The Hollows Of Hiraeth (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book I

Chapter Twenty-Nine

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T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
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Once I was finished putting away the books, and worrying about who Toby really was, I sat back down at the table to see Saph practically hyperventilating.

"Woah, Saph, are you okay?" I asked her and I couldn't help the concern that laced into my words. Turning to face me, she grabbed my arm—tightly—and I winced.

"Of course I'm not okay!" She shouted and frowned at her new tone of voice.

"You're not?" The confusion burst out into my voice without warning.

"No!" Saph didn't seem to care about the amount of noise she was creating, "Do you have any idea who that was?" Her voice reached a point to where I had to put my finger over her lips to prevent her from shrieking and bursting my eardrums—or getting us in trouble.

"Obviously I don't," I responded, curious about what Saph was getting at. Saph's eyes widened and she started hyperventilating again. Before I had the time to comfort her, she spun around in her chair, nearly toppling over, just to turn her body towards me completely.

"That was Toby Espan!" She shrieked.

"Dude, I know, he told me."

"No!" She shouted, looking outraged. No? "That was Toby Espan–"

"I know!" Despite my earlier fuss over her volume of voice, I was now the one shouting as I became annoyed with this back and forth argument. I saw as Saph became extremely agitated by my response.

"Zack Espan's younger brother!" She concluded, her voice becoming quieter as she finally became aware that we were in a library. Then it clicked, the warning bells in my head, I remembered the last name from when Avery had freaked out over Zack Espan. He was apparently the hot player of the school—if that's the older brother, then what the hell will Toby be like?

"Wait, younger brother?" I asked her and Saph looked at me as she calmed herself down.

"Yes, Zack is in the year above us, and Toby is our age." That made sense, I guess.

"So basically, you just befriended the schools hottest players younger brother." I had to mull her words over several times before they made sense in my head, then I saw that even Saph had trouble understanding what the hell she just said. She couldn't have worded that any differently?

"Well, I wouldn't say befriended.." I trailed off, despite the baffled moments previously, and Saph raised her eyebrows at me.

I clenched my jaw at her silent retort. "All I did was agree to use his resources to get my answers! It isn't a bloody date." I hissed and Saph snickered, and then she let it go. She stood up and slung her bag on her shoulder, with me following in suite.

We walked out of the library and I quickly checked the time before we left. It was half-past five—wow how long did we spend in here? And how long did I spend in the hospital?

"What's the time?" Saph asked me as we exited the library and I winced as my ankle began to finally feel the stress.

"Hey, you okay?" Saph asked before looking down at my ankle. "Oh, I completely forgot about your ankle." She remarked sheepishly, looking slightly apologetic.

I laughed, "So did I," Taking a few more steps, I managed to catch up to her. Saph helped me down the corridor and as we started to climb the stairs, I spoke up.