The Silence

Chapter Ten

A/N: Did I say I was going to stop complaining in my author notes? 😑😶 URGH.

Julian:

I sat there on Saint's bed and watched him while he was talking, all I could think about was going home. I was tired. And hungry. And my eyes still twinged with small blasts of pain coming from the back of my head. But mostly...I was embarrassed. Beyond embarrassed.

This morning when I'd woken up and felt the beginnings of a migraine, I'd gritted my way through breakfast and a shower, determined to look at least semi-alive when Saint came by to take me to the library. He'd been so nice to offer that I would have felt bad if I'd cancelled at the last minute, but now I wish I had. It would have saved me from making a fool of myself and finding myself in a house that my house could fit in 5 times over.

Saint was looking at me expectantly and I blushed hard as I swallowed. What had he been talking about again? Something about his name being Nicholas but then kids had compared him to Santa... Freaking kids.

"Kids are weird." I said, like we weren't still kids ourselves.

"Yeah. They are." He chuckled and pushed away from his desk. "You hungry? I was just making lunch..."

"I really do need to go." I said, standing up again.

"Just..." He held out his hands to stop me. "Just a quick lunch. Then I'll take you home.I promise." My stomach pinched at the mention of food again and I guess I knew how persistent Saint could be when he wanted to.

"I gotta be honest with you." Saint said when I was sitting down at the table in the kitchen. "I'm not much of a cook so ..." He shrugged and blew out a strong breath. "Cheese sandwich OK?" I laughed a little and curled my arms in front of me on the table.

"Cheese is good." He looked relieved and I watched him as he made the sandwich. He looked so serious that I couldn't help messing with him a little. "Can you cut it into triangles?" I asked when he slid the plate towards me.

"What?"

"The sandwich... It always tastes better in triangles." I kept my face as blank as I could and Saint dragged the plate back across the table. I reached out quickly to grab it. "I was just kidding." I giggled.

"I can still - "

"Saint. It's fine." I said and he relaxed against the table when I started to eat, biting into his own sandwich.

Like always, we didn't say much. It was part of the reason why I was so confused about why Saint was even interested in spending time with me. It had to be just a little boring right? Having to be aware of how you spoke to me all the time...ruining plans for the day with stupid migraines...

"You OK?"

"Huh?"

"You're glaring at your sandwich like it bit you back." Saint said and I snickered.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About?"

Why any of this is happening right now? It felt like a dream almost. Was I still asleep? I tilted my head and looked Saint up and down slowly. No, my imagination was good, but even I couldn't recreate him so vividly in my mind.

"Just about things." I said eventually.

"I just need to get my stuff upstairs." I said after lunch and Saint trailed behind me on the way to his room. I grabbed my bag that had all my books from the library and was slinging it over my back when I spotted a book Saint had on his desk.