𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟖 (𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟒 | "𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇?"

JAMES GIBSON

My eyes had to be popped out of their sockets right now, and I might be having a heart attack or possibly hallucinating: Because, standing in front of me was Orla, giggling.

Orla hardly ever smiled at me, let alone laughed. So this, was completely out of the usual—especially regarding the fact she was giggling at my horrible joke. It wasn't even clever or good, but she was giggling?

Fucking giggling.

And it had to be the sweetest thing my ears had ever heard. It was heartfelt, bubbly, and utterly genuine. Her smile was so raw and wide, it wasn't something I was used to seeing on her face, but it was so lovely I wanted see it all the time.

Maybe I am as funny as Gibsie.

She laughed until tears formed in the corner of her eyes, and suddenly she stopped, so abruptly it threw off kilter. She exhaled a puff of breath and wiped her eyes with her knuckles, Afterward she narrowed her eyes on me, struggling to concentrate on one thing.

"Orla?" I said again, crooning my head forward before waving a hand in front of her face. She flinched back, startled, and I immediately regretted waving my hand at all.

Her brows furrowed, and she blinked a few times before a wide-toothy smile erupted onto her face, curling her lips and crinkling her eyes. "James.." She mumbled, her words slurring.

And when I took a closer look, paying more attention to the red rimming the whites of her eyes had I realized what was really happening.

She was high.

As high as a kite actually.

And I think my heart might've plopped into my ass, and my stomach twisted with discomfort. "Orla.." I said again, softer this time. I reached a hand out to tuck the hair covering her eyes behind her ear. "Are you high?"

Her swollen lips parted and her eyes followed the movement of my hand closely. And then she furrowed her brows, like she had just processed my words, and shook her head repetitively. "N..Noo..M'not." She mumbled, frowning.

"No? Then why are ya acting funny? Hmm?" I cooed, whipping my head around to take in the surroundings of the hallway.

She sighs, rubbing her eye. "M'not.. I'm just.. tired.."

I reach and wrap my fingers around her wrist when she started to rub her eye far too aggressively. "Just tired, Huh? Let's not do.. that.." I said, coaxing her hand away from her face.

She narrowed her eyes on our hands, before gently wriggling her hand out of my grasp and hiding it behind her back. "Do what?" She frowned, narrowed her eyes on me then.

"Try to pluck our own eyeballs out of their sockets." I replied, refraining a smile as I quickly turned her around. Sliding my hand to the small of her back, I nudged her forward to walk beside me, my head spinning with thoughts.

_________________

"Where.. are.. we.. going?" Orla asked, squished into my side with a lollipop perched between her fingers, she occasionally licked. "I don't fancy walking.. James.."

With nerves clamming my hands, I attempted a small smile at her. "Um.. We're going to go somewhere far more fun than school."

"Oh.. Where?"

I huffed out a breath. "I don't know.. probably my house." I tell her, looking around the corridors, searching for a familiar head full of moppy blonde hair.

"Oh.." She hums, twisting her head to look at me. "Um, You're looking nice."

I furrow my brows, snapping my head in her direction. "What?" I let out, a smile curving my lips upward.