Chapter Twenty-Four: Be Brave
"Alright class, listen up for a second and then I'll let you work on the worksheets freely afterwards," Mr. Astrole says sternly, lazily leaning against the edge of his desk at the front of the room. He lifts his finger to pull at and loosen the tie around his neck before picking up a stapled packet of papers. His small glasses fall to the tip of his nose from where they were perched on his thick salt and pepper hair as he leans forward to read the papers in front of his face.
I lean back in my chair, moving my hands up through my messy hair and stretch out a small yawn. The muscles in my chest pull taught as my back bends and my arms stretch back towards my shoulder blades, my eyes squeezed tight as I let out a groan because my back finally cracked. My body feels heavy. My eyelids don't seem to want to see the sun ever again because all they do is droop closed every time I open them. I just want to sleep and yet the idea of dreaming makes my eyes fly open immediately.
I pull the hem of my baggy white and purple striped collared shirt down over the strip of my stomach that was showing from my stretching, covering my mouth as another yawn bubbles up my throat and out of my mouth. People are already staring at me and I don't really like the attention. I look across the room and see Flynn looking at the spot next me with one eyebrow raised and an amused smirk plastered on his face. He turns his gaze to me and wiggles his eyebrows playfully before winking and turning back around to face Mr. Astrole who is still talking for some reason.
My eyes wonder to my right and a small smile graces my lips as I see Benji slumped over in his chair with his head resting on his arms on top of his desk. It seems as though he's enraptured by our biology teacher, but I can see his cold blue eyes are positioned so that they are staring directly at me with his face still facing forward. They're watching my stomach, seemingly captivated, before they travel up my chest, over my shoulders, and grace my whole face before our gazes meet.
I tilt my head slightly as we stare at each other, completely ignoring Mr. Astrole's babbling that probably won't help me later in life.
Benji's whole body is stiff and he looks hesitant to pull away from me but then doesn't. It's like he can't look away...which I understand because I can't either. A small smile of course stretches across my face because it's like no matter how much Benji tries to distance himself from me he just keeps giving me these small signs. Like he wants to be comfortable around me and he wants to be closer but no matter how close he gravitates to me there are these evil demons in his mind yanking on chains tied to his limbs, pulling him away from me a little every time he takes a step forward.
I lean forward on impulse, his stare too much for my hormones. I know maybe I should have asked first but I just couldn't think clearly with him staring at me like I was important. Like I meant something to someone. Like I was more than that weird flamboyant kid that had no bounds and no self-respect. I'm just that loud narcissistic kid to a lot of people. But they don't know me, you know? They have never once stopped and asked me why I have to fill the quiet with my voice, why I always have dark bags under my eyes that are only visible when I smudge my concealer, or why I'm always surrounded by people and yet I still feel so alone.
No one ever asks the right questions because they never want to hear the answer.
And Benji...he made me feel something different. Like my existence might matter. Like maybe I could matter to him in the future? I don't know, maybe I'm just losing my mind from lack of sleep and ingesting too many raw pancakes (because let's face it I can't cook) but I think Benji might actually care for me. And I know I might be pushing things too fast...but in the moment we were friends and kissing each other's noses is what friends do, right?
Because I totally just leaned forward and planted my lips onto his cute upturned nose softly, lingering there for only a moment. Benji's eyes went wide and cross eyed so that he could see the kiss with shocked eyes, before I pulled back with a faint and very happy smile. I giggled softly at his blush, his beautiful red stained cheeks that look so much better than his normally hollow pale ones. I rub his cheek quickly with my thumb and then bump the underneath of his chin teasingly, turning back to the teacher who it seems is already passing out more papers. Gosh all this guy does is kill trees. He must really hate squirrels or something.
I peeked over at Benji who was staring off into space, his teeth nibbling and twisting his lip ring as his fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of his shirt. His hand reached up to graze his nose before lowering again into his lap, all with a dazed expression on his face. I smiled in victory over his lack of "bad" reaction and tuned back into the class. I hadn't even realized Declan standing right up front talking in hushed whispers with Mr. Astrole.
He's leaning his hip on the edge of Flynn's desk, one hand gripping the strap of his bag that is hanging off one shoulder while his other is propping him up on the desk. Flynn looks less then pleased really, what with the scowl ever present on his face, while he runs his hands through his short hair in frustration.
Flynn has sort of a...short fuse I guess you could say. And my Darling just seems to get on everyone's nerves all the time no matter what he's doing. It's a gift really.
Astrole nods along in exasperation with whatever bull-poop Declan is spitting his way before pulling out what looks like his schedule from his bag and handing it to him. He looks it over quickly, lets out a dramatic sigh, and nods his way. Declan gives him his hundred watt smile, ruffling his styled hair to cover some of his freckled face. And then he turns to look our way.
My mouth parts involuntarily as I look to Benji and see that I wasn't the only one checking Declan out because his gaze is still fixated on him. Oh dear. "Ok guys so this is Mister Declan Mallory and he will be joining our class from now on for whatever irrelevant reason, so he needs a pair of people to work with for the project. Who wants to volunteer?" I look around and see that nobody in the silent classroom seems to want another partner.
"If I may Sir, Declan would probably fit into Lion's group very, very well." Flynn's still facing the front of the room but I know it's him talking. I also know when this class ends someone's getting fricking jumped and this certain someone is leaving with less limbs then he started with.
Mr. A. raises an eyebrow his way, making everyone in the class look back and forth between their faces to see who would speak next. "Oh really, and why is that Flynn?"
"Well, because he and his partner could use the extra help really and he's just the sweetest guy. I already know he wouldn't mind." My eyes automatically narrow at his fake bubbly voice. I know what he's doing. I know. But revenge only works if I'm the one dishing it out my friend. If anything I practically set him up with the red head who he currently has his arm around, so I don't know what his problem is.
The teacher furrows his brows and looks back at Benji and I, who are currently sitting slumped over to hide with anxious frowns. He then looks to Declan and raises another eyebrow so that both furry caterpillars are standing up asking a silent question. Declan's faint red lips open and close but no words seem to follow. Astrole groans aloud and thrusts papers into Declan's hands, seemingly done with him. "Just go sit back with Lion and Benji please. I don't have time to deal with new students right now."
He slowly nods and makes his way towards us, the papers in his arms falling out of the tight grip he has on them. He dumps them on our table and grabs a chair from the back of the class, dragging it next to me so that it makes that loud scraping sound and gives me a head ache. He flops down in the seat and crosses his arms on the table, dumping his bag on the ground in the process.
He passes a hand through his hair and lets out a whoosh of air before turning to face us. We were both already staring at him though. Our eyes seemed to always gravitate to Declan when he set foot in the room. "Hey g-guys, what's happening?" he mutters through his hands that are smothering his face.
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A/N
Ciao my Darlings! SO, school is kicking everyone's butts as you know, mine included, and therefore I'm not going to promise updates with pick up speed. I will promise I'm going to try updating as soon as I can and maybe some of my other stories too though.
My greatest apologies for this.
But, I tried making this update longer even though not much happened. What did happen though is fabulous. What do you think of the dynamic all of the boys have going on? And what's going to happen with Declan now in on the science project? Also, do you like Mr. Astrole? Cuz I do.
**Lion on the side because he's adorable and a new amazing Troye Sivan song**
Luvs and Kisses,
Kitty