November Song

Chapter 4 - How he sees her

How he sees her

I had no idea where that had come from. It wasn't a lie, but I shouldn't have said it so bluntly. The redness in her cheeks proved that I had embarrassed her. I didn't want that.

"Let's go."

The video had finished and I didn't want to subject her to the group's anger.

"Where?"

"I thought you had practice."

I smirked. I'd totally rattled her. It was cute. She brushed a stand of her auburn coloured hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

"It's okay."

We walked in silence for the few minutes it took us to get to her practice room. I was intrigued by her and wanted to know more.

"I'll be here when you finish practice."

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason?"

She thought about my question long and hard but couldn't seem to come up with a good enough answer so she answered okay instead.

Nothing has ever been interesting to me outside of music and writing before I met her. Why? Her brown eyes so scared for her friend earlier will haunt me from now on. Just what had she been through to think something like that? I wanted to know. I wanted to know her. I wanted her to know me...the real me.

The mood wasn't particularly pleasant when I got back to practice, but I didn't let it bother me. I did what was required, put in the work and left once I knew there wasn't much else I could do for the day. I had about forty-five minutes to get to my quarters, shower, get dressed, and go back across the grounds to wait on November. I did all that in thirty minutes. She was surprised to see me when she excited her practice room even though I had told her before that I would be here. She looked around uncomfortably as the girls came out behind her. Some of them were whispering to each other. Of course I ignored them. Samantha said something and I ignored her too. I didn't care about any of them.

"You changed."

"We finished early."

"What now?"

"Now I walk you back so you can do the same."

"Boys aren't allowed on our block."

I raised my eyebrow at her.

"But you aren't just any boy. You're the headmaster's son."

Now she was getting it.

"I don't suppose there's anything I can say to stop you."

"No."

"Okay then."

She started to follow the other girls. I stopped her.

"I know a shorter way."

She looked after the girls but didn't object when I led her in the opposite direction.

"Why don't you and your father get along?"

"He blames me for my mother's death."