Book Girl and Chestnut Boy

Chapter Seven

Things were tense between May and Layton. After the meeting with Sam, he walked with her to pick up the boys and then to home, even though he had a job to get to for five. She didn't even know he had a job until she asked him if he'd like to come in at the door and he said no, he had to rush off to get to work on time.

College the next day was awkward too.

She raised her squished sandwich to eat and then changed her mind and put it back down. Instead, she took a sip of water, unable to look at her companion. She had felt shaken after the gang leader's words. How was she supposed to feel after knowing that a gang leader had his sights set on her family just because of her friendship with Layton? She hadn't done anything to deserve such attention! There was an awful, heavy feeling in her heart whenever her mind wandered towards the interaction yesterday. The guy was such a freak, going up to her like that!

"So, I finally finished the Two Towers." Layton said, scrunching up the bag his sandwiches had been in and tossing the wad back into his lunchbox.

"Hm." she mumbled, picking at a loose bit of skin next to her thumb nail.

He waited, no doubt thinking she was going to launch into a whole question and answer session about what he'd liked and hadn't liked and who his favourite characters had been and what his favourite scene was.

She couldn't bring herself to open up. She was disappointed about that. Books were everything. Books were her life. She had learnt so much of what she knew from books. She had learnt that friends were worth having if they stuck by you. And he had, hadn't he? He hadn't had to stick himself between her and Sam, but he had. And the way he'd gotten angry when Sam had insinuated that he could do unpleasant things now that he knew where she lived...He could have just walked away, left her at the mercy of the gang leader.

"May?" Layton prompted when she didn't speak.

"I need to use the bathroom." she said, shoving her uneaten lunch into her bag and standing up without even looking at him.

"Ok-Okay," he said. He sounded so uncertain and worried. She felt bad for him but what about her own situation? That black-haired douchebag had turned everything upside-down with one little phrase! She'd always been a good girl! She'd always done what was expected of her! She had given up her Saturdays all summer because she knew she had to save up like crazy if she wanted to go to university! And now...!

She splashed water over her face, willing away the anger and helplessness. As she left the bathroom, she dug one of her favourite books out. Better to let it all go and just concentrate on another world, become another person for a while.

This was familiar. This was comforting. It took a few paragraphs to focus on the Magician's Nephew, since her mind seemed to want to linger on her unpleasant feelings, but eventually, habit won out and she was immersed.

She had Lit after lunch but she walked around for a bit and then headed straight up without waiting for Layton. She was the only person in the corridor outside the classroom so she sat on the floor and made herself comfortable before continuing the book.

She was vaguely aware of someone settling down beside her but didn't care enough to come out of the story. She heard talking too but she still didn't look up. However, as more students started filling the corridor, her attention was diverted enough for her to see Layton beside her.

"Did you hear a word of what I said?" he asked when he saw that she had looked up. "At all?"

She blinked. "Hm?"

He stood up. "Never mind."

She noted Justin weaving through the crowd of their classmates, talking to people. Eventually, he stopped at her side. "Hey, May." He cast Layton a quick glance, paling a little when he saw fresh bruises. "Layton."