The Dead Poets

41

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't keep ambushing you like this it's just I-"

Jack almost immediately begins his nervous rambling as I finally approach his anxious figure. Although admittedly, I found it quite cute.

"It's okay," I laugh lightly, an attempt to ease his rather unnecessary nerves.

"I'm glad to see you," I continue earnestly.

"You are?" Jack asks quickly, quite clearly surprised.

I felt sorry for Charlie, I don't like to see anyone troubled, least of all him. But I have to remind myself that for whatever reason, he did what he did.

He chose to throw away our relationship for God knows who or why, and I couldn't simply sit around and wait for him. Hoping that maybe one day he'd realize what a mistake he'd made, and come running back to me. I had to move on.

Jack was kind and sweet. He seemed to deeply care about me, and frankly at this moment that seemed more than I could say for Charlie.

"Yeah of course, why wouldn't I be?" I ask a little confused. I don't think I've ever had a boy so nervous around me, and truthfully I thought it was sweet.

Jack smiles, his form becoming visibly less tense.

"I wanted to say sorry," he says earnestly, shoving his hands back into his pockets, a form of comfort I presume.

"Geez, you say sorry quite a bit," I smile, earning a small chuckle from the tall, slightly lanky, boy in front of me.

"I'm serious!" He laughs, his broad chest rumbling slightly.

"I shouldn't have told you all that knowing you are with Charlie, it was wrong and I'm sorry." He finishes quickly yet sincerely, running a nervous hand through his golden locks.

"It's alright," I smile, trying not to focus on Charlie's bitter eyes glaring at our figures.

"Besides, Charlie and I aren't really...together," I add quickly.

I can't deny the glimmer of hope that momentarily flashes in Jack's eye, before offering me a sympathetic expression.

"I'm sorry," he says, his tone masking a great deal of relief.

"No you're not," I chuckle.

"Hey, I'm sorry for you. I don't like to see you upset," he laughs lightly, but his words are entirely serious.

Becoming increasingly aware of the several nosy eyes that don our figures, I decide it's best we leave the hall.

I make a beeline for my dorm, grabbing my coat and slipping it over my shoulders, before I follow Jack out towards the snowy path.

"Hey, I got you something," Jack smiles eagerly, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small red box tied with a white ribbon.

"What? Why?" I ask bemused, though a smile sat stretched across my face.

"Christmas present," he replies, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But Christmas is a month away," I furrow my brows, reaching into his icy hands to gently grab the box.

"Just open it."

My fingers slowly pull either side of the white ribbon, opening the lid of the red box.

Inside lay a gold locket with my initial carved into it. The necklace was beautiful, my finger gently traces the curved rose carved alongside the 'V.'