Capítulo 3: Chapter 06
"I thought you won't come." I said when I heard footsteps approaching me. I was sitting at our usual spot.
"And what made you think that?" He questioned me as I felt him take a seat beside me. Knowing that he was my teacher only made me like him more because he was risking it all for me.
"Nothing, it was just a thought." I shrugged, not knowing what to answer because that’s what I felt. There was no reason behind it.
"I tried so hard but I couldn't keep myself away from you for more than a week." He sighed making me smirk because he did try to avoid me but failed.
"Is that so Mr. Brown?" I wiggled my eyebrows, nudging him in the stomach with my elbow. I heard him chuckle.
"You do know that you are adorable, right?" He cooed making my cheeks hot. I bit my lip, turning away my head.
"So now we are on speaking terms?" I tried to change the topic but he wasn’t letting it go.
"You look more adorable when you blush." He spoke making me duck my head to hide the shy blush on my face.
"What is this place?" I tried again, leaning back on the bench.
"It's the back garden and students are not allowed to be here." He informed me. I turned my head towards him.
"So why didn't you tell me?" I knitted my brows.
"Because it was the only place I could meet you." He spoke like it was the most important thing.
"Why did you want to meet me?" I inquired.
"To get to know you"
"Why did you want to get to know me?"
"You looked quite good in yellow." He avoided the question. I didn’t even know what yellow looked like.
"And here we go again... Stop ignoring the questions" I was beyond irritated now.
"I’m not ignoring it, Noah. I heard it. I just don't want to answer it." He exhaled.
"Mr. Brown I-" He interrupted me.
"Call me Ryan" It brought a smile on my face. I gave a slight nod before speaking again.
"I was thinking maybe it's time you introduce yourself to me." I pulled my legs up on the bench and wrapped my arms around my knees.
"Okay." He stretched the word and chuckled.
"My name is Ryan Brown. I am 24 years old and I teach Literature to a bunch of teens." He answered and I could tell by hearing his voice that he was trying to hold back a laugh.
"This is not what I meant." I rested my head on the back of the bench, groaning silently.
"What do you want to know about me?" He inquired.
"Everything!" I exclaimed.
"Mhmm." He hummed. I tried to find his hand, sitting up. He held my hand and entwined them.
"Was that the first time when you saw me in the bathroom or in the hallway?" I asked, keeping our entwined hands in my lap.
"No. You had literature right before the recess on the first day, remember? Then the schedule got changed the second day." He spoke, making me nod my head in realization. We indeed had Literature right before the break time but then it got changed because of our beloved history teacher.
"Oh... so what made you think that you should waste your "precious time" on me?" I mocked him, reminding him of the yesterday’s conversation.
"You needed help, Cater." I could tell that he rolled his eyes. I giggled.
"Did you see them beat me?"
"No, I was going to the staff room when I saw you lying on the floor near the lockers, beaten to pulp."
"So at least Mateo did something good for once." I smiled. He chuckled, more like a breathy laugh.
"You do know what will happen if you tell anyone about us?" He said after clearing his throat.
"You will get fired." I said in rather serious tone. He hummed in agreement.
"But why are you risking it, Mr. Brown?" I was very curious to know why he would risk his job, his career for me. He pulled both of my hands between his.
"You are worth it, Carter." he kissed my knuckles. I smiled at the act.
"You know that I am blind, right?" He let out a small laugh on my question.
"Yes, I do know that." He answered. I felt a twist in my stomach, a sensation of fluttering butterflies. I knew I was falling hard. I pulled my hands back.
"What are you doing to me?" I mumbled to myself.
"I just want to-" the bell interrupted him.
"It's time to go, Noah. C'mon!" He spoke, trying to pull me up. I freed myself because I didn’t feel like going.
"I never had friends before. Yeah I have Keith, Isaac, Jessica and Anna but you, you are something else. We are close in different way. Are we friends?" I turned my head towards him, wishing I could see.
"Noah, I have a class to take and so do you. I don't want either one of us to be late." He spoke, gently placing his hand on my shoulder.
"How long are you going to ignore my questions?" I crossed my hands on my chest.
"Noah, I am getting late." He said with a soft yet stern tone. I sighed and got up to my feet. He placed a hand on my waist to lead me to the class but I pushed him away.
"Don't. I don't want your help." I started walking back to my class.
"NOAH!”
"WHAT?!”
"What happened?"
"I don't know, you tell me. You keep ignoring my questions." I scoffed.
"Try to understand. Things are better when they are done on right time."
