It was just like I predicted, everyone was tired to even get out of their beds, the Tuesday moved slow as the students council dragged themselves out of their beds – myself included though I wasn't a member – to clean up the gym for Wednesday.
Timothy was by my side that entire day, I guess he was making it up to me though he didn't had to, I knew he had this studies, he had the most hardest subjects that required all his time yet he chose to spend the day with me which made me feel a bit selfish.
"There," he said packing the last of the boxes for us. He adjusted his glasses and his grey eyes looked back at me, smiling while his chest rising and falling. I bit my lips full of worry, yesterday I was so happy he decided to come to the party but now it was different we weren't arguing so he didn't had to constantly spend time with me.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his thumb grazing my cheek slightly. I sighed looking away folding my arms, "Do you have studies today, Timothy?"
He stared at me confused, then stepping forward a little, he nodded, "Yes, why? What's wrong?"
"Why are you here though? You should be revising?"
He gave me a blank expression, my eyes diverted from him to the students around us especially Chloe and my sister Alex, who seemed to take interest in our conversation.
"I don't understand," he said, "You don't want me here?"
"I never said that."
"You did, Elizabeth."
"Timothy..."
He stepped forward, hands on my cheek, "I'll study later, I want to spend time with you today." I looked up to the same stormy grey eyes I'm use to and sighed again unsure how to response, what's wrong with me really? I'm chasing him away and yet I don't want him to go.
"Okay," I said nodding my head and giving him a faint smile, "Okay but this evening is for your books."
He chuckled, stealing a quick kiss from my lips which surprised me. "Okay babe."
His playful tone made me grin and when he winked leaving me to help the others I couldn't help but grin.
***
"I don't get it," Alex said while lifting the boxes up to my floor.
I creased my eyebrows at her, though she couldn't see my confused expression as she was in front of me, "Get what?"
"Why are you pushing Wilbert away when he's trying to make up the time he's avoided you?"
Alex, my dear little sister would always and forever be blunt.
"I'm not pushing him away," I defended.
"Yes you are, I saw how you acted guarding yourself, don't lie to me Lizzy." She turned with the huge box almost hitting me over with it.
"The hell –"
"He cares about you," she said.
"I know, jeez, fix yourself before we both tumble over the bloody staircase."
She grinned turning back once more. I rolled my eyes and watched her go up, my feet climbing back up the stairs following her. We didn't talk about it, though she looked like she wanted to press on.
Resting the boxes in Chloe and I shared dorm, I locked it and Alex leaned on the balcony with her elbows tilting her head to the side, god she was just like Luke sometimes. "So?"
"So?" I said avoided her golden eyes.
"Are you gonna pretend nothing is up or just straight off tell me?"
"Hmm there's nothing to say."
"Elizabeth..."
I sighed at the stairs, clenching and unclenching my fist, looking around before I turned to her. "The fight was brutal," I said.
She raised her eyebrows, unblinkingly staring back at me, "O-kay..."
"We don't fight often, especially not when we were friends. What if –" I bit my lips.
"What if...?"
"Forget it," I turned around and she held my shoulder, "Are you planning on breaking up with him, Lizzy?"
"No of course not," I said pushing her hands away before strolling down the stairs. And that's how she stopped interrogating me for answers, all she did was stare at me with an inquiring look and I get she's worried for me but honestly I was fine.
Timothy and I are fine.
***
"Miss Haystack!" yelled my business teacher, Mr. Lee, his hit my desk causing me to flinch out of my seat, back to reality, his stature over me with a menacing look.
"Welcome back," he said.
The class room giggled, I rubbed my eyes looking at my notebook, I hadn't written anything just awful sketches of diamonds, clubs, shade and hearts.
What the hell?
"Excuse me?"
I looked up realizing what I said just now was out loud and I was gonna get in trouble.
"Nothing sir," I said, "Just thinking out loud."
He raised an eyebrow at me, "Well Miss Haystack you should stop thinking about other things and focus on your work, you have exams coming up and I don't appreciate you slacking off."
"She wasn't slacking off though."
Oh god.
I closed my eyes hoping it wasn't the person I thought it was.
"Mr. Anderson please do not speak when you're not spoken to, I'm sure you of all people should know those rules by now."
"I..." he looked down at his notes, almost as if he was surprise too at his own out burst, his eyes met mines and it was like we shared a conversation right then and there.
We were both in trouble.
Sighing Mr. Lee looked down at his papers before fixing his glasses, "Detention both of you, if you question me I will not hesitated to extend it."
We both stayed quiet and it seemed like the class was enjoying the little entertainment during the lecture because their eyes were focus ready for a show but we didn't give them one, Luke nodded grimly maneuvering his pen to write his notes.
I glanced down to mines, determined to write what little I could in the few minutes we had.
***
I was the first one in the detention room seeing Mr. Lee sitting on the couch waiting for me or should I say us.
