Room 206 - Luke Hemmings

twenty-seven

By the end of January, everyone was talking about an upcoming Valentine's Day dance they were going to have, including all of the girls. I was annoyed enough as it was with all the talk considering my love life was in shambles and I was still ignoring and avoiding Hemmings on the daily. The girls still had no clue about anything that had happened between us and I intended on keeping it that way.

At dinner I was zoning out while the girls continued to talk excessively about the stupid dance. I was thinking about how angry I was with myself for still thinking about Hemmings and his stupid blue eyes when Eleanor grabbed my attention by saying my name and waving a hand in front of my face.

"What?" I asked.

"You should come dress shopping with me tomorrow," she said. "We haven't had much time just for the two of us in a while and it would be fun."

"I'm not going," I said. "There's no point in getting a dress I'll never wear."

"Please?" She said. "It'll be fun and it will be fun. Its our last year here and we should spend it doing things we'll remember forever."

I sighed. I really did not want to go and create a memory of myself sitting around being bummed out because a teacher wouldn't date me, but I felt bad for Eleanor.

"Fine," I gave in and she smiled at me.

"We are leaving at noon tomorrow to go shopping."

-

I kept my pity party about going until Eleanor finally was being too goofy and I laughed at her a bit, and I was able to loosen up and enjoy myself. I was still pretty salty about the whole dance situation so I didn't put much effort into the dress I picked for myself. It was quite a simple dress actually, just a short grey dress that I'd actually wear on any normal day but I wasn't trying to impress anyone. Eleanor looked at me questioningly when I pulled it off the rack, knowing my style but didn't say anything.

"So tell me how things have been," she said. "I know that you're going to keep telling us all that nothing is wrong but you can't keep from me forever, and now is the perfect time away from all of the girls to tell me."

I sighed.

"Look, if you're still upset about Alex, you are so much better than that," Eleanor stopped and took my hands in hers and I laughed before she even had a chance to finish.

She looked at me confused, probably wondering why I was laughing while she was trying to be serious.

"It's not about Alex," I said. "I'm over it, done with him, and into a new chapter of my life." Not a pleasant one but a new one.

"Well then what is it?" She asked. "You can tell me anything, Daisy, nothing has ever stopped you before."

I sighed again, knowing she was going to drag it out of me eventually.

"Okay fine but this stays between you and I, no one else. Not even the other girls," I said.

Eleanor nodded. "You have my word."

"And you have to trust me when I tell you that this only happened recently and not at all while I was with Alex," I said. "I would never do that to someone."

"Oh my god." Eleanor looked at me in disbelief.

She knew. I covered my face in embarrassment.

"No, you need to tell me. I need to hear you say it," she said.

"Well, during one of our tutoring sessions we kinda made out for a while," I said. Eleanor leaned in to make sure she got all the details, smiling excitedly at me. "But then he got all cold and distant with me and told me it was an inappropriate mistake, and you know me. I didn't take that well so I decided to get back at him and long story short I teased him until he couldn't resist me anymore and then some things happened--"

"What things?!" She grabbed my arms and pulled me to an aisle away from the elderly couple that was walking nearby us.

"Well..." I lowered my voice. "He kinda... Went down--"

"Oh my god!" She practically squealed. "How was it?!"

I shushed her. "It actually really hurt." I was referring to my emotions but I forgot that Eleanor and I weren't on the same page and she looked at me weird.

"I mean--let me explain." I sighed and prepared to relive what he said to me. "He told me the next day that he couldn't have that kind of relationship with a student and that it was another inappropriate mistake. Well I mean, he didn't say it. I said it for him but I know that's what he was thinking because he didn't deny it or correct me."

"Daisy, oh my god I'm so sorry," she said. "I can't even imagine how hard it must be to sit and hear Eileen and I babble about him constantly."

"Yeah."

"Daisy you deserve the best."

"It's my own fault," I masked my emotions and tried to brush it off even though my chest was tight. "I should have known that wasn't going to happen and I should have put a stop to it before I developed all these feelings towards him. And I certainly shouldn't have made so many advances on him." I walked to another aisle and Eleanor followed me.

"You never know, Daisy," she said. "He clearly has feelings for you. The way he looks at you in class everyday and the way he picks--well used to pick on you--it's just so obvious. Maybe someday you guys will be together. Or if you don't end up together then I know you'll find someone who will be perfect for you and make you forget about any heartbreak you've ever experienced."

I stopped pushing the clothes around the racks that I was doing to cover up my anxiety. "And that's also the reason I don't mouth off to him in class anymore. He kept telling me it's inappropriate so I stopped."

"Daisy." Eleanor turned me to face her. "Everyone was so entertained by that. You have to at least make him look dumb again. For me?"

I laughed and shook my head, my best friend pulled me into her arms for a hug.

"It's going to be okay," she said, rubbing my back. "We are going to have fun at this dance and we are not going to think about any stupid boy--or man--that has broken our hearts."

"Okay." I tried to stay enthusiastic for Eleanor's sake.

"Now come on, I need you to help me pick a dress and you are not getting that one." She took the grey one out of my hands and put it on a random rack, dragging me through the store. I laughed at my goofy best friend, grateful that at least someone wanted me to be happy.

-

A/N: I almost forgot to update lmao

Next chapter is going to be very important ;)

please vote and leave a comment about what you think? it's crazy how many more reads this has gotten recently, I can't thank you enough for them all! xx