"So this is not the right time?"
"You will know when it is." I heard him say and shook my head because I was not getting any answers from him. I grabbed my bag, went to lockers to take out my books for literature and head to my class. As I was about to open the door for the class, I heard a very familiar voice.
"Hey fag. Sup?" Please not this time.
"Why don't you leave my boyfriend alone? I don't want him to be friends with a freak like you." Mateo spoke in a frustrated tone. I felt a hand on my back and in the next second my back hit the wall with a bang.
"What is your problem?" I sneered.
"Stay away from Keith!" He hissed.
"Why don't you ask him to stay away from me? He was the one who wanted to be friends with me." I replied. Mateo pushed me against the wall again, knocking the air out of me and wrapped his hand around my neck. I could tell by the sounds of the laughter that he wasn't alone.
"Leave me alone!" I tried to hit him in the groin but my blind ass didn't help me and I missed it. Next thing I knew was the excruciating pain in my jaw where he had punched me.
"You don't talk to me like that, boy!" He scoffed and threw another punch. This time it landed on my stomach. I felt the air escaping my lungs. The air was becoming thin for me.
"I... I... I can't... can't breathe." I said trying to catch some air. He tightened his grip around my neck.
"You’re better off dead, faggot. No one wants your useless existence-" he got interrupted by a very angry voice.
"What the hell is going on?" It was Mr. Brown. Mateo’s grip loosened and I could tell they ran away. I fell on my knees trying to breathe.
"Noah…" He placed a hand on my shoulder, massaging it.
"Inhaler... it's... it's in my bag... hurry!" He took the bag off of my shoulder and I heard some shuffling sound.
"Here…" He grabbed my hand and gave me the inhaler. After using it, I sat against the wall, panting.
"Are you okay?" I nodded because I didn't have enough power to speak.
"Just stay right here." He uttered. I heard his footsteps drift away. I closed my eyes and laid back my head.
"Noah c'mon…" I heard him few minutes later and opened my eyes. I felt an arm around my waist. He pulled me up and helped me walk to god knows where.
"Where are you taking me?" I whispered, still panting a little.
"To the doctor." He informed, keeping his answer short.
"Oh my... what happened?" I heard a voice of a lady and she sounded concerned.
"He is bleeding, Ms. Gwen." I heard him say. I felt another pair of hands on my body and they both led me to what I assumed to be a bed.
"Lay down, child." Ms. Gwen who I assumed to be nurse guided me and I obliged.
"I'll be back in few minutes, Ms. Gwen. I need to find the guys responsible for this." I heard Mr. Noah. I didn't have enough strength to speak. I just closed my eyes.
**********
I fluttered my eyes open to a weird sensation in the pit of my stomach. I gulped the lump in my throat that was there because of not speaking for a while and the dryness. I shifted in my bed and tried to sit up but a hand on my shoulder pushed me back on the bed, gently.
"Lay down, Noah." I heard the same raspy, deep and thick accent that was enough to tell me who it was.
"Mr. Brown?" I spoked but my own voice surprised me. It sounded so rough and hoarse.
"Yeah, it’s me. Take some rest." He advised me as his hand caressed my shoulder.
"Umm... where am I?" I questioned when a strong smell of medicines hit my nose and a distant sound of people chattering and none of them sounded like bunch of teenagers.
"You’re in a hospital." He answered which made me shot up in shock but my hand was attached to something. I then realized it was an IV drip.
"What? How?" I asked startled.
"Noah, you got me scared, you know. You blacked out for good 2 hours." He spoke, sounding worried. I could tell he was sitting I close proximity.
"But why did I black out?" I inquired, unaware of the reason.
"When was the last time you had a proper meal?" He questioned in a stern voice which made me remember I hadn’t had proper meal for three days straight.
"I-" He cut me off.
"Your glucose level is low. You're going to be here for a while." He said taking my hand in his hold and gently stroked the back of my hand with his thumb.
"Why didn't you eat?" He investigated.
Honestly, I didn't feel like eating. There was no reason.
"I don't know." I honestly answered which made him exhale a deep breath.
"Let me get you something to eat." I heard him say. He tried to pull back his hand but I tightened the grip.
"No. Just call my mum." I requested which earned another sigh.
"Give me her number." He agreed. I dictated him my mother’s number which I remembered like my own name.
"Here…" He put the phone on my hand after dialing. I placed the phone on my ear and heard the phone ring three times before she answered it.
