Close My Eyes,and Fly

“I want you to think about this while you sit here” Mr. Welch said as he scanned over the classroom for some unknown reason. It was only the two of them sitting in the room in the desks in the front, but Mr. Welch was scanning the room as if there were multiple people standing behind them.
Jack chuckled under his breath and Aaron shot a glance over at him, she couldn’t help but smile as they locked eyes. “Is something funny?” Mr.Welch said, glancing over at Jack with a scowl.
“No nothing sir, I just think its ridiculous that you’re spending all of your valuable time watching over us” he said with a smile. “Perhaps you could do something more useful, a man with your qualifications would surely be needed elsewhere”
Mr.Welch grinned back at Jack and straightened his tie. “I’ll be back in a little bit” he said, exiting the room, his ears were flushed red and Aaron suppressed a laugh until she couldn’t contain herself anymore.
“Oh thank god he left” she burst as his footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Jack swung over in his seat and slapped his hands on his knees as he leaned forward towards her. “Thank you, thank you very much” he said cockily, flashing her a grin.
The two of them were seated in their english class room, in the seats in the front of the room. in front of them Mr. Welch had scribbled “Detention” across the board followed by rules such as “no talking” and “no eating” of course these rules weren’t going to be followed and Jack confirmed it as he whipped out a bag of pretzels and began munching away.
“So what should we do for the next hour and a half?” Jack said, taking a bite of pretzel and offering the bag over to Aaron, she politely declined.
“I dunno, I thought I might just read” she said, motioning over to the novel she had brought with her that day. she hadn’t anticipated that Mr.Welch was in the room or else she would of brought a snack as well.
Jack’s eyes flickered with amusement and Aaron couldn’t help but feel hot as a blush creeped up to her cheeks.
“ How are you and Madison?” Aaron said, changing the subject and breaking the silence that had settled over the room. She was reminding herself that the beautiful creature that was sitting before her with all his casual charmingness was the boyfriend of her best friend.
“We’re fine i guess.” Jack said shortly, glancing over at the clock. “I haven’t seen her since our date”. Aaron’s heart rate increased as he shook his dark hair out of his eyes, she glanced down at her shoes nervously and bit her lip. when she glanced back up a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes were staring back at her.
“How are things with you Aragorn?” He said back softly, a tone of compassion in his voice. Aaron assumed he was questioning how she was doing in light of the recent news of Scotts unfaithfulness. Aaron flinched beside herself and looked behind her out the window.
Outside the trees were waving in the wind and the grass was silent except for the tiny insects that were crawling across it, unnoticeable to the naked eye. Everyone had gone home, and Aaron felt the solitude of her situation creep up on her in an overwhelming rush she hadn’t realized before.
“I’m doing fine. I haven’t talked to him so I don’t think he knows I know” she said flatly. She decided not to add that she had been wallowing in self pity for the past few days, or that there was no way of knowing how she would break the news to Scott that she knew he was an ass.
She glanced over at Jack who’s eyes were still piercing her. She could see only the faint outline of the black eye he had acquired defending her honor and she inadvertently reached over and traced her thumb over it.
Jack remained perfectly still, closing his eyes as her thumb brushed under his brow bone. “It’s almost gone” he said finally, opening his eyes again. Aaron sat still, her hand still resting on his cheek, she finally recoiled when she realized how inappropriate the situation was. “I never got a chance to say thank you, for what you did for me I mean” she said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and chewing on her lip.
“I care about you.” he said, his eyes locked on her. “I hope you know that.” Aaron looked over her shoulder again, and folded her hands in her lap.
She knew that Jack cared about her or else he wouldn’t try and comfort her as much as he did. But she didn’t want to give any false hope that there was something more going on between them than there was.
“I know.” she sighed finally. She glanced back at Jack who has moved closer in her direction. She shuddered as she felt the heat from his body radiating against her bare legs.
Jack took another bite of pretzel and shot her a grin, Aaron looked over her shoulder at the door. She wondered if Mr.Welch was returning soon. She didn’t know how much time she had left alone with Jack, but the thought of almost two hours alone with Jack made her nervous.
“Tell me something true” she said finally, glancing over at Jack who was still munching away carelessly at his bag of pretzels. He had materialized a bottle of water next to him on his desk and took a swig of it before answering.
“You’re a loser” he said with a smirk, he screwed the lid of his water bottle back into place and slid it into the corner of his desk.
Aaron groaned and rolled her eyes, “I meant something that matters” she said, laying her head on the palm of her hand as she faced him.
Jack looked long and thoughtful at the top of his desk, he seemed to be focusing on the spot of dark brown wood that was hidden in the bottom corner, tracing over it with his thumb repeatedly. Aaron waited, she wasn’t sure if maybe this was a question that was too personal for their rekindled friendship, but she wanted to get to the bottom of this boy she hardly understood.
Finally, Jack looked back up at her, his chocolate brown eyes glowed with a warmth that she hadn’t seen before. She saw that his hands were trembling across the top of his desk and he looked as though he was doubting whether or not to speak the words that were ready to leap from between his lips.
He finally spoke, in almost a whisper. “I’m crazy about you” he said, looking shyly at her and then out the window behind her.
The words lingered in the air and Aaron’s breathing slowed as she processed the sentence she had been longing to hear. Jack’s eyes returned to her and a frown fell over his face, he slid back around facing forward at his desk. and put his head in the palm of his hand.
“..You’re with Madison” She croaked. She had processed that even the feelings she had to admit to herself were there, her best friend still had the claim on this wondrous human being that was sitting before her.
“I know.” Jack said quietly. He was mopping and Aaron had to suppress a laugh at the childish behaviour he was displaying.
“If you’re crazy about me than why are you with her” she thought. There was a bitterness that now filled her. bitterness towards her best friend, as well as bitterness that Jack had waited until it was two late for her to do anything about his feelings.
“Theres nothing special about me, I’m just an awkward girl with a beautiful best friend.” she said finally. she sighed and turned to look out the window. Behind her she could hear Jack shift in his seat. The scent of chocolate floated over to her and she breathed in deep, savoring his sweet smell.
She could feel the tension in the room rising, outside looked like a much more pleasant place. At least it was an atmosphere where she was free and in the beams of the sun, rather than overshadowed by the new revelation that one of her best friends had a crush on her.
She glanced back at Jack who hadn’t moved.
“ya know what just forget it.” he said, tugging his backpack up from the floor. “forget I said anything” Aaron glanced at him in disbelief. “You can’t leave, you’ll get in trouble” she said as he stood to exit the room.
“I’ll take my chances” he said, his warm eyes had turn to stone, and his face held a scowl that was all to recognizable from their first encounter.
“See ya around toots” he said, shoving open the door to the room and disappearing through it.