Changes

Chapter Fifteen

Amity

There was a buzzing coming from my phone as I made my way out into the hall. It had been a text from Gus asking if we could meet up later so I could help with some Press Club work. I gave him a short reply telling him that I would let him know after I asked my parents for permission. However, it wasn't likely they'd be in a good mood nor would they allow me out of the house even if it had been for classwork.

School had ended now and I was certain my parents had to of known what I did now and consequences were no doubt imminent. So I dragged my feet to the detention room and took up a chair at the front of the empty classroom except for the teacher tasked with watching over me. I spend most of the time staring off into space stuck in my own head until I heard the door click open. The teacher in charge of watching over the students was now fast asleep and didn't even flinch. Looking over as she closed the door behind her softly I saw it had been Luz standing in front of me.

How in the world I hadn't realized that she would also have detention surprises me. Of course, Luz would be here and of course, we'd be the only two in the room other than our less-than-adequate monitor slumped over his desk and snoring softly. Luz looked at me, then the teacher, then around the room, until finally, her eyes landed back on me. I could tell she understood the situation we were in and she slid her feet across the floor lazily before sitting in the seat next to mine and throwing her backpack on the floor next to her.

For the most part, our time spent in this room was quiet. Luz threw her hoodie up and laid her head in her arms resting against the desk. While I chose to spend my time working on assignments while tapping my pencil against my desk to help me focus. "Blight," I heard Luz speak up beside me and I paused my movements looking in her direction. "Can you stop tapping your pencil, please? I have a headache." The fact that she had asked this so kindly surprised me.

My eyes shifted between her own as I analyzed her. I noticed once more how tired she looked with bags under her eyes. Because of this, I chose to respect her request and I gave her a small nod in return. "Thank you." She whispered quietly before letting her head fall back down as she continued to rest. Instead of tapping my pencil, I chose to tap my foot quietly and she didn't seem to mind it. Once I finished my work I looked at the clock noticing the time for detention was almost up so I began to pack my stuff up slowly into my bag.

I was unsure what awaited me outside of this class room but I knew my parents would probably not be happy with me. Looking over I saw Luz had still been asleep by the time we needed to leave so I stood up with a sigh. I stayed there for a moment looking down at her and she looked peaceful in her sleep. It almost made me not want to wake her but I knew we both couldn't stay in here and it would be rude to leave her like this. So I took a step closer to her and started to shake her shoulder to wake her.

"Noceda," I whispered and she groaned, shifting in her sleep. "Wake up, it's time to go," I mumbled shaking her again. She mumbled something in her sleep before placing her hand on top of mine unexpectedly and my heart leaped at the unfamiliar action. The warmth from her hand became apparent the longer she held my hand within hers. I hadn't moved, frozen from the contact prolonging my paused state.

I felt my face begin to warm up as I watched her trying to will myself to do something, anything at all really. Though before I could find myself properly responding to the situation I'd found myself in I watched as Luz fully came to finally waking up. Her eyes met mine and she looked at me for a few moments dazed and confused before they lowered to our hands. My eyes went wide as my rational thought caught up to me and I brought my hand from hers instantly.

"You are the one who...it's not what..." I stumbled over myself trying to defend something that I had no control over and she looked at me with an expression I couldn't pinpoint. An emotion passed through her eyes that I couldn't read. "I have to go!" I forced out before turning and rushing from the room trying to shove everything I'd been feeling down. A call came suddenly on my phone causing me to jump.