The Distraction Trilogy: Distraction Part 22

I walk along the street, taking care to cross the road I almost died on the first time I ever met Isaac.

The streets are empty, save for the odd car driving by. I feel isolated, but not in a bad way. I can practically feel Crystal's hands gripping my shoulders. She's trying to shake some sense into me, no doubt appalled at my display of self-pity on her behalf.

I detour through the park, running my fingers across the rough surfaces of the trees as I go, before finally sitting on a small bench that overlooks the pitiful pond that doesn't seem big enough to hold more than a dozen fish.

"You're following me," I say, frowning slightly as a suit jacket is draped over my shoulders and Isaac takes the seat beside me.

"I'm worried about you," he admits, keeping his distance.

Part of me wishes he'd sit closer so I can rest my head on his shoulder and nap. "I'll be okay tomorrow. It's from being cooped up all week. My parents mean well, but they..." I look up at the grey sky and s.h.i.+ver at the chill in the air. "Have been so f.u.c.king stifling."

"Hayley said." He crosses his legs at the ankles and rests an arm along the back of the bench. "Would you like me to leave you alone? If you feel uncomfortable just say."

I guide my eyes to him, happy to see he's staring ahead at the pitiful pond and not at me. "I don't." His eyes finally come to mine and his fingertips reach out and tangle in the ends of my hair. He delicately slides a thin lock between his forefinger and middle finger. I'm not even sure that he knows he's doing it. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't know Crystal like you did."

"That's not what I asked." I shuffle closer, only until I feel the tips of his fingers graze my neck.

"I'm fine. I haven't really been able to concentrate on much as of late. I've just been offering silent support."

His fingers slide across the hairs at the nape of my neck and draw delicate circles there. I want to slump my head forward at the feeling that's oh so relaxing. "Why haven't you been able to concentrate?"

He clears his throat, uncrossing and then crossing his legs. His hand immediately scratches at his neck as the hand at my neck presses harder, ma.s.saging deeper. When he doesn't respond, I turn back to stare at the pond, wondering why something so wrong and taboo feels so nice.

"It's cold. You should go home. It'll be dark soon."

"I can't go back there, not yet."

"Then I'll sit with you until you do."

"If you're cold, you can go. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"That doesn't mean you should always have to." He s.h.i.+fts closer, removing his hand from my neck. Using his other hand, he places his finger and thumb on my chin and turns my face his way. "Do you want to be alone?"

My heart speeds and races in my chest. Gulp. "No."

"Do you want to be here with someone else?"

My breath catches and my eyes widen as the sky seems to darken from its light grey to almost darkness. "No."

"Then I'm staying." He scans my face with his eyes for any sign of a lie before resting back in his seat, his arm almost touching mine. For a moment there I thought he was going to kiss me. I thought he wanted to.

We sit in comfortable silence for a long time, until the sun finally goes to bed and the moon begins to peek between broken clouds. His hand that was at my neck rests beside mine. He places his pinkie finger over my own in a small gesture of comfort. It's all I need to feel warm beside him.

"Can I drive you home?" He asks after a long silence.

I shake my head. "No, I'm going to walk. It's only around the corner." I stand and hold out his jacket, but he doesn't take it. Instead he pulls it back around my shoulders and b.u.t.tons it up at the front.

"If you're going to be stubborn, then you can at least be warm during the process." He winks and smiles through the dark, only a streetlight in the distance keeping him illuminated enough for me to see his features. "Goodnight, Elle."

"Goodnight, Isaac." I walk away, cutting through the park with my face buried in the collar of his jacket. He smells so good.

Isaac Monday morning arrives and it seems everybody has cheered up a bit. I'm glad to see Eloise enter the cla.s.sroom with a small smile on her face. I notice an extra bag in her hand and guess immediately that it's my jacket.

I command the cla.s.s' attention to start and run them through today's lesson. They listen, but half of them only do some of the work, as expected. It won't be my fault if they fail at the end of the year.

