Chapter9

#Chapter9

Hope’s POV

After searching for Heath in the hallways, I gave up and went to my biology class, for which I was five minutes late. Miss Helena didn't say anything as she was busy explaining the practical to the students.

I chose a table in the back, and took out a pen and pencil to perform the practical which was about examining mitosis in an onion cell. I looked through the microscope and focused on the slide image.

From there the time passed quickly as classes went by. In between I had math with Heath but he didn't come to the class.

Throughout the lectures, my mind was a whirlpool of emotions and thoughts, mainly because nothing made sense. From the moment David pushed me to Heath beating him up and Sebastian knowing what had happened.

It was weird and confusing. I had no idea what to think and which answer to look for. Every question in my mind was looking for an explanation of Heath's behavior recently. I had never seen him fight anyone, other than that one time with Xanon. He was so brutal.

"Okay, so your homework is to solve the Chapter questions in the book. I'll discuss them with you in the class tomorrow. And please do them. You won't understand the concepts until you apply them." Miss Kate said and a clamorous sound of yes echoed in the room.

I got out of the class while trying my best to not look at anyone. By now, I wasn't the headline of the school, but I was still the news.

Quickly I reached my locker and my stuff into it. Collecting the physics books and some others I locked it and tightened my backpack on my shoulders and got out of the school building.

As I passed the parking lot I saw Heath and Sebastian near Heath's car. It looked like they were engrossed in a conversation, a heated one I must say.

Heath was furiously running his fingers through his thick, dark brown hair. Opposite to him Sebastian was standing calmly and wasn't even a little bit bothered with Heath's frantic behavior.

Out of all the places he had to be here, just perfect. I said to myself. I had searched the entire school to thank Heath for what he did for me and there he was, standing next to his car.

Lily wasn't here to save me or stood up for me. So what Heath did meant a lot to me. The mere thought of Lily soured my mood and I began to miss her terribly. I made a note in my mind to call her later.

Closing my eyes I prepared myself to talk to Heath who didn't seem like he wanted to chit-chat with anyone at the moment. Then again he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone at any moment. Deep down I felt like I owed him a thank you.

I made my way over to the duo. Throughout the walk, I was thinking of what I was going to say to Heath. I knew he would just wave me off or would say something so hurtful that it would pinch my heart like a needle through the skin. I didn't know if I was ready for that. I'd just say thank you and get out of there.

When I was close to them my heart began to pick up speed.

Through the peripheral view, Sebastian saw me coming towards them. He closed his mouth and looked at me in a friendly way. If only Heath was like Sebastian. It would be so good because then I wouldn't be panicking to talk to him. I passed him a small smile and he nodded.

I turned towards Heath who was looking at me intently. His eyes were hard, and I felt a trail of shivers running down my spine just by his stare. His face had a scowl on it. It was like he didn't want me here. He didn't even have to say the words aloud since his posture was so obvious. He hated that I was here to talk to him.

Stuffing his hand into one of his jeans pockets he fished out a cigarette in his right hand and lighting it up began to smoke.

The thought of starting a conversation with him right now gave me chills. Not only was he in a bad mood, but also he was smoking which I totally hated.

You know that this thing can kill you yet you are using it to decrease the years of living which are already little in number.

"Hi," I said softly, and Heath tirelessly leaned against his car and moved his head into my direction.

For a moment, we both kept looking at each other. Blue eyes staring into my light brown eyes. He had me firmly locked in his gaze that I couldn't look away.

Crimson red covered my cheeks due to his unmoving gaze, and I moved my eyes away from him. I inhaled a breath of fresh air and looked around but Sebastian was nowhere in sight.

I glanced at Heath's knuckles which were coated in a little blood. The sight of him beating David flashed in front of my eyes and I mildly shuddered. He was ruthless. I didn't even want to think of the list of people he had hurt so far.

"Uhm, your knuckles. They don't look so good." I said the words to fill the silence.

