Life in Search ✔️

5 ~ Boo

My foot kicks the chair again, the thud echoing through the room. Scarlett ignores me, her pen scribbling down notes harsher with each kick.

So close to snapping.

I kick her chair again, this time moving it a little. She slams her pen down, "Stop it!"

The entire class looks back at us, Scarlett's face turning bright red as she stares at her notes. The sub just sighs, flipping to the next slide. Laughing, I pull her chair back to me. A little closer than before to where the entire class isn't subjected to her yelling at me.

She whirls around, her hair hitting me in the face. "Why do you do that?"

I shrug, assuming that she's referring to the past three days of pokes, taunts, and teases I've subjected her too. "I need some form of entertainment."

It's true, I'm not used to sitting in class with nothing to do besides pay attention. I need something to keep me awake and what better option than someone with a short temper.

Scarlett's face morphs into fury, a little crease forming above her brow. The bell rings, cutting off whatever she's going to say.

We gather our stuff and walk to fourth period, throwing my arm over her shoulder. I'm not sure why I started doing it but these past few days it's become a regular thing to do. It keeps her in place instead of darting through the halls, keeping up with her could be an Olympic sport.

A few girls smile at me in the hallway, I wave, my hand purposely getting in Scarlett's face. "What are you doing after practice?"

She doesn't say anything, a neutral look on her face. Leaning down to her ear I try again, "What are you doing after practice?"

Silence.

She's ignoring me.

"Sweetheart, please talk to me." I pout, keeping my face close to hers as we walk into class.

Scarlett sits, pulling her chair far away from mine. Dragging her back over to me I sit down. She doesn't move away, instead she acts like she never moved. Poking her side, I try to think of something to say.

"Boo." I spit out, catching sight of someone's old Halloween pencil. Sure, why not.

"Boo."

Class begins, a day of self-notes from the textbook giving me the perfect opportunity to pester her. If she wants to act like a child that's cool, two can play that game.

"Boo. Boo. Boo. Boo. Boo." I poke her harder each time, taking small breaks to write things down.

Scarlett finishes a few minutes before I do and I take a break to catch up, watching her out of the corner of my eye. A concentrated look on her face as she sketches something on the corner of her paper. I don't bother to close my book, afraid to disturb her.

Curiosity gets the best of me, desperate to catch a glimpse of her art. These past four days all I've seen is smudged hands and glances of doodles, obviously she can do more than that. I don't notice I'm leaning over until I'm falling out of my seat. I land in the floor with a thud, startling Scarlett out of her focus.

"Boo." I offer, ignoring the looks of everyone around us as I climb back into my chair. She just rolls her eyes, not even bothering to laugh at me.

That's progress at least.

I lean over to her, my nose almost touching her cheek. Surprised to smell lavender, for a moment I forget what I'm doing. She catches my eye, making me suddenly embarrassed for being caught in the act.