Chapter 9: Nine
March 10
It was March now. The grass was turning greener and the leaves were growing back on the trees. In Alia's opinion, it was absolutely beautiful.
Today, she had seen James in the hall seven times. Only now did she think of how creepy it was that she was keeping score of her James sightings. She hadn't spoken to him and he hadn't spoken to her. They hadn't really spoken to each other at all much lately apart from the occasional hello in tutoring and comparing answers once they'd finished their work.
But, oddly enough, she was okay with it. Of course, she wanted more, but she didn't want to ruin the...relationship if you could call it that, that they had developed over the past month. They didn't see each other or talk to each other much apart from tutoring, but it was better than nothing. Maybe even better than a something.
She didn't want it to seem like he was a rebound since things with her and Alex had ended a week and a half ago. Alia had been the one to end it and when he'd asked why she'd confessed she had feelings for another. It hadn't ended well and Alex sent her lasting glares during lunch, probably praying someone would accidentally spill their lunch on her.
She sighed. Graduation was soon. She'd applied for a community college close to home. She didn't want to be too far from her mother. Alia was all too aware that the clock was ticking.
With a small click, the door opened to room 324 and James walked through the door. He looked as attractive as ever, his hair a mess like he didn't give a damn. And maybe he didn't. Silently, like she was afraid the little bubble they'd made would pop if she spoke, she waved to him.
He nodded to her and sat across from her. The plant on the sill was as healthy as ever, bathing in the March sun. "It's a nice day out, huh?"
For a second, she couldn't understand. Then it clicked. James had spoken. He wasn't looking at her but out the window. Alia turned to look out the window with him. "Yeah," She responded.
A silence settled over the room. But the silence wasn't awkward. Instead, it was comfortable, almost tranquil. Slowly, she turned her head to observe James and his features. A small smile graced his lips. She guessed he preferred the warmer time of year to the bitter cold of winter. It wasn't a surprise.
His eyes flickered to her's and he turned fully to face her. "What? Is there something on my face?"
She chuckled nervously, afraid he could see through her. Afraid for him to know her true feelings when he'd said it wouldn't work out almost four months ago. "No, sorry. I was spacing out."
"I bet you were just checking me out. I mean, who wouldn't want a piece of this?" He made a gesture to himself.
Little did he know that he was actually right. Her ears turned a bright red and she was thankful she'd worn her hair down today. "Whatever, let's just get to work."
He smiled at her and it made her stomach do a somersault. "Okay."
Maybe, she thought to herself as she stared hard at the sheet of paper in front of her, it wouldn't be so bad to have more.
___
"We should..." He stared, astonished by what he saw.
Alia Night, his tutor was sleeping. Her face was peaceful, her hand propping up her head and the light from the window causing her eyelashes to cast faint shadows across her cheeks. He smiled at the sight. "You're beautiful." He said aloud without thinking. She didn't stir at all.
The two seniors stayed like that, one asleep, the other admiring her. They were in their little bubble again. A bubble that existed outside the real world. And for a moment, he thought to himself, I wonder, what would it be like, if every day, I woke up and saw you sound asleep?
He brushed the thought away. James was unaware of Alia and Alex's breakup. He assumed, with more than a bit of jealousy, that the spot next to her in the morning belonged to him.
With the eraser of his mechanical pencil, he began gently prodding her face. Her brow creased and a small giggle left her mouth at the sensation. "Wake up, sleepy head." He mumbled to her.
Finally, her eyes fluttered open. He wouldn't mind seeing her like this very morning. Groggy and, in better terms, adorable. "Mm?" The sound was croaky and made him smile.
"We should probably leave," James told her with a nod towards the clock on the wall.
She nodded lazily, her head dropping suddenly. Alia jerked upwards and began slowly collecting her things. "You know, usually it's the students who fall asleep in class, not the teachers." He joked.
With eyes barely open, all she did was nod. Her bag sagged to her elbow as she turned off the classroom light and closed the door. They walked slowly down the hall, mostly because James was trying to match her tired pace.
"Are you taking a bus or driving?" He asked as they got to their parting fork in the hall.
She dangled keys from her pocket. "Driving." She mumbled sleepily followed by a yawn.
Before she had time to process it with her tired brain, the keys were in James's hand and he was saying, "I'm driving you. Got it?" She nodded, a lazy grin on her face. He scrunched his brow. "What's that look for?"
"Nothin'." She answered, the lazy grin still present on her face. James offered a disbelieving smile of his own before they continued down the hall together.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone