Barely Breathing { IM5/Dana Fanfiction }

Chapter Nineteen

"Now if you turn to page 218, we will discuss how many different phobias there are, and how the specifically affect the brain." Mr. Nelson's voice droned throughout my head as I lazily scribbled on the sides of my textbook.It was the end of the day, and tired didn't begin to explain how this week had been going.

After the little "event" with Dana, he practically ignored me for a few days straight. New Years had been on Wednesday, and I hadn't had actual contact with him until the following Saturday. After my 50th call, he picked up, but didn't say much. He apologized for it, but didn't explain anything that had happened. Trying to force it out of him was pointless, so I let it slide. I guess you could say we were on good terms now, whatever that is.

"Harlem, are you sick or something?" Dalton nudged me with his elbow, waking me from my trance.

"I'm just tired." I mumbled back, laying my head on the corner of my desk, praying that class would be over soon.

"You haven't said a thing all class period, is something up?"

"I'm fine." I muttered, but Dalton kept pushing further and further, trying to get me to talk.

"Do you need to go to the clinic or something? You look tired. Are you sick?" His endless line of questions was becoming tedious.

"I'm alright! Okay?!" I snapped a bit too loudly. The whole class turned to me, glaring with concern. Dalton, the most shocked of all.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't-" I began to stutter to the rest of my classmates.

"Harlem, I'd like to talk to you after class." Mr. Nelson's shouted out across the classroom in a threatening tone. I slowly nodded my head, knowing that I was going to get it later. I sunk down in my chair not wanting class to end anytime soon.

To my luck about an hour later, the principal came over the intercom saying that school would end early. There was some important meeting for a large majority of the teachers and they saw no reason to let the kids stay in school.

The early warning bell rang and everyone sprinted out the door, happy to be leaving school early. I tried my best to sneak out, hiding behind Dalton's backpack, but my escape was discovered when Dalton decided to end down to fix his shoe, exposing my crouched body that was hidden behind him.

"Harlem, take a seat." Mr. Nelson's demanding voice ordered. I sighed, standing up straight and heading back to the closest desk, waiting for my detention to begin.

"Good luck." Dalton mumbled to me, giving me a thumbs up as he walked out of the classroom.

"Look Mr. Nelson," I started. "I'm sorry for disrupting class today, but do you really think it's worth a detention. I have a meeting with my partner after school today, and I need to catch a cab into Harlem. If you could just-"

"That's not why I asked you to stay after school, Harlem." He replied, slowly heading over to the front of the classroom.

"Well, then why?"

"I would like for you to meet someone." He said firmly, opening the door to a tall woman standing in the doorway.

"Ms. Burr. The head of our psychology program and one of the best professors in New York." I stood from my chair, holding out my hand to greet the mysterious woman.

She was tall, probably around 5'9, with a very gorgeous face, probably a retired model. Her hair was a dark brown that fell beneath her shoulders, getting curly at the ends. For a professor, she seemed more modern than most. Dressed in her thin black pencil skirt that complimented her long legs, a tight red button up covered by a sleek black blazer, complimented with a bright diamond necklace. Overall, she was the most gorgeous professor I had ever seen.