The Secret Legacy of Pan - English Translation

Chapter Seven

COFFEE BREAK

A nightmare. That was the only explanation for the situation I currently found myself in, where I was faced with thirty students who were giggling in my face. Not to forget the disgruntled face of our maths teacher, Mr Selfridge. It had to be one of those nightmares where you suddenly show up naked for class. Otherwise, people would not be laughing so obviously at me.

I checked to make sure I was not naked. No, I was wearing the same jeans as yesterday, a white T-shirt without any stains (that were visible to me at least) and the cheap knockoff Converse from the supermarket. My fly was up, and my jacket was newly washed.

"Miss Morgan, you are late", Mr Selfridge said strictly.

"I'm sorry. I overslept," I apologised and went to my seat. Like I said, a nightmare. Because I was no longer sitting alone. The prettiest boy in school was sitting at my desk, someone who even Mr Sexy Selfridge could not compete with, and he was looking at me pitifully.

I reckoned it was Lee's look that proved to me that this was not a dream, but harsh reality. I tried to sit down as inconspicuously as possible, with a lot of space between me and him. But immediately after sitting down, I could feel the exhaustion washing over me. I had worked at the pub until four and had not been in bed until five. Never again, I promised myself and was about to let Mr Selfridge ramble away, when an electric shock passed through me as if I had put my hand into a power outlet.

I needed a moment to realize that Lee was touching my hand. He was also grabbing my arm and pulling me out of my chair. "Mr Selfridge, I'll bring Felicity home. She's sick."

"No, I can't...", I stuttered, overwhelmed. "I have to..." But he took our bags, put his arm around my waist and dragged me, without paying attention to my feeble protests, out of the classroom. Mr Selfridge nodded in agreement and shouted a "Get well soon" behind us.

When we had reached the stairs, I slapped Lee's hand away. "What are you doing? I can't afford to miss class all the time", I hissed.

"You would've missed it anyway, no matter if you sleep next to me or in your bed."

"Oh, are you scared I'll ruin your reputation? You're probably not used to girls falling asleep in your presence."

"That too", he said easily and smiled in amusement. "I'm mostly worried about you, though. You can't keep sleeping in class. Are you that dependent on the money that you earn at the pub?"

"What do you mean, earn money? I'm helping my mother." I had said it faster than I could think. That was nobody's business. Not even my friends'. Well, they had never asked, but they probably knew that I was not earning any money at mum's.

Lee's look was even more pitying than earlier. "Poor girl", he said.

That was my last straw. I could feel my eyes burning, but not from tiredness. I tried to hold the tears back, but they were already flowing.

Boys did not like weeping girls. Good, maybe he would finally go away now, and I could go back to class. No, that was nonsense. I would not go back to class with tear-stained eyes. I would go home and come back after lunch. Maybe I would be more receptible then.

But Lee pulled me against his chest and held me tight. I allowed it for only a minute, then I shoved him away from me. No matter what had happened at lunch yesterday, he belonged to the Star Club. He had been captured by Felicity Stratton and it was only a matter of time before he would start talking just as snidely about us as her and her group did.

He did not try to hug me again, but said: "Come, I'll bring you home." When he put his hand on my back, another electric shock ran through me.

"What is that?", I asked him. "Every time you touch me, I get an electric shock."