Midknight

two

The classroom filled up slowly as students filed in, laughter following them as Bailee politely pushed through the crowd to sit at her desk. Her book bag thumped on the ground as she shoved it under with her foot, nudging it out of the way as she slid into her seat. Her hair fell gracefully in her face as she leaned forward to reach down and pull her notebook from her bag. A blue plastic ballpoint pen bounced on the ground beside her, a giggle resounding as it did. 

"Do us a favour, Bailee, and pick up my pen for me?" A naturally grating voice asked, making Bailee lift her head to see Thomas sitting in the desk opposite her.

His friends all huffed out laughter as he gestured back to the pen, a smirk winding its way onto his face. 

"Can't you pick up your own pen?" Bailee asked, annoyed as she looked at him. 

"It's closer to you," he shrugged, the smirk widening. 

She sighed as she half moved out of the way for the presence that had stopped in the aisle before she reached out. Her fingers brushed across the pen before another hand shot out and took it from her reaching gasp. Straightening quickly, Bailee's eyes locked with the most beautiful shade of brown eyes she'd ever seen. Her eyes searched the boy's face, a thank you ready to escape her lips before his eyes left hers and she followed his gaze. 

"Does this belong to you?" his voice was as smooth as silt, darker than Bailee's favourite decadent chocolate, and it seemed to make the boys opposite Bailee sit up right. 

"Yes." Thomas replied, tone clipped and hand held out to receive it. 

A quiet sound of plastic breaking made Bailee flinch slightly before widening her gaze as she watched broken pieces of the pen fall from the strange boys' hand. 

"Oops." was all the boy said as he tilted his head. 

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, but something in the boys' gaze made him snap his mouth shut. 

"Sorry," Bailee was quick to apologise, causing the boy to look at her. 

"That's the second time you've said that. It's best not to make a habit of it." he said plainly, his gaze somehow making her feel like she was being x-rayed. 

"Right, sorry- I mean I uh -" Bailee flailed, and the corners of the boys eyes crinkled slightly.

Flushing, Bailee slid back into her seat and put her notebook and pen on her desk. She was quick to cast her eyes down, embarrassed. It wasn't until she realised the chair beside her was being pulled out. She closed her eyes and prayed to whoever was real that it wasn't him. Her gaze was mostly filled by her desk, but she could see a black jean clad knee slide under the desk next to her, and she cursed inwardly. 

Of course. it was the seat next to her or the seat that sat empty within Thomas's group.

Bailee kept her eyes on her notepad, letting her pen scribble slightly in the margins as the teacher sidled in with a yawn. 

"Guys, I'm gonna be honest. I had about five hours sleep last night, I'm nursing a major headache, and my brain is not functioning today. How about I let you have an easy class, only -" he was cut off as a bunch of kids began talking. 

"ONLY if you keep quiet about it. Deal?" he interrupted the class as they all turned to look at him.

Their excited eyes were all he needed so he could slump in his chair.

Most of the young adults pulled out their phones and began texting or watching something on Netflix. Thomas's group began harassing others, but Bailee pulled out her assignment from another class. If she could get ahead, then she could help Kalisha more on hers tonight. 

It was a self assignment. Her teacher had specifically asked everyone to write about themselves, to be honest and true. To write the hardest things they'd been through and what they'd say to their younger selves.

Bailee had thought about it and realised she had grown up in a quite fortunate childhood. She had both parents, a beautiful house with a black and white cat named Butler. Her dad was a full-time employed electrician, and her mother worked administration for a pharmaceutical company. Life was pretty sweet for her. No complaints were needed.

"You could always make something up."

Bailee lifted her head, not realising she'd drifted off into her thoughts, and her pen was tapping annoyingly on the paper in front of her. 

"Probably not, Miss Summers tends to know when you're lying." Bailee replied as she turned her head to look at the boy sitting next to her. 

He met her gaze, but he added a small, warm smile. 

"But it would be interesting to watch her try to figure out if you're being serious or not." he said, the small smile still playing on his lips. 

"What should it be? Raised by world famous burglars? Or maybe somewhere in my lineage, I'm actually the Princess?" Bailee asked as she tucked her hair behind her ear. 

There was a second of silence before he shook his head, his wavy curls bouncing slightly across his forehead. A glint of white teeth flashed as he grinned and held out his hand. 

"Ethan, by the way." he introduced himself. 

Smiling in return, Bailee lifted her hand to shake his, but his slim fingers caught under hers, his thumb strong as he turned her hand, and he slowly lifted her hand to his lips. Bailee's breath caught as the barest hint of lips brushed against her knuckles. 

"Bailee," she replied breathlessly. 

"An honour, Bailee." the newly acquainted boy bowed his head slightly as he gently dropped her hand. 

His touch lingered on her palm, and she rubbed her palm nervously on the thigh of her faded washed jeans. Her body jolted, the chair being kicked in the leg. She whirled her head around to scowl at the boys who sat opposite her.

"Cut it out, Thomas." Bailee snapped, her fingers moving to grip her desk. 

She held herself in her chair as one of his goonies delivered another swift jolting kick to her chair. 

"What are you? 12!" she hissed. 

His group laughed, and Bailee fumed quietly as she faced the front of class again.

"Are they always like that?" Ethan asked, causing Bailee to look in his direction once again.

His dark eyes were set on Thomas and his group of friends, a dent in his brow.

"Mostly. You get used to it." Bailee replied before following his gaze.

One of Thomas's friends was throwing wads of paper at another kid in the class, laughing as the paper hit its mark.

Ethan didn't say anything, but Bailee could see his fingers tighten on the desk. Knuckles a nice shade of white.

Ducking her head down, Bailee continued on with her work.