Out Of Place

Latin Lessons

Hailey

I lay in bed wide awake with Jessica's breathing the only sound I can hear.
I always find it difficult to settle in new places for the first few nights so this sleepless night was expected.
I look up at the ceiling, missing my own bedroom ceiling with glow in the dark stars glued to it since I was 9.
A bright glow interrupts me from my nostalgia and I glance at the source-my cell.
It's Pedro, my Spanish boyfriend: I know you will be sleeping right now but I'm going to call you at 3pm tomorrow if that's okay? Remember and not worry too much about college, love you! P x
I met him 3 years ago when I was on vacation, he was on a small family vacation too and we just hit it off really well. He has chocolate brown hair, tanned skin and his voice when he speaks English sounds foreign...because he is.
I can't sleep. 3pm is good, can't wait!! I'll try not to worry, love you too, Hail x
I place my cell back onto my nightstand and roll over, falling asleep slightly easier.
-
I wake up to the sound of a hairdryer and roll over to see Jessica standing in a lacy pink bralette and very small, lacy underwear, in front of the mirror with her earphones in, dancing and drying her hair all at the same time. I groan and rub my eyes, I check the time 10:30am.
Enough time to have a shower, get dressed and have breakfast then possibly write a chapter before I have to go to Latin.
I shuffle into the bathroom and there are hair, body and makeup products strewn everywhere. I pick up my small cosmetics bag that actually has my shampoo, conditioner and other body products in it, off of the shelf and hop in the shower.
When I come out, Jessica is clothed and the hairdryer is off. She continues listening to her music whilst curling her hair with a rod and she looks at me from the mirror.
"Morning" she shouts. I wince at her volume and she whispers "sorry" and removes her earphones.
"Morning" I stifle a yawn and walk over to our closet and pick out jeans, a tee and a cardigan then go back into the bathroom to change. I can't be bothered drying my hair when I'm ready so I just braid it down my back and by that time Jessica is ready.
"Are we going down for breakfast?" Jessica asks brightly, too brightly for 11am.
"Um...sure. Do you know where it is?" I wipe the sleep out of my eyes that I must've missed when I washed my face.
"Duh, it's the number one place you have to go to when you're hungover or regretting sleeping with someone the night before" she mutters as if babies still in the womb should know that.
"Okay, I'll um, keep that noted" Jessica grabs her purse, a Dior purse today and she clip clops to the door in high heels. She's standing the doorway before I notice she's going to breakfast.
"Well are you coming?"
"Yeah, yeah I just need-" I pick up my cell and hold it up to show her and she rolls her eyes.
-
By the time Jessica and I are finished breakfast it's 11:45-15 minutes into Jessica's History class-this means I have 30 minutes to write more of my book and then 15 minutes to find my Latin class and be early.
I walk back up to my room, stopping and pressing my ear to Callum's door but it's silent in the other side, and I attempt to write more of my book. My mind keeps wandering to Pedro and the beautiful guy from yesterday.
My mind has wandered to the boy who sat beside me in the bench a few times but there's no harm in thinking someone is attractive even though you have a boyfriend, right?
I was going to Spain to visit Pedro in 6 weeks which I had been counting down the days for ever since I booked the flight. I have only seen him twice since we've officially started dating which isn't convenient but we manage. We video call a few times a week and we message each other everyday. Today, Pedro is just calling me, sometimes it's easier for us to just hear each other's voices than see our faces. The miss and want just builds that way.
I look at my cell now, 12:15pm.
Okay, better get to Latin.
-
When I finally find my class I only have a few minutes before it starts so I keep my head down and find a table towards the back. I haul my over-priced textbooks out of my bag and set a notebook and pens on the table in front of me.
I avoid all eye contact during the class, only looking up to watch the profesor explaining the importance of translation.
Class has finished so I slowly pack up my books and pens so that I'm towards the end of the massive cram that comes along with a huge class.
I sense someone watching me but I ignore it, a few bees buzz around in my stomach, when are there not?, when I'm finished packing up I'm one of the last people left and begin walking out when a tall figure dressed in black walks up beside me.
