Bruised

11.

Midterms were never fun, but midterms in senior year were like torture.

Natalie yawned, leaning back in her chair, and stretching her neck. She'd been hunched over her desk for hours now. If she closed her eyes for too long, she could swear she saw letters printed to the back of her eyelids.

She shook her head. She couldn't close her eyes. Not for too long, otherwise she'd begin to drift off. She needed to snap out of it. She still had half a page of questions to complete before her maths exam tomorrow.

Picking up her pen, she began copying down the next question when the sound of tapping stopped her.

She paused, listening carefully, and there it was. Tapping. Coming from her window.

Standing, she turned, looking towards her window to find a silhouette. She startled, her breath catching, before gathering her wits.

"Leon?" she exclaimed. She moved to the window, tugging it open for him. A cold breeze hit her, raising goosebumps on her bare arms. "What are you doing here at one in the morning?"

He was seated on the roof that extended beneath her window; his legs stretched out like he was lounging about on a bed rather than a rooftop.

"I'm looking for you, clearly," he said. He peeked over her shoulder at the lamp turned on at her desk. "What are you doing still awake?"

She sighed, stepping back, and he took it as a cue to step inside. He wore shorts and a baggy hoodie, and his hair was wet like he'd just washed it.

This was a Leon she'd never seen before. She wanted to melt at the sight of him, dressed so casually.

She turned away, gesturing towards her notes. "I'm studying. At least, I'm trying to."

"Are you always studying?" he teased. He walked towards her desk and picked up a paper. "Trigonometry? Is this why I haven't seen you all week? I've been coming to the nurse's every day, you know. I thought you said you wouldn't stop coming."

Every day. Just for her. She was definitely in the process of melting now.

She shrugged. "It's just for a few days. I have exams. How's your, you know..."

"My face?" he asked. She warmed, nodding, and he laughed, stepping closer. "See for yourself."

He was less than a step away from her now. He leaned down slightly, craning his face so that she could see it clearly in the light.

His eye was less swollen now, but she could still see a bit of bruising around his eye. His cut on his forehead had healed and was covered with a dark scab.

"It looks good," she said, reaching towards his face. Her fingers brushed his skin before she even realised what she was doing. She cleared her throat, letting her hand drop. "It's great. I'm glad it's healing."

"All thanks to you," he replied. He smiled, dropping her notes, and stepping back towards the window. "I think you need a study break."

"A study break?" she echoed.

"Yep." He sat on the windowsill and looked at her. "Let's go. We won't be long."

"Go? Leon, I have an exam in the morning."

"And you've studied all day for it." He held a hand towards her. "Come on. We'll have fun. Promise."

She laughed, then realised he was serious when his hand didn't waver. She frowned. "No way. I need to rest. Prepare."

His hand refused to move, but he lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Well, it's your choice."

He let the words hang in the air for a moment. Natalie pursed her lips.