Cobweb Head

t h i r t e e n

The next morning, I woke to the feeling of sunlight on my face, an imprint on my eyelids.

I blinked away the haze and focused on the mug that had been placed neatly across the desk in front of me. There was a note in front of it.

Didn't want to wake you, here's some tea to keep you up :)

Steam was rising from the cup in thin, grey coils, followed by a honey-sweet smell. Was he this eager to share his tea with me? Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this. I was starting to feel slightly uneasy.

I fell back into the pillow with a begrudging groan, stifled by the fabrics. I turned my attention to the time, a lazy gaze falling over Leo's clock, and almost choked on my own breath.

It was twelve o'clock?

I leapt to my feet, catching my foot on the blankets that'd collected at the end of the bed and falling across the floors. My cheek met the ground and a cry forced its way up my throat. I took to my feet quickly, rubbing a hand across my face, and wrestled on a shirt.

By the time I'd gotten fully dressed, hastily ran my hands through my strewn hair and washed my face in hopes to conceal the smell, I was out of the dorm with the mug clasped in shaking hands and a bag slung across my shoulder.

Why didn't Leo wake me? He was too fucking polite sometimes.

I tore down the halls, aware of the shirt's collar slowly slipping from my shoulder as I tried shrugging it back up. Curse these small shoulders.

I barely noticed the new set of footsteps as I took down the corridor, matching my own. I halted, with little grace, in front of Oliver. He was wearing the navy-blue school uniform - the one that was not mandatory.

I groaned. "Dude, I don't have time for this."

"I'm just letting you know about our Lacrosse team - the captain saw you playing the other day." He brushed off a stray lock of copper hair.

I narrowed my eyes. "I was playing football."

"It'd still be good to give Lacrosse a try."

God, he sounded like my dad.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, shrugging my falling sleeve back over my shoulder.

He frowned. "I help new students."

I laughed. His lip twitched angrily. "You're serious? You felt very helpful the first day when you threatened me."

"It wasn't a threat." The words bled through gritted teeth.

"Really? Then what was it?" I could feel a bruise forming on my cheek - I could already imagine how ugly it would look.

"Look, the Lacrosse team is practising this evening, go check it out." He started down the halls again, his shoes trotting through the long corridor. "And you might want to get your face checked out, too."

I pressed a hand to my bruising cheek, a dull ache forming where my fingers touched. Oliver was weird.

|||

I gulped the tea down vigorously as I entered English halfway through the class.

I couldn't focus on the words scattered across the blackboard, or the droning voice of Ms Marlowe. It was as if I had left my focus back inside the dorm, slipping through the floorboards from where I had fallen.

Mae was in the class, and only when the last ten minutes approached did I fully realise that she was staring at me. Wide eyes took hold of my own.

I frowned at her, as if to say what's your problem? But she didn't look away. I gulped down what had hardened inside my throat.