Knight in Sneakers

Chapter 20 'Heartbeat.'

Entry 10

20th September, 2016.
Tuesday.
9:35 a.m

Clarke Augustan

Not once in these many years of my existence had I thought that I'd freak out over a freaking 'smiley'. And why was I thinking about my dear Smiley while I was in Math class? Because the unsolved equation 'Find X' on the board left me thinking about my unsolved missions and how I am on the same page with math.

Find X?

Well, you and me both, buddy. You and me, both.

"Hey." Aaron broke my trail of thoughts as I sat there in the class completely ignorant to my surroundings.

"Hey." I replied with a smile and turned back quickly to continue staring at the board absentmindedly.

If I look at him, I won't stop.

"You do know we're in the next page, right?" Aaron added with a slight chuckle. I looked at my textbook and the sum number on the board and realised he was right. From my right, I could hear Dan snickering in joy at my stupidity. I felt my face warm up as I hurriedly went to the next page.

Well, technically I knew I was on the same page with math.

"Clarkie," Aaron sang out softly so only I could hear. I ignored him and stared ahead. "Clarkie Clarkie Clarkie." Until I couldn't take that horrible name anymore.

"What?" I looked at him with my sharp eyes. I met his brown mischievous eyes and all my annoyance just seemed to melt away.

"If-" He started off but stopped abruptly. He just kept staring at me and for a second I panicked there was something abnormal stuck on my face.

"What?" I asked him again.

"Oh- yeah. Um, your brother." He replied stuttering a bit as his neck turned a little pink.

"What about him?"

"Where did he go?" He started off a casual conversation but I was pretty sure he had something else to tell me.

"Paris."

"That's cool, with parents or friends?"

"Not friends but not parents too."

"What do you mean?" I struggled to answer his question.

"What do I mean? Um, Well my father stays abroad and my mom passed away when I was a kid so. And he is in Paris with our Uncle."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I could see the instant sadness and pity on his face. I could see he regretted bringing the topic out because he thought it would upset me. I wanted to laugh and pinch his cheeks at his reaction but just let out a low chuckle.

"Don't be. We can't control what happens to us, but we can control how we take it." I replied softly as I felt my mind travel somewhere else.

"Hey," Aaron's voice brought me back, "If you don't mind I can drop you home today after school."

I don't know if it was his eyes, or his smile or his words but I smiled at him brightly.