Desirous Love

Chapter 11

I threw my bag onto the floor, bracing my hands on either side of the sink. Sucking in a deep breath, I leaned forward, examining myself in the poorly lighted bathroom mirror. My breath was ragged.

                I had sprinted from the classroom here.

                My eyes were rimmed red. An indent on my face matched the lines of the book I had fallen asleep on.

                Embarrassment washed through me. I had fallen asleep in the middle of class? It was one of the most foolish things to do. I couldn’t go back out into the hallway now. Everyone would know that I feel asleep. Everyone would ridicule me for not picking a study hall to do that in.

                Anger overpowered the embarrassment as I realized no one had any reason to judge. Plenty of people fell asleep in class all the time! I was simply following the standards of the typical teen age life nowadays.

                My fingers tightened around the edge of the cold sink.

                I wouldn’t tolerate any harassment from it.

                My stomach twisted painfully at the thought of Pride hearing about this. He’d surely be there to annoy me about it.

                I shook my head, “I’m better than that.”

                The words felt foreign to my lips. Wrong. Strange.

                Slowly, I pulled back, sucking in a deep breath. I let it out slowly to calm myself down.  The door opened and in walked a small freshman. I moved my eyes over her quickly, reaching down to grab my bag.

                The hallways were empty as I walked down. My footsteps echoed in the silence. I felt self conscious walking around without a pass.

                Logic nagged at me to go to the nurse and feign sickness. Otherwise the consequences would result in detention for skipping out in the middle of a class.

                I bit my lip.

                My feet had a mind of their own as they directed me to the nurse. I pushed the door in and sat down weakly on the empty chairs in the waiting room. A woman in a white lab coat walked in, her eyes roaming over me.

                “Pass?”

                “I didn’t get one.” I said honestly, but the next words that came out of my mouth were the complete opposite, “I felt like I was going to hurl so I ran out.”

                She raised an eyebrow, “You don’t look like you will.”

                “It passed, but I’m worried it might come back.”

                She nodded, not looking as if she believed me.

                Was I that bad of an actor?

                Nonetheless she turned around, motioning for me to follow her. I hesitantly stood up, trying to feign as well as I could. An arm wrapped around my stomach while the other was holding onto my bag. She led me to the back of the nurse’s office to a bed.

                “Take a nap or whatever and I’ll be back for you when you wake up. You need any medicine?” She asked, uninterested.

                I shook my head softly, “I think I’ll be ok.”

                She rolled her eyes and returned to her office in the front.

                I laid down on the uncomfortable bed, trying to adjust myself. I didn’t feel tired, but I knew a few minutes here and I’d be out like a light.

                ~*~

                “Good morning sleepy head.” A familiar voice sang me awake.

                I opened my eyes slowly, coming face to face with Pride. My heartbeat quickened in surprise as I held back a scream.

                “What’re you doing here?” I asked, scrambling up into a sitting position.

                “I asked around for where you were. It’s the end of the day, Terry. Buses are here, by the way.” He said.

                “Oh shit!” I cussed, moving around him. “Where’s Josh? Is he looking for me? I was supposed to meet him after school—”

                Pride grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me back, “Forget about him, Terry. He’s bad for you. I’m here now and that’s all that’s important."

                I rolled my eyes, biting my lip. I was worried that Josh would be mad at me for not seeing him at the end of the day. I’d be hurt if I never saw him…

                “Please, Pride, can I be alone for a few minutes?”

                “How about if I do that, you go on a date with me?”

                I narrowed my eyes, “Josh is going to kick your ass one of these days.”

                He rolled his eyes, “Do you really think I’m scared of your boyfriend? Here’s a tip; I’m not. He’s simply an obstacle I must overcome to win your heart.”

                I snorted.

                I couldn’t help it.

                He cracked me up.

                Pride’s face lit up at the sound of my laughter.

                “I’ll walk you out to the buses?” He offered, phrasing it more of a question. He held out a hand enthusiastically.

                “That’s fine, but we’re not holding hands.”

                Pride’s lips pulled down into a frown at the comment, “But—”

                “No ‘but’s!” I snapped, “I’ve got a boyfriend! You shouldn’t even be around me as much as you are to begin with.”

                He simply gave me an eye roll.

                Pride led the way out of the nurse’s office. The entire way out of the school he kept me entertained with little tales and what not of his day. He was always sure to ask me about my life to keep the conversation two-way.

                It felt nice to talk to him normally.