"Hi, secret-girl-sitting-on-a-bench-on-freezing-day" a familiar voice says. I look up and find myself looking at the beautiful boy from yesterday.
I cough "Hi"
"Do you always cough before you speak or do you just constantly need to clear your throat?" He laughs softly and I can see straight, white teeth behind his lips.
"I...it's just a habit" I resist the urge to cough again.
"The whole time I was sitting beside you, you seemed to understand what the professor was talking about, I was wondering if we could maybe head to the library if you weren't busy and you could help me understand it a little bit more?" His laugh turns into more of a smile which makes his eyes crinkle at the sides and my stomach flips.
"Um, sure. We can meet next week if you like?" Or maybe never.
"Next week's cool but I was thinking, like, now?"
"Oh, right. Well, I'm kind of busy" lies, my mind screams.
"Okay, well we can go this time next week if you're not busy" I could have sworn disappointment flashed in his eyes but it vanished as quick as it appeared. "See you later I guess"
He turns around and walks in the opposite direction to the way I have to walk, not that that's an issue.
I take a few steps in the direction I'm supposed to go before I stop.
"Wait...I mean, the thing I'm busy with can wait"
-
The boy and I walk to the library in silence.
I'm concentrating on not tripping up and he's strolling with his hands in his pockets.
When we find a quiet table near the back of the library I sit at the opposite end that he sits on. Got to create some distance.
We're both sitting with our Latin textbooks in front of us "What do you" I clear my throat "need help on?"
"You're coughing again" he's smirking...smirking at me. "Are you nervous? Do you cough when you're nervous?"
"Um...no, for both of those things" he shrugs and runs a hand through his hair.
"I can't really understand when we have to translate it"
"What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows together unconsciously.
"I can't translate, the words are all jumbled and I can't put them in the correct order" I'm about to speak when he stands up and slides his textbooks across the table to beside mine. "I think it will be easier if we sit next to each other"
As he sits down I get a whiff of cologne, it's musky and citrusy but very male.
Okay, stop this Hailey!
"When I translate I read the passage and get the words to remember them and I work them out" he stares at me for a few seconds, both of his eyebrows are raised making his forehead crinkle. "Sorry. That didn't make sense" I feel heat rising up my neck and I'm worried he can tell I'm blushing.
"You are nervous!" He places both of his hands, palm down, onto the table and his fingers are spread wide.
He has long fingers with stubby nails like he bites them.
"Don't be nervous, I'm not going to bite you or something" I glare at him and he raises and eyebrow as if to say: or am I?
"Okay, um, you get your passage which is here" I turn to the correct page in the textbook "and you have your word list here with all of the Latin words translated into English" I point to the page opposite.
"Okay" I can almost see cogs in his skull working around and remembering everything.
"And what I do is I translate every word a-" I'm interrupted by my cell ringing. "Sorry" he shakes his head, indicating I should answer it.
I take it out of my pocket and the screen says Pedro.
"Hello"
"Hey Hailey"
"Hi Pedro, how are you?"
"I'm great, how are you?" I can hear a smile in his voice.
"I'm okay I guess, I'm missing you a lot"
"Yeah, me too. We only have to wait 6 more weeks"
"I can't wait"
"Me too" we end up in an awkward silence which never happens and I glance at the boy next to me. He's sitting with his elbow on the table and his chin resting on his hand. "Look, I have to go"
"What, already?"
"Yeah, sorry"
"Are you with another boy?" What do I say? Do I lie or tell him the truth? I guess we're only studying.
"Yes but we're only studying" at that I feel the boy look at me from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, I get it. You go to college and finally you're surrounded by boys. Well get this Hailey, I'm done"
"What? P, no! I promise you we're only studying" tears are rolling down my cheeks now and the boy is sitting fully facing me in his seat.
"Bye" and he hangs up.
I drop my phone on the table and bury my face in my hands. How embarrassing.
I stand up in silence and go to the toilet, I blow my nose, wipe my eyes and splashes cold water on my face. By the time I'm finished I look like I have only been rubbing my eyes.
"Are you okay?" The boy asks.
