walking away. "Wait, Erica, wait." I turned back around.
"Look, I really am sorry about that, and this morning, and what I just said." He said, an honest tone in his voice. "I shouldn't have done any of that and I'd really like if we could still be friends."
"Yeah," I said after a moment of consideration, "Friends."
"Friends hang out, let's hang out again tonight. I'll pick you up at like five?" he asked.
"I can't tonight, sorry." I declined, remembering my commitment to Weston.
"Why?" he asked, his voice suddenly harsh and protective. His eyes were icy and his teeth were visibly clenched.
"Weston. I-I've got a thing to do with Weston." I explained, suddenly a bit scared of his change of mood.
"Oh, the one that you supposedly fucked." He spat out. I was shocked by the words that had just fallen from his lips. I immediately turned around and started walking quickly away from him.
"Erica, wait! I didn't mean that!" Christian yelled. I heard his footsteps approaching me and I took off in a run.
A/N
Alright on the length of the chapter I guess(??)
I just realized that I have over 100 reads and I thought I had like four.
So, I kind of forgot about Weston but I brought him back (even though he was never gone) and I tried to develop his character some but eh.
comments and constructive criticism are appreciated(:
