The class was silent and motionless as they took their tests. Each student was silently dreading this moment, including the ones who had studied various nights before such as Annabelle. Not only had she studied the night before, but also helped her brother with her notes. They had been study buddies for as long as they both remembered. Annabelle was stubbed on a few questions but skipped them and went back as soon as she remembered the answers. She looked up from her test and smiled at Olen who was observing her. A small smile played on his lips, a sweet smile. She returned back to her desk and so did Olen. He took a look at his watch and sighed.
"Ten minutes."
Some students panicked at this and some sighed in relief. Annabelle had been nearly done, only needed to finish her writing portion and she'd be completely finished. When she did so, only about five minutes remained on the timed test and she felt relieved. She hadn't been the first one, but she was one of the first ones to have finished. She stood and gave her test to Olen who stuck out his hand to collect it. He didn't meet her gaze and she felt a little saddened at this. Instead he just took the test from her and she scurried off to her desk. She was no longer sitting near Arthur, but was now three desks away. A few minutes later, Olen stood from his desk and looked over at his students.
"Pencils down." All the students dropped their pencils, creating a clatter. "All the tests will now be collected. You may leave the classroom."
Students stood from their desks and he walked over to Annabelle. He pointed her back down on her seat, and she sat back down obeying. Arthur, who was observing his sister, saw this and it angered him quite a bit. He felt as if Annabelle had been treated like a dog and he walked over furiously to his sister.
"Come on, Annabelle. We're leaving," he spoke, taking his sisters hand and getting her to stand.
"Ow, you're hurting me."
"Arthur, let her go. I have to ask your sister a question, sorry to have angered you. You can listen."
Arthur looked over at his sister and let go of her. He nodded and took a seat on a chair. Olen was quite surprised that Annabelle's twin had grabbed her with such force that would hurt her. However, he had to ask her a question.
"Annabelle, I was wondering if you were free tonight?" Olen asked, causing Arthur to nearly choke on his own saliva. He noticed this and shook his head. "I was wondering if you could watch over my son? I have a pending date with my wife and my sister is out of town for the weekend."
Annabelle knew Chris had asked her on a date for tonight but couldn't deny Mr. Olen as she knew what was going on between him and his wife. She bit her lip and nodded.
"Yeah, I had something, but I won't bother canceling."
Olen shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. It felt greasy and he made a reminder to wash it when he got home. Hopefully a shower would set him at ease again. "If you have something, I'd rather you not."
"No, it was with a friend. He won't mind. I'll do it, just tell me what time and where. I'll ask Austin to take me since he doesn't have soccer practice today."
"Is your brother okay with this?" he questioned looking at Arthur.
Annabelle peeked over at Arthur and he nodded smiling. He knew how much his sister loved children and knew she was great with them as well. She'd be the perfect babysitter for Mr. Olen's son.
"Perfect. Here," Olen responded back taking a piece of paper and writing down his address, time, and phone number on it. He handed it to Annabelle and she gladly took it.
"You may leave now. I'll see you later and we'll talk about a payment."
Annabelle and Arthur both said their goodbyes and left the classroom. Now she just had to tell Chris she wouldn't be able to attend their date. Would he hate her for it?
"Don't worry, he won't be angry. I'll text him right now and tell him we'll go shopping and that he can't say no because I'm buying him something," Arthur replied smugly.
Annabelle nodded shocked at her brother. "How did you know?"
"I saw you two holding hands. Are you official? I heard many rumors."
She sighed, shook her head, and said, "not yet, but either way I'm still not ready."
Arthur smiled at her and sent Chris the message. He received a reply back saying yes and then his phone was ringing.
"Hello?"
"Babysitting?"
"Mhm, shopping?" she asked.
"Yup. Next week? Please?"
She smiled and laughed a little. "Definitely."
He said his goodbye to her and ended the call. Now Annabelle had nothing to worry about and could watch over little Matthew, who seemed like angel as to how his father described him. Annabelle and Arthur walked towards their friends and spent the rest of their time together before the bell rang signifying they had to leave for their second test.
