/ Sorry it took so long you beautiful people, there was Christmas and new year and all that shazzizle, plus my 17th Birthday in like a week! :D So i lost track of time <3 /
Suddenly and without warning, my legs collapsed from underneath me and I ended up practically sprawled across the soft carpet. Tears were blurring my vision so I wasn't quite sure where Mr Hinchcliffe had disappeared off to, if he had gone anywhere...which I doubt he had. Unfortunately for me.
I felt him grab my elbows gently to pull me up, but I pushed him away forcefully. I was expecting him to huff at me and start getting all vexed like last time, but he didn't. Instead, he left me alone. I leaned against the wall in the hallway and buried my head in my hands, not paying attention when the door open and closed or when I heard a conversation in the room next door. Right then, I wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything...i just needed to be alone.
I slowly felt my sobs calm down until they were only a murmur, the tears still, however, flowing like there was no tomorrow. And with the way I felt, I slightly hoped there might not be a tomorrow.
Who did he mean by 'her'? 'I told her I would look after you'...he said something along those lines, right? Yeah I know I wasn't imagining it, he definitely said it. I had an idea who he meant but I'm not sure that's even possible. He's too young. But if he did mean her then...well, then I had a hell of a load more questions to ask him. That's after the initial shock, of course. I couldn't control the way I was feeling at that moment, it was a mixture of hurt, worry, confusion and...grief. If he knew her, he would be the closest thing to her I could get right now and I'd been searching for that long enough.
I felt my head dip and my eye lids close, exhaustion finally catching up with me. I had lost all track of time as I sobbed, getting lost in my thoughts, but I was pretty sure I was there for longer than I thought. In fact I knew I had been because the sun was beginning to set and twilight was looming. The muted light only made me feel even more drowsy and I could feel myself drifting off, unable to stop myself even though I was in one of the most uncomfortable positions ever known.
When I felt someone pick me up gently and move me, I was too tired to fight back. Maybe I was even slightly relieved that I was being moved from such an uncomfortable place, kidnapper or no kidnapper. I let out a quiet, inaudible sigh of comfort and relief when I felt the soft cushioning of a bed underneath me and I subconsciously shifted in to my usual sleeping position. I turned on my side and gripped the comforter between my hands, holding it to my chest like you would a teddy bear. This was my safe place, something as simple as being able to move into this position made me feel instantly safe and at home.
I felt something cool press against my cheek and it took me a moment to realise that it was a hand...his hand. His thumb glided across my cheek once and then I felt what I assumed to be Mr Hinchcliffe's lips press to forehead. The movement was swift yet still gentle enough not to disturb my sleepy state, it was over so quickly that I had to take a second to think it over and make sure I wasn't dreaming. I knew I definitely wasn't dreaming when I heard him whisper the words "I'm sorry" against my forehead before pulling away and exiting the room. Sorry for what, I didn't know but I also didn't plan on staying awake to think about it. I kept my eyes closed and let sleep engulf me with dreams of Mr Hinchcliffe and I.
* * * * *
I awoke slowly and blinked a few times, adjusting to my awaken state. It didn't take long, though, for the reality of my situation and the previous nights events to come crashing down on me like a tonne of bricks. He knew her.
I moved faster than I'd ever moved before, throwing the duvet to the side and diving out of the bed and towards the door all in one swift, angelic movement. Angelic, I know...I even surprised myself.
YOU ARE READING
When Formalities Are Forgotten. [A Student/Teacher Love Story]
Teen Fiction17 year old British girl Jasmine has just started her senior year of high school in America, and on her first day back from summer break she realises that her old English Lit teacher has been replaced with someone new. Someone much younger and hands...