Fix Me

Chapter 39.

*****

I sat in class barely paying attention as Mr Creed went through some poetry. I was more focused on the sounds around the classroom; I was finding it hard to sit still so I settled for swinging my feet from my chair as I listened to Rick tell me about his dog, Maya. He was funny.

Damien wasn't in class, he had walked in earlier to tell Mr Creed he had an urgent meeting with his coach and was excused. Rick and I had been getting narrow-eyed glances from Mr Creed for almost the entire period as we had been laughing softly while we spoke to each other; he seemed surprised at how much I was speaking to him but seemed happy about it as well.

"The last time I did a stage production was in fourth grade," Rick said running his eyes over the Othello notes Mr Creed had handed out for the next day.

"I've never done one." I shook my head.

"Lucky you," he shot me a playful glare and I laughed, "I'm serious, my mom thought it would be a good idea to invite our entire family to it. My uncle Stan kept yelling at the drama teacher for not having enough black people in the show completely ignoring the fact that I went to a predominatly white school, while my mom wept at my 'acting debut' and my grandfather kept telling every other actor including me we acted – and I quote – 'like shit'. By the end of the night, I had teachers and students glaring at me like all of it was my fault. The most embarrassing day of my life by far." He said.

I laughed and he smiled happily as the bell rang. We got up and he swung his arm over my shoulder pulling me to walk out of the class with him. I bit my lip. I felt bad for liking the feel of his arm around me.

"I have to get something from my locker; I'll meet you at lunch," Rick said to Elliott as he joined us.

"Where are you going?" Elliott asked when I was twisting from Rick's arm.

"I'm going to get my Bios textbook," I said.

"Alone?" Elliott raised his brows, "But Rick's headed the same way." Oh. Rick shook his head laughing and pulling me back under his arm.

We walked, well, I bounced and he laughed at me, as the hallways began emptying until we reached my locker and I grabbed my book.

"What are you on?" He joked and I brushed it off with a smile as I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards his locker.

He chuckled stumbling behind me until I came to a sudden stop and he bumped into me.

"O-oh. Sorry." He scratched his head as he stepped away from me with a crooked smile on his lips. It made him look cute, but not as cute as Damien. No one was as cute as Damien.

I looked down realising our hands still held onto each other's. My heart pounded slightly and I frowned. Wasn't that only supposed to happen with Damien? Why did him holding my hand feel so nice?

"Oh –" he suddenly seemed to realise what I had been looking at and pulled his hand from mine. I bit my lip. I didn't like him... Did I? I looked up and he was staring at me nervously, it made me smile at how adorable he looked before my eyes fell onto his lips. No. I don't like him. But... before I knew it I had pushed up against him. I felt him stiffen as my lips met his, but after a couple of seconds he grabbed my shoulders, I don't know if it was to push me away because we were suddenly shoved apart before I heard Rick slam into the lockers. I gasped realising it was Damien.