35I Miss Your Head
I'm lazy. Gasp right? Breakthrough of the century…not.
Not but seriously, I am so, so, lazy. It's like; I'm one of those good girls who only strive to get A's and A-stars. But the thing is I know I have essay's due in yet for some unknown reason I leave it till last minute. Literally.
When I was in high school I did my homework, which was a flipping essay, in the period before. (Somehow I still manage to get the grade) Oh, and another time, I did my science write up in my science lesson. Luckily I sat at the back, and my teacher didn't mind that I was writing furiously while she was explaining a very important exam question. (Like I said, the teachers all know I'm a good student…pshh…)
I thought that by the time I got to University, the most important time of my life, I would grow out of the habit and actually do my work on time. But no, I don't, and you know what? I still get the grade.
How unfair is that?
Well, not really unfair to me, but unfair to those others who work for three hours with no break and still get an OK grade (cough-my best friend-cough).
So anyway, since I was doing my work during breakfast in the lunch room in my campus, I lost track of time and had to go to class in my jeans, sweater, and…wait, for it, bunny slippers!
Yes, that's right, the idiot inside me changed but forgot to take her slippers off, and the bin-head I call my roommate and best friend, Alyssa, seemed to have forgot to tell me about it! (I swear it's just pay back. I mean it's not my fault that I picked up an important phone call from her grandmother and said she was with 'some' guy in 'some' room. I mean seriously, it was 3am! If she was expecting a call shouldn't she have stayed in? Well.)
"You're just on time Miss Cakes," my professor said. Yes, laugh it up, my surname's Cakes, but don't worry my first name isn't a type of food or savoury…well, it's actually Pepper…but that's not a type of food is it now?
Oh no, I'm a food child! Why couldn't I be a due-to-the-sixties child? Well, that'd make me old…so no, a child of two chefs is good for me!
"Yes I am," I said grinning and trying to flatten my hair which so kindly decided to break the tie that was holding the wild tangles of curls together. Now it just looked like I ran through a blizzard, wrestled with tigers, swan in a river with crocodiles and gone to a rock concert, in other words; bad.
"I like the choice of footwear Pepper," he said smiling amusedly. I glanced down and my head shot up which patches of red on my cheek.
"Um, well, I heard that slippers were the new…converses?" I tried lamely. The class laughed, but it was a nice laugh. Not the ones you get in high school, you know those 'oh-em-gee you major loser!' type laughs.
"Take a seat Miss Cakes," he said. Professor Taylor was an old man who had three grandchildren. He was one of those typical lecturers who care about his students and can have a laugh as well as teach a class up to the finest of standards.
"Aye-aye Captain." I saluted and trudged up the stairs. "Damn, these shoes are hard to walk up in," I muttered. The few that heard me shot me amused looks and laughed lightly.
I sat down in my seat and smiled at Drew Taylor. Yes, he was one of those grandchildren of Professor Taylor. Drew doesn't mind that his grandfather teaches him. Heck, I'd be glad to have a granddad like Professor Taylor. My granddad talked about his days in the Army and about old war stories, which are still depressing, even after hearing them fifty to sixty times.
"So, you rushed again?" he asked me. He was the only one, other than my roommate, Alyssa, that knew of my little habits.
"I swear I have an OCD or something," I groaned blinking rapidly. I was so tired. I was up last night reading my assigned novel for my English class. (The only type of homework I do is reading)
"OK, class, open your books to page seven," Professor Taylor said to the class. It wasn't a very big class. There were only about fifteen or so people in the class. We were a tight knit class, even though we knew we were up against each other at the exams. I mean it is a dog eat dog world.
The ruffling of pages echoed the room. Drew looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it.
About halfway into the lesson, I did the worst thing possible…I fell asleep in class. I know right? Gasp! It's not my fault Drew's shoulder looked so comforting inviting! And he didn't seem to mind when I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment…or when I fell asleep on his shoulder. He even managed to wake me up gently! I hated beyond hated being roughly awoken. It just makes me mad and annoyed…and any other word to do with frustrated. (I can't be bothered to look them up on a thesaurus)
I managed to mutter a small apology and thank you to Drew, who just smiled those sweet smiles of his. He was quite handsome. One of those guys who just stick out of the crowd for some reason or the other. Maybe it was those big brown eyes of his, or his brown floppy hair, but something caught my attention, other than the fact he sat next to me in class.
"Hey there Drew," I said greeting him three weeks later. I had been falling asleep on his shoulder almost every lesson. Professor Taylor wasn't pleased, but I swore to him if I didn't ace his practice test, he could stun me with a stun gun to keep me awake. He almost looked like he was considering it!
As a joke, I'd worn the bunny slippers to the class. Professor Taylor tried not to find this amusing, but snorted each time I walked into class, he tried to style it off by coughing…but I'll emphasize on the 'tried' part.
"Morning Bunny," Drew replied. I rolled my eyes. Drew thought of it as his personal mission to call me Bunny from then onwards. I didn't mind. I was actually, inwardly, delighted that he wanted to give me a cutesy pet name!
This week I was tired as hell because it had been Alyssa's birthday party and we planned a night out with our friends. Let me tell you one thing; never celebrate a party for a just turned eighteen year old. As in a just turned legal age for drinking, they'll drink till they drop. I being the only responsible one there drove everyone home…at 3am, giving me only two and a half hours of sleep. Two and a half hours of sleep was murder on crack! It was absolute torture!
"If I fall asleep on your shoulder blame Alyssa and the two hours of sleep I got," I whispered warning him.
"Oh, no problem," he replied quietly, flashing me his pearly whites. I smiled back gratefully.
So it started off with me just resting my head on his shoulder. Now, I told him I was just rested my head and he just gave me a 'sure', and I swore I could hear a smile in is voice. Then my eyes started closing, I think I mumbled something like 'I'm not going to sleep', and I think I heard a 'Mhm', but I was already asleep so that bit could've been my mind making up a response.
I awoke to the sound of chairs scraping. I blinked and sat straight. I winced, my neck was aching. "Sorry and thanks," I said again with a small smile. "I really need to sleep more often."
"Yes, sleep, good."
"Caveman," I muttered putting my stuff together. "I swear I won't be surprised if I fail this year."
"Fail you will not with these." Drew held out some papers. I took them from him confused. My eyes widened as I skimmed over the writing.
"You took bloody notes for me?!" I cried my insides filling with guilt.
"No, I just wrote those for the sake of it, because I liked the hand cramp. What'd you think?"
"OK, stupid question," I said blushing. "But, aw, you didn't have to do this for me!" I gave him a massive hug, which he returned. "Seriously why go to all that trouble?"
He pulled away and looked my right in the eyes. He looked so serious. "I like you," he said simply. "I'm not going to side step it. I like you. God, I've liked you for so long, I can't believe you haven't seen this coming," he said noticing my shocked expression.
I didn't know what to think. I mean, when I saw movies or read books about a girl who has the guy she likes confess his love to her and she freezes and leaves, I think 'what the hell is that girls problem?' But now, being in that position…well, it made me realize why she would do that.
"I…I…got to go, bye!" I rushed out. I spun on my heels and walked off in a random direction. I shoved the papers in my bag. My zipper caught my finger. That was the first sign; I had made a bad decision.
The next few days had been disastrous. Drew didn't sit next to me anymore; he sat two rows in front of me, and three seats to the right. I felt so miserable by myself, with no one to share jokes with…or to lean on. Mostly the latter.
I realized how stupid I was in just walking away, I mean, who does that? Who just walks away from a guy who likes you and you like back? Me obviously! The three days made me realise how much I really liked him. My heart stung every time he leaned over to the girl next to him and cracked a joke, (She just smiled politely. Insolent child, she probably didn't even get the joke!) Or when he borrowed a pen from someone else – it used to be me he borrowed a pen from – or when I gazed at his vacant, comfortable shoulder.
It was pride that kept me from apologising or even telling him how I really felt. He moved away from me without even trying to get me back. He gave up and moved on, literally. He didn't even fight!
The lesson went by slowly, mostly because I was actually awake for the lesson, but it was tedious without Drew. His presence just felt right.
Urgh screw Drew. You don't need him sista'!
The bell rang for the end of the lesson. I said my goodbyes to Professor Taylor, who thankfully didn't hold a grudge for rejecting his grandson. I love a good unbiased teacher. Drew had already left the classroom; at an unnaturally fast speed may I add.
I pushed the doors open and walked out. A hand grabbed me from behind, and spun me around. My mouth parted in surprise.
"Drew."
"Gramps, we're just going to use your classroom, OK?"
"Sure thing son, just lock up and bring me back the key," he said handing Drew the keys to the door. Professor Taylor winked at me and whispered.
"Second chances." I blinked, but was dragged into the room by Drew. He let go of my hand and started pacing from side to side.
"This is all your fault you know," he said pointing an accusing finger at me.
"Yes it is," I agreed with him, even though I had no idea what he was on about.
"I'm glad you agree with me. You're like one of those…things!" I gave him a raised eyebrow as a response. "I tell you I like you, you reject me. Fine. I move seats, my dignity still there, a little bruised but it's there."
"OK…"
"But then you had to be all you and I could only think of you the entire time! It's like you complete me! And BAM! There goes the dignity I have," he said angrily.
"Um," I started but got cut off by the one and only, Drew.
"I miss sitting next to you! I moved away from you yet I miss you! I mean shouldn't it be you telling me this? Huh? I miss calling you bunny, and your crazy hair and God, I just miss sitting next to you," he growled. "Dammit, I even miss the pain I get on my shoulder when you rest your head on it for an hour straight!"
I froze. I crossed my arms, narrowed my eyes at him and asked, "Are you saying I have a big head?" this time he froze. I gasped. "Are you calling me fat?" I pointed a finger at him.
"Um, no, I-I…my point was…um…no?" he stuttered. I bit my bottom lip because it was quivering. "Please don't cry, oh god this wasn't suppose to turn out like this. I was suppose to say all this, you were suppose to confess your love to me and we were suppose to make out of the professors desk!" he said as if forgetting I was there.
"Oh, please don't cry!" he moaned putting his hands on my shoulders. The feeling I got told me my gut feeling was right.
I couldn't hold it in any longer. I let it all out. I started…laughing. Tears were in the corners of my eyes.
"Oh man," I said in between laughs. Drew stood back and crossed his arms, slightly red; he knew his man pride was gone. "You should've seen your face!"
"It's not really that funny."
"Oh, and your little fantasy of how it was supposed to go, didn't work out too well did it?" I asked him. He looked crushed. I walked to him and we were inches away from each other. I locked eyes with him but his gaze kept drifting to my lips, and I was doing the same.
"We could always make one part of your little daydream, storyline come true, since one part's already true."
"And what's that?"
"This," I said and I pushed him against the table and started locking lips. Woo! It didn't take him too long to respond.
"But I thought…" he mumbled against my lips.
"I'm in like with you, if not love," I said in a quiet voice, staring at him. I didn't turn away or blush, there was no need.
"Man, you really crushed my ego when you walked away!"
"Nope my dear, nothing could do that."
And with that we continued our little lesson…on Professor Taylor's table. Though, it wasn't the full on lesson, if you follow my drift. -Wink-
You know, some parts of this story are quite true…I'm guessing that you're guessing what the true part is…lol…
I bet there are loads of stories with this storyline, but if any of them sound really familiar to mine and were written before I published…I'm sorry? Really, I am. This just came to me…well, if you refer to the little two lined authors note just before this paragraph, it should explain how some of it came about. Thanks for reading! :D
Hopelessly Cliché
xoxo