The Class Reject: A Martyr in Maelstrom (Book III)

46 | Late Nights in La La Land

Minutes passed by, but it felt more like hours.

Maybe it was because a million thoughts were running through Miren's head. Like the fact that in just a few hours the space would literally be filled to the brim with boys. And although the thoughts should have been relatively welcoming (after all, someone would be able to get her clothes), that would mean someone would have to go through her stuff. And she hadn't been as discreet as she should have been hiding away her "girl supplies".

Apparently even Mother Nature was conspiring against her.

So she waited impatiently, half considering coming clean right now. Oh, what a sight it would be be - a half naked girl walking down the hall, ready to murder any boy who crossed her path.

She gritted her teeth so hard that she was half surprised they hadn't been reduced to dust. That's it. I'm leaving, she decided. It was late enough at night that she could probably make the walk of shame without being noticed. She nodded. Yes, the longer she waited here the more likely it was that she would be spotted, right?. With a deep breath she unlocked the stall door. Just get out of the bathroom and sprint to the room. No one will see you.

"Okay," she spoke to herself as if it would help calm her nerves. "I'm doing this." Searching around the cramped space, she made sure she wasn't missing anything. She crumpled the wrappings of some feminine supplies her clothing capturers had fortunately missed, and already had one foot out of the stall when she remembered who she inhabited a room with. Axel and Cliff might have been asleep. Or they could be waiting for her. She gritted her teeth again.

So it was settled; she was going to die here --

"Miles?"  The sound of his voice woke her from whatever depressing spiral had captured her brain. Hating herself for feeling beyond excited at his presence, Miren knocked on her stall, listening to Jeno's footstep approach her. "Are you okay?"

"Do you really care?" she almost rebutted. Then she remembered it was idiotic to bite the hand that fed you - or in this case, saved you. "Some boys took my clothes."

"I just heard them laughing about it like hyenas in the hallway. Sorry I took so long." He handed her a shirt from the top of stall. "Let's go."

Miren didn't know why she hesitated to open the stall. It's not like she wanted to stay in there a second longer. But she knew what this was - a confirmation that she need him. She sucked in a breath, tired of feeling tired before putting on the garment. She closed her eyes, hating herself for basking the clean scent - Jeno's scent - of the shirt. Jeno's shirt. 

"Thank you," she spoke softly. "You can go back to bed now."

"Or we could talk," he said, placing his hand on the stall door. It was ridiculous - this literal wall between them.

"It's late," she objected. "And I'm not the one with three violin solos tomorrow."

"You're acting like you mean less to me than a dumb orchestra competition," he offered matter-of-factly. "Let alone a competition I've won twice."

"The guy who gives everything up for the girl." She contemplated, frowning. "How Prince Edward VIII of you?"

"The girl who can't ask for help even if it killed her," he said, shaking his head. "It's late. I don't have a witty comeback. You win. I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight."

She heard his footsteps begin to disappear before they stopped. Then a click of a door; he had locked it. She gritted her teeth. "Look, I don't want to --"

"I know," Jeno said, reapproaching her. "I just wanted  to apologize for how I acted before. You were right - I was invasive and completely out of line. I accept that you don't want to be together -- it might be better this way. But I don't want you to feel like you can't come to me. You didn't have to put yourself at the mercy of some idiots - "