I gazed up at him and saw his eyes calculating my every move. He was staring darkly at me.

Right now his eyes were telling me to back off but then the aura around him was attracting me.

What is happening to me? I quickly stepped back a little. All the while he didn't stop smoking and took drag after drag.

Heath purposely blew some smoke into my direction. The second the smoked air entered my nose I began to cough profusely. The air was itching my nose and I hissed in irritation.

The sound of a chuckle caught my ears and I gaped. Heath was chuckling at my response. How much of a douche he was? He purposely did that and was now laughing at me. He surely liked that whereas my hands were twitching to land a punch on his lips.

I further stepped back and created some distance between us which lessened my fear of him a little bit.

"You shouldn't smoke, it can kill you." I said the words as if maybe he'd listen to me but I was so wrong.

"The last time I checked you are a nobody so you don't have any right to tell me what to and what not to do. And I don't care what it does to me." His words were like thorns, each one pricked me. But his last sentence caught my attention. I couldn't believe he was so nonchalant about losing his life.

His slender fingers moved to his mouth along with the stick and he took the last drag and then throwing it on the ground pressed his foot on it. He then took out another cigarette from the packet.

"Can you stop whilst I'm here? You can continue after I go," I suggested.

"You aren't anyone special so why should I stop in your presence?" Heath asked and lit the cigarette. Then he took the drag staring right into my eyes as if challenging me.

He was impossible. He had an answer to everything. And I didn't even know why I was wasting my time on him. I could just walk away without saying thank you and that wouldn't make me a bad person

It would make you a bad person, my stupid good heart whispered and I sighed. I decided to try again.

"I know I'm not anyone special. But I can't talk if you keep smoking," I said, a little irritated.

"Then don't talk," he said nonchalantly, his blue eyes fixed on me. He opened his mouth and exhaled the smoke onto my face.

Averting my face I gave up. I sighed and started to walk away. I was about five feet away when he said, "Fine I won't, now speak."

I turned and looked at him. Heath was standing with hands stuffed in his front pockets. He wasn't holding a stick anymore.

I couldn't believe that he actually listened to me. I knew one stick wouldn't make a big difference to the others he had smoked. It was small but it was something.

"Thank you for doing what you did back in the cafeteria for me. I'm sorry that you got hurt in the way," I broke the silence. My voice was light and full of gratitude.

"I didn't do it for you. David shouldn't have done that to you or any other girl. That fucker deserves so much more than I put him through. And these knuckles don't even hurt," he said with a thick accent of agitation and I sighed.

How did he know what happened? I ignored that question and didn't ask him. I ignored his blunt words and offered my help because his knuckles looked really bad.

"I can apply something on them. I don't like seeing anyone in pain, especially because of me," it was true, no matter how rude or stubborn he was to me I couldn't be the same to him.

"Then don't see me," he spat, voice laced with annoyance.

A part of me wanted to leave him in this state he was in, but then a part of me couldn't do that. I decided to take the high road because I couldn't leave him like this especially when he got hurt because of me.

"You have saved me two times. I kinda owe it to you. It'll be quick I promise." I tried again with a tiny smile hoping he would agree.

Heath silently muttered some curse word, and unwillingly nodded his head towards me. I led him to the infirmary. All the while I could feel his hot stare on the back of my neck but I didn't turn around.

When we reached the room. It was empty. I was happy that it was vacant as I knew Heath wouldn't let anyone take care of him.

"Sit there," I pointed to one of the stools and he glared at me but sat on it anyway. I grabbed the first aid box from the top of the shelf as Nurse Anna wasn't here but it wasn't a problem.

I would sometimes help her during my free classes, so she allowed me to use the equipment here.

She was a kind old lady and really appreciated my interest in medicine. Half of the things I had learned were because of her.

I walked back to Heath who was muttering something under his breath. I couldn't really hear a thing he was saying.