𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 . neil perry

𝑿.

CHAPTER TEN — jo and laurie
——— ⋆୨୧ ₊ﾟ♡ ⊹ɞ ———

IT HAD NOW BEEN A FEW WEEKS since i had been going to society meetings. right now i was in my room, finishing an essay for english. the phone downstairs rang, and i stood up. i had recently been the one who took phone calls while john was busy in his office.

i rushed downstairs and picked it up. "hello."

"hi, is faye there?"

"i'm here."

"oh, this is neil," he said happily. i smiled, practically forgetting how to speak.

"oh, hey." i responded, trying to match how he happy he to be talking with me.

"how are you?" he asked.

"oh i'm fine, you?" i responded, lamely.

"i'm good," he said, "so, i was wondering. would you like to go on another date with me tomorrow?"

"yes, of course," i said quickly.

"can you ice skate?"

"yeah."

"is okay if we go skating? i'll meet you outside your house at eight tomorrow night?"

"that's fine,"

"see you then, bye,"

"bye," i rushed up the stairs, trying to contain my grin.

"who was that?" john asked from his office, the door was open.

"a friend from school."

"oh. what about?"

i thought quick, continuing the lie, "she was inviting me to a party."

i knew there was a party later this week, and i had been invited.

"are you going to go?"

"i don't know," i shrugged and walked away.

i felt bad for lying, but i didn't know how he would feel about me and neil sneaking around to see each other. especially because i didn't even know how neil liked me. for all i knew, he could be talking to me out of pity.

——— ⋆୨୧ ₊ﾟ

AT SCHOOL THAT DAY, i was at the table i usually sit at for lunch when someone above me said my name.

"hi, faye, right?" chris said.

"oh, yeah," i responded, looking up from my math review.

"i'm having a party this saturday and i was wondering if you'd like to come?"

i was staring at her now, to see if maybe there were some of her friends snickering at the table she came from. i was sure i was okay, but responded quietly so she didn't think i was over-excited.

i hesitated for a second, but then she continued with a smile, "i already invited knox overstreet."

i smiled back, not completely sure what she was trying to imply. "thanks, i'll see if i can come."

"okay, great," she walked back to her table and i was scared if they were planning something or genuinely wanted me there.

i went back to the review and tried not to worry about it. knox overstreet?

i knew word had gotten around that i was seeing someone from welton, and that my uncle was teaching there. why would they think it was knox that i was seeing?

——— ⋆୨୧ ₊ﾟ

"HEY," neil said as he picked me up by my house.

"hi," i responded meekly.

i had my skates in my hand and he had found a way to get his hands on some.

"i missed you," he spoke, after walking silently for a few minutes.

"i did too." the skating area wasn't very far and it wasn't very big. after walking silently, once again, we arrived. we put our skates on and hobbled over to the large oval of ice. it took us a second to get used to the ice below us, but we were now both skating just fine. we were the only ones on the ice after the only other people, a trio of friends, left the ice.

we sat in a nice silence for only a few minutes. "

i started skating backwards, with both of neil's hands in mine.

"how'd you learn how to do that?" he said with a laugh.

"i had an ice skating obsession in grade school," i said with a smile. "i would beg my parents to take me, like, twice a week, all winter long,"

we smiled at each other and then he let go of my hands and stopped.

he looked at me for a long moment and then he took one of his gloves off and gently touched my face. "you're so cold," he said, unwrapping the thick scarf around his neck. he put it around my, apparently, cold neck and it touched my chin. "there."

i was glad my face was red from the cold so he couldn't see how bad i was blushing. he grabbed my hand and we started skating next to each other again.

"so, i auditioned for this play down at henley hall and i got a part."

"oh, neil that's great! what's the play?" i was very excited for him, and had a big smile on my face to let him know.

"a midsummers night dream, i'm gonna play puck."

"this is great, i didn't even know you were into acting," i said.

"well, i've always wanted to try it, but my father never let me." he spoke.

"what made him change his mind?" i asked looking at him.

"uh, well he doesn't know about it."

"neil." i said, sort of worried. he hadn't told me much about his family before. but i was aware of how his father was.

"i know."

"i think you'll do great," i said, softly grabbing for his elbow with my free hand when i thought i would fall.

"really?" he said, looking at me with the biggest grin. his brown eyes made my heart skip.

we were gazing at each other now, not paying attention. in one quick motion neil keeled over and took me down with him. i landed on his arm, but he instantly sat up to see if i was all right.

"i'm sorry," he said, seeing if i got hurt. the lower part of my tights had ripped, but i was okay.

"it's fine," i said with a soft laugh. his hand was resting on my arm protectively.

he looked at me for a few seconds too long. i got a little self conscious of him looking at me and put a hand to the side of my head, touching my hair carefully.

he kissed me. i wasn't very cold anymore.

he was being gentle. and just then i realized that i liked him more than i would ever like to admit. a school-girl crush had turned into a massive feeling that i didn't know the name for.

"faye," he said, looking at me again, "i love you."

that was it. the feeling i was looking for. love.

———
✉️: ꒰ 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

ughughguhguh. this is so silly, i'm so sorry. silly silly silly.