"Sir?" Hayley raises her hand and motions me over. I move to her desk and help her work through two questions that both she and Elle are having trouble with. That same rhubarb scent makes my mouth water and I barely find the willpower to move away from the table, although I do leave Elle a small gift as I pa.s.s: the belt loop she tore a while ago.

She takes it in hand discreetly, silent laughter spilling from her. When she looks at me, I smile back, enjoying the joy that twinkles in her eyes.

"What?" Hayley hisses at her friend. "What's so funny?"

Eloise shakes her head and leans back over her work, but every so often she looks at me and, when she does, I make a note of the pink that colours her cheeks. It makes me smile a secret smile.

The students must think I'm insane.

At the end of the lesson, Eloise hangs back. As expected, she leaves the bag beside my desk and, without even saying goodbye, she skips out of my cla.s.sroom.

Inside I find my jacket in a protective plastic sheet with a note that reads, 'Dry cleaned and ironed, so don't fold.'

Beneath it sits a tub holding my favourite sandwich, the same one she shared with me on the first day. Inside the tub, left on top of the wrapped sandwich, sits another note, which reads, 'Do you ever eat lunch? EAT!'

Chuckling to myself, I do as I've been told and devour the sandwich with more enthusiasm than I thought myself capable of.

It's not until I get home and place the jacket in my wardrobe that I find the denim belt loop sitting at the bottom of the bag with another note. This one really gets my attention.

'I don't need to be rescued, but I'm grateful for your help all the same.'

I stare at the note, slightly perplexed at its meaning, but then I remember what she said when I confronted her about the pregnancy that never was. "Is that the reason you've been nice to me this entire time? The lunch time study sessions, the rides home, the inviting me to your parents... it's because you think I'm pregnant?"

She thinks I'm being nice because she's having a hard time, which I am, obviously. I'm her teacher and I should care. I should be there for a student in need.

But is that the only reason?

I toss the note into the bin and run my hands through my hair. Other thoughts come to mind on that particular subject, but I shove them aside. I don't have feelings for the girl... at all, not in any way and I won't entertain that idea.

Does she have feelings for me? She's a teenage girl; of course she does. Christ how that must have hurt when she realised my intentions were purely platonic. Now I feel like an a.r.s.ehole. I never should have gotten involved.

My mind wanders to something else, something I bought to give her on her birthday, and my hands ball into fists. If what I'm saying to myself is true, why would I go to so much trouble? Why does the thought of hurting her tear a hole straight through my heart?

Eloise "I come bearing gifts," I say to Mr Price, holding up the bag of Mrs Price's favourite snacks in hand.

"You're always welcome, especially with gifts," he responds, smiling widely. "You're looking well."

"I'm feeling a lot better. I'm just sorry I haven't visited. I've been under house arrest."

"Don't you be apologising," Judith snaps good-naturedly and holds her arms open. I immediately notice the lack of wheelchair and the lack of bandages on her leg and my smile widens. "Let me look at you." She claps my cheek, but it doesn't hurt. "You've lost weight."

I look her up and down once more and quirk a brow. "So have you."

"That's because you stopped bringing me such fattening delights. Come, sit. I'll make tea."

Mr Price rolls his eyes. "I'll make the tea while you two lovely ladies chat and eat your fattening delights, as my wife so adequately names them." He exits the room, but his head pops around the open door seconds later. "Are there any of those cinnamon swirly things?"

I laugh, nodding. "Of course. Just because I prefer Judith, doesn't mean I'll leave you out."

Judith, happy at my words, pulls me in for another hug before guiding me to the sofa, where we both sit back and relax and pile the treats onto the table on individual napkins.

"These are my favourite." She grabs a chocolate twist and takes a large bite. I join her by grabbing my own. "My son loves these, Isaac. He loved them growing up." Something I didn't know. "I hope you get to meet him one day. He insists on staying in Cambridge."

I stop chewing and swallow the large chunk of pastry in my mouth, almost choking in the process. "I... I have met him. He took over your teaching role. Remember?" I say this softly and her eyes glaze over.