I nod.
"Doesn't seem like it. Was that your boyfriend?"
I nod again and he's silent for a few minutes.
"Do you still want to study or...? I don't mind if you don't" he smiles with the right side of his mouth.
"Why did you ask me?" I ask.
"What?"
"Why did you ask me to help you?"
"You seemed to understand everything so I thought you would be the best person to ask" I nod because I agree with him. I'm not the best person to ask but I did understand it.
"Okay" more silence "why did you speak to me yesterday? When I was on the bench"
"You looked lonely and it's not often you see someone on a cold day sitting outside with a laptop"
I laugh loudly and I when I look at him he's smiling so hard his teeth are showing.
"What's your name?" He asks me.
"Hailey" I suddenly feel embarrassed, like a kid who has just wet the bed for the first time.
"Nice to meet you Hailey. I'm Benjamin"
"Hi" I say stupidly and he laughs louder than I did before.
The librarian comes around the bookshelves and tells him to be quiet which sends us into quiet laughter.
-
Benjamin and I sit in the library for an extra hour going over how to translate Latin into English.
When we are packed up we walk out of the library together but stop when we are outside.
Benjamin's hands are stuffed into his coat pockets and mine are out in the cold.
"Thanks for helping me with Latin"
"Um, sure." I smile in his general direction.
"Do you know the way back to your room?" He asks quietly.
"I think so" I point to the right of me with my thumb.
"So you're staying in the South Wing? I was in the North Wing"
"I'm, yeah, in the South Wing" I mutter. I pull my keys out of my jacket pocket but my fingers are so numb from the cold that I drop them.
Benjamin picks them up as fast as they fell and he reads the tag.
"623 East Wing?" He hands me over my keys back but his eyebrows are raised.
His goddamned eyebrows.
"Yeah" I can feel myself blushing again but he just nudges me with his elbow which tells me I should follow him.
-
It's turns out Benjamin was just taking me the correct way to my room.
He seriously knows where he's going.
Today has been so strange that I just want to flop onto my bed and sleep.
First. I wake up to Jessica standing half naked.
Second. I get asked to help the cutest boy I've ever seen.
Third. Pedro breaks up with me.
Finally. The cute guy walks me home.
I seriously need to call Pedro when I get inside my room.
"Will you manage to get your key in the lock or will you drop it again" Benjamin is leaning against the wall beside the door and he's smirking at me. Again.
"I think I'll, um, manage to get the key into the lock" I fumble around again and frustratedly bang the door.
"Here let me get it" and Benjamin takes the key out of my hand and puts it in the lock.
"My hands, they're cold. I didn't have gloves outside so they're cold-" he puts up a hand which silences me and I nod my thanks then hurry into my room.
-
Here I am.
Sitting on my bed, surrounded in the comforter with my laptop in front of me and my cell to my ear.
"Hi Pedro, it's me. Hailey. Please call me back when you get this. Love you" the third voicemail I've sent him.
I've been sitting here for ten minutes trying to get a hold of Pedro but I guess he's really mad.
I throw my phone into my bed and tuck my hands into the comforter frustratedly.
How do I manage to mess everything up!
I hear a whisper of what sounds like paper and I look over to where it's coming from. The door.
Underneath the door, a piece of paper has been pushed under. I take the comforter from around my shoulders and place it onto the bed and cautiously walk over to the it.
I pick it up and scrawled on it says: to keep your hands warm and cheer you up.
What?
I open the door and see nothing but when I look at the floor there is a Starbucks hot drink and a cookie in it's wrapper.
I lift them up and sip the drink. Hot chocolate.
I look to the left: nothing.
I look to the right: the back of a tall boy with dark brown hair and a black stud in his left ear.

Author's Note
I feel like I really padded this chapter out. There wasn't much of a plot to it but I wanted some little significant moments to happen. You all know who the beautiful, mysterious guy now is. I love this character a lot and I can't wait to write more with him and develop him as a character. I hope you liked this chapter, please vote because I would love if you did and I'll probably post a new chapter tomorrow.
QotC: What do you think is going to happen with Pedro and Hailey?