The Curse of Thelonious [✓]

twenty seven

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

The next Monday seemed to drag on longer than ever, Lera's physics teacher’s words droning into her skull. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips and tried to stifle a yawn, reading the words on the board in front of her. But it was no use, she had no idea what to write on the worksheet she had been leaning against.

"Hey, Tia?" she very quietly whispered to her friend beside her. "What the hell is this?"

Tia smirked and carefully shuffled her chair over slightly, until her paper was close enough for Lera to read.

Smiling in gratefulness, Lera’s stormy eyes darted over the sheet until she understood enough to write a few coherent sentences. She hadn’t been able to concentrate at all knowing that Atlas wasn’t in. He had skipped school to get the train to London, ready to meet his family for the first time. She didn’t know how to feel about it: she was happy for him of course, he deserved every ounce of joy in his life. But there was also a small part of her that selfishly wanted to keep him to herself. She knew there was a possibility that his family would want him close by to them, away from Clearford and Mad Manning. Away from her.

The thought made her throat close up and she clenched her fists, trying to push away the over-protective mode she seemed to fall in whenever Atlas wasn’t around.

The bell rang, its sound clanging against the quiet of the classroom. As Lera handed in her worksheet to the teacher, she breathed in a sigh of relief for lunch time. Walking with Tia and Jubaida, the girls made their way to the school canteen. As her friends paid for their lunch, Lera looked at the time and took the opportunity to quickly text Atlas. He was due to meet Kelvin Zhong and the rest of the family any minute now.

heey, hope everything goes well. don’t be nervous ok they’ll love u, they would be dumb not to! good luck and text me when u can xxxx

Unwrapping the chicken wrap her dad had prepared for her in the morning, Lera grinned as Hailey and Claire sat themselves down beside her. They chatted for a while about their respective classes and random gossip before Lera’s phone vibrated, signaling a text message.

“Who have you been texting all day, babes?” Hailey asked, furrowing her brows as she prodded the lasagna she had purchased.

Lera’s eyes widened as Claire laughed loudly and leaned forward to look at her phone. “Lera has a boyfriend!” she taunted.

Snorting, Lera rolled her eyes at her friends’ childish ways but before she could respond Tia grabbed her phone and giggled. “You put four x’s! Whoa, who’s the Earth emoji dude?”

Breathing a sigh of relief she had only saved his number as a few globe emoticons, Lera shoved her food in her mouth to prevent having to answer. She couldn’t very well tell them the truth – apart from Jubaida, nobody had any idea she even knew who Atlas was – but she had to tell them something to get them off her back. “Just some guy from my old school in London, it’s nothing major.”

“Sounds pretty major,” Hailey giggled as her and Jubaida held her phone up to read the message out loud. “Thanks Lera! I’m about to walk in and see them now. It’s strange being here without you, empty x.”

Lera wasn’t sure if it was the end of his message or the way her friends were looking at her but she blushed, her golden skin tinging pink. “Shut up,” she groaned as all her friends giggled. All apart from Jubaida who was watching her with an unreadable expression.

Grabbing her phone off Hailey, Lera typed out a quick reply and shoved her phone in her bag, away from her friends prying eyes.

You’ll be fine okay don’t stress about it, just be you!! I know what u mean. Even though we don’t talk in school, its empty without you here too. Text or call me when ur coming back xxxx