Fix Me

Chapter 11.

*****

I had managed to avoid a lot of eyes so far figuring that as long as I stayed on my own, everyone would just forget the hallway incident.

I had just come from Physics, it was lunch break and I was seated at my usual spot beside my locker, on the floor. I was happy I didn't have to work today, I hadn't gotten any sleep yesterday and I was tired. It sucked even more because usually when Gerald beat me up, I could sleep off some of the pain before I got to school, that didn't happen today and I felt like I was a doctor who had been hit by a bus, was told to take a shower and then continue with someone else's surgery. Basically, I was very tired and very sore.

I stared down at the page in my notebook, it was filled with doodles of bunnies, spiders, unicorns, snakes and flies that I had made look cute. I couldn't think of lyrics because the letters in my head were scrambled and 'sleep' was the only word I could make out.

I brought my pencil back onto the page but stopped as I heard footsteps echo in the empty hall. I didn't look up as I waited for the person to pass, but they didn't. Instead, I saw a pair of black Vans sneakers beside me from the corner of my eye, before the person sat down right next to me. Way too close for my liking, even though there was about a foot of space between us.

We were quiet for a while which gave me time to focus on my heart as it began pounding in my chest while wondering what the person wanted. The situation was making me very nervous.

I heard a breath of laughter and my heart began pounding so hard I felt it in my throat as I realised who it was.

"Cute fly." Damien's low voice came with another chuckle. Why was he there? How was he there? Damien was never alone. "So what do I have to do to get a word out of you, 'Jessica'?" He chuckled. I gave a soft laugh at the way he said the name. "Ah. That's not a word but it's close enough." I shook feeling myself smile as he spoke. "What are you always writing in there?" He asked shifting a little closer to me as if testing it to see if I'd move away, I didn't because I was still in pain. "You can talk to me," he chuckled, "I promise won't bite, Hannah. Lick maybe, but I don't bite." I tilted my head at that.

"Lick?" I asked softly.

"Weird habit." He mumbled. "Ah. Wait. Forget I said that. I'm not weird, I promise I'm not weird. I'm like... I'm cool." He added. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yup, very cool." I mocked. He laughed and I smiled listening to him. "Lyrics..." I mumbled honestly.

"Lyrics? You sing?" He asked me.

"No..." I mumbled, "Not really." I added. I hadn't sung for anyone. I used to sing a lot when I was little until my parents laughed and said I was awful, my seven-year-old self stopped singing that second and even my grandfather couldn't convince me to sing with him anymore.

"Sing for me?" He said. I didn't reply. "Well, it was worth a shot, right?" He asked having expected my silence. I bit my lip feeling myself smile again. I didn't know why and I didn't know how to stop. He moved closer to me. "May I?" His hand reached out and I immediately pulled mine back when his fingers brushed against my hand as he tried to take hold of my book. He stopped. "Sorry?" He mumbled, it sounded like he was wondering why he was apologising but decided to do it anyway. I nodded and he gently took the book from my lap.