Paper Thin

Chapter 7

I slammed the door behind me as I walked into my house. The silence that greeted me told me that I was alone. Tired, I jogged up the stairs to my room and flopped onto my bed. I had agreed to Will tutoring me just a few minutes, our conversation engraved in my mind.

"Can I tutor you?"

I had paused, awkward silence settling in before I finally replied.

"Yes."

His face had lit up for just a millisecond like I had just done him a huge favor. He was excited to tutor me?

"Thanks, I have been hoping to get some extra credit and tutoring you helps.Especially if I want to stay on the lacrosse team."

"Oh," my face had fallen; I had just done him a favor. "No problem."

See the thing was no matter how nice he was being now, I knew that he wasn't nice. There was something lurking under this whole kindness act; a secret that I desperately hoped to uncover. However, I knew that it might not prove easy to make him tell me so I dug deeper.

"Why are you really doing this?"

He had jumped up a little, shoulders tense like he hadn't expected me to ask that question. Did he really think I would accept the whole 'extra credit' explanation. He was a math whiz, he didn't need any more extra credit.

"I mean I'm super grateful but Will, we aren't exactly friends and every moment we've shared has never been ... normal,"

It sounded weird saying this and I could only pray that I hadn't magnified the amount of awkwardness between us. He looked at me with those piercing brown eyes, so intense and sad in an indescribable kind of way.

"It 's the least I could do," he finally replied. I expected something, anything more to help me understand that cryptic response but he stayed silent. It seemed that my Q and A session was over for now. We finally arranged times, he would come over to mine after school on Tuesday and Friday and we would work for an hour. I was super skeptical, it just felt so weird here so imagine how awkward it would be inside of my house. I just wanted answers, then this would all be over.

You need to pull yourself together then, Tif, my mind said, Or else you'll never get them.

Keep it together

So I did, even though inside I wanted to pester him into explaining his more than strange response or asking him what I really wanted to know, I didn't. Will's kindness was creeping me out because it was so unexpected. He wasn't supposed to be nice to me. I wasn't even supposed to be talking to him. But it appeared that it didn't matter how things used to be, all that mattered was now. What I wanted, not what Zooey made me do. I was on my own and despite the pain still lingering in my heart, I had never felt  more free.

I had pasted a smile on my face, one that his blue eyes pierced through like they knew it was fake but he still smiled back. Then I said goodbye and left.

So now here I was with apparently nothing better to do than mulling over our conversation in my head. My brother would be back soon and soon would my mom and dad. That meant having to put up with conversation, talking about school, about how I was. It meant being normal and despite the credit I gave my acting I didn't think I would be able to pull that off. I needed to get out. I grabbed some homework and left the house. I guess maybe a walk would help clear my mind. I was walking aimlessly until I realized that I had been leading myself to the park. I could hear the wind rustling the leaves and it felt nice to be in a place so surrounded by nature. Uncorrupted by human problems and issues.

Maybe I should be a philosopher

With that thought a ghost smile rested on my lips. It had been Zooey and I used to do. See who could say the most deep thing because things such as teenage posts fascinated us. We wanted to make people think with just a few words. The power that a few simple words could have over your mind. Guess what? Zooey almost always won that game. She liked that. Having power, having control, at least it was a constant in her life. And if there was anything she could count on it would be the fact that I would always be around.

Not anymore

I let myself get lost in thoughts and memories. This was my goodbye for now to our friendship. It was time to move on. I let the wind wash over me and the slight shivers spread through until I heard a voice.

"It's not everyday, you see a girl look like she's ready to disappear into the wind. Most people actually like to stay warm."

I knew that voice because Ihad just heard it this afternoon. Was he following me? Or was it just my sucky luck?

I turned around to face Will, who was loooking at me with confusion and concern. He was trying to figure me out. He couldn't because I hadn't even figured out myself. He looked at me with those hazel eyes, his tousled air, ruffled by the wind. And at that moment I wanted nothing more than to be able to trust him because I really just din't know what to do anymore. And despite all these years he was still there. 

He stepped closer and looked into my eyes.

"I am guessing you want to escape for a bit,"

I just gave a slight nod of my head but it was enough.

"Okay, come with me."

A while ago, he had once said those exact words to me and I had gone with him. Guess I hadn't changed as much as thought as I had because I let him wrap his fluffy brown jacket around me, I let him smile at me and the worst thing is...

I smiled back.

Hey Guys! I know I've been MIA for a bit. School's been super draining and sucky. But I felt bad for leaving this hanging. Oh and by the way this book is at 300+ reads so thank you guys. I really appreciate anyone reading this. You guys rock. Also if you like then please check up my new short story All That Matters. It's up on my profile now. Okay bye for now and if you like don't forget to cote or is it vomment? ;)

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

AutumnRockchic