Delicate Hearts

Ten: The Auditions

His face was a blurred page of a book: impossible to access for interpretation.

Turning to face the speaker, my eyes met ones of stormy grey and a smile painted proudly on their owner's lips. To talk in sheer honesty, it would have been a surprise if that face hasn't made an appearance. Taking this all in, we roughly stood for about a minute and a half, staring at each other's faces; his on a fixed expression, while mine swirling with hints of glares, frowns, and little-seeking-of-an-explanation frowns.

The tension melted at last and Jason's expression softened and was shaped into a triumphal smile.

"I'll take your muddled expression as an answer but I think you should understand the reason first, huh?" Jason offered, but I held myself together and strengthened my barrier then replied, "If you think this is a gift for me to forgive you for today, maybe it was effective."

Jason stifled a humorous laugh, like I'd just said the stupidest thing in the world. I rethought of what I had blurted, but I found nothing wrong. Or seeing that as an apology partially annoyed that mighty ego within him.

Ryder looked away and rubbed his hands over his jaw, then asked, "You really want to know?"

I nodded in agreement, surprisingly aching to understand what this all meant. Jason stepped closer to me; a proximity that if increased, would be extremely uncomfortable. In a quirk of an eye, both of his hands were placed on either side of the area on the locker that was next to my head. He leaned in, and I quickly studied his face midst my thrumming heartbeat. His famous signature was plastered on his lips: a grin.

I tried looking into his eyes to question the gesture...it was a matter of a few seconds before I would move away to avoid whatever's going to happen. Instead, Jason moved to my ear, and whispered closely, "It's lesson two in knowing me; I don't move as you expect me to." He stayed close to my ear, steadily breathing. Finally, he moved away, nodded his head once, and vanished to one of the classes.

*************************************

For one thing, I wasn't surprised at Ellen's questioning of my condition. My heartbeat had gone wild ever since Jason left, and it hadn't even calmed down for a second. My freckles were splashed with a red glow, and my hazel eyes were sparkling, quoting Ellen. After tons of questions and persistence to drop an answer about whatever happened, I finally convinced her with a half-hearten promise to explain the situation later at home.

Thankfully, the Advanced Math class had been devoid of Jason, so temperatures began to drop notably. It was the final class before Literature arts, so the enthusiasm for the tiresome day to end was extreme. Before I realize it, the Advanced Maths teacher had filled the board with formulas and scribbles everywhere that were ridiculously insensible. I had to face the aftermaths of thinking about the recent incident with Jason Ryder. That guy did nothing beneficial in my life but be a source distraction and rage...that only during a single day! Sighing heavily at the few students whose head were buried in their sheets of paper and their pencils and pens scratching against paper, I gave up trying and simply zoned out for the next ten remaining minutes of the class. The hatred between my heart and brain was a grim problem that could develop even further the next days if this continues. 

The class was dispersed at the sound of the ringing bell, and after bidding my farewell to Ellen, I found Stephanie at her locker, and for my relief, she accompanied me to the Auditorium, where the Literature Arts class was usually held. I haven't attended any class so far, but we were just introduced to the play we were performing this year. I wasn't wiling to run into Jason once again..I've had enough for the day. I absolutely don't think he'd be taking a very sophisticated class like Literature either...in addition to it adding to it being entirely based on acting. I think I'd go well with people's cliche choices in this matter.