Open My Eyes

Eighteen: Friends Don't Do This

So far so good.

I had entered Hope for Youth the following day without anyone coming up to me to ask me about my relationship with Iggy. Taylor hadn't mentioned a word either, so I figured-and hoped-we were no longer the center of the gossip factories. It also meant no one had seen us in the courtyard yesterday.

Taking a deep breath, I shut the filing cabinet. I rested my hand against the cool metal, trying to calm my racing heart. I was apprehensive about someone asking me a question about "us", because now I really had no idea how to answer.

Even though I had passed Mrs. Gibbens' test, no new duties had been added. I still replenished her coffee, filed papers away, handed out worksheets, and graded a few assignments. Mrs. Gibbens assured me she'd have something new for me, but first she had to plan it. I knew her well enough to know it'd be at least a week until she was finished planning.

Closing my eyes, I collected my thoughts-and my bearings. I tried to keep my emotions in check, because I knew as soon as the name "William" was mentioned, my face would give it all away.

I had already failed once. When I got home after my shift yesterday, as soon as I saw Kae, my eyes widened, my cheeks flushed, and I stuttered over a simple greeting. He knew immediately that something was up, and had already assumed it had to do with Iggy. I ended up telling him.

When Sam came over to escape her house, Kae hinted to her about it. She caught on pretty quick and demanded to know the "dirty details", which had painted even my ears red. The teasing was never-ending.

I just prayed I'd do a better job at hiding it at work. The embarrassment would be excruciating.

Releasing a sigh, my eyes flashed open and I rolled my shoulders back. A determined look set on my face as I braved the volunteers of Hope for Youth. All bravado was lost when I turned the corner and saw a familiar figure with blond hair and aviators.

Remembrance of our encounter in the courtyard flooded my mind. I recalled the feel of his lips against mine, the synchronized breathing, the racing beat of our hearts. My face burned with raging crimson when I remembered our parting lips-.

I stopped breathing and my sudden intake of breath caused me to cough. Iggy turned his head toward the sound, and a short yelp escaped. I rushed back around the corner, hiding from him. I took a few breaths and ran to Mrs. Gibbens' classroom.

Everyone in the room glanced at me, eyebrows raised and a question in their eyes. Mrs. Gibbens was the first to recover from my sudden entrance and cleared her throat, waving her hands to gain the attention of the room again. The children looked to her once more.

My back relaxed from its tight coils and I sighed heavily. I slunk to the back of the classroom, quiet so as not to disturb the class again. I leaned against a window sill and gazed outside at the summer day.

There was a slight overcast that morning, which meant it wasn't as hot but it also meant more humidity. On the ground below, a few joggers passed and couples strolled by. With the overcast, I was sure it was a beautiful day for more outside activities that didn't require cold water to jump into.

With the children working on new words they learned, Mrs. Gibbens walked to the back of the room and watched me carefully. She placed a stack of papers on her desk and then leaned on the wall beside me. She looked at me over her glasses and asked in a whisper, "Want to tell me what that was about?"

I shook my head, but I told her anyway, "I just ran into someone I wasn't ready to see. I'm sorry I disrupted the lesson. It won't happen again."