Nightingale Academy

Tear Shed

I woke up in the morning feeling oddly warm and comfortable in my bed. I sighed through my nose and cuddled closer into the warmer side of my bed. A hand skimmed over my butt and my eyes instantaneously opened wide, my vision meeting a grown man's chest clad in thin white cotton. I rose in my bed, my eyes glued to Amaranth's sleeping form. He was laying on his back but half of his body curled slightly towards my side so not to fall off the opposite end. His eyes were shut and his face free of emotions, much like how he looked during the day. His emotions were well-hidden throughout the day, but he frequently let me see him without his mask when we were alone.

My hand extended to his face and I brushed his dark locks away from his eyes. I had a fringe a few years ago and I remember how it would painfully poke my eyelids sometimes. My fingertips travelled over his eyebrow and cupped his cheek. He was peaceful when pretending to sleep.

“You can pretend to wake up now, Amaranth.”

One eye opened and looked at me smugly. His lips formed a smirk and he chuckled slightly. “How did you know?”

I rolled my eyes. “When you sleep, emotions run through your face like a wild fire,” I tell him. “Plus, you don't generally move around in your sleep, nor would you ever touch my butt either.”

Amaranth laughed and sat up next to me. He placed a hand behind my neck and pulled my face closer to his till my forehead met his lips. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” I reply as he lays back down in the bed. He rests his arm over his eyes, shielding them from the sun peeking through my window.

“We'll sleep in my bedroom next time. The sun doesn't rise at that side of the dormitory.”

So there was a next time.... I smiled to myself secretly. I lied down next to him and boldly made myself comfortable at his side, wrapping my skinny arm around his chest. He pushed his shoulder underneath my head and curled his arm around my waist.

“We should have a bed day where we can stay in bed all day,” he thought out loud. “Well at least until we get hungry, that is.”

On cue, our stomachs grumbled loudly and Amaranth laughed while I burned up into the colour of a tomato.

“Guess that would be now.” He pulled the comforter off us and slid out of the bed. I slid out from the other side and quickly straightened my pillows and covers.

“I have to change first,” I tell him. “It's too cold to go out like this.” I motion to my outfit and Amaranth's eyes unconsciously drill holes up and down my skimpily-clad body. I blush and he chuckles.

“Understandable. I'll go back to my room and throw something else on too. Be sure to where a warm sweater. I don't want you getting sick.” He glides across the room and out the door. I shake myself out of my trance and open the closet door. I pick out black leggings, over-the-knee socks, and a white shirt that reaches the top of my thighs when worn. I slip each article of clothing on and push my socks down to my ankles so the look like grey leg-warmers. I slip my feet into black ballet shoes and pull a red sweater out of my drawers. I zip up the sweater in time to hear Amaranth knocking on the door.

“Come in,” I yell out as I closed the closet door. Amaranth opened the door and smiled down at me. He wore a tight-fitting black shirt with a v-shaped neckline and a pair of dark jeans. His hair was patted down slightly but still stuck out in slightly curled locks. Even when he just woke up and had messy hair, he still looked perfect.

He held out his hand for me to take and asked if I'm ready. I nodded and lightly placed my fingers into his palm and he grasped my hand, lacing our fingers. Amaranth led me out of my room and down the stairs. We bid a good morning to those in the living area and made our way out of the dormitory. Walking towards the main building, Amaranth received many greetings while I received just as many glares. A few girls put on lovely fronts when bidding Amaranth a good morning, but once his back was turned to them, they would morph into vile creatures who quite obviously held a loathing passion for me.

We walked into the cafeteria and spotted our group at our usual table. I smiled at them shyly and gave them a small wave as Amaranth pulled me into the kitchen. Amaranth picked up two trays and led me behind the line. He placed two omelettes on his tray and picked one up for me. He slid down the line in rhythm with the other students, picking out our food one by one, giving himself double my portion. He looked to me before taking each dish, always seeking my approval. Rarely did I have to shake my head. Amaranth was always sure to keep in mind of my petite body and never gave me too much food. He knew that I generally preferred sweet foods but in small portions.

