Ethan’s POV
" Hey guys, any plans for evening?", Gavin asks out of the blue while the four of us are sitting in the canteen having our lunch.
" No..why ?", Grace asks.
" Let's go out evening?", Gavin raises an eyebrow, looking at Grace.
" Uhm ?", she asks taken aback.
" I mean let's all go out somewhere after school.", Gavin says.
" Where ?", I ask.
" To a movie ?", Gavin asks.
I think about it quickly. " But according to rule, we need to get back at hostel at 7 PM.", I say.
" We can come back by 8. Let's climb the back gate. No body will find out.", Gavin says.
" Okay, I'm up for it.", Grace instantly says.
" What will happen if...w..warden find out ?", Michael asks.
" He won't find out. Nothing will happen.", Gavin says.
" Uhmm..okay.", Michael nods. " I haven't even went to movies s..skipping class.", he says.
" Really ? Then we are definitely going today.", Grace says excitedly.
" So let's go ??", Gavin asks looking at me.
" Okay.", I nod after looking at Michael. He already nodded and he really looks excited to go.
Michael then starts quickly having his lunch. " Why are you eating so fast ?", I ask him.
" I need to g..go to the library. I want a book for English assignment.", he replies.
" Oh..I also need a book. Let's go together.", I say. That's a lie. I just want to spend some more time with him. Hmm..but anyway next hour we have Calculus together. So I can spend one more hour with him.
I quickly finish my lunch along with Michael and we both together head to library leaving Grace and Gavin alone. They are still only half way through the lunch.
" What book do you want ?", I ask Michael as we step into the library.
" We need to d..do a project on one of Shakespeare's tragedy plays. I'm confused which p..play I should choose.", he replies.
" You want Romeo and juliet?", I ask. Because it's common and everyone knows it's story.
" uhm...everyone might be choosing it.", he says.
" oh..?", I hum. I don't really know about any other tragedy plays of Shakespeare. Anyway I walk with Michael to the Plays section.
"Ahm..you may go and f..find the book you need. I'll find mine alone. ", Michael says.
" uhm..yeah..okay.", I nod and go to the section opposite to plays, which is apparently Novels. I simply start taking random books from the shelves whilst watching Michael thoroughly scrutinize the different Shakespeare plays on the shelves.
He takes a thick book and then tap on it twice before opening it. Dust fly out from both sides of that old fat book and he instantly starts sneezing.
I didn't have a tissue or towel with me to offer him. So I stand there and watch his nose and cheeks turning red as he sneezes. It's quite cute to watch. He sneezes lightly without actually making any sound. But his eyes and nose crinkle and each time he sneezes, he bend a little and his fluffy locks fall into his eyes, causing him to tuck them back cutely.
Michael places the fat book back in the rack, cursing something under his breathe whilst still sneezing. He then looks up frowning at me and only then I realize I've been smiling looking at him sneezing. " What ?", he mouths at me scrunching his eyebrows and I look away shaking my head.
" It's all dusty old b..books.", he says to himself and then takes another book from the row whilst rubbing his eyes. I places the book I had in my hand and go to him.
" I think you're really allergic to dust. I'll help you.", I say and take out a book from the upper row. The play is apparently Hamlet. " Oh..this is a tragedy play.", I say and read out the blurb to Michael.
" Mm..it's interesting.", he says and takes it from my hand. I then take another play from the rack, which is Macbeth. I read it's blurb to Michael and he listens carefully. " It's also g..good. I'm confused which to choose. Hamlet or M..Macbeth ?", he asks.
" Then take both.", I reply.
Michael shakes his head and then stretch out two of his fingers to me. " Touch one.", he says.
I smile and touch his long middle finger.
" Okay Macbeth.", Michael smiles and places Hamlet back. " Did you g..get your book ?", he then asks me.
" Oh..yeah..I did.", I say and go to the Novels taking a random book from there which is apparently ' To kill a mocking bird'
" Oh..why you wanted this n..novel ?", Michael asks me as we go to issue our books.
" Mr Smith told to read this.", I say.
" It's a really nice book.", he says.
" You've read this ?", I ask surprised.
" Yeah..", he nods smiling. " Tell me how you l..liked it after you finish it."
" Sure ! Seems like you read a lot of books.", I say.
" Because I don't have a..anything else to do. I read a lot of books to p..pass time.", he says. " I started reading a lot..especially after Alex's death.", he adds. He fluster almost soon after saying that.
" Oh..Alex was your only friend ?", I ask.
" Ahmm..actually..Ethan..", Michael fiddles with the Macbeth in his hands.
" What..?", I ask.
" Uhm..you won't believe me...If..If I say.."
" What is it ? I'll believe you.", I say.
" Ahm...", he hesitates. " I can't understand why...why you both l..looks so similar."
I smile. " I believe your friend looked like me. That can happen. It's quite natural."
" But you s..smiles like him, eats like him and sometime behave j..just like him.", Michael says, his eyebrows scrunched in thought.
" oh..really ?", I ask. He just nods and then hands his book to the librarian. We were already standing in the queue to issue our books. The librarian Mrs Douglass gives ‘Macbeth’ back to Michael after recording it on her register and making him sign. After that I also give my novel to Mrs Douglass and she quickly issues it for me as there were more students standing behind us to issue and return books.
The bells rings as we walk down the steps from the library.
" This hour we have c..calculus together, right ?", Michael asks.
" Oh..yeah.", I say as if I just remembered it now. We then together walk to the Calculus class.
" You don't like Calculus?", he then asks me.
" uhm..not really. I'm weak in maths.", I say.
" Which s..subject you like most ?", he asks.
" Ahm..I like Science..especially chemistry.", I say. He nods briefly, again his eyebrows scrunching together.
Soon we reach the Calculus class and we occupies two chairs in the third row. Third row is not actually my place, especially in calculus class. It's a bit too nearer to the front. But since Michael sat here, I decided to sit here for today. Maybe I'll finally try to concentrate in Calculus, rather than sleeping.
Though I tried hard to listen to Mr Hibbert, I pathetically failed within first five minutes. I couldn't understand anything he was saying. Calculus is really boring and tough. But Michael was listening to Mr Hibbert like he was telling some interesting story. I can't understand how Michael manages to understand all this. He is really bright.
" You aren't understanding?", Michael asks me as I scratch on my head after Mr Hibbert writes a problem on the board for us to solve.
" No..", I say.
" Just copy from m..mine now. I'll explain you later.", he says.
" oh..thanks.", I nod and look into his notebook.
" You need to first c..concentrate in class to understand something.", he says.
" I tried.", I say.
" But you didn't listen to the previous classes. That's why. I'll t..tutor you if you want.", he says.
" Oh..yes please tutor me. Or I'll fail.", I say quickly. Michael just smiles a little before continuing to do the problem. I smile, literally like an idiot and start copying down the steps he writes.
I don't really know what I'm doing. I can't possibly miss a chance to spend some time with Michael. Michael is just so sweet and cute. I can't resist myself from staring at him or I can't stop myself from thinking ways to spend time with him no matter how hard I try to tell myself that I shouldn't see Michael more than a friend. I realize I can't control myself anymore.
I realize I've fallen for this boy, hopelessly and desperately.