Ice Cold (PAUSED)

𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥

"This is like, the one day I said I'd practice my toe loop."

Lou whines as we walk our way down the hallway. It's completely empty, seeing as school ended twenty minutes ago. We're on our way to the worst possible detention imaginable- Math, with hockey boys.

"I still can't believe Cameron gave answers to Lucas and Blake."

"You can't say much, April..I gave them to you, too."

"I know, I know."

I sigh and shake my head as we approach the classroom. We pause and give each other a look, knowing that this is going to be the longest hour either of us have ever experienced. The hockey boys are manageable from afar, but being stuck with them for an hour longer than necessary is going to be tough- especially because we won't have Cameron to shield us, which I know Lou is definitely disappointed about.

I swing the door open, and we walk into the classroom. Both boys are there already, sitting up on the desks, their work abandoned. I raise a brow and glance to the side, noticing that the board has instructions written in chalk- work we have to have completed by the end of the hour.

"Well, this sucks."

Lou speaks and plants her hands on her hips, causing both boys to look up at us, noticing our entrance. Lucas smiles- it's attractive, but it's clear he knows it, and it ruins it completely. Blake's expression doesn't change, he simply stares at us blankly. No snarky comment? Weird from him.

"Let's just get it done."

I speak, and Lou nods, so we both move to sit down at a desk, flipping to the page in our textbooks instructed by the professor's words on the board. Lucas and Blake seem to quickly notice that we aren't interested in making conversation, so revert to speaking with one another, showing each other photos from their phones. I go over each question, focused up until Lou whines and stands up.

"I gotta pee."

"Same. Come on."

Lucas speaks up and rises to his feet, and before I know it, they've both departed the classroom. I blink. Now, it's just myself and Blake, who seems just as aware of it as I am. The air feels like it did this morning, and I don't like it. In an attempt to ignore it, I shift in my seat and attempt to refocus on my work, yet all the numbers seem to have become a blur. I don't notice Blake has come up behind me until he speaks, his voice low and judgemental.

"Every single one of your answers are wrong."

I frown.

"No they're not."

"Yes, April, they are."

He refers to me by name, and it's strange hearing it without a tone of mocking. What's more surprising, however, is that he leans down over my shoulder, pries my pen from my hand and begins to write on my paper. I sit there, shocked.

"What are you-"

"There."

He places my pen down, straightens to full height and spins on his heel, walking across the classroom so he can sit back beside his bag, opening his phone. I debate protesting his discontented changing of my answers, but as I look back down to my paper, I realise that he was right- I was wrong, and he's corrected it all in a way I actually understand. I always knew he was somewhat witty, but the idea of him being smarter than me was never a thought that occurred. I turn in my seat, and he looks up from his phone to meet my gaze. His own his dark, alluring.

"I-"

I am interrupted as Lou and Lucas burst into the classroom once more, panting and out of breath. Lucas attempts to speak, yet starts laughing, so Lou takes over.

"Mr Thomas..coming..down hall-"

We all look at each other, unmoving. A beat passes.

Blake is the first to react- he scrambles to sit properly at a random desk, grasping a piece of paper and pen to make it look like he's doing work. We all clock it moments later, and shift into place, falling silent. I stare down at my paper, which is now covered in Blake's surprisingly neat handwriting. The smell of his cologne lingers where he was leaning over me, and I find it strange how familiar it feels.

"Working hard, are we?"

Mr Thomas makes his timely entrance back into the classroom, and I look up and nod, acting as though he had distracted me momentarily from my work. Glancing to the side, I note that Lou is doing the same, yet is holding her pen upside down. Lucas looks focused, and Blake just stares. We remain silent. Mr Thomas awkwardly shifts, clears his throat and turns to check the clock.

"Right, well. Fifteen minutes to go."

He sits down at his desk, and I purse my lips, tapping my finger against my pen. A minute passes, and it's painfully quiet in the room. Another minute goes by, and I'm already bored. Lucas coughs, Lou sniffs. As though communicating, Lucas coughs again, to which Lou responds with another sniff. I smile, though keep my head down. Mr Thomas doesn't seem to notice, so they go at it again. However, on Lucas' third attempt at a fake cough, he breaks into a genuine fit. Blake starts laughing, and it's infections. We all break into laughter, and Mr Thomas looks furious.

"Enough. Out, all of you."

Thankful for the early release, yet still giggling and laughing, we all pack up our things and leave the classroom, stumbling out into the empty hallway. Lucas' laughter only grows louder, and Lou finds it hilarious. Soon, we're all standing there, laughing like idiots. Smiling, I catch Blake's eye, and he's smiling too- genuine and warm. It catches me off guard, and our laughs gradually fade. Lou speaks first, taking my arm.

"..That wasn't actually bad. See you around, guys."

Lou waves, and Lucas responds, walking backwards alongside Blake.

"Yeah, bye-"

Neither Blake or I say anything, yet he offers me a nod, and I nod back. When we turn away from each other, however, I visibly grimace, allowing Lou to lead me out of the building. As we split to go to our cars, she waves enthusiastically.

"See you tomorrow! Text me!"

"Love you!"

We part ways, and I get into my car, taking a moment to breathe. That is until I notification pops onto my phone. I pick it up and look to see it's on Instagram DMs.

Jay: Couldn't wait 4 u to text 1st. Wanna go out with me?