The Key to my Heart

Chapter 26: The Wait (Sophie's P.O.V.)

That's the drawing I mentioned on my message board! It looks better IRL, I promise. But not that much better, because I was stupid and decided to color it in using crayons...

I stared at the clock. Each second seemed to pass slower than the last. Today was Friday, the day of the dance, and after this class, there was only one more until it. And that class was math. My eyes burned and I tore them away from the clock to blink. When they were no longer watering in pain, they became glued to the white face of the clock once again.

Fifteen minutes...

Ten minutes...

Five minutes...

Three...

"Class is dismissed!" My teacher said at last. I scrambled to collect my books and rushed it the door. I should've known running through the hallway with the wedges I was wearing was a terrible idea, but alas, I was stupid, and tripped a second later. Thankfully, I managed to catch myself, but my books went flying. I sighed and went to pick them up.

"Need a hand?" a deep voice asked from behind me. I rolled my eyes and looked up, my eyes meeting the beautiful silver-blue ones that belonged to Tam Song.

"Does it look like I need a hand?" I asked, gesturing to the mess all around me.

Tam grinned. "Nah, looks like you've got it under control," he said and started to walk off. I shook my head, but went back to picking up my books. Suddenly, another set fell all around mine.

"Well would you look at that," Tam said. "I seem to be a klutz today." He knelt down next to me and started gathering his own books, which I knew he had dropped on purpose.

"You could've just helped me," I said, not look it at him.

"I could've," he agreed. "But then we wouldn't have so much time to ourselves, would we?"

Now I looked at him, after an eye roll. "Tam, the dance is tonight. You'll have me all to yourself for two hours. This isn't necessary."

He pushed his stack of books aside and leaned closer to me. "Yes, it is."

I pushed him away and grabbed my own pile, standing up. "Save it for later."

 ~*~

"And where have you two been?" Ms. Dean asked. A wave of snickers passed over the classroom and I shook my hair over my face to hide my furious blush.

 "We just bumped into each other in the hallway," Tam said easily. I glared at him for lying, but he didn't notice.

Ms. Dean pursed her lips. "Fine." she sniped. "Just get to your seats." I ducked my head and did as I was told.

"Making out in the hallway?" Marella asked. She seemed to have lost her usual flare, but maybe she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

"No," I said. Tam opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but I put my hand over it before he could. Marella glanced back and forth between us, then shrugged and went back to doing her work. I checked the page number on her workbook, then opened mine to the same page.

After Ms. Dean was immersed in her work in the back of the classroom, Tam whispered, "Did you hear about Dex?"

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheeks. If I knew what was good for me, I wouldn't have responded, but Dex was my cousin... "What?"

"You really don't know?" Tam asked.

"No," I hissed. "Because you're not telling me!"

He smirked. "You'll have to wait until tonight."

"Oh, so you're making me wait until tonight to find out something potentially important about my cousin, but you can't keep your lips to yourself for that long?" I felt my voice rising from the whisper that was necessary to hide our conversation.

"That's right," Tam agreed, leaning closer.

"Mr. Song, is Miss Foster going to be a distraction?" Ms. Dean's voice asked from the back of the room. Tam flinched away from me and sat up pin straight.

"No, ma'am," he said, blushing furiously.

"I should hope not. You'll have plenty of chances to flirt at lunch- unless you'd like to spend it with me?"

"No, ma'am," Tam said automatically.

She nodded. "Then please get back to work."

After a few more minutes, I kicked his foot. "Tell me about Dex," I demanded. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine. But it's no big deal. He asked Stina-"

"Stina!?" I spat. "That's kind of a big deal!"

Tam glanced back at Ms. Dean, worried she might've heard. She hadn't. "Why is it such a big deal?" He whispered.

"Have you met-"

"That's it!" Ms. Dean said, storming up to us. "Ms. Foster, you'll be sitting over here now." She gestured to an empty seat on the other side of the room. I sighed, but picked up my books and obliged.

This day just got a whole lot longer.