Capturing Them

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten
•Sang•

My feet move me down the hallway and through the crowds at a fast rate. I don't look over my shoulder to see if I have followers because I know they aren't following me. Not because they don't want to, because they do, I could sense it, but because they seem to know I need my space.

I push through the double doors that lead outside to the courtyard and I inhale gulps of air. My heart pounds in my chest as I realize that I'm actually skipping a class but I can't go to that class with Mr Blackbourne when I can't pick up a violin. I just can't do it. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

I move through the courtyard until I'm sitting under a tree, my legs tucked up to my chest and my face buried between my knees. My hair has closed the world off from where I hide in my little bubble and I hope I'm as invisible as I used to be, as invisible as I've always been. I don't want to be noticed.

The bell rings from inside the building but to my ears it still rings loudly, signalling the beginning of the next class. I lift my head and close my eyes, rest my head back on the tree I sit beneath. The bark digs into my scalp, but I can't bring myself to care. I savor the pain; it makes me focus on something else other then my racing heart and thoughts of those boys.

I'm not sure how long I'm sitting there before I feel the weight of a stare on me. The hairs on the back of my neck stand tall and goose bumps rise on my arms. I lift my head and find the source of my body's reaction, stiffening when I realize that it's the one person I'm trying to avoid.

He runs his hand over his tie that is tucked perfectly behind his suit jacket before pushing his glasses up his nose and making his way towards me. He looks so out of place in his suit and slicked back hair but he also looks handsome and my whole body reacts the closer he gets.

I avert my eyes away from his and instead look at my knees where my jeans are stretching just a little over my knee cap. I swallow when Mr Blackbourne comes to a stop and I watch from the corner of my eye as he sit down; his feet flat on the floor, knees raised and his arms hanging over them.

Right now, he looks as young as he really is. I don't know exactly how old he is, but he doesn't look much older then myself, early twenties at least. If I could trade in that suit with a plain T and a pair of jeans, ruffle his hair a little then maybe he could pass to be a teen still. Something tells me he never was a teen, or when he was, his formalities took over, always a professional.

My fingers twitch to take his picture as he gazes and look around the court yard, not even bothering to look my way just yet but I know he's aware of me. His fingers twitch and his lips part but he doesn't say anything.

Before I second guess myself, I reach for my camera and remove it from my bag. I turn it on as I lean back against the tree and push my glasses up onto my head. I don't meet the stare that now weighs heavily on me as I raise the camera to my face, my finger ready on the button that will capture a moment I know I'll never forget. I twist the focus ring until I find the right focus point.

He looks straight at me as I snap his picture. For the next one, his lips quirk up just a millimeter and the one that follows that one is when he moves his head and looks away from me but even from here,through the lens, another one of my eyes, I see that millimeter smile.

Lowering the camera, I bring up his picture and my thumb runs over the screen, over his beautiful profile. I hold the camera out to him and show him the picture. He stares at it for a long moment and I would do anything to know what it was he was thinking, wondering if his thoughts mirror mine because in his picture he almost looks young, carefree and happy.