Her Story: October Ivory

9

"Hey," Lee greeted me when I entered the class. She was sitting in my seat but I was fine with that. I smile.

"Hey. How are you?"

"I'm good."

"Good!" I pulled up our project. "I have some ideas for the pitch—"

"Lee Lee!" Zay's voice interrupted me and I froze as I felt her come closer. "What's going on?"

"Not shit."

"I see you still flocking with the bitch."

I swallowed hard, expecting Lee to go along with her.

"Chill. We cool." Lee put her arm around me and I blushed while looking down. I felt nervous all of a sudden.

"Oh shit. My bad."

"It's all good. Just keep the comments to yourself."

"Heard you. I'll see you at lunch. My girl waiting for me."

"Aight cool." They say their goodbyes and Lee gives me a squeeze before removing her arm. "You good?"

"Y-Yes."

She scoots her chair a little closer. "What'chu was saying?"

"When?"

"Before she came in here."

"Oh right. Uh...just that I had some ideas for our pitch."

"Let me hear them."

She gave me her undivided attention, staring into my eyes and my body started tingling. I quickly look away. "W-Well first we should start with an example of how it is for you. You know, with your dirty shoes and all. And then we introduce our product."

"That sounds good. We can look more into it after school."

"Okay."

During class I couldn't concentrate on the lecture because of Lee. She never moved her chair and I could feel her presence the entire time. Her arm even grazed mines a few times and every time it did I would get butterflies.

As we packed up our things I hesitated on saying something.

"Aight I'll see you," she says and I nod. I watch her walk away as I put on my book bag.

"Lee."

She turns to me.

"H-Have a good day."

She smiles. "You too."

During lunch I sat with her and her friends. I couldn't decipher what they were talking about being that they kept using slang and their laughter was majority of the conversation. I caught Nyana's eye and she was giving me a dirty look. I quickly look away, my heart in my ass. What did I do now?

I felt Lee place a hand on my waist opposite of her and she slightly rubbed it. I instantly felt fuzzy inside and looked at her but she wasn't looking at me. She was just smiling and nodding to her friend across from us.

Why does she keep touching me? Not that I'm complaining...

I peaked at Nyana again and she looked really mad now. But why? I scooted closer to Lee and she allowed me. Nyana's jaw clenched at the sight and that's when I realized. Are they together or something?

They can't be. Lee wouldn't have her arm around me like this. And why is Nyana mad at me? I'm not telling Lee to do this. Do I move despite her looking like she wanted to kill me?

No.

Lee wouldn't let her do anything to me. Right?

Right.
__________

"October! Hi!" Linda greeted me as I entered Lee's home.

"Hey!" I took off my coat and she hung it on the rack.

"Are you hungry? I made cookies."

"Yes."

"Come on." I follow her into kitchen, Lee had already went to her room. Linda picked up the plate on the island. They were chocolate chip. My mouth waters and I reach to grab one but she pulls it back. "Did you eat lunch?"

I shake my head no.

"Let me make you a sandwhich and then you can have one. I'll bring it up to Lee's room."

"Okay, thank you." I go to Lee's room as told and decided that we should finish up the project. Lee already had her supplies out on the bed. She had on her Beats as she wrote on her piece of paper. I sat next to her, our thighs touching but she didn't seem to mind. I read over her paper and she was writing the script.

The thought of her wrapping her arm around me at lunch crossed my mind and I became curious of that fact again.

"October?" Linda called as she entered the room. "Your sandwhich."

"Oh thank you." I took the plate and there were two cookies on it as well.

"You're welcome. Are you staying for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Great!" She left us alone, closing the door behind her and I decided to sit at Lee's desk so I didn't spill anything on her bed. The sandwich was really good, which was never an occurrence. But it was because Linda toasted the bread how they do at Subway. The last time I had that though was when I was a young child.

I didn't realize that I had seemingly zoned out until Lee threw a paper ball at me.

"You good?" She asked and I nodded.

"Sorry, that sandwich was really good."

She chuckles before nodding to my plate. "Can I have a cookie?"

I smile with a nod. I felt excited which was odd. But the thought of sharing with someone made me feel good inside. I sat next to her again and she grabbed one of the cookies from my plate and I took the other.

"Hey can I ask you something?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Why did you wrap your arm around me in lunch. I can understand why when we were in the classroom but...?"

"I could tell you didn't feel comfortable at the lunch table so I was trying to comfort you. That's what friends do."

I smile a little. "We're friends?"

She smiles back. "Yeah." She wraps her arm around me again.

"What about Nyana?"

"What about her?"

"I don't think she likes when you do this to me."

Lee waves me off. "That girl got a crush on me. Don't worry about her. And if she bother you tell me."

"Okay."

"Here," she hands me her paper, "read over this."

She kept her arm around me as I did and it felt nice. I'm glad I don't have to worry about Nyana anymore. And I'm also glad that I don't have to start walking on eggshells when me, her and Lee are in the same room. Because that was what I was gonna start doing. Lee has been saving me these passed few days and I can't thank her enough.