*
Austin gave a thumbs up at his sister before he rang the doorbell for her. He waited patiently for someone to answer and when the door opened he greeted Mr. Olen.
"Hello, Mr. Olen."
"Just call me Olen."
"Wait, your name is Olen?" Austin asked confused.
Olen laughed and reminded himself only a few people knew. "Yeah, my last name is Swayder but I've always used my first name as my last. I changed it when I turned eighteen. Hello, Annabelle," Olen said as he looked behind Austin at his student.
Austin moved out of the way and Annabelle smiled at him and shook his hand. Their eyes both met when a slight tingle rose in them, they didn't know of course. Olen removed his hand from hers and was instantly attacked by two small hands tickling his sides. He laughed at this and struggled to get out of his sons grasp. When he was able to, he scooped Matthew up and placed a kiss on his cheek which he instantly wiped off.
"I'm a big boy now!" he said ignoring the girl and boy at his door who watched amused.
"Not my big boy, you're my baby boy. Look," Olen told his son as he pointed at the two outside. "She'll be taking care of you."
Matthew's eyes lightened up as he stared happily at Annabelle. She had to coo at him and did so, earning a small giggle from the young boy. She couldn't help but notice that Matthew had no resemblance to Olen. Instead of bright blue eyes, he held deep brown eyes, and instead of jet black hair, he held a light brown hair color. His features didn't seem to match Olen either, maybe personality wise? She couldn't ask, it would be rude. But her questions were answered when, behind Olen, walked up a beautiful lady. She was his wife.
"Oh my, my two big men together." She kissed Olen and then Matthew. She looked to the door and smiled at both Austin and Annabelle. "You must be Annabelle, and..."
Austin shook her hand quickly and replied with, "Austin Carter. Annabelle's older brother and chauffeur, at your service."
"Oh, you're so cute! You sure do love your sister enough to be driving her where she asks you," Olen's wife retorted.
Austin scratched the back of his neck and answered, "well-" He didn't get to finish because Annabelle elbowed him. "Of course. I'm sorry, I never got your name?"
She placed a hand on her chest and said, "I'm sorry, I was too excited for meeting you two. I am Margaret George." Olen felt jealous when Austin continued to speak with his wife and coughed.
"We should get going soon. Will you be staying Austin?"
Austin shook his head. "Can't. I'll be here to pick you up later," he told Annabelle. "No need to, I'll take her back home. You have told your parents, correct?"
Annabelle nodded at Olen and gave her brother a tight hug before he left in his car. She was told to come inside and was given the instructions for Matthew by Margaret. She didn't seem how Olen had described her, but stayed silent. Before they had left Olen gave her twenty dollars for her in case of an emergency, along with contact numbers. He had decided to pay her later. Matthew was just a ball of sunshine and dragged Annabelle everywhere.
"This is my room, I sleep all alone now." Annabelle once again had to coo, he was just a sweetheart who thought growing up was easy. Maybe it was. "What's your name?" he had asked her.
"Annabelle."
He said it many times until he got a hang of it and smiled when he had known how to pronounce it correctly, but decided to call her Belle just how Chris called her.
Next he took her to a room where many toys were stored in toy shelves and where a piano was placed in the far corner of the room. She walked to it but stopped when Matthew spoke up.
"When mommy and daddy fight I hide here, I don't like it when they fight. Do your mommy and daddy fight?" Matthew asked with innocent eyes.
She kneeled at his level and smiled. "Yes, they did. But now they don't. They'll be fine, it's just adults have many problems, but you are their joy and wouldn't want you to get hurt at all. they love you."
He grinned at her and hugged her tightly. She hugged back and tears threatened to fall. Her parents were constantly fighting even after they took a break. When her father would visit them, either he or her mother would start an argument, but now that her mom remarried they have not fought at all. She allowed him to enter their home, and both he and her stepfather were good friends. Besides, he was also remarried and her mother had somehow warmed up to his new wife.
