Saving Elliot ✓

Chapter Five

Luckily, before I did anything stupid like actually reach out and touch him, he spun around and shoved the box in my arms. In that moment, I was so thankful for the dim lighting because I could feel my cheeks burning with warmth. I glanced down at the box. There were the stacks of the pink revision booklets Mrs Rashid wanted.

"Oh you're welcome, munchkin," he said.

I didn't have to look up at him to know he had that stupid smirk on his face.

I frowned, "I don't recall asking for your help."

"Oh c'mon munchkin, you would've broken your back trying to get that box if it wasn't for me."

I looked up at him then and what do you know, he was wearing that stupid smirk.

"Will you stop calling me that?"

He cocked his head to the side, "Stop calling you what?"

"Munchkin," I said, "It's annoying. I'm not even that short. I'll have you know I'm pretty tall for a short person."

He scoffed, "Right and Marilyn Monroe was my second wife."

My eyes narrowed, "Just a little a reminder, you still owe me two quid. I paid for your bus ticket last week."

"I don't owe you anything munchkin. I didn't tell you to pay for me."

I sighed. Jesus. I didn't have time for this. "Fintry - just - what the hell are you doing here?"

"I was heading to the bathroom but then I saw your little elfin self-struggling so I thought I would be prince charming and come to your rescue."

I stared at him for a second or two before I said, "Oh piss off."

I shoved past him and left the storage room.

Later that afternoon, I had a free period, one of the few times where I had no lessons and I had the chance to do my work (like the deputy head ordered whenever he found students lounging around) or chilling. O'Connor thought I was lame for choosing to actually do the work we were assigned. He was content with joking around with the other boys and occasionally annoying me.

I was in the sixth form common area, sitting on the plush sofas with Tam to my right and open textbooks and notebooks on the coffee table before us. I looked over at Jamie, he'd fallen asleep on the opposite sofa. O'Connor told me he'd been practicing the piano all night and had only had three hours sleep. Normally, I would wake him but he just looked so adorable when he was asleep, with his dark curls falling over head and his flushed cheeks. I smiled. Not to mention he would probably bite my head off if I did.

I leant forward, picked up the thicker biology textbook on microorganisms and dumped it on my lap. I had a neon highlighter ready for anything important I spotted. Rumour had it Mr O'Shea had scheduled a mock exam at the end of the month and there was no way I was getting anything less than an A.

"Hey, Tam," I said, "the body stops pathogens from entering the body using a mucous layer and - are you even listening?"

"Huh...What?" she mumbled, not paying any attention to me.

I followed her gaze. She'd been staring at Elliot for the past fifteen minutes. He was in the middle of the common room, playing snooker with Finley and Idris. Guessing from the fact that stupid smirk hadn't left his face since he started, Elliot was winning by a longshot.

"Tam," I said again. When she didn't respond I punched her shoulder.

She winced and threw me a sharp glare. "Ow! What the hell?"