Between the Lines✔ [COMPLETED]

[11] Brewing Angst

Malory

After breakfast, Kyle and I drag our way to school. We arrive at just around ten to seven –so technically we're only late for being early. The school isn't filled with students just yet, and it's easy to settle in and get into the right frame of mind for our classes when we're this early. 

Except this morning, I'm agitated by the fact that because Kyle pushed me out of his house and took me out to have breakfast, I could not put any makeup on his face, and with every slight flick of his hair I would freak out because I'm thinking the bruise could be seen. 

We reach the entrance door and I grab Kyle by his neckline and drag him inside aggressively. There's a closed closet in the space between two locker walls, and I take him there to stand.

"Why are you so aggressive?" he asks me, still under my grip.

I glare at him and whisper-yell. "You idiot. You can only hide behind your hair for so long. If you hadn't pushed me out of the house so urgently I would have gotten the makeup done for you."

He sighs. "If you haven't already noticed, Lloyd, I'm not one to keep much company. I don't think much of anyone would notice."

"You're so stupid, common-sense-wise. You've been gone for two weeks. Of course people are going to stare you down like you're a Nazi."

I look around at the empty hallway. A student enters and walks right past us. I turn back to Kyle –who I realise I'm still tugging at by his neckline and holding near my face- and I glare at him before letting him go. He stands up straight to look down at me.

"What about swimming? You have that later today. And gym? What about when you have to change in front of the guys? Someone is going to notice, Kyle." I fold my arms while I wait for his reply.

"There's nothing I can do to help that, Lloyd," he tells me frustrated. "Look. I'll be fine. I'll just stay low for the while."

Stay low, my arse!

Just then, Mrs Beverly walks into the corridor through the entrance and spots us. She does a double take before acknowledging that we're actually the students she's seeing together. 

"Davidson," she says, surprised. "It's good to have you back! Your co-star here told me you were sick." She raises a brow at him. "Do you have the excuse?"

He shuffles into his book bag and finds it, being careful not to swish his hair out of his face. 

My heart is literally skipping beats hoping she doesn't see the bruise.

Every slight move he makes is giving me anxiety.

He finds the note and hands it to her. She reads it and offers him a smile.

"Wonderful," she says at last. "You don't have to worry about either of you losing marks –this time. Have a good day, both of you. And please stay out of trouble." She walks off, and Kyle and I stare at her until she disappears around the corner. 

Stay low.

I'm choking on melodramatic laughter. 

I hit Kyle on his arm and whisper, gesturing to the path where Mrs Bev just strolled over, "See what I mean?" I think about what would have happened if he didn't have the note, "And jeez, the things I've done for you."

The smug seal smirked at me. "So you're admitting that you're not just doing this for yourself?"

Coughs, what?