Pencils

Chapter Six

“So did you guys hang out?” Hailey asked me her chin resting on her fists, she was trying to act all innocent so i would answer the question i knew this game. I gave her my “Shut the fuck up face.” it's tuesday morning and it was way too early to be talking about this. “Sooo you did? I mean i see you are wearing his scarf still.”  Again i gave her the face to signal that i didn't want to be having this discussion. “Oh come on you know you wanna tell me.”

I pulled out paper “Well if you really wanna know then why don't you ask him yourself since your such good friends.” Whoa where did that come from?

She raised a waxed eyebrow. “Someone sounds jealous.”

“I-im not jealous, why would i be jealous!?” What is there to be jealous about? Sure he is a good guy nice and attractive an- ok i need to stop.

She examined her pink nail polish as if it were chipped. “Look he thinks of me as a friend and i the same. Plus i'm pretty sure he likes you.”

My heart fluttered a little bit. Me? He likes me? “Oh um ok. I guess thats great.”

“Oh don't try and play that card. I know you like him too.” She pointed at me. “Your even wearing his scarf from friday.” Hailey smiled widely like a child who just played a prank. “I saw everything go down, he wrapped his scarf around your neck and i saw you swoon.”

I began on the vocabulary sheet i was given my hair covering my cheeks to hide the forming blush. “I didn't swoon.” I remembered his gentle touch on my face and the look in his eyes when i told him about my dad. “It's not like that, you know that i can't handle another relationship, i don't wanna deal with that.”

“Ryn,” She used the nickname she gave me when we first met in elementary. “Callum isn't like Ted, he isn't gonna hurt you. Honey Ted was an asshole and he didn't deserve you just like you didn't deserve the abuse.” Hailey laid a hand on my shoulder and i flinched, i didn't mean too it just happened. But she knew i didn't mean anything by it, sometimes it just occurred beyond my control. “You know i love you right?”

I forced a smile and continued to fill out the worksheet. “Of course, i'm gonna finish this so you can copy it.”

She leaned back with a worried expression but said ok. I stuck my tongue between my teeth in concentration and tapped my pencil on my forehead, i finished pretty quickly and pushed the paper over to her. I zoned out for a while just waiting for the bell to ring not really thinking about much almost as if my mind was a blank slate, then i realized the teacher had been talking the whole time and i had no idea what was going on. All i heard was something about a test before the bell screamed for our dismissal, i got up and scrambled “What was-”

“We have a vocab quiz on Wednesday.” She filled me in while handing over the worksheet.

I nodded and made a quick mental note to write that down for later. “Thanks.” I hefted my bag over my shoulder like a huge sack and waited for her, Logan was waiting for us outside the door so we could all walk to second period together like always. “Hey there Wolverine.” I had started calling him Wolverine the day i found out his name was Logan, he pretended to hate it but eventually gave in to the nickname and it ended up sticking.

“Sup Ryn, Hailey.” He said lifting an eyebrow at her.

She smiled and replied “Hey.” In a small voice. I knew they liked each other and it was so obvious to everyone but them, it was really irritating i just wish they would get together already. I focused on something else as they began to engage in conversation momentarily forgetting my prescience and i became that third wheel once again. I stared awkwardly at the ceiling as if there were something interesting up there my eyes then travelled to the pale walls that had student posters taped down some were falling off the wall being held by a single piece of tape. I wonder what Callum was doing right now probably hurrying to class or already sitting in his seat waiting to start. Why was i even worrying about what he was doing it's not that it really mattered to me sighing heavily i shifted the weight of my backpack.