How they shone in the artificial light of the library.
***
Charlotte steadied her breathing as she made her way back to the library.
Why was she so nervous? She had kept everything to herself up until this point, why change that.
It was something to do with his eyes. They shone like the sun peering through a stain glass window, a minty green colour. She couldn't steer her eyes away.
Before she knew it, private 'embarrassing' things about her were revealed.
She held tightly to the strap of her bag, as she walked slowly up the stairs.
She internally cursed the teacher for not being in the learning coach, meaning she had to go the library.
She could hear his voice from a mile off, he was on the phone to someone. His laugh was so loud, so happy. Two things Charlotte used to be.
She made it to the top of the staircase, catching the attention of the boy. His face dropped a little, saying a quick goodbye and putting his phone away.
She breathed in deeply one more time, before opening the door. He smiled, watching her walk over to her seat.
He stretched back, un-zipping his bag and pulling out a book. The book that he had flung over his shoulder only 1 hour ago.
"I uh, I didn't know what page you were on, sorry about that"
She smiled, shaking her head. She took it out of his grasp, placing it on top of the table. She flicked the pages with her fingers while awkward silence filled the air.
She could tell Will was trying to string up a conversation, stopping himself before he asked the wrong questions.
She reddened, embarrassment coursing through her body. She brought her arms in, confining in herself. She bit her lip, looking up at him. He sighed.
"I'm not going to tell anyone"
He promised, throwing her the softest smile he could.
"Thank you"
She whispered, fiddling with the ends of her hair. He copied his previous actions, walking over to her and sitting directly in front. He made a power movie by reaching out and placing her hands in his.
"You don't have to feel embarrassed Charlotte"
She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"I can't help it, it's not exactly something to be proud of"
He looked down, biting his lip, the two pairs of hands still connected.
"Look, I know me and you aren't the closest"
She scoffed at his statement.
"But you can always talk to me if you want to. My ears are always open"
She shook her head.
"Will, me and you aren't friends. I haven't even told Dani about it. The only reason you know, is because apparently I can't keep my mouth shut"
She yelled, letting him know how she felt and not holding back any punches. She'd never raised her voice at someone like him before, she never had the guts to.
If she dared to, she would get laughed all they way back to her corner. But she had her chance as soon as Will showed a little bit of venerability.
She should be relishing in this moment. Finally someone who was willing to listen and not judge. And it was Will of all people.
Someone who did nothing but judge and ridicule everyone else. But here he was, sat across from her. Holding her hands gently in his, staring deeply into her eyes.
But worry and shame took over her, forcing her to yell.
Will didn't know how to respond. In the 4 years the two knew each other, he'd never once seen her raise her voice, not even from a distance. He went to speak but no words came out.
Charlotte just stared out the window, not wanting to see the shock on his face. Only her mother had seen her properly angry, which was the breaking point for her. Resulting in Charlotte moving in with her father for a while.
"I'm sorry"
She whispered. The last person she wanted seeing her spiral was Will.
"I didn't mean to shout"
She bit her lip, looking down at the table. Will knew her shouting wasn't intentional. He didn't know the full story, but he knew the outskirts.
"I know you didn't"
He nodded. He crossed his arms on the table, resting his chin on top.
Now the two sat in silence. Neither of them wanted to say anything. Their first proper interaction, and she had yelled in his face and released her inner secret.
"I uh-"
Charlotte stuttered, making Will shoot his head up and look at her. Her eyes were down, too ashamed to look at him properly.
"I really appreciate you saying that though, Will"
She pressed her lips together, smiling slightly. He internally sighed in relief, glad that things weren't totally ruined.
"Like, I assumed that people would judge"
He nodded, hanging on to her every word. She chuckled slightly.
"I just can't believe I've told you all of that"
He nodded.
"I think it's the most I've heard you speak without crying"
He mentioned, referring to the time she gave her English GCSE speech in front of the class, only to break down in front of everyone. She cringes, putting her hands over her face.