Annabelle and Matthew spent their evening playing games inside and out, and when it came time for dinner, Annabelle made him the macaroni she'd been instructed to make him. Olen had text her throughout the day and she laughed at his last text before telling him to enjoy the time with his wife. Matthew ate his food and she also gave him his cough medicine and watched a last minute movie before he fell asleep on he couch. She took him to his room, being thankful the home was a one story floor, and laid him to rest. He only stirred a bit and she waited a couple of minutes before going back to the living room. She cleaned up the mess they had made and then decided to call Leo. He answered on he second ring.
"Hey, Leo."
"Uh, hey Annabelle. What's up?"
Annabelle didn't want to seem nosy, but she just couldn't stand the fact that her best friend had been ignoring her for almost a month now, she just couldn't. "I want to know what's up with you. What happened to us?"
He stayed silent for a few seconds before he sighed into the phone. "I'm sorry, Sonia was becoming jealous of you and asked me to stop talking to you. I just don't know why I listened to her, I am honestly sorry Annabelle."
Annabelle just bit her lip and released it when she began to speak. "I just thought maybe I had done somehing-"
"No, not you. Me. I will make it up to you, I'll talk to Sonia and make her a deal. If she won't let me speak and hang out with you then the relationship is over-" "No, Leo." "Listen, I won't lose you, alright? See you monday?"
Annabelle said yes and they dismissed each other. She had her best friend back, or so that's what she hoped for. When she laid on the couch it seemed to envelop her in body relaxers and she drifted off right then and there.
*
Olen parked his car and his wife exit quickly. She was drunk and was definitely sleepy. He got off the car and locked the doors. He then helped her inside and noticed no one was in the first living room, so he took his wife to their bedroom and laid her down. She fell asleep instantly. He walked across the hall to Matthew's room and kissed his baby goodnight. When he walked into the second living room he observed as Annabelle slept peacefully. She let out soft snores and he chuckled to himself.
He walked to her and shook her lightly, this somehow reminded him of the time when she woke him up in his classroom. She stirred and tried to slap Olen, however, he backed his head away.
"Annabelle?" She opened her eyes and yawned. "Mr. Olen, what time is it?"
"Past midnight, I should get you home, your mom is expecting you before one-thirty and it will take at least half-an-hour to get to your home."
She nodded and stood up. He directed her to the front door by wrapping both his arms around her shoulder and left his home to walk to his car. Annabelle shivered underneath him and he decided to take off his over top and placed it around her. She stopped shivering and he guided her inside his car. He closed the door after she made it in and leaned her head against the glass window. He went on his drivers side and noticed she hadn't placed her seat belt on. He reached over to her and grabbed the seatbelt. As he did so, she moved her head to her left and her lips brushed against his cheek. He stopped momentarily but continued. When he had placed her seatbelt on, he did the same to himself and drove off.
When he had made it to a red light, Olen took out a hundred dollar bill and placed it on the inside pocket of his coat he'd given her. He was sure, due to experience, that he would not be receiving the jacket back that night and he was okay with it.
He had asked Annabelle to send him a message with her address and was glad he'd done so. He drove silently with the radio on its lowest volume to her home and felt peace for once. The dinner he had planned for almost a week with his wife wasn't as happily as he had hoped, the first few hours they had fun, acting like a young couple, but then she was bothered when the waitress had smiled at him. She most definitely was well over fifty but his wife didn't care, she felt jealousy. Then she started ordering alcoholic drinks, he had asked her to stop but instead she ordered a couple more and then they came home.
When he arrived at Annabelle's home she had woken up but was still very much groggy from her nap. She thanked him and exit his car. She hadn't even taken two steps before Olen saw her slip. He quickly left his car and rushed to her aid. The grass was wet and she was just standing up when he helped her to her feet. He grabbed her by both arms as he did so and she stared at him and smiled. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her back and just stood there with her in his arms for a minute or so, then he let go.
"I'll walk you to the door," Olen told her.
They walked to her door and he knocked. The door was opened no later than a few seconds after he had knocked and there stood Arthur. He nodded at Olen and greeted him. Arthur took his sister in his grasp and the two men exchanged good nights.
When Olen was back in his car he had gone back to the hug. That hug was more than a friendly embrace, it made his body tingle and he wouldn't deny it.
What was going on?
_______
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Questions?
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