"Hey mum.” I spoke when I heard her voice. “It's me Noah. I wanted to inform you that I’ll come home late today. I have some homework to do." I lied to her knowing that if I was there she would’ve guessed that I was lying but this time she bought my lie.
"Okay hun, take care." She hung up the call. I held the phone out for Mr. Brown to take it and he did.
"Did you bring me here?" I asked him as I scratched the skin around the cannula that was making my entire hand itchy.
"Ms. Gwen called 999 and told me about your condition. I told the school authority I would inform your mother but I didn't because I didn't know if you had told your mother about your eating habits or not." He informed making me hang my head in shame because of course I hadn’t.
"You didn't, right?" he asked and I shook my head.
"Noah, you need to take care of yourself." His voice was laced with concern as he held my hands and kissed them but it made me feel something weird in the stomach. Not happy weird. Sad weird.
"I can't do this." I pulled back my hands.
"What?" I could tell by his voice that he was shocked.
"I can't pretend that I am okay with all the secrets you have been keeping from me. I can't. I barely know you. I don't even know what we are" I sighed, stating the truth because it was being a burden on my chest.
"Noah..." His voice was barely above a whisper as he was trying to convince me.
"No, Mr. Brown-" He interrupted me.
"Call me Ryan." He corrected but it infuriated me.
"Why?! Why should I call you by your first name?! What are we?! We are not friends, right?!" I snapped at him. Thanks to my low to none tolerance skills.
"It wasn't important for you to know me when you didn't know who I was, when you never heard my voice but still shared your life with me." He sounded calm and hearing him still calm after my outburst calmed me a bit as well.
"Because then I wasn't even sure if you were real or not." I lied because the real reason was I was falling for him hard now, and I hadn’t had an idea about who he was. I couldn’t tell him so I hid it.
"You shared your life with me when you weren’t even certain that I even exist?" He questioned but I could tell he wasn’t convinced by my lie.
"Yes. Because I never had a listening ear. I was home schooled so no friends. The only friends I have are friends of my bully so, I wanted to let it out. I was more than happy that I had someone who was listening to me speak willingly." I answered and this time it was an utter truth.
"I’m still here. I’m still the same." He argued, but his voice was still very much calm.
"You don't understand." I sighed, shaking my head. I could hear him breathe for a second as the conversation took a pause before a pair of hands cupped my face, hands so soft and hold so gentle that it already made me smile.
"I do. Trust me. I just need time." He whispered. He was so close to me that I could feel his breath on my lips. It took every muscle in my bone not to kiss him.
"Take as much time as you need." I whispered because I realized I was being very pushy. He caressed my cheek and kissed my forehead.
"You are not playing with me, right?" I asked him and he kissed the corner of my mouth. I felt I was going to melt then and there.
"Why would you think that?" He spoke in voice so low as if he was talking to a baby, stroking my cheek.
"I don't know." I lied like a professional. I did know that and it had something to do with my track record of making friends.
"Don't worry, babe. I will never do anything to hurt you." He responded, resting his forehead on mine. My heart fluttered; he called me "babe" It sounded so hot in his Bradford accent and it was the first time he called me that. It made my cheeks hot as I bit my lip to hide the shy smile that was trying to make its way on my face.
"You are so cute." I blushed harder and turned away my face to hide it. I lied down and hid my face in the pillow.
I heard him chuckle and felt his hand on my back. He rubbed circles on my back.
"Noah…" He spoke softly. I composed myself and uncovered my face.
"Mhmm?"
"We should meet somewhere… like out of the school." He suggested which made my stomach flutter more. I gave him a smile.
"Yeah sure." I took my lower lip between my teeth. I was trying so hard not to blush again.
"Gosh, you are so adorable." He groaned, cooing at me. I giggled.
I heard a sudden sound of the bang of door opening, followed by some ruffling sounds and padding.
"How are you feeling, Mr. Carter?" I heard a voice. I assumed it to be a doctor.
"I'm feeling much better Dr. ...?"
"Mason Fell." He completed. I gave a nod as I felt a hand on my forehead.
"Thank you, Dr. Fell." I spoke.
"You seem okay. Mr. Carter but you need to change your eating habits. I’m giving you a diet schedule and you have to strictly follow that. Your bruises will heal in a week.” He said and took a pause before speaking again. “Mr. Brown come along with me. I need you for the discharge paper work." He added. I sighed knowing now I would have to eat or I’d end up in the hospital again. A hand on my shoulder alerted me.
"I'll be right back." I heard Mr. Brown saying. I gave a subtle nod. The sound of two pairs of footsteps faded.