"I bet I looked like an idiot"
She laughs, rubbing her eyes as she has a flashback to that terrible Wednesday.
"I didn't think so"
She looks up at him.
"I thought you looked kinda cute"
Her cheeks heated up, raising her eyebrows at the boy.
"Not that I thought you were cute when you were crying, obviously that was kinda sad. But like, the way you were crying, it made your eyes look really shiny"
He shyly commented, looking down at his fingers as he kicked his legs under the table. She smiled, not used to being complimented by one of the boys who did nothing but take the piss half of the time.
"Thanks"
She whispered, biting the insides of her cheeks, a habit she had picked up during the many Fridays she had spent sitting in the library.
"I bet the rest of your crew didn't think the same"
She chuckled dryly, knowing deep down that they had definitely laughed about the whole thing with each other. She didn't need to look at his face for long to realise.
"They were won't they? They were laughing the whole time"
Will shrugged, pressing his lips together in a silent yes.
"I did give Mathew a smack on the shoulder for it though"
She raised her eyebrows.
"He's not my favourite person in the world"
She admitted, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. She heard Will hum in laughter.
"Ah, he's alright. He's a bit of a dick before you get to know him. He's quite good at giving advice actually. If I'm having an off day on the football field, he's really good at hyping me up and getting me back on track"
She looked up, surprised at the idea of Mathew being a decent person. She would never of thought that to kid who was constantly pushing and kicking year 7's around, was an okay lad.
"I'll believe it when I see it"
She muttered. Will smiled.
"Fair enough"
They once again fell into silence, looking at each other, admiring.
Will gave her his softest smile, which he reserved up until this point only for his mother.
"We used to have french together, I remember"
He recalled, crossing his arms over his chest. She nodded her head slightly, remembering the many lessons where he would cause havoc by back chatting and pushing pencil cases and books off tables.
"I sat behind you"
She scoffed a little, rolling her eyes. Will laughed her reaction of the memory.
"Was I that annoying?"
She smiled, nodding her head somewhat exaggeratedly.
He continued to laugh at her face.
"Damn, what did I do that it's effected you for so long"
She shrugged her shoulders and a giggle.
"I hardly know any french now cause Mrs Marks spent most of the time shouting at you"
He raised his eyebrows in mock offence.
"Uh, excuse me. I remember you having the second highest mark in the class when we did our exam"
She mirrored his face, but hers was more surprise than anything.
"Wow, you remember the weirdest things"
He bit his lip, looking down at his lap. She could see a slight tinge of pink dust his cheeks as he smiled a little.
"It's sweet"
She mumbled quietly, looking at the table. He looked up, only able to see the top of her head. He grinned a little at her shyness.
He wanted to talk with her all day. learn as much about her as he could. What her birthday was, what her favourite colour was. Her favourite season of the year, her best subject in school.
Literally anything he could.
But it was 2:50, 10 minutes before the end of school.
The teacher would be back at any minute, an after school detention slip in hand, ready to deliver to the behaviourally challenged boy.
But Will suddenly had a sense of nervousness he wouldn't usually have course through his body. In any other situation, he would've asked for her number, gave her some smirk look.
But he knew Charlotte probably wouldn't of liked that.
2:51
"Are you ready for the English lit exam next week?"
He wasn't really interested in talking about the mock, but he was interested in talking to her. So even though it was about something as boring as Of Mice and Men, at least it was her talking about it.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm ready. I quite liked the book anyway, so doing work on it wasn't too bad"
He nods his head, liking the way she pronounces each word. They sound pretty much how a regular person would say them, but when she said them, it sounded gospel.
"That's good. But I think I think I preferred The Evolution of a Girl"
Will admitted. Charlotte's face formed one of surprise.
"You've read that?"
2:52
"Yeah. I read it last year. I'm a secret poetry nerd"
He whispered towards the end of his sentence. She giggled a little, the shy girl in her flushing at his charm.
"But you failed poetry last month"
He sighed, nodding his head.
"Yeah, the night before the exam I went a bit to hard on the alcohol. The exam was the first thing that morning and I wasn't functioning properly at that time"
She rolled her eyes teasingly.
