Page 41 of Between the Blue
I keep my head down as I exit the locker room, my thoughts spinning on a loop between the schoolwork I know I should focus on this morning and the looming decision I’m going to have to make about my internship.
I only make it a few steps out of the locker room when I cross paths with someone, seeing their tennis shoes come into view.
Wordlessly, I step to the side, making room for them. But when I do so, they don’t continue walking. They stop and step back into my direct path. I try to shift in the opposite direction, but they match me step for step. Finally, I have to force my vision to come into focus, and that’s when I glance up past the tennis shoes.
And when I see a very specific set of leg tattoos.
I blink a few times before I look up further, finding Ben in front of me with his usual expression that’s caught somewhere between a disdainful scowl and vacant indifference. I never feellike I have the brain capacity to discern which it really is, and I especially don’t today.
I let my eyes stay on his for one more brief second before letting them glaze right over him. I mutter a quick “Excuse me” as I make my way around him, continuing towards the stairs.
I just begin to take the bottom step when Ben’s unexpected voice from behind me makes me pause.
“That’s it?”
I turn slowly, looking at him over my shoulder. “What?”
He lets out a scoff, looking off to the side and crossing his arms in a way that makes it seem like he’d rather be pulling teeth than having this conversation with me.
So, why is he?
He doesn’t say anything for a few moments, and I decide I don’t have the energy to entertain whatever this is any longer. “Okay then,” I say. “Have a good weekend.”
I attempt to take the first step of the stairs again, but, just like my first try, I’m stopped once again by Ben’s voice. Only, this time, it’s much closer.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
My hand clenches around the strap of my gym bag before I spin back to face him again.
I nearly flinch when I find Ben standing just behind me. Since I’m one step up from him and wearing a slight heel, we are basically at eye level with one another. If anything, I’m standing an inch or so taller than him. And what a weird sensation it is, being on this level with Ben. His eyes feel like they’re practically burning into me.
And I realize now that his eyes should never be referred to as something as simple as brown again. They’re amber, the most crystal clear, captivating shade of amber I’ve ever seen. They’re practically gold. Like pots of rich honey. Or just like the eyes of a wolf. I can’t decide which is closer.
“Excuse me?” I stammer, my voice quiet.
“I said,what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Right. I heard you.”
“And?”
“And?” I fire back. “What do you mean?”
“What’s up with you? Something is clearly wrong, so just spit it out so I can go on with my day.”
“I’m…affecting…yourday?” I ask, incredulous.
“You were late today.”
I rear back.
Only by four minutes.
“You were wearing headphones.”
I raise my brows.
“And you didn’t even attempt to irritate me.”