"Elizabeth," he said gesturing for me to take a seat, I did so but quite at the back where I could avoid him questioning me about why I zoned out in his class or if I was studying for my exams.
He didn't seem to mine my avoidance. He gave me the liberty of letting me alone with my thoughts.
Minutes later Luke arrived, books in his hands, his first glance was on me then at Mr. Lee as he walked up to his desk.
"Late, Mr. Anderson," our teacher said. Luke smiled and placed the set of books down. "I went to the library to return and borrow sir, I'm sorry it took long."
Seeing this respective side of him was not new to me yet still it was odd and I knew I would've mocked at it before we ever were friends but now I just kept my mouth sealed watching.
"Alright you two have an hour at best," he got up and picked up his books checking the time.
Luke stared at him confused and so did I. "Aren't you staying with us?" I asked.
"I would," he said then shrugged, "But seriously though you two are good students I'm sure I'm not risking my job leaving the both of you alone."
We exchanged glances unsure of how to response, before it would've be terrible to do so, we would be at each other throats, yelling and picking a fight. Now we didn't know how to act and with our mutual friendship, it was odd to think of how we would spend the time together.
When we didn't answer Mr. Lee smiled, "Well then, I expect my work finished by the end of this hour Elizabeth... and Luke" His eyes glancing at him for a second before opening the door, "Help her."
He slammed the door and we both stood there unsure how to move.
***
Laughter echoed throughout the class room.
I was sitting on a desk far in the left while Luke sat on the teacher's desk, his feet on a chair. We were far away from each other, telling stories and cracking jokes.
He told me about the first turtle he own and how it bit him. "You were there?" he said, his voice echoing in the empty class.
"I was?" I grasped at the thought even though in my heart I felt sad I didn't remember, I was kind of happy to hear it from him.
"Yes, you told me to pet it," he said as I laughed and he grinned at my expression, "The bloody thing almost bit my fingers off."
"Did it hurt?"
"Yes and so did my pride."
I chuckled tracing my pencil on the table I sat on, "What did you know about pride, you were what three years old."
"I knew enough," he said.
I smiled and then I told him a story about my cousin Eric how he stole cheese from my grandmother's fridge to feed it to the rats in the basement.
"We got a beating that night, bruised our arses, I couldn't sit properly for two days."
He laughed, "I didn't think you were trained old school."
I shrugged, "Meh, I'm normal with it though I wouldn't do it to my children." When I said that I frowned staring ahead of me in a deep thought.
"What's wrong?" Luke said his head tilted curiously staring at me. His hands rested at either side of him as he leaned back.
I shook my head smiling faintly, "I told my father I don't want children, that's why he didn't choose me as heir."
Luke frowned, leaning back up, his hands now between in legs, "How are you so sure your father did that because your reason?"
"Because..." I shifted I little thinking about it. "I don't see why he wouldn't."
"Do you want kids?"
"No," I admitted and let out a heavy sigh, "I don't think I'll ever get married either or maybe I would but my children might just like how Jon, Alex and I are... fatherless."
There was a deafening silence between us and I kept wondering in my head, why was I sharing this with him, we were growing close yet I felt so uneasy knowing how I told him this and never had I told Timothy about it.
He was my closest friend.
Was?
"You know," Luke said, climbing off the desk and combing his hand through his blonde hair, "An hour has passed we should probably go."
I didn't move and he stood there gazing at me, his blue eyes studying my façade face. "Or not," he shrugged, "We can talk about my grandfather, how he wants me to be the heir only because my brother is gay."
My expression cracked, so he knew all along and didn't say anything. "Does that make you angry?"
"No," he admitted and walked towards me, "It makes me happy to know I would get what I want and my brother would get what he want too. It's a win-win."
He stopped in front of me and I nodded not moving from my position, I thought back to the time I mentioned my father's plan to go after his grandfather, he never seemed bothered to question me and even now he didn't.
Yet I told him.
"My father has an inside man working for him in your grandfather's company. He's selling information to my father."
"Your father deals with Natural Gas," Luke said, his eyes giving me an enquiring look.
"That and many other things but he's not so public about it."
"That's illegal."
"And so is selling low stocks at high prices, you and I both know we have cons as fathers."
Luke jaw clenched, "Richard is not my father."
"Figuratively," I said, then I saw something flicker in his eyes, he was about to open his mouth but he shut it momentarily looking away as if nothing happened but I noticed, I noticed and I wondered.
"We should go," he said staring at the clock above. I hopped off the desk and collected my books then walked up to him and smiled, he gave me a bemused expression.
"What?"
"It was nice talking to you, Luke."
He smiled back at me, "You too Elizabeth."
----
A/n: Been away from my stories for awhile but I will never give up on this story no matter what happens and even with the little reads I'm still hoping I finish this entire story.