Olive's POV
I couldn't concentrate much after Elise mentioned the sewing room. It was highly disturbing for me. I tried to divert my attention and looked around the lunchroom. I could see some of my classmates but there was one girl in particular that caught my attention. She was looking straight at me and made no effort to look away after I had caught her staring. I did not look away either and wanted to stare her down but she was really creepy and I was forced to look away.
My eyes fell on Markus who was smiling at me, obviously lost in thought. When he realized I had caught him staring he turned away awkwardly but then he looked at me again. I blushed under his intense stare that held so many emotions that I could not pick out individually. I locked eyes with him again and he smiled while gesturing for me to smile as well. Just as my facial muscles begun to pull up, Elise's face came to block my view of him and instead of smiling I ended up frowning.
"We are in public." Elise said sitting back down and I groaned in quiet frustration.
Markus took out a small paper from his jacket that I can see is greatly wrinkled like he hadn't put it away with care when taking it off. He wrote something on the paper underneath the table and smiled at me knowingly. I was elated to be receiving my first letter from my crush so I pretended to be getting something from the floor and I stretched out my hand underneath the table to receive it but the letter didn't come to me and was instead passed to Elise. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling heartbroken.
I sat back up and glared at Markus who was still smiling and I looked away. Oliver, who was sitting in the direction I was now looking laughed at Markus. I didn't look at Markus for the rest of supper and when it was time to leave I was glad that I wouldn't be seeing him till tomorrow, probably at lunch.
"What happened to you?" I heard Elise ask me and I quickened my footsteps.
I heard her start running after me and I smiled; short people and their short legs. She caught up to me and grabbed my arm.
"Leave me alone." I said annoyed.
"Is this about the note?" she asked and I'm sure that my expression told her it was,"He was threatening to reveal a secret of mine if I stopped you again."
Oh....I guess I misjudged him. I looked down at my feet and then Elise continued to say,
"He must be feeling sad because you didn't even look at him after that."
"Can I go and see him?" I asked a little shy.
Before I lise could respond I heard Markus' chuckle from behind us and I turned around immediately. He was talking to Christopher and Oliver and they had put him in the centre. His eyes locked with mine and I looked away from him then Elise asked,
"You wanted to see him, didn't you?"
"He seems busy. I can talk to him tomorrow."
"Then let's go."
I wasn't surprised by her lack of interest. She seemed to be glowing today and she had a faint smile on her lips. Was Oliver flirting with her again or am I imagining it? When the boys came to where we were standing they fell silent like they weren't laughing and talking a while ago. I looked at Markus and smiled but he didn't smile back and I felt my heart shatter.
"Wow. You have a beautiful smile." Christopher complimented me but my attention was on Markus who was flat out ignoring me.
I walked towards Markus and hugged him as tightly as I could. I stood on my toes and craned my neck to reach his ear and I whispered a sorry. He hugged me back and he whispered that it was okay. Elise come to hug me from behind and Oliver came to the side as well.
"We are in public." Elise whispered.
"I hate to disturb what ever this is but Br Mike's coming this way." Christopher said pushing us all to an extra dark place.
I was grateful for the fact that the school looked this dark at all times. It was good to help hide someone. We broke the quadruple hug and my eyes immediately locked with Markus. Elise and I started heading to our dorm and it seemed like we were the last ones to arrive.
"I'm tired." I said yawning and Elise let out a dry chuckle,"What?"
"You were sleeping half the day yesterday while I had to keep an eye on you and you are here complaining. Even Sr Drevin is immobile from lack of sleep since you came here."
"Is she okay?" I asked concerned as we started to ascend the stairs.
Sr Drevin is a nice lady and I wouldn't want anything bad happening to her because of me.
"Vee! Wait up."
What is Oliver doing here? I stopped climbing and turned to see Oliver and Markus jogging up the stairs. I hope the have passes to be here so late at night otherwise Elise will punish them. Elise had not stopped walking but she had slowed down.
"What are you doing here?" I asked,"Do you have a pass?"
They looked at each other questioningly and then they started laughing and I became confused. What was so funny about my question?
"Didn't Elise tell you?" Markus asked smiling up at me because I was three steps higher than they were,"We are staying here for an indefinite time. Room opposite yours."
"What?" I asked shocked beyond my wits,"Who allowed you?"
"Br Mike." they both answered now standing on the same level as I was.
I couldn't find the words to respond and they pushed me to started moving up. If they are staying here then does that mean....
"Are you going to. e bathing with girls?!" I asked alarmed and the all shushed me because I was making a lot of noise,"Sorry."
"Just keep your voices down." Elise said to the three of us.
"We obviously aren't going to be bathing here." Oliver answered my question.
"But why are you here?" I asked.
Markus was going to answer my question but Oliver gave him a look that made him shut up. Oliver then looked at me smiling.
"Aren't you happy to see us here? It's just like home.....with a bunch of extras of course."
"You are hiding something from me and yet you say it's like home?"
"Can't you just shut up and be kept in the dark?" Elise asked and my eyes snapped up to look at her,"Everyone has secrets. They are trying to be considerate of you."
"Why?" I asked and she narrowed her eyes at me,"Oliver never keeps anything from me so why should he start now?"
"He's a boy approaching puberty and his hormones are spiralling out of control." she responded seriously and I frowned not seeing the connection between my question and her answer.
"What's with the explanation?" Oliver asked sounding embarrassed.
"Would you expect him to tell you what his first wet dream was about?" she asked.
"No but that's...."
"Think about in that way then. We all need to sleep. You've already drained most of our energy with the amount of trouble you've been in."
I was speechless. She was really upset and I felt the air become heavy. She turned around and took the last step and turned left to where our rooms were.
"She didn't mean it to offend you." Markus said patting my back.
I shook his hand away and walked away as fast as I could. My eyes became moist with unshed tears and I run to my room. I shut the door quietly and sat on the floor to cry but my tears seemed to be teasing me because they didn't fall. I was causing trouble for everyone. Elise was just venting. Did the boys request to move here because of me? It's all because of these damn ghosts! I dragged myself to the bed and got on but I couldn't fall asleep. I shut my eyes and tried to think over the last few days that had led me to this moment.
I heard a knock at the door and went to check it. I was Markus standing in his boxers with no shirt on. I tried not to look but everything about the sight in front of me was inviting to my eyes. He was holding his school jacket and it was neatly folded.
"Are you okay?" he asked worried.
"Yeah. Is there a problem?"
Damn it! My voice was so shaky for some reason so I cleared my throat and he smiled at.me, making me blush.
"Ollie sent this for you." he said handing me the jacket.
"He sent me your jacket? Does he think I will sniff it to sleep?"
"No, but now I know what you will be doing with it." he answered and I blushed so hard I felt my cheeks tingle,"There's something inside."
He looked so seductive in the dim light. The lights went out and it was dark. If he was seductive in the light then he was to die for in the dark. The pale moonlight seeping into the corridor from my room made the ridges of his abs shine and I swallowed back my saliva. He moved closer to me and I heart started pounding went he bent down to level himself with me. I instinctively tilted my head up and he kissed me. It felt electric to feel his lips on mine.