The Hopeful, The Hardheaded and the Homework

Chapter Fifteen: Are We Studying Biology or Chemistry? :Enoch

Well that update came quick! Don't expect that TOO often ;)

No, I could not help myself with the title for this. My giddy aunt you people are all amazing! Thanks for the continuous support, all your comments are brilliant and hilarious and really, really make my day to read! Thank you!

xxxXxxx

How Enoch had ended up in this situation was beyond him. Agreeing to help Olive with her paper was one thing, he'd already finished his, but who exactly had thought that doing so after school at one of their homes was a good idea? He didn't even remember who suggested it, he was sure it hadn't been him, but Hugh had pushed relentlessly that it was in fact a date of sorts.

Enoch had adamantly denied it. It certainly was not a date. If it was a date that meant that he and Olive were...something, which he was already confused enough about and didn't need everyone else in his ear about it.

As bitter as he had already been whenever another boy even spoke to Olive it was magnified ten times that morning when he remembered that Portman usually sat between them. Well that was taken care of now, he wanted to be the one close to her and he was going to be. Was he too suspicious and too easily jealous? Perhaps. Enoch didn't care. He didn't like it and Olive could know that.

Maybe it was something.

His stomach twisted slightly in a way that had nothing to do with the lurching of the school bus as he looked ahead a few rows to Olive and Emma. Olive had already stayed on past her stop and not for the first time Enoch thought how bad of an idea this was. He just hoped against hope that his mother wasn't at home. With any amount of luck they could be finished before his parents got home, as unlikely as that was, and he could save the awkward questions for another day. Or never. Preferably never.

Emma got off the bus at the next stop and Enoch determinedly ignored the raised eyebrow she was sending his direction until she had left. Once the bus began to move again he looked back over. Olive was looking at him with her familiar smile that didn't help the squirming and tightening in his gut.

Five more minutes passed before the bus drew to a halt at Enoch's stop. He pulled himself to his feet, ducking his head slightly until he stepped off the raised step the back rows of seats were on and jerked his head to Olive who had stood up with him.

"'ere..."

The second he hopped out of the stifling environment he felt slightly, though not very much more at ease. His breath misted in the chilly air as he turned around to wait for Olive hopping off the bus. She was clenching her hands together and looked every bit as out of place as Enoch felt outside his own home.

"Thank you." She piped up as she fell into step beside him and Enoch raised an eyebrow.

"I ain't done anyfin' yet." He shrugged non-commitally as they rounded the corner and groaned to himself to see the car in the drive. "Oh 'ell..."

"What's the matter?"

"My mum's not gonna stop." He sighed and shrugged, "Alright... come on..."

It was the first time in his life he'd brought a friend home from school, let alone a girl who he was very much interested in and it was a strange, singularly unique feeling as he stepped inside ahead of Olive.

"Enoch?"

Not even five seconds. He couldn't have five seconds.

Enoch's gaze went to the floor as he tried, unsuccessfully to walk by the open doorway into the living room, Olive still several metres behind him looking around at the entrance.