constellations [DISCONTINUED]

camelopardalis

The seasons danced their way in and out, and soon enough, cold fall weather was sprinting over trees of fallen leaves and cold breezes. My fiery mane for a hair and bronze freckles blended with the unbelievably present contrasting ambiences. Gilbert and I had made fair good friendship, nonetheless ever so confusing for me. There were the days where eyes would linger for a split second and lips would quiver with an emptiness and lack of words to suffice the thin air that'd surrounded those moments. In the day to day though, we'd walk along with laughter and tease, just as good friends do.

In that day, that Friday, I wore a brown dress and long, red leather boots to school. I tied my hair in a ponytail and headed to school. In the company of Gilbert, we'd work together in the project that afternoon. On an earlier notice though, when I arrived in english with warm tea on one hand and Beautiful losers in the other, so when Blythe took notice of my entry a smile and gaze followed the book in my right hand.

"Interested in our good piece literature, I see." I came in the room, too excited for the day as it arrived.

"Well, of course! And here I was, thinking that this study afternoon of ours was just an excuse you made up to have a new opportunity to hit me with a planner or a book this time in the face!"

"That is a good plan, but I promise I won't do it. I mean, unless you pull my hair, than you have a solid chance of a new object flying across your cheek."

Gilbert scoffed and sat down "You're unreal, Carrots."

"As exquisite as they come. So—"

"Silence, everyone!" Miss Stacey didn't seem in the best of moods that day "I have my hands quite full, so today you should work on your project. You can head to the library if you wish, but be back ten minutes before class' over."

"Race you there?"

"You'll lose, Blythe."

We ran in the linoleum halls, drifting on turns and corners and sometimes hitting walls. On the staircases, I was so focused on winning and getting to the library before him, that I didn't watch my step and tranced my foot into one another, falling four steps before the floor.

"Anne! Anne, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said getting up "Ouch!" couldn't put my left ankle down, the small heel of my boot broke on its base and was cracked upon the floor "I... might not be that fine..."

"Of course you aren't." He said, picking up the small bordeaux piece of wood, putting it in his pocket. "Won't race ya, but what do you say of switching our direction to the nurse's office?" He offered me his hand, which I gladly took and anchored myself on him.

"Oh, Carrots. What would you do without me?"

"Plenty, Blythe, Plenty!"

"But not walk to the nurse, right?"

"Let's never race on the stairs again, deal?"

"Swear on your broken heel."

We walked, Gilbert practically carrying me on the side, though when we got to the office, Rachel, the nurse wasn't there, so Gilbert just sat me down and crouched down to the height of my ankle, taking it in his hands.

"I-I... I know I'm not Rachel or even a doctor, but I have my basic fair share of knowledge. May I?" He pointed at my boot's zipper, to which I just nodded and he took it off, removing my sock too. "Does it hurt when I touch it?" He brushed his fingers over my ankle and I flinched. "I reckon that's a yes. Can you move it?"

"Absolutely not."

"Well, I'm no expert but... It is swollen and you're in pain. It must be a sprained ankle, alright."

"Ugh, this is so awful." I was confused and slightly mad "Why do you have to do this? To prove yourself or something?"

"Beg your pardon?"

"I—You're here good doctoring me, being all considerate and smart, didn't even give me a chance to..." I was going to say 'get up alone', but he did give me that chance "I mean you didn't even..." once again, was about to say 'ask', which he in fact did. "I mean you just didn't!" Even I was confused about what I meant to say.

Gilbert looked so confused, I could not blame him "I didn't... what?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but gave up. "Nothing... it's nothing. Thank you for helping and staying here with me."

"Not an issue at all." He smiled