"No... no... he's in Cambridge. You must be talking about somebody else. I think I know where my son is, Eloise." She snaps and throws the pastry on the ground. "You're talking about a different person. I just spoke to him on the phone last night, on his Cambridge landline."

"Judith..." I try, but she holds her hand up and immediately calls for her husband, who races through.

"What is it?"

I look at him with panicked eyes.

"Where's Isaac?" Judith asks curtly, her mood clearly sour.

Mr Price checks his watch. "I imagine he'll still be at the school marking work. Why?"

"What school?" She half shrieks, now standing.

"My school. What's wrong?"

Her breath starts coming faster and faster. "No... he's in Cambridge."

"No, Judith, he isn't." Mr Price says as softly and as calmly as I tried to say. "He came home two months ago."

Her hand goes to her heart and her mouth opens and closes. "I... Of course... how silly of me." She looks at the mess she made on the floor and sighs solemnly. "I apologise for my outburst. I don't know what came over me."

"I'll finish the tea," I tell Mr Price, whose heart is breaking more and more with each second that pa.s.ses. I can see it in his eyes.

He squeezes my shoulder as I pa.s.s, but doesn't say anything.

It's too soon for this... I can't lose Judith to this G.o.dforsaken disease now, not so soon after Crystal. There has got to be something somebody can do.

Chapter Seventeen.

Isaac "Yeah, I'll come round later. Is she okay?" I ask my dad.

"She'll be fine. Please, if you could find the time just to show your face, I'd appreciate it. Eloise was here and her outburst was aimed at her. I'm not sure what happened before I entered the room, but I think your mother might have thrown a pastry at the poor girl."

"Christ." I laugh a little.

"It's not funny."

"It is a little. Not the situation, but Eloise having a pastry lobbed at her. Poor girl."

"I'm not finding it amusing, Isaac. Just come home when you can."

I think sometimes in dire situations the only thing you can do is look for the little joys. I pack away the work that I have yet to finish and pull on my jacket.

Stepping into my mum's house, I'm shocked to see Katherine Hart sitting on the couch beside my mum, who lights up when she sees me.

"I can't believe I forgot you," she says quietly as she embraces me and kisses both of my cheeks multiple times. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Clearly I'm not special," I joke and let her go.

Katherine looks at me. "Of course you're special." She stands and hugs me too, which makes me feel a bit weird. I place my hands on her waist as her hug lasts for longer than a few seconds.

"Oooh, a budding romance?" My mum asks, far too hopeful for someone who claimed in the past to not like the woman in question.

I quickly push Katherine away and look behind me as a gorgeous scent wafts into the room. I see Eloise standing in the doorway, a peculiar look on her face as her eyes dart between me and Katherine. She gives me a polite nod and places the tray that rests in her hands onto the table. I help her remove the three plates and cutlery. She still doesn't say anything as she takes the tray and leaves the room again, only to return moments later with two more plates and my father trailing behind her with an extra tray of cold drinks.

"I'm sorry we aren't eating at the dining table. We had to put it in storage when they fitted the elevator." He says to Katherine, who isn't fully aware of the situation.

This time Eloise does speak. "My dad said he'll drop that foldable table off in the morning on his way into work."

"Oh how nice of you," Katherine practically hisses and I'm not the only one that heard the vehemence in her tone.

Eloise throws her a fake smile and sits cross legged on the ground. She places the plate on her lap and immediately tucks into the mashed potatoes that are smothered in gravy and surrounded by peas, carrots and sausages.

"Sit here," I say, pointing to the empty s.p.a.ce on the sofa beside Katherine.

My mum glances between the two females and smirks before winking in my direction.

"It's fine." Elle motions for me to take the seat, but I really don't want to.

"You should take the seat. It's not comfortable on the floor."

"I'm young and bendy; I can handle it." She shrugs, shooting another look at Katherine.

I bite down hard on my lip to stop myself from laughing, especially when Katherine glares at the poor girl, who seems to be just fine on the floor.

I pick up my own plate and sit on the sofa, irritated when Katherine moves closer, making sure her thigh is pressing against my own.