Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

22.

That day, Fenne's morning had been a disaster.

Her alarm hadn't gone off and her parents had already left for work by the time she checked her clock. She missed the first bus to leave her stop, so it forced Fenne to run for the next one that was half an hour later.

The downside of living near the city, but not attending a school nearby, made it so that the bus schedule never lined up in Fenne's favour. Her parents were able to get to work with ease, while she needed to get to Leeuwarden every morning. She only went to the school because they had once lived close to the province, but when her father got a higher position at the firm, they could afford a house closer to Amsterdam.

First period had already commenced and Fenne hurried to the office in disarray. There was no doubt that her friends would be looking at her empty seat in Maths in confusion. She also feared the voicemail that had already been left on her mother's phone regarding her unexplaiend absence. But Fenne could at least get to Science in second period, where no work would undoubtably be done by her and her friends.

Heaving open the office door, Fenne tried to catch her breath. She walked up to the front desk, where the school secretary was sat on her computer. Fenne didn't rush to catch the secretary's attention or rush to explain why she was late. After running from the bus stop, Fenne treasured every moment to breathe.

'Give me a minute, honey. I'll be right back,' the secretary said as she stood from her chair. Fenne nodded while panting and adjusted her bag's strap on her shoulder. Thankfully, the office was air-conditioned, cooling her sweating hairline and flushed cheeks.

Fenne caught sight of someone behind her, making her turn her attention from the desk. Through her delirium, she hadn't noticed the boy sat in one of the chairs lining the office wall. It was a miracle that she had missed him with his bright blonde hair that sat around his head like a helmet.

A school bag slumped by his feet. When Fenne looked over shoulder in surprise, the boy looked away hastily.

'Oh, Joost. I didn't see you there,' she said, giving a smile against her red face.

'Hey, Fenne...'

Fenne was oblivious to the way Joost sat with his hands clasped in his lap and how his eyes struggled to keep contact. His stomach had leapt when the girl walked by him to get to the desk. He knew that she hadn't seen him at first, because he never caught her staring at him like she sometimes did. Joost was always the first to see her in any space and with her attention facing forward, Joost took advantage of her obliviousness and stared shamelessly.

Even with her hair yanked up in a rushed ponytail, Fenne still looked beautiful. Joost never thought someone could run, sweat and look beetroot red, but still look like they've waltzed in from a photoshoot. When she smiled at him, Joost hoped that his voice wouldn't crack. Not just from the nerves of actually being addressed by Fenne, but from the past days of barely using it.

'I'm glad I missed Maths,' Fenne noted as the secretary came back to her chair. 'You're in Mr Daalmans class next, right?'

'Hm-mmh.'

Joost's hum of acknowledgement came with a crack. It made Fenne blink and drop her smile, noticing that the boy was sitting hunched. It was yet to dawn on her that it was the first time Joost had been seen at school in two weeks.

'Are you okay, Joost? Did you get in trouble for something?' she asked.

'No... I'm just waiting for someone,' it wasn't a lie. He was waiting for one of the other office workers to take him to Mr Daalmans' class. His brother wanted to make sure that Joost could start back at school with some support, meaning someone would meet with him to see how he was going in between classes.