Aquaphobia | BxB

Chapter 12: Silence

I hadn't said anything after the beach incident. My mum gave me space; she only came into my room to leave me some food but I didn't even look at her. I was curled up on my bed staring at the wall. When she wasn't checking up on me I was constantly scratching at my skin as though the salty water was embedded in there still. As though I hadn't already scrubbed my skin red raw the moment I'd stepped through the door. I didn't blame my mum for what had happened but I still hadn't spoken a word when the next day rolled by and came to an end. I was exhausted, weak, and feeling sorry for myself. I didn't have the energy in me to talk to her and breakdown again. Staying silent seemed to be the only viable option but it was Monday faster than I was ready and I could no longer stay silent.

I walked into the school building expecting things to have changed. I thought maybe people would look at me differently, somehow know what had happened over the weekend but no one even batted an eye in my direction. No one but Blake that is.
"How'd it go, Aqua?" Blake bumped shoulders with me as I reached my locker.
I sighed and leant my back against the metal, my head tilted up so I didn't have to look Blake in the eyes. Then I realised I'd have to say something otherwise he'd know something was wrong.
Could I really tell him the truth?
"It was pretty uneventful." I shrugged.
He'd just get mad if he knew what had happened. I wanted to stay as drama free as possible and I knew the only way to do that was to not give many details.
"Really?" Blake arched an eyebrow and I felt my face redden and heat up as I thought of how utterly eventful the day had actually been.
I would've covered my face with my hair if it were longer but instead, I just flicked a few curls that were resting on my eyebrow and turned to my locker. 
 I nodded quickly and it didn't make him believe me anymore.
"You went to the place that belongs to the water and it was 'uneventful'?" Blake continued in a voice that made me know he definitely didn't believe me a single bit and he wasn't going to stop until I gave him some kind of story about the day.
I breathed in a quick breath to give myself enough energy to speak.
"I spoke to Cain," I blurted out as I just stared into my empty locker.
"Cain," Blake said the name quietly in confusion. "Wait! The hot swimmer guy!?" Blake yelled in the middle of the corridor, earning a few odd looks from the students but he didn't seem to notice. He was too busy buzzing about what I'd told him, I'm pretty sure his body was actually vibrating in excitement. I stuffed some books into my locker silently so I'd have some time for Blake to calm down. By the time I closed it Blake was just - if not more - excited to hear everything about the encounter.
"Yeah," I said casually and shrugged.
I hoped he didn't notice that I was messing nervously with my sleeve. Thankfully, he didn't mention it.
"What did you talk about?" He pressed.
"Um, well, it was more me talking to him ya know?" I tried to laugh but it came out quiet so I stopped smiling and turned back to my locker. Double checking it was locked even though I already knew it was.
"He's pretty quiet actually."
"Shy and cute?" Blake put his hands together and as though he were praying to the love gods and then smiled in that signature way that he does. "Winner, winner."
"Don't you dare end that with chicken dinner," I cut him off.
"Damn, Aqua, you ruin my life," he laughed.
"That's what I'm here for, Nycto," I retorted and started walking down the corridor to my next class. We didn't share a class together this period and I was hoping maybe he'd leave it there but he didn't. 

"So, anything happen between you two?" He asked as he walked with me, side by side. 
"He gave me his towel," I spluttered out and smiled.
Blake made kissy noises and I knocked his shoulder away laughing.
"Shut up that didn't happen!"
"Suree," Blake exaggerated but at least he thought that was why I didn't want to speak and not because of what actually happened.
"This is my stop," I said as I halted outside a class that was already half full.
"This is the final stop," Blake spoke in a train conductor voice. "All arseholes that took Spanish over French please get the heck off my train. I repeat this is the final stop for Miss. Bruja's class."
"Dude, not so loud. She'd kill you if she heard you calling her that," I laughed and Blake pretended to disconnect the speaker. "Plus, you're going to be late to class."
"Better blast then," Blake said and saluted me before speeding off down the corridor.
His bag bumped against his leg causing him to nearly trip over but somehow he managed to stay grounded. I shook my head at him and turned to go into class. I walked past Miss. Briggs and somehow the so-called Witches lair felt comforting after the weekend I'd had. It was chaotic and terrifying but in a way that I knew and in a way that felt somewhat safe. I was hoping the Witch (or Bruja as it's said in Spanish, hence why the students have started calling her that) would be extra harsh today with work so I could distract myself from Blake and the beach and hell even Cain but there was no such luck.