Paisley Higgs | (Sirius Black)

Chapter 5- Field Trip

"The big one."

I looked around again. Neither one looked particularly big...

Apparently I was taking too long because after a moment or two James huffed and grabbed the stack of books out of my hands then unceremoniously dropped them on the dining room table further ahead.

Was it really so difficult to say 'the dining room table'? I ran up behind to fix the teetering stack dangerously close to falling over. James didn't say anything. He did, however, check his watch again, taking a seat at the table.

I stood awkwardly for a moment, leaned against a high backed chair.

What was I supposed to do? Or say?

I'd never had a proper tutor before so I had no idea how this interaction was supposed to go down... but I was pretty sure it was counterintuitive to remain this silent.

Seconds ticked by on the old grandfather clock in the corner... I think it was a clock, at least. It was kind of far away, but it looked like it had too many clock arms and it was set to the wrong time. Odd. I was going to tell him that they should maybe get it fixed, when he finally nodded toward the chair.

I guessed this was a cue for me to have a seat.

I sat.

Shifting in my seat.

Crossing and uncrossing my legs making there chair squeak.

Pulling my sweater closer towards me and fiddling with the buttons.

Meanwhile, James sat in his own seat, frowning down at his stupid watch. Why was he so obsessed with the time today? Was he always obsessed with time? Was that a thing of his? Punctuality? If so... wouldn't he have gotten that stupid grandfather clock fixed sooner?

I was really annoyed by the clock.

I had to stop thinking about it.

Focus Paisley.

But focus on what? We were just sitting in his dining room in silence!

I realized I was kind of staring at him and looked away.

I licked my lips and tried look like I was highly interested in the decor of the room, which was difficult concerning how bland it was. Floral wallpaper was pasted on the walls behind the many ornately framed pictures of James's face at various stages of childhood and adolescence. They all seemed much happier than the real James.

I wondered for the first time if it was me who made him so uncomfortable... or if perhaps there was something else... Some other thing or person that was taking his thoughts and attention captive. Was it Sirius? He wasn't there... so I supposed that might have had something to do with it... Or perhaps it was something or someone I'd never met.

His life beyond our time together was a mystery as far as I was concerned, but he seemed like the kind of guy who had a large social sphere... so the possibilities were truly endless.

"So, what subject do you need help with?" he asked, voice pulling me out of my thoughts.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and cleared my throat. "Um... well... a-all of them?"

"All of them?!" he asked incredulously, hazel eyes wide and finally looking at me.

I looked away. "Well... n-not history... I'm good at history..."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Shit... well that's good at least—I'm rubbish at history."

I didn't know how to respond to that and thus we elapsed into an awkward silence once more.