Union Jack

~Eschew~

~Five~
Eschew//have nothing to do with

The weeks following mine and Jack's encounter in the dark passed quickly. Classes started and I buried myself among my studies. Clara, Madeline, and Lacey worried that I wasn't getting enough sleep but I swore I was fine. Between classes I would sneak back to the dorm and take short power naps. I'd tried out for the South's soccer team and after about thirty minutes of drills, they'd asked me to take the role. Our first game was the following Tuesday against the East.
My professors were nice enough. I especially liked my history professor Mrs. James (no surprise there). She was a short, older woman with silver hair and a pretty smile. I also believed that she was fond of me, but only because of my father.
Clara and I were in almost all of the same classes. I took Journalism as an elective, but she hated speaking in front of people and opted out of that one. Lacey and Madeline were in our English, and Math classes. I despised math. Lacey was also with me in Journalism but Madeline preferred fashion design.
Jack was in a few of my classes but neither of us had spoken to the other since the encounter weeks before. There was something about him. Something about the way he watched me. In the hall, in class, even from across the room at dinner just made me a trite uncomfortable.

One Friday in late September after classes, I sat among the books in the library attempting to get a jumpstart on the next weeks lessons.
"Psst," Clara whispered across the table from me causing my head to dart up from the article about Richard III. "Did you hear about Halloween?"
"Halloween? What about it?"
"Well I heard from Madeline, who heard from Amy St.Clair, who heard from Jordan Matthews, that we may be able to leave the grounds for Halloween."
"Leave the grounds? As in trick or treat? Don't you think we're a little old for that?" I furrowed my eyebrows. I hadn't been trick or treating since I was eleven.
"It's a big deal for McCollugh," she explained, "We celebrate Halloween every year but we've never been able to actually leave the grounds before."
"If you want to know, why don't you just ask your mom? She'd be the one with the final say, right?"
Clara's eyes widened, "Oh I hadn't thought of that." I swore that even though her hair was dyed, she was truly blonde. "I'll go ask her right now!" She exclaimed a little too loudly for a library setting. I shushed her quietly and grinned as she walked away.
"Trick or treat." I muttered shaking my head looking back down to my article.
"Talking to yourself again, love?" A deep voice asked from behind me.
I huffed in frustration and pushed my hair out of my eyes before turning around to face him. I'd been avoiding him all week but I knew he'd show up again to be annoying.
"Of course I talk to myself, I need to have an intelligent conversation every now and again. It's far better than talking to you." Jack shot me a boyish grin. "I heard you made the squad, congratulations." He remarked.
"Thank you."
I took a good look at him. He was completely disheveled, not at all like the boy I'd met a few weeks prior. His tie was loosened and his shirt tail was untucked. He had bags under his usually shining orbs. His sandy hair, usually immaculately styled, flopped down near his eyes.
"Are you feeling okay?" I asked standing coming just short of his nose due to his height.
"I'm fine Yankee, why do you ask?"
"You just don't seem like yourself today." I remarked. "When was the last time you slept?"
"What's with the inquisition? I slept last night."
"How long?"
He paused, the silence stretching on for a few seconds too many.
"How long?" I repeated a little more forcefully.
He let out a heavy sigh. "When was the last time you slept?"
"This afternoon from three to four-thirty. Come on Wellesley." I gave him a pointed look.
"Jesus, why do you care? Are you worried about me?" He asked in a condescending tone.
"Can you like, not be a moron for two seconds?" I asked, becoming frustrated.
"I've tried. It's not worth it." He smirked.
I saw the top of Clara's head over a book shelf and began to grab my things.
"Whatever," I huffed walking toward my blonde friend.
"Good luck on Tuesday, Yankee." He called. Even though my back was to him, I could hear the cocky grin in his voice.
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Ayeeeeeeee,
Look at meeeeee I've now updated twice in two days! Call me butter cause I'm on a roll.💃🏻💃🏻
No but just being serious I'm really happy that this is happening. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks a million again for reading!
Love ya loads buddies!
Sav 💋