Bruises

10| Emotions

Chapter 10: Emotions.

My weekend had become just as stressful as my weekdays. There I stood, in the school library on a saturday afternoon, getting books for my project with Paul.

I sighed under my breath as I finally settled on a seat, patiently waiting for his arrival.

Paul finally showed up, greeting Stacy, the librarian. He wore a white Nike t-shirt, jeans and similar white shoes. His hair tousled and rough.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he said as he took a seat beside me. I nodded.

"Did you bring everything?" I asked and he grinned, digging his hands into his bag to retrieve posters, cardboards, A4 papers, makers and pens.

"Perfect." I smiled.

I shoved all the books I'd selected for the project, we'd already done most of it half way- ish.

"I'll draw the diagrams and you can finish up with the notes. " I grinned, knowing I was taking the easier job but Paul didn't seem to mind.

He was about to speak when the Stacy shushed him. He waved an apology, throwing me an eye as we both got to work.

•••

It had been hours before we were finally done with the project, it finally looked somewhat presentable. Knowing a Grinch like Ms Mathers, she'll barely pass us but hardly anyone passed her dumb course.

"Why don't we get something to eat?" Paul said.

"Oh... Never mind, I'm a b–"

"My treat," he offered.

Well if you put it like that, I'm starving...

My stomach grumbled accordingly and he laughed.

"Okay... Let's just drop this books back," I said. I know it was technically the librarians job to drop the books back but she was just a student like me and even I knew how stressful working in the gym was when I barely did anything.

I grabbed a few books, holding them against my chest as Paul followed with the rest. The books belonged in the last shelf do in the library, Stacy didn't bother to check up on us, she was more busy with her manicure. Hey, I'm not judging.

Books stacked upon the gold wooden shelf, climbing up like a mountain. Curse my short stature. I stood on the tip of my toe, trying to return a certain textbook to the top shelf.

"Need help?" Paul asked with a smirk.

"Nah... I got this," I said, lying more to myself than him. I couldn't reach, instead, I tripped on my toes, dropping all the books in my hand. Luckily, Paul caught me, his reflexes were fast.

"Sorry about that," I tried to laugh it off.

I squatted down to pick the books but so did he causing a collision between our foreheads. Ouch!

"My bad," we both chorused instantly.

It felt awkward, his eyes searched into mine with a stillness that made me nervous, I hadn't had someone look at me the way he did, his brown gaze soft.

He finally grinned, a semblance of the guy I knew appearing.

•••