Storm {A Light Novel}

. 2 0

R

"Here." The oblong case makes its way from my bag to the crack between our desks.

His eyes track between the case to the desk space in front of me and back before opening his mouth. "What's this?"

"What else? They're glasses. For you," I answer, hitting my back against the chair and leaning my elbow over the top, feigning casualness. Truth is, I am already well aware what this could look like.

He barely prods the thing with his finger. "You got me... glasses?" Wary, he pops open the case and claps it shut by mistake. Opening it up again, he carefully picks up the pair of lenses as if inspecting a new specimen, and tries them on. He nearly pokes himself in the eye and I laugh.

They look ordinary, a bit dated even, but the thin silver wire frames seem to fit him specially. I nod in approval, but don't dare say aloud that they look good.

A silent thank you is exchanged from me to the teacher's back as he strolls in heading straight for the smartboard up front, cutting off the opportunity for any questions directed at me. Particularly from Elijah.

Today, all that's left at home for me is stressing over all the empty spaces in my art portfolio. I wipe my hands free of paint and excuse the slight stains of dried yellows and blues leftover before launching myself onto my bed. The texture of the ceiling was the one thing I couldn't stand about my room, so I flip onto my stomach.

A sound alerts me to my phone. A message from Eli. I still don't know why he insists on texting with this stupid, nerdy app instead of just using the messaging app that comes with his phone.

So, you got me glasses...

So this is what he wants to talk about? Must've been really happy.

Yeah

Why?

I mean I really am grateful

Thank you

So he does really like them. That's cute. Well, the glasses look cute on him. That's good, not cute. That he likes them, that is.

Good

But why?

Can't you just be grateful?

Okay

   
Why do I feel kinda bad now?

No one texts the other for the rest of the evening other than another "Thanks Ryleigh" and for some reason that annoys me.

The next day, a slight feeling of dread lingers at the very pit of my stomach, and it only intensifies when he finally walks through the doorway. I move over, having sat in his seat to talk to a friend who sits behind him. I apologize to him in my head.

"I kept your seat warm."

"Thanks," he says, half-heartedly.

I lean my head towards him to reach the ends of my hair with my fingers, twisting with impatience, and keep glancing at the teacher's desk. And the back of Liam's chair. He isn't there.
   
"How come you aren't talking?"

"Huh?"

"I said why aren't you saying anything?" Even I know my tone could be mistaken for utter annoyance. I don't mean it.

"Oh... I thought--"

"Thought what?"

He pauses, just staring down at his arms on the desk, and I realize the accidental tone that slipped out of me didn't actually come from nowhere. Why was he acting so weird?

"I thought you were mad at me, or just don't like talking to me." At the end, he adds "like usual" which I almost don't catch.

I roll my eyes and lift my eyebrows in disbelief. "Mad at you?" That's what this was about? What would I be mad at him for?

"Your texts... They didn't seem... like..."

"So now you're reading into my texts? Listen, I'm not mad at you, and you're not my boyfriend," I scoff, joking.

He doesn't seem to take it that way. Instead he purses his lips and nods, and I can already hear a "sorry" for the millionth time even though he doesn't actually say it this time. I want to speak up, but Mr. Greene walks in with a hoot, trying to get us excited for something only he finds interest in, per usual.