The Nerd [ongoing]

halcyon (41.)

halcyon

(adj.) peaceful

AVAS POV

Of course we had to go back to the hotel. Unfortunately.

I liked our little detour.

The principal scolded us for a while. How we can't just run away whenever we want to. I didn't pay attention to much of it because Hunter kept distracting me. Pulling my hair, fumbling with my hand or rings.

After about 15 minutes the principal caught onto that we weren't paying attention so she sent us away with a warning.

We all had a delicious dinner in the big dining-room-thing. There were all kinds of pasta and I'm not ashamed to say that I tried them all. Okay maybe a little ashamed. But a girl's gotta eat.

Hunter and I just said goodbye to Rea, Elijah and Jason and stepped into an elevator.

"Thank you for making sure I didn't get myself into trouble when I was trying to leave the museum." He gives me a sheepish smile and rubs the back of his neck.

I crack a small smile. "No problem. Next time you need a navigator, give me a call."

He chuckles and nods. "Will do."

We stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds and the air begins to feel thick. I follow the movement of his Adam's apple when he swallows with my eyes. He takes two steps closer and I quickly move my eyes up to look back into his eyes, only to find out that they're fixated on my lips. I bite my bottom lip and see his Adam's apple move again.

"Stop doing that." His voice seems to have dropped a few notes.

"Doing what?" I whisper, his lips almost touching mine.

"Biti-"

The elevator doors open with a ding and we both scurry off to a different side of the elevator.

An old lady steps into the elevator. "Hello dears." She says in a posh English accent before pressing a button and making the doors close.

She furrows her brows in concern when she looks at me. "Are you quite alright? You seem to be a little red in the face dear. Can I give you something? A little water?"

I look at Hunter to see him grinning at me. Sly bastard.

"No thank you Miss, I'm fine. Just a little hot, that's all." I give her a small smile. I look at Hunter and see him wiggle his eyebrows. I roll my eyes at him but a little smile manages to escape.

The doors open with a ding and Hunter and I greet the kind lady before walking to our room.

Hunter unlocks the door for me and I close the door behind me after stepping inside our room.

"I'm gonna- I'm gonna take a shower." He seems to be unsure about something.

"Bring me back a postcard?" I grin at him.

He smirks and shakes his head. "I'll try to find one for you."

I give him a small chuckle and walk towards my bed while he disappears into the bathroom.

~

I look up from my phone when I hear the door of the bathroom open.

And almost choke on my own spit.

"I forgot to bring any clothes with me." He sheepishly tells me.

I slowly nod my head and swallow hard. "Th- That happens."

He quickly grabs some clothes off of his bed and disappears into the bathroom again. Damn.

I wonder if he just likes snakes or if the one on his lower left arm has a meaning.

He works out a lot. You can just tell by his arms. And his legs. And his back. And those abs-

I shake my head to try and clear the image of his naked torso out of my head. It doesn't work.

Yes I'm a pervert, leave me alone.

HUNTERS POV

I've had countless girls staring at my body before. 

Why does it feel so different when she does it?

~

Ava had a nightmare again. I pretended to be asleep when she woke up. I know she doesn't like it when people pity her. She wants everyone to think she's strong. And she is. But no one can keep up being strong all the time.

She sat up straight in her bed for a few minutes and I could hear her mutter the grounding technique I helped her with. It makes me smile softly.

After calming down, she goes to the bathroom, takes a shower and comes back with different clothing on.

She doesn't fall asleep again before I do.

"Wakey wakey sleepy head!"

I groan.

"I heard they're serving pancakes for breakfast again!"

I'll get out of bed for those at any time of the night. I stretch and swing my legs off of the bed.

Elijah and Jason are standing next to my bed and Ava is walking out of the bathroom while drying her hair. Luckily she's wearing clothes.

Elijah messes my hair up with his hand. "Let's go Aurora."

Ava, Jason and I all stop what we're doing.

"What? Sleeping beauty? You know who she is right?" Elijah gives us all a look.

"Omg you're still a sucker for Disney Princesses, I knew it!" I tease him.

He gives me a push. "Shut up."

I get dressed and the four of us make our way down, where we meet up with Rea and sit down at a table to eat breakfast.

We're a few bites in when the principal calls for our attention. "Good morning students, I hope you all slept nice!"

I look at Ava. She notices and gives me a curious look. I shrug and look back to the principal

"Today we're going shopping! Minors, we all meet up for lunch at Restaurant du Faux. Eighteen plussers, make sure you're here for dinner. The address of the restaurant is in your schoolmail so you should have no trouble finding it." She gives a few students a strict look. "We meet up at noon, don't be late. The rest of you, I'll see you here at 7:30 pm. Have a nice day everyone!"

We all turn back to our plates and I wiggle my eyebrows at Ava.

"No!"

We all look at Rea. She's looking at me.

"No?"

"No! You've hogged my best friend yesterday, I get to hang out with her today." She tries to intimidate me with a glare.

I chuckle. "Alright then. But bring her back in one piece please."

Rea nods and gives me a mischievous smile. "Don't worry, I will."

"Do I get any say in this matter?" Ava looks at me then at Rea and then back at me.

"No." Rea says, shaking her head. And we all burst out laughing.