Black Velvet

After Tuesday my week didn't get any better, Mr. Way moved Marnie and I away from each other so I was stuck at the front of the class and was unable to do anything without him watching me.

After bumping into Mr. Way at the restaurant I had gone and sat back with Deb. I ate in silence, trying to not scream at him when he came back in the restaurant with his own friends to order food. He made no eye contact with me and I did the same.

Alongside this my little outburst in Art class beforehand had caused me to gain the utmost respect from Alex but nearly every other girl in the school stayed as far away from me as possible. Alex seemed to enjoy this greatly, I was her new companion. I felt bad for the other girls, Marnie would try hard to strike up conversation with Alex but only receive an eye roll or a scoff in return. Kyle had also taken up pursuing me at every opportunity and it was becoming hard to think of excuses and avoid him.

"Please Kyle, I have to get to class!" I told him hurriedly, taking long strides across the courtyard. The hallways were empty and I was already five minutes late from Kyle hounding me outside my last class.

The winter weather was quickly approaching and I could see my breath in the air. My hands were slowly turning purple as I was clutching onto a takeaway cup of coffee, alongside having to hold onto my folders and books that wouldn't fit in my backpack.

"I'll stop being a freak and following you when just give me a little bit of your time!" Kyle laughed, walking beside me effortlessly. He was wearing a dark blue, collared coat with a chequered scarf. He had his hands stuffed deeply into his coat pockets but he was still shivering as he followed me.

"I can't you know this-" I tried to explain, tripping through the door into the field, dropping my bag clumsily. I let out a sigh when he picked it up from the floor, his eyebrows raised, "Alex is my best friend okay? Please just stop, you're going to get me in so much trouble," I almost whined, taking my backpack from him and continuing towards art class.

"Alex and I dated so long ago, you don't even have to tell her. I just want an hour with you that's all," Kyle explained, like it was that simple.

"You've clearly never been a teenager girl in high school," I snorted.

"Hey, don't assume I've never been a teenage girl, we all have secrets," he winked, gaining another laugh from me, "See we'd have a good time, I can make you laugh. I know you want me," he grinned in a sing song voice.

"I can't and I don't! I want to get to class!" I insisted as I arrived outside the art building. He stepped in front of me, his broad hands holding onto my forearms gently.

"Please, Mia, thirty minutes sometime this week," he asked sweetly. I looked into his eyes, they were deep brown, surrounded by heavily hooded eyelids. I shook my head, looking down and groaning. He suddenly, turned me around and pushed my body lightly up against the school building. I looked up, whining under my breath, "Don't pretend you don't want me to do this," he murmured, his body lightly pressing up against mine.

"Kyle, I'm flattered-" he cut me off by gently pushing his lips against mine. I didn't kiss him back and I quickly pulled my face away, "Kyle!" I hissed, trying to sound angry but I couldn't help a smile from gracing my lips.

"Shhh," he whispered, also smiling. He leant back down and pressed his lips to mine. Once again I didn't kiss him back neither did I stop him until the art door abruptly opened. I tugged myself away whilst using my hands to push Kyle back, my eyes widening a little when Mr. Way appeared.

"Mr. Way," Kyle smirked, taking a step back from me, his hands back into his pockets.

"Kyle, you're an hour early for my class. Get to where you're supposed to be. Mia you were meant to be in my class ten minutes ago," Mr. Way sighed, walking down the steps towards us.

"I'll catch you later Mia," Kyle smiled, glancing at me quickly.

"Bye," I muttered at him, my eyes stuck on Mr. Way who was looking at me so intently, it was almost a glare.

"That was not what it looked like," I mumbled awkwardly.

"I'm pretty sure it was exactly what it looked like," Mr. Way snapped. I narrowed my eyes at him and I could see him clenching his jaw as he stared at me.

"Sorry," I apologised reluctantly, "It won't happen again," I added. He simply nodded before walking completely past me and across the field. I walked up the stairs and into the building. Mr. Way's classroom was stuffy and hot from all the students. I dumped all of my things at my new seat before taking off my blazer. I looked over my shoulder and noticed the girls from last lesson staring at me angrily. I glared at them, throwing myself down into my seat. I leant over my own desk towards Mr. Way's desk, grabbing the remaining work that was stacked up. I sifted through it, finding my own work before settling down and trying to actually do some of it. Marnie scuttled over to where I was sitting and gave me a hug, accidentally smudging the work I had been doing.

"Alex mentioned you two were going out for coffee later, can I come?" she asked, blinking up at me.

"Of course you can come, you don't need to ask me," I chuckled.

"Well Alex wanted me to ask you so I thought I should," she shrugged, "I can come then?" she then smiled. I nodded and smiled back. She checked her phone quickly when it vibrated from inside her pocket. I watched as her eyes scanned the texts.

"Are you okay?" I asked, watching her neatly shaped eyebrows furrow.

"Yeah," she said, looking taken off guard before she stood up from her crouching position, "I'll catch you later okay?" she then smiled. I nodded and shrugged, watching as she quickly left the classroom.

Mr. Way came back into the classroom five minutes before the end of the lesson and sat at his desk, his face covered by the book he was reading. I worked hard, filling a good three pages of my sketchpad in the forty five minutes I had.

"That's good Mia," Mr. Way's voice suddenly sounded quietly from over his desk.

"Thanks," I mumbled quietly, smiling at him. He simply nodded at me and went back to his book. I felt good, more relaxed. A part of me wondered how Alex would react when I told her about Kyle but I thought she would probably understand when I explained to her the whole situation. Once the bell went I handed in my work and began collecting my things together.

I got outside the art block, back into the cold air that settled shamelessly around my legs. Marnie was stood outside the building with Alex, they both smiled at me broadly and I strolled over towards them.

"Where did you go?-" I began to ask Marnie before Alex interrupted.

"She came to talk to me, about Kyle," Alex said, her tone unreadable. I stopped in my tracks and my stomach dropped a little.

"I was going to tell you about that as soon as I was out of art!" I said, defending myself.

"When? I told you not to go near him!" Alex snapped, her voice louder than before.

"I didn't go near him, he went near me! How do you even know what happened?" I argued back, taking a step forward.

"Your little crush told me," she smirked, her arms folded.

I stood in my spot, shocked. Alex's glossy lips twitched as she stared at me, the corners of her mouth snarling a little. I swallowed, blinking my eyes over and over as they became watery.

Mr. Way had told her?

"He ...he c-couldn't have," I managed to stutter out.

"I overheard him talking to Kyle and then he told me," she said rigidly.

"Who told you?" Marnie suddenly asked from the sidelines, looking at Alex for an answer. I shook my head at Alex, silently begging her not to say anything.

"Yeah. Who is it Mia? Tell our good friend Marnie," Alex smiled. Marnie looked at me awkwardly, horribly unaware that she was just a pawn piece in the argument.

"Alex, please cut the crap and talk to me about this like I'm a person," I begged, swallowing thickly. She stared at me icily.

"Don't fuck with me Mia, I will crush you. We'll talk later, after you tell Kyle you want nothing to do with him," Alex hissed in my ear. She leant back away from me and threaded her arm into Marnie's, pulling her to get her to start walking.

Notes

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