Chapter 5

Chapter five

The next day, Esme and I walk into the building arm in arm, pretending not to notice the backward stares turned on us. I whisper slowly in her ear, still smiling for show. 

"So far so good, what do you think?" 

"I think this is completely stupid." She muttered. 

"Why? It's not like you can see them staring at us. I'm the one getting all the stares." 

"Esme clamped down on my arm harder. 

"Look, just because I can't see them, doesn't mean I can't sense them, okay. And do you know what I feel right now? I feel the glares from almost every girl in this school on the back of my neck. That's is not a good feeling let me tell you that." 

I chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, so what? I've know, all of them since elementary. They'll get over themselves." 

"So you say."

We push through the crowded hallways, careful not to have Esme trampled on like last time. I lead her to her locker, and as she attempted to open the lock, I leaned carelessly on the locker beside her. Although really I was shielding her fumbleness with the lock. After five tries of unsuccessfully opening her lock, I take charge. 

"Combination." I tell her. 

"38, 4, 34." she replied. 

I turn the dial to the numbers and immediately the locker opened. 

"How the hell did you get the locker open yesterday, If you can't see." 

Esme pushed past me and hung her bag up on the hook. 

"Luck." she answered. "Pure luck." 

I shook my head.

The crowd was starting to thin out, meaning class is about to start and I haven't even opened my locker yet. 

"Claude, can you please hand me my geometry book? It's under--"

I pick it up. 

"Yeah, I got it, come on." 

She wraps her arm around mine again.

"I swear, this couldn't get any more embarrassing." 

I shrug. 

"It's not that bad."  

We go to my locker, still attracting attention like moths to a flame. I laugh when Josh, who walks right past us, trips on a freshmen yet still watching us as he falls. We've put on quite a scene. 

'What? what's so funny?"  Esme asked. 

"Nothing." I tell her. 

We reach my locker. 

"Okay, now, lean on me." 

"What?" Esme exclaimed " Why?" 

"Just do it. I know what I'm doing you know." 

"Right." she said sarcastically.

Yet she did as I asked and leaned her head on my shoulder. 

I immedietly cursed myself for not thinking about how I'd react when Esme's soft breath tickled my neck, sending subtle shivers down me. 

"Uh... um..." I stuttered. 

I quickly opened my locker and shoved the remnants of my bag in. I grabbed my books, and closed the door, all under 10 seconds. 

"You can... uh, lean away now." I tell her. 

She does as instructed. 

I grab her hand instead, and we start walking. 

"Bell hasn't rung yet, but it will, any second now, we gotta hurry." 

"Yeah, okay." Esme answered timidly. 

And with that said, we hurry down the empty hall way.