8 - E I G H T - 8

                                    

                                          
   In science class I sit next to Daniel. I found it hard to concentrate around him before, just because I thought he was annoying, but now things are different. I saw his tinder. I liked his tinder. Now I am thinking of his tinder.
                          
   "Hey Phil! Could I borrow a pencil. I forgot mine at the last class." Dan's soft, excited voice breaks my dirty thoughts, replacing them with fear as I scramble to think of how to respond. 
                          
   "What?" I say a little defensively, secretly lost for words as his pink lips move to form words I don't seem to find important.
                          
   "Oh it's just, I need a pencil and I thought since I'm kinda your friend I should ask you!" He smiles and doesn't seem hurt by my rudeness from before. I gather up my strength as speak as firmly as possible to try to though Dan off. If I can play my cards right I can ensure he does not know about my struggles to respond.
                          
   "Yea... you can have a pencil, but keep in mind, I'm not your friend. I don't plan to be your friend." I don't mean it as rudely as it sounds, but Dan seems surprised and not hurt, fully unaware of my current state.
                          
Dan's POV
                          
   "That's fine! I understand." I say to Phil, taking the pencil he hands me. He seems disturbed and highly confused.
                          
   What's his issue? Fuck, why is he so sensitive? It's kinda hot, but he obviously isn't interested. I might not have friends, but at least I'm not an ass. Eh, whatever.
                          
   Using the pencil from Phil, I start to doodle in my notebook. I like to make innocent little drawings that embrace my feminine side. It's fun to be someone else at school, especially when it makes me a unique and different. I don't get bullied from it, nor would I care. I don't mind people whispering. I'm not like Phil and his classmate counterpart, trying to please and suck up to everyone in life. I think it comes from the lack of self confidence to make others happy, however I'm confident when it comes to certain things and my innocent persona is one of them. 
                          
   After science I head to my next class. It flies by fast due to the fact nothing happens. For my last hour of the day I have a free period. I usually spend the hour in the courtyard contently drawing or doing homework in the warm sun, however a chilled breeze sweeps through the air causing me to reconsider. The courtyard sits right in front of the football fields and it's normally heavily populated. No one really goes outside of the courtyard and because the library sits right next to the it, most people are in those two areas. Just about half of the school has a free period seventh hour and the other half has it in the morning. I choose to have it last hour because then I can get all my homework done for the day. 
                          
   Due to the fact that I don't have any homework, I spend most of the hour doodling and listening to music. I work slowly on my doodles and when I have nothing left to draw. I then sit back and soak in the lyrics. When I see that there is only five minutes left of the hour I get up, pack up my things, and head for the front of school. I always leave early so I can get home and do things I really want to do. Don't get me wrong, I love being around a lot of people, but nothing's gonna stop me from going home and talking with online friends. That and going on tinder. 
   As I walk out the front door I accidentally run into someone. I look up to see bright blue pooling eyes starring back at me. They look scared and lost.
                          
   "Phil? Why are you leaving early?" I look at him, giving a confused, concerned look. He is beet red, probably due to the cold weather, and his look turns slightly angry, yet more conflicted.
                          
   "Does it matter?" He says this while looking down. I go to respond, but he starts to walk away. I feel bad that he seems upset so I quickly walk after him. I grab his wrist and he flinches and pulls it back, making a slight noise at my gesture.
                          
   "Do you want that pencil back?" I smirk at him, trying to cheer him up. He may be an ass, but that doesn't mean he deserves to be unhappy.
                          
   "I said you could have it. Did you not understand. Why can't you just leave me alone? Why can't you just get out of my head?" Phil says this to me while looking me straight in the eyes. We are so close I can feel his breath on my face. The contrast of the cold breeze and warmth from his body makes me shudder. I am wordless for a moment as I try to register his rushed words, still slightly distracted by his warm presence.
                          
   "What do you mean?" Now that I have soaked in the comments, I'm highly confused as to what he said. The words lingering in my head, hanging above me leaving constant questions flying around, cluttering my thoughts.
   
                          
   "Does it matter?" He repeats his line from before, his voice defeated and pained. I catch one last look into his eyes before he walks away with his head hanging lower than before, leaving nothing but the memory of hurt that was swirling in his eyes. This time I decide it's best if I leave him be.