Drinking Numb (The Numbing Series #1)

Chapter Eight

<"i watched a change in you. its like you never had wings.">
•RUE•
•October 26, 2015•

"Hello, my name is Ms. Holliman. I'll be your substitute today. Please sit in your normal seating chart," she says, causing her cacophonous irritation of a voice to make itself heard. Walking in, I take my normal seat in the back of the class closest to the windows lining the left side of the classroom. I slide my notebook and pen out of my bag as I look up at the assignment on the board. Titling my page 'AP English'. It's only Monday in first period, and I'm already having to cipher through the beginning of Sherlock Holmes, stopping at the end of each chapter to right an assessment of new characters, conflicts, setting, and events.

"Haley Abernathy"

"Here"

"Miles Acklen"

"Yeah"

"Lauren Atkin"

"Here"

"Kohl Benefits"

"Here"

"Just tell Benefits that Myron says hi."

"Oh my gosh," I mutter as I look up to where Kohl is. He moved seats without me noticing, so now he is sitting diagonally from me. As if feeling my stare, he looks back in my direction, and I quickly look down biting my lip. If this was a different world, I would totally be interested in him, but, of course, I'm not.

The class continues as Ms. Holliman finishes calling out the role. People begin to be called out for leaving their books at home leaving the sub little choice but to let us work in groups. Preferring to work alone, I keep to myself not bothering to offer my book. Its not like anyone would take the chance to speak to me anyways. The first day of school was just a preview of the rest of the year and things, meaning the people, have only proceeded to get worse.

"Ruby Emerald. That's quite something," I hear Kohl's voice from above. Wow, that's a great way to get me to talk to him. He really has a way with words. I look up at him with a sigh.

"You finally ready to tell me?"

"Ah no," he clears his throat, "I just forgot my book at home."

"Okay," I look back down at my own and turn the page.

"Okay, you'll share with me, or..."

"Try or," I say leaning back in my seat. Instead of walking away, it seems his black ALDO boots seem to have glued themselves to the floor. Reluctantly, I look back up. "You wouldn't have anywhere to sit. Somebody took your chair, and besides, I'm still not talking to you."

"I'm not asking to have a freaking long conversation with you, I'm just asking to borrow your book; no talking required," he continues growing impatient as he stands rather awkwardly in the back of the class.

"And your seat?"

"I'll stand," he shrugs leaning over me resting his right hand on my desk and turns the page back to the beginning with his left hand. I cross my arms trying to get back to the book.

"You know, there is this thing people refer to as a personal bubble," I sigh as I feel a tingling sensation spread across my neck as his breath brushes across it.

"You know, there is this thing called being quiet. People usually do it when they read," he mumbles in my ear somehow managing to get closer to me without actually touching me. My breath hitches and my body tenses as I stop breathing.

"Look, I don't have to share this with you," I reply looking over my shoulder at him leaving only a few inches between our noses.

"I know, and I appreciate it. Thank you." Oh. My. Freaking. Gosh. He can be so infuriating sometimes. I slam the book closed and decide to just get straight to it. I don't know how long I can stand to put up with him like this.