I hear voices from just outside, and quickly shut down the computer before sneaking out of the room without anyone even noticing I was there.
Well, that was a complete waste of fucking time. With the exception of finding out where she lives, her file didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. She’s a good student. She’s committed, driven and excels in all of her classes. Talent and intelligence doesn’t just disappear in the space of a few months.
So what’s changed?
She can't use her parents' death as an excuse because it happened over a year ago, and her grades last year were perfect. Something has changed.
So what is it?
Something is wrong, I can feel it in my bones, alarm bells ringing in my ears, and I can tell you right now, I won’t stop until I find out what it is.
∞∞∞
I'm halfway through my lecture on nineteenth-century American Literature, a subject that I’ve done to death and almost has me dozing off like half my student in this room, when I spot Quinn in the back corner, her head bent at an odd angle, her eyes closed.
Sound asleep.
Now, if this was anyone else, I wouldn’t hesitate to call them out in front of everyone in this room, I’m an asshole like that, but since the last time we spoke, I can’t do that to her, if anything it would push her even further away and she’dnevertell me what’s wrong, and she’d trust me even less than she already does.
She needs help, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure she’s okay.
“Well, that’s all for today, please check your emails for information on the next assignment,” I announce, and everyone stands up and begins to shuffle out of the room.
The room soon empties, and I wait for the door to swing shut before I make my way up the steps, stopping at the row just below hers, and I take a seat. I angle my body to the side so I can face her.
While she sleeps, I take her in. Her jet black hair that has fallen across half of her face, a stark contrast to her pale skin. Her features are soft on her heart shaped face, full pink lips that are parted slightly, her eyes darting around behind her closed eyelids.
Part of me doesn’t want to wake her, she looks so peaceful, and judging by whatever has been going on with her recently, I figure she needs this.
“Miss Taylor,” I say quietly, not wanting to startle her. She doesn’t stir. I reach across and lay my hand on her denim-covered knee. “Quinn.” The second her name slips past my lips, a feeling of warmth sweeps over me.
She blinks and her chocolate brown eyes land on me before flicking down to where my hand is still on her knee and I snatch it away quickly.
She scans the empty room, and her eyes widen as her brain catches up, realising she’s the last one. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I- I can’t believe I fell asleep. It won’t happen again I-”
“Hey, it's okay,” I reassure her, cutting off her panicked rambling.
She grabs her bag and her notepad and leaps up suddenly, but she sways unsteadily on her feet, stumbling a little.
“Are you alright?” I ask. She continues to sway from side to side, and I get my answer when I notice her eyes roll back into her head, her eyelids drifting closed just as her knees buckle from underneath her. I shoot up and catch her, pulling her into my body to take her weight. “Quinn, can you hear me?”
Her head falls against my chest. “Mm-hm,” she mumbles as I sit her back down on her seat.
I step over the row of seats that separate us and sit down beside her, leaning forward with my elbows on my thighs, and brush her hair from her face that has paled, her skin drained of all colour.
I reach for her bag and riffle through it, looking for anything with sugar in it. I pull out a half-empty bottle of cola, unscrew the cap and pass it to her. She tips her head back and finishes every last drop before tossing the empty bottle back into her bag.
“Quinn, when was the last time you ate?”
“I can’t remember.” She shrugs lazily.
“Are you not eating?” I press.
“Don’t have time to eat."
“You don’t have time to eat?” I exhale deeply, rubbing my forehead in frustration. “I want you to tell me what is going on, and don’t give me some bullshit answer and tell me it’s nothing because you don’t fall asleep in class and almost pass out for no reason.”
“Why do you even care?” She snaps.
