Pencils and Pool Water (Complete)

Chapter Fourteen

I didn't talk to Calvin the next day at school. He tried to talk to me, but I didn't respond. 

Molly didn't leave my side, and neither did Gwen. I could feel Paityn staring at me, but he didn't dare come near me that day. 

The next day, Calvin approached me in the library.

"Hey, Simon-" 

I got up and left, putting my books in my bag as I walked. 

"Simon, are you-?" 

I walked faster. It was after school- students could stay until 5:30 in case they needed somewhere to study or do research. I checked my watch, picking up my pace. It was around four o'clock. 

Calvin caught up to me as soon as I was nearing the parking lot. 

"Simon! Why are you walking away from me?" He put a hand on my shoulder and yanked me back. 

"Ah!" I cried out, stumbling away from him. That had been Paityn's most recent chosen area of torment. 

My shoulders and upper back still held the evidence. 

His face fell, looking panicked. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" 

I nodded, looking at the pavement. I picked up my bag. 

"I didn't mean to grab your shoulder so hard," he apologized, his liquid green eyes searching my face. "Why aren't you talking to me?" 

I swallowed, suddenly interested in the fray of my bag. "What do you mean?" 

"Don't play games with me, Simon," he growled, crossing his arms, making his muscles stand out. Mid-March, it's starting to get warmer, and I could immediately tell he'd started working out again. 

Not that he had needed to anyways. 

"Let's go for a drive." I said meekly, heading to my car. Gwen got her license on Sunday, and drove it to school for her and Molly on the days Thomas didn't work, so it was just Calvin and me. 

I can't tell him. If I tell, he'll murder me. 

But if you don't, Paityn will kill you anyways!

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my internal battle keeping me occupied.

I pulled my car onto a deserted, dusty dirt road. I parked as far as I could to the side, though, just in case.

"Simon?" Calvin asked, his voice light. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to control my breathing before I looked at him head on for the first time in around a week. 

His hair was neater than usual, but his hair was starting to lighten under a spring-time sun. He had a few sun freckles, as well. His eyes were molten gold and green. 

I felt a shiver run through me as I stopped myself from looking at his lips. 

Without a word, I pulled off my shirt, and turned my back to him. 

I heard his inhale of breath. I hadn't had a very good look at it last night, so I wasn't a hundred percent sure what it looked like. 

However it looked, it was bad; one of the worst. 

I felt a ghost of a touch, and it set a scorching hot flame up and down my spine. I turned my head over my shoulder, and saw that Calvin was holding his breath, eyes staring at my back. He brushed his fingers against my hurt skin again, so light I could barely feel it, but it still took a lot of my willpower not to arch into his touch. 

"How bad is it?" I whispered, needing Calvin to say something, anything. 

"It's... It's... It's disgusting that someone would do this to you!" His voice was broken, and he sounded guilty as he said "And I grabbed you right here," He gently placed his hand on my bare shoulder, and I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks and waves of heat rolling under my skin.