"Why would you do something like that when you knew you had an exam the next morning. A bit stupid if you ask me"
He laughed from his chest, bobbing his head in agreement.
"Yeah, not my finest moment. I ended up throwing up in the boys locker rooms"
She scrunched her eyebrows in, disgust clear on her face.
"Ew, that's so gross"
She cringed at the image of Will puking up his guts in the sweaty boy smelling changing rooms.
Will only laughed at her face.
2:53
Will tapped his foot under the table, the nerves still present in his chest.
"Well maybe not do that the night before the lit mock next week. I don't want you to throw up in the middle of the exam on Tuesday"
He grinned at her, not tearing his eyes away.
"Okay, I promise"
He whispered, beginning to notice all the little quips she had when she was nervous.
How she would play with her fingers or the pretty orange bracelet on her wrist. How she would stare at the little dents and scratches on the table, or with the ends of her hair.
It was almost adorable. Or was it just adorable?
Will didn't know he'd never experienced feelings like these before.
His hand was placed on top of where his phone was in his pocket. Waiting for the moment where he would ask for her digits.
Or rather, wait for his hands to stop fucking shaking.
He could see the clock that was placed on the wall behind her.
2:54
'Grow a fucking pair Will, and ask her'
He chanted in his head, seemingly forgetting every single 'move' he had ever used to get a girls number before.
He could hear people's chairs scraping against the floor in the classes next door. He's normally be one of them, itching to leave the building before a teacher could reach up to him and keep him back.
But today he was plucking up the courage to ask for a girls number.
"You doing anything this weekend?"
She questioned, peaking the boys interest.
Was she asking to hang out? Or was she just asking to fill any silence?
Charlotte was surprising herself. 2 hours ago, she didn't even want to talk to him. She hated the idea of being stuck in a room with him.
But after talking with him for a while, finding out a little about him, she's glad he told a teacher she was boring as fuck.
She could tell something was up with him, his foot was tapping vigorously on the floor and his face has been flushed red since they began this part of the conversation.
It seemed like he was checking the clock every few moments. She was hoping that didn't mean he was bored of her already.
2:55
He was beginning to get really frustrated with himself.
'It's just a girl for fuck sake'
"Not really, thought I'd have a chill one. Maybe revise for the mock I don't know"
Again, she rolled her eyes teasingly.
"If you have any hope of passing this mock, I'd revise. It's not as if the book is war and peace anyway"
"I've read that"
He commented, her mouth gaped a little.
"You have? When?"
He thought for a second.
"Last year. Took my ages though. By the time I got to the end, I completely forgot the beginning"
She smiled, wanting to talk to him more. She was worried that as soon as they left this room today, they'd never speak again.
That this would be one of those random occurrences that they'd remember but never speak of.
Charlotte didn't want that.
Neither did Will.
Some type of weird phantom bond had struck up between them, a neither wanted to let that go.
2:56
Charlotte noticed the teachers begin to stand outside their doors, holding it for the students who were getting ready to barge passed and spend their weekend avoiding anything to do with school.
Will looked behind him, towards Charlottes eye line. He internally signed. He spotted Mr Clark, the PE teacher.
"I heard that Mr Clark and Miss Swan were having an affair"
Charlotte uttered, causing Will to quickly swerve his head around.
"Really?!"
"Yeah"
She nodded, sliding her book off the table and into her bag.
"Apparently Dani saw them at some restaurant a few weeks ago"
He raised his eyebrows.
"All over each other were they?"
"Apparently"
A few people started leaving their classrooms, heading either towards the gates or to their after school activities.
Charlotte began to put her coat on, reaching for her bag to put on her shoulder.
Will suddenly conjured up and idea in his head.
"Uh, Charlotte?"
She turned back to him, a waiting look on her face.
2:57
"I'm a bit nervous for this mock"
He smirks slightly, a bit of confidence bubbling in his chest.
"Yeah?"
She challenges him, throwing a teasing smile his way.
