The Hopeful, The Hardheaded and the Homework

Chapter Ten: Honesty and Halloween : Olive

"You're worth it."

Enoch's words had been so unexpected that for a moment Olive was sure she had completely misheard him. It touched her to say the least and the familiar warmth she felt in the centre of her chest whenever the boy came close to smiling was back in full force.
It hurt her to see Enoch picked on by that self-righteous, too big for his boots, Jack Bentham, even though Enoch probably didn't care so much himself. She didn't think he was a freak at all. Even seeing the kind of, slightly morbid but no less skilful, things he drew, she thought he was different and interesting.

But when she'd found her courage and stood up for him Enoch had looked more embarrassed than anything else and she knew she'd trodden on his pride. But it had been too late to back off then and she was going to give Jack a piece of her mind.

But the selfish shield that Enoch kept up around himself had dropped in the most unexpected of ways the moment that the slimy boy had turned his attentions to Olive. Bentham repulsed her completely and she would have been very tempted to slap him herself had Enoch not got there first.

He had been so angry, she felt the tremors running through his arm when she'd touched him to try and pull him back. It was a defensiveness not unlike that when he'd shouted at Jacob, only far more.

It was because of Olive stepping in that things had escalated so far. Because of her that Enoch's lip was bleeding and he was left with a shiner of a black eye. Admittedly he'd given Jack as good or better than he'd gotten but Olive couldn't shake the guilt that it had all been because of her.

But the look on Enoch's face when he looked at her made her want to cry. There was an honesty in them when he said she was worth it that made her hope. He did care. She was right to see the best in him, even if Enoch's methods and manners might need refining.

Against her better judgement, and almost subconsciously, Olive found herself leaning forward just slightly towards him. Whatever she had been thinking was immediately put to rest however by the swinging of the front doors. A man strode in, not too much taller than Enoch already was and it was clear from looking at him it was his father.

The man had the same head of dark, waving hair that his son had clearly inherited and the same high cheek bones and slightly triangular face as Enoch. Unlike Enoch however, his eyes were a dark brown.

"Enoch Reuben O'Connor when your mother 'ears 'bout this..." He sounded every bit as Cockney as Enoch too.

Enoch groaned and cringed visibly at the use of his middle name as Olive's eyes shot up. She had not been expecting Reuben of all things. It was almost as unusual a name as 'Enoch' was.

The principal's office door opened beside them and Miss Peregrine stepped out.
"Mr. O'Connor...please do come in for a moment..."

The undertaker shook his head at his son, who was determinedly not looking up at him, and passed by them into the office.

"I hope you're not in too much trouble because of me..." Olive whispered and offered Enoch, who was looking at the floor instead, a small smile.

The boy scoffed and shrugged before he lifted his head to look at her coolly again.

"Don't matter. Bit of a tellin' off and a groundin'. As if that's a punishment. Apparently, I 'ave an attitude."

"You? I can't believe that."

Enoch smirked and Olive smiled a little which quickly turned into a cringe when Enoch winced right after.
"You missed the bus." He said obviously after a moment and Olive smiled a little again and shrugged her shoulders.