The Girl Who Reads

Chapter 7 -Possibility

about an hour later, I'm sitting in my room, my mind yanking me back to seeing Austin gaze at me. but not only that. I also think back to us talking on my roof, these silent, unspoken, wordless gazes we've shared. that, plus the heat I've had across my face when looking at him too.

so maybe, just maybe...could it be possible? well, when I head to his place this Saturday, intending to work with him outside of school, having his address on a slip of paper the principal gave me, maybe I'll know.

Tuesday passed by with nothing to really comment on. Today is Wednesday, and I wear a red plaid shirt, buttoned. I wear a Rose Quartz bracelet, a beanie, black boots and a loose black sweater. like yesterday, two outer parts of my hair hang at the sides of my face. today I have a brown leather cross body bag slung over my shoulder. I just head outside right away and wait for the bus. as I wait, I consider the impossible, or at least, what feels impossible, reality that Austin may just like me. and that I like him.

How do I feel about that? I wonder. I also entertain the thought of what it would be like to...to kiss him. to have him hold me, cuddle me when I'm feeling sad- my face goes quite red at these thoughts. but, in some distant part of me, it actually feels...nice...to think about what it would be like. I've never dated anyone, never experienced any sort of romance with anyone before. I guess we'll see what happens today during our time together.

The bus ride to school is monotonous, same as usual. I open my bag and look over the sheets of paper I made for Austin to sound out. if he's not sure what kind of work he has to do, then why not make my own for him? the papers have different sentences for him to sound out. and, since he enjoys photography, I decided to write him a couple sentences about some famous nature and wildlife photographers. I guess I kinda hope he enjoys it.

Finally, the bus stops at the school and I head inside, not seeing Anne or Austin. but then again, why would I even care if I spotted her? I realise now that she dislikes Austin so much, I cant call her a friend anymore. because no friend would act like that if I was simply helping someone else, school delinquent or not. but after getting to know him, I no longer see him as a delinquent, a troublemaker, or anything else.

Now, I just see him as someone who got a bad start in life. and is still suffering through that bad start. I enter the library, nod at the librarian when she greets me, and I take my seat at the table, waiting for Austin. I decide to stare outside while I wait.

Around 30 minutes have passed, and when I become worried he isn't going to show, possibly being sick or waking up too late, I see the white truck pull up outside the school. the man and Austin are in the vehicle and he yells at him, Austin flinching and jumping every few minutes. I see a fresh bruise around the same eye again, and other marks too, but I cant quite make them out from here.

Then, once the man is done yelling at him, Austin quickly gets out of the truck. he slams the door so angrily that I can hear it dully from outside. his back is to me and once he turns around, my hands fly to my mouth in shock. not only does he have a new black eye, but a pink bruise on his cheek, a split lip and, though I cant see it, probably bruises along his body too, as he winces while walking. his head is down the whole way, so he doesn't see me looking at him. just like our first meeting on Wednesday, he's wearing the same black hood. if it weren't for the bruises. it would make sense for him to be wearing it.