"Is there any way you could help me? Tutor me maybe?"
She pressed her lips together in a smile.
"Will, we both know are very capable of doing this yourself. You've read war and peace willingly for god sake"
He sighed and lowered his head.
"You reckon I'm smart enough?"
She flushed, biting her lip slightly.
"I said what I said"
She said, grinning as she pushed the chair under the table.
"Are you walking home?"
2:58
She raised to full hight, a questioning look on her face.
"Yeah, why?"
He cleared his throat, the nerves emerging in his stomach again. He scratched the back of his neck, wanting to hide the slight shaking of his hand.
"We go the same way ya know"
He commented a little quieter. She crossed her arms over her chest. She had a clear idea in her head about what he was about to ask, and the question kind of excited her.
"We do"
She affirmed, well aware of the blush rising from his neck to flood the rest of his face. He groaned, a playful smile on his face.
"You know what I'm gonna ask as well"
She giggled at his reaction. She was enjoying this moment. A boy has never taken an interest in her before, to her knowledge anyway, and she wanted to relish in this moment.
2:59
"I don't know, make it clear to me"
He smirked more fully at her smugness, enjoying this new layer of her he's discovered.
"Let me walk you home"
He gave in, his hands mirroring hers and crossing over his chest. She stands there, 'deliberating' over her response.
William Lenney was asking to walk her home.
William Lenney who often spent his free time verbally attacking as many people as possible
William Lenney who has scared away every supply teacher he had ever had.
William Lenney who now knew more about her than any of her best friends.
"Okay"
She whispered, walking passed her and towards the door of the library, leaving Will to quickly grab his coat and bag, jogging over to her.
They walked down the stairs together, heading towards the side door to the back entrance of the school.
Will pulled his phone out, checking his phone.
3:00
The bell rang, as he locked eyes with the time.
He managed to secure the one on one time just before the bell.
"What you smiling at?"
She squinted her eyes and tilted his head towards him. He bit his lower lip and shook his head.
"Don't worry"
Just as Will placed one foot outside the school premises, a voice called from behind them.
"William Lenney!"
The two turned. Mrs Morrison, the deputy head of year staring at the boy with a glare and flared nostrils.
"Where on earth do you think you're going?"
Will looked between the teacher and his new lady-friend.
"Home?"
Morrison looked towards Charlotte, expecting her to say that Will was bothering her.
But Charlotte just smiled.
"I don't think so young man, I've got an after school detention slip with your name written all over it"
Will sighed, looking at Charlotte with disappointment in his eyes.
'Fuck my abrasive dumb friend Matty"
He looked back at the teacher, a look in her eyes that just screamed 'please'
Charlotte watched his face fall. A look she didn't like on him. His green eyes suited the smug, smiley cocky look.
She looked down at the ground, before shooting her head back up and faced the teacher.
"He's walking me home Mrs Morrison"
She smiled, hoping that would sway something in the teacher.
"William Lenney, walking a girl home"
He smiled sarcastically.
"Yeah Miss, I'm a gentleman"
Mrs Morrison looked between two, confusion circling around her head.
She looked at her watch. It was a Friday. It was cold. She was tired.
"Mmmmm"
She pushed her lips together, nodding slowly.
"alright then, go home both of you"
They weren't to turn back around.
"William!"
Her looked back over his shoulder.
"No more being rude to teachers yeah?"
He nodded quickly, just wanting to leave and walk his new...friend? Home.
They both squeezed out of the gate, turning left and heading up the hill.
Fingers brushing.
***
Hope you enjoyed lads 🙏
Do people want a part 3 to this story? Cause I'm more than happy to write one. But if not I am also happy to leave it here.
But I won't be writing another part unless people let me know they want me to. If ya get me 😙
Thank you so much for 28k views and over 300 upvotes. That's literally insane and feels much better than any gcse pass I've gotten recently.
Love you all 💖
Upvote because I'm watching Hot Fuzz at this moment and it's funny.
That's all for now.
Bye-bye.
🤙💛Xx.