After what felt like an eternity, I heard door opening again and two pairs of shoes walking in.
"C'mon, Carter. Let's get you home." I heard Mr. Brown. I waited for someone to remove my IV.
"Take care, Mr. Carter." I heard Dr. Fell as someone discarded my IV drip.
"Thank you Dr. Fell." I gratefully stated before standing on my feet with the help of a hand. I felt an arm around my waist to support me. Knowing who it was I blushed. I changed the hospital gown and Mr. Brown led me out of the hospital to his car.
"In you go, my lady." He instructed as I heard a car door opening. I blushed at the choice of his words and hopped in the car. I heard him open the car door and jumping in.
"What about my stuff?" I asked him, thinking about my bag that was discarded right before I was taken to nurse’s room in the school.
"Don't worry about it. It's in the car trunk." He responded. I bit my lip thinking about how thoughtful he was.
"You need to stop doing that." He sighed.
"Stop doing what?"
"Biting your lip." He sounded like he was physically controlling himself not to do something which made me blushed again.
"Okay…" I turned my head to the other side.
"Umm Noah?" He spoke again after roaring the engine of the car to life.
"Yes?"
"Babe, I don't know where you live?" He chuckled. I face palmed myself.
"Oh sorry."
I gave him my address. The ride to the home was quiet as he kept driving and I laid my head back on the seat, eyes closed. We both didn’t utter a word and enjoyed the comfortable silence.
"We are here." His voice made me open my eyes. I sat up and took a deep breath.
"Thank you, Mr. Brown." I stated, truly grateful and was about to get out of the car when he gripped my hand. I slowly turned around. There was a pause in which I could hear my heart beat and his breaths.
"Is it weird that I never wished so badly before to see someone, like I do now?" I whispered. He cupped my jaw with his another hand.
"No. It's not." He whispered back but I could feel his breaths on my face, telling me that he was more close to me than I thought. My breaths came rapid. I could feel my body temperature rise and his thumb stroking my jaw wasn't helping either.
"You’re not going to kiss me, right?" I whispered. I felt his thumb on my lips slowly tracing the lower lip.
"That depends." He whispered back, thumb still stroking my lower lip as I could feel tingles there and goosebumps in my entire body.
"On?"
"If you want me to…" My breath hitched when I could feel his lips brush mine when he spoke. His breaths hit my lip as he exhaled which got me more excited.
"This is going to be my first kiss…" I said purposely brushing my lips on his and scooting closer. I just wanted to kiss him.
"Then don't you think it shouldn't be in the car?" He asked leaning closer if that was possible.
"Don't you think it's too late for that…" I whispered back and leaned closer. He closed the distance between us and our lips touched-
A sharp and loud ringing sound blared through his phone which made us jump and pull apart, panting. We took a while to breathe, he totally ignored the call.
"I’m sorry…" He mumbled which made me shake my head.
"No, it's fine actually. Maybe we should not take whatever we have very fast.” I responded honestly because I don’t think I was ready to kiss him when I didn’t even know him properly.
"Yeah I guess. I just got lost in the moment." He cleared his throat before answering me, still ignoring the phone that kept ringing.
"Aren't you going to answer it?" I questioned.
"I... Umm... Nahh... It's not that important." He replied hesitantly. I knew he was hiding something again but as he said he needed time so I didn't push.
"Alright. I think I should go." I gave a smile to tell him that I wasn't upset.
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah..."
"Yeah…" I chuckled at his nervousness.
"Calm down. I won't tell anyone." I assured him, giggling.
"That's the least one that I’m worried about out of the hundred other things." He mumbled to himself but I heard it and chose to ignore it even though me being curious wasn't helping much.
I got out of the car but so did he. I felt an arm around my waist as he tried to help me walk, which did make me blush again for the nth time in the day.
"I know my way." I stated, chuckling.
"I was just... By the way I know you won't tell anyone." He still helped me to the front door of my house.
"What about my stuff?" I asked but being the perfect guy he was, he didn’t forget it in the car trunk.
"Here…" He passed my bag to me and I put it on my shoulder.
"Mr. Brown, I’m fine. Please go before my mum sees you." I whispered and pushed him playfully.
"Alright." He kissed my temple and I heard him walk away. I pulled out the keys from the left side-pocket of my bag and opened the door.
"Mum, I’m home!" I yelled. I made my way to the living room after shrugging off my bag in the hallway and discarding my shoes.
"Now where were you?!"
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