Bruised

08.

Natalie rested her forehead on the edge of the desk, allowing herself a few seconds to close her eyes and relax. It was a long day of classes and vice-captain meetings. She was sure her brain melted hours ago.

The girls in front of her giggled over something. Chatter seemed to surround her. She wasn't the only one feeling restless. It was a Friday afternoon. Nobody seemed to have the attention span for chemistry at this point.

Really, she just wanted to turn her brain off. Maybe read the next chapter of her Ophelia novel. She had left off at the scene where Ophelia has to spend the night in a hotel with her partner, except there's only one bed. Even the thought made her blush. It was her favourite scene.

Except she couldn't. She had a chemistry class to get back to, then she needed to go to Sierra Grammar after school and finish up her homework.

When she sat up again, she noticed the girl next to her was looking at her strangely. The girl looked away quickly, going back to chat with her friend about weekend plans, and Natalie sighed.

Usually, she was at terms with not having friends in most of her classes. Sometimes, though, she wished she could just gossip like the rest of her class, five minutes before home time.

At least her teacher had stopped adding words to the whiteboard. She closed her notebook, deciding she could live with five minutes less of chemistry study today.

Instead, she pulled out her phone, trying to keep it partially hidden with the strategic placement of her pencil case. Not that her teacher would care anyway. He was probably the most excited in the classroom for the bell to go off.

Nyra had texted her at least ten times since class started. Natalie frowned, opening the messages to find capital letters and spammed emojis—something about more boys waiting at the front gates and how Natalie had to get there ASAP.

She frowned. Had Leon come to visit again? But they'd already agreed not to be seen together.

So then, was he here for someone else?

Her eyes flickered to Veronica in the back corner of the classroom who was openly grinning at her phone. Natalie turned away. It couldn't be. Right?

She couldn't help her curiosity. She hoisted her backpack into her lap, sweeping all of her belongings into it.

Before the teacher could even look in her direction, the school bell went off and Natalie was out the door.

Nyra was waiting for her outside the school building and immediately fell into step with Natalie.

"Did you get my messages?" she asked.

Natalie nodded, craning her neck to see ahead to where the front gates were. Unlike usual, not many girls were crowding around. Maybe they were early. "Who is it?" she asked.

Nyra shrugged. "No idea. I saw them from my studio window."

"Right," Natalie said, turning back to her friend. She glanced at Nyra's instrument case for today. "How was... ukulele practice?"

"Violin was great, thanks." She laughed, nudging Natalie's arm. "Anyway, they're not in uniform but they look young. Maybe someone's boyfriend?"

It was rare for boyfriends to come right up to the front gate. St Helena's was strict. Natalie's dad had chosen this school for a reason. Natalie was almost certain to never interact with a boy—almost. The second a teacher caught wind of a boy's appearance, they'd be kicked out on full display, to the humiliation of whatever girlfriend might be waiting around.

Leon and Lucas weren't exceptions. She was sure they'd been yelled at by every teacher at St Helena', but they were different. Nothing could taint their reputations.