“Would you like to eat outside today?” he asks after I pick out our beverages.

I look up at him, slightly surprised. I've seen people eat outside by the fountain and bleachers or picnic tables but I found it odd for our group to go outside. “Wha-What about the others?” I was embarrassed to tumble over my words in front of him. I hadn't stuttered in a while, he would surely catch this flaw in my actions immediately.

He smiled and looked ahead at our table. “I think they'll be fine if we leave them alone for one morning.”

I nod slightly and look down at the floor, carrying my tray gingerly as he led me out the side door and into the court yard. He ignored the other students and walked past all the picnic tables. I smiled when he sat under a tree and patted the earth beside him. I carefully sat down next to him and pulled my legs against my chest. We placed our trays in front of us and picked up our plates of omelettes first. I straightened my legs and placed the plate on my knees before using a plastic fork and knife to cut into the omelette.

After three minutes of silence I was starting to regret coming outside to eat. Random people I've never met or talked to were sending me death glares and awkwardly staring at me. They were slowly eating me alive with their eyes while Amaranth silently sat next to me, calmly eating his breakfast.

He finally chuckled and gently placed a hand on the side of my head, pulling me towards me. He kissed the side of my forehead and trailed his lips to my ear. “I don't know about you, but I love making other people jealous,” he whispered.

At first, his close proximity and his soft breath against my ear caused me to shiver but I scowled after. I pushed him away, angry that to him this was all a game of his own amusement. He may like to make the girls after his own heart jealous but I was taking all the harassment after it, even though it hasn't been direct yet, if you exclude Rachel.

“That's not funny at all, Amaranth,” I growl, genuinely angry. I glare up at him and he looks shocked and slightly hurt. “You may enjoy making everyone jealous but after you leave, I'm stuck with everyone hating me.”

His mouth slid slightly agape as he stared down at me with wide eyes. As far as I could tell, he didn't have anything to retaliate with and so I stood up with my tray in hand. I walked away, ignoring his calls for me to come back and left him sitting alone.

I was still over-clouded by anger as I threw my food out back in the cafeteria and walked up the flights of stairs. My feet carried me to the last door of the staircase. It had a lock and chain on it but the door itself wasn't locked. I pulled it open as far as it could go and slid between the small open space. I closed the door and walked out to the edge.

On the roof of the main school building was another greenhouse made by the phytology class and gardening club. A couple solar panels sat at the highest peak of the roof on a raised platform, nine feet higher than the rest of the floor directly above the door. The remainder of the roof occupied sets of benches and flowers planted in long garden pots and plant boxes. I sat on the ground in front of one of the benches. I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes, thinking over what Amaranth had said.

He enjoyed making others jealous and apparently it was by using me. The hate I held before vanished and instead I felt despair. Amaranth had been using me and showing me affection only to have a good laugh later on. He may be a friend that cares for me and takes care of me but when it came to his feelings, he had none for me. All those times he held my hand and gave me his adoring smile, it had all been for show. I was so sure that he loved me. Maybe not love me, but he must have felt some kind of connection towards me the same way I felt one between us, but I had been wrong. I squeezed my legs closer to myself and buried my face into my knees, struggling to keep my eyes from leaking.

Memories gathered in my head and I thought of all the time we spent together. He regularly introduced me to new things, whether it be a new place or a novel he found interesting. He would stay up all night with me to watch the stars or do our homework together. We would stay in his room and lay next to each other for hours before one of us would fall asleep. He didn't spend that time with anyone else. He didn't talk about other people and he didn't even ask his sister to join us even though I now know that she and other inhuman students don't sleep as much as the human students do. Every night was spent together and during the day he would walk me back and forth from each class and patiently wait for me even though I generally slowed him down with getting to class and doing our work.

I sighed into my legs. Yes, Amaranth liked me. He wouldn't spend so much time with me if he didn't like me, but one think kept me from going back and apologising. He never ran after me.
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This one's a little over two pages.
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