Enoch has always been like this. Grumpy, sarcastic and reluctant to talk to the other peculiars in Miss Peregrine's loop. But when a new girl with a rather strange peculiarity shows up, will he manage to keep up this stony façade?
"Oh. That may not be possible," I said, disbelievingly, as I stared down at my leg. And then, suddenly, the events of yesterday came to me, and my shoulders slumped. The hollow. My near death experience. Enoch's expression as he looked down at me. Was he expecting me to die, I wonder? And if so, how much would he have cared? I shook those deep and depressing thoughts out of my head (far too difficult for 8:37 in the morning) and attempted to stand up. My attempt was very much without success, and I instantly collapsed back onto the bed. I tried again, with Enoch watching me, who I could tell was trying to hold back a smirk, and, like the time before, I failed.
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On about the 13th try, when I had actually made it to the door, and then, unfortunately, my leg had given way just by the frame, I gave up, and sat on the floor. "You can go get breakfast without me, Enoch," I said, defeated, "I don't think I'll be getting anywhere in this state." He frowned, then smiled. This was the smile he did when he had a plan, which, more often than not, meant there was trouble. "How about I carry you down there?" He said, innocently. I pondered it for a while, and then agreed, my stomach having rumbled loudly. "Fine. Just... Try not to drop me, okay?" "Got it." Enoch bent down and scooped me up from the floor, one hand under the crook of my knees and the other resting just under the nape of my neck. I expected him to leave me like that, resting in his arms bridal style, but no. This is Enoch we're talking about, after all. So, of course, he had to take it one step further. He flung the top half of my body over his shoulder, and grabbed my legs so I didn't tip over altogether. I was left dangling, and I could already feel the blood starting to rush to my head. "Was that really necessary?" I said loudly. "Oh, absolutely. You know, I've always wanted to do a fireman's lift on someone. I'm so glad you came along." "Thanks, that makes me feel so much more loved." "Aww, I'm glad you feel that way," he said sarcastically, before striding out of this room and hopping happily down the stairs, ignoring the fact that every time he walked my head slammed into the bottom of his back rather painfully.
By the time we reached the kitchen, I was dizzy and fed up with Enoch. I was careful to kick him on the way down from his shoulder, just to show him how irritating he is, but it made no effect on him. He simply smirked and, because everybody was watching, kissed my earlobe repeatably for a couple of seconds, before taking his usual seat, and myself taking mine. Enoch's show of affection left me blushing for over 15 minutes, even as we all ate our breakfast in an awkward silence. Before long, Enoch got bored with silence, and tried to start a conversation. "So, Portman. What's it like in the future?" It sounded more like a command rather than a question. Nevertheless, Jacob replied happily, in his funny Californian accent. "Well, everything's kinda crap, to be honest. A racist, sexist and misogynistic dick - " "Mr Portman!" " - is probably going to be president, and terrorists are running the world. So yeah. You could say that 2016 is pretty crap." I choked on my cereal. "2016? What the fuck?" "MISS (Y/L/N)!" I didn't care that Miss Peregrine was angry. I stood up and shoved my chair backwards. "I was only supposed to stay here for a few weeks? And it's been three years! Why didn't someone tell me?" I looked directly at Enoch. "Why didn't you tell me?" Enoch swallowed heavily. "(Y/N), I - " "My parents are going to think I'm dead!" I yelled. "What the hell am I supposed to do? I can't just go back now... There'll be questions, and counselling, and medication. And I'll be 18..." Miss Peregrine cleared her throat. "Miss (Y/N). Please sit down and finish your toast. We will discuss this later in my office, in private." I pulled at my hair, distressed. "I... I - " I stuttered, before running out of the room, tears falling down my cheeks. What was I supposed to do?
