Little Transitions

Listening Ears

RING RING RIIING!

"Oh, looks like that concludes the end of your time here. So glad you guys could make it today. Please, exit safely and have a wonderful afternoon." Says my tiny, frail looking Russian literature teacher. Depicting from her harsh coughs and slight wheezing, it looks like she could die at any moment. Poor woman.

But uh, anyways.

Today has been a very boring, but slightly entertaining day for me, thanks to Alex.

I look over to see Matt having a talk with the small teacher about whatever lesson we were working on today. Alex was translating for him, since the woman didn't know to English too well, and Matt couldn’t speak Russian as well as he thought he did.

Alex looks over at me for a second, giving me one of his little smirks, which made me giggle slightly. I feel like such a school girl.

He is just so cute, funny, and makes great conversation! Just in this small amount of time knowing him, he is an awesome listener, and has the most amazing eyes. He is just so perfect, and I wish I could be with him all day.

If it wasn't for Matt.

.

.

.

"Ha ha! That's insane! Did you really have to retake your finals 3 times?!" I say while throwing my half eaten sandwich in the trash. I heard finals at this school were really tough, so studying all day and night must be a must.

"Yea. I scored so high on the first one, they wanted to make sure that I wasn't cheating or something. I mean come on, there were at least 12 teachers staring us down the whole time, so how is that even possible!?" He exclaims. Gosh, he is so awesome.

We were walking around campus to pass some time until the bell for rung for class to start. We ditched Matt after he went to use the restroom, so that he wouldn't be a bother to us anymore.

He's getting to become really rude and harsh towards Alex, ever since first period really. He just glares him down when he talks, gives him loud "huffs" when he walks by me like an aggravated dog, and (on the topic of “dog”), I swear I hear Matt growl when Alex leans over to help me translating my work.

I just can't be around that.

"Awe, well at least you proved them wrong." I give Alex a small smile.

He just smirks at me, then continues walking.

After some comfortable silence, the 10 minute bell rings.

"Well, we better get back. Matt's probably worried sick." I said, sighing.

His honey glow smirk leaves him. He stops walking.

"What's wrong Alex?"

He turns to me, his gaze meeting mine intensely. I feel an overwhelmingly rush of ecstasy, and I am unable to move.

Literally. It feels like I’m being glued down to the ground.

"Does he hurt you Saskia?" He asks, his eyes never blinking.

Excuse me?

I shake myself out of it, feeling like I’m drunk off of something strong. "Of course not! Mh, Matt isn't like that at all! What would make you-"

He cuts me off. "He seems so rude. And that's not what you should be around. You're too lovely of a person.”

His gaze softens, and he becomes almost like an Angel as he lifts his hand to cup my cheek. My heart flutters. With his other hand, he swipes some of my hair away from my face, almost like when my dad is concerned.

I'm so speechless from this touch. It sent so many shivers down my spine. I closed my eyes and lean into his touch. It reminded me of home.

He steps in closer, and whispers softly into my ear. "If there are any problems Saskia, if you are in any danger or distress-" His lips brush the shell of it, causing me to inhale softly. "-just say my name. I’ll be there. I promise.”

We stay like that for a while. His hand makes its way to the back of my head, and began grabbing fistfuls of my hair, pulling ever-so-gently as the roots. His other hand sat on the small of my back, and we stood there as he inhaled me. His head laid on the crook of my neck, and his breathe was hot when he exhaled.

My eyes were still closed, enjoying this moment with this random man that I only met this morning. This incredible, intoxicating man.

Until.

"LET GO OF HER!"

My eyes shot open, but I'm somehow unable to move still.

Or even speak for that matter.

"That little…" I can hear Alex whisper . He lets me go. I inhale deeply, as if I was under water holding my breathe this whole time.

What the…?

"GET WAY FROM HER, YOU PIG! DO NOT TO TOUCH HER! SHE'S MINE, YOU HEAR ME? MINE!" Matt is now in Alex's face, screaming at the top of his lungs, and Alex is standing stoic, as if there wasn’t some barbaric person yelling at him. Actually, I can make out a type of smirk on his face.

Oh boy.

"Matt…" I say quietly. Do I really have to do it? Do de-escalate this situation?

"DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH HER! THIS IS THE REASON WHY SHE STAYS WITH ME, BECAUSE I PROTECT HER-"

"Uh, Matt!" I say louder. I think I have to pull out the old trick.

"-I CAN AND WILL BREAK EVERY SINGLE BONE IN YOUR BODY, LET THIS BE A WARNING! YOU HEAR ME? I CAN TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB YOU LITTLE PIECE OF s**t-"

"MATTY SIT DOWN!"

He snaps his head to look at me, then grits his teeth and slowly plops himself down on the nearby bench; seething.

I have no idea WHY this works; but it just does.

I use it when my snow dogs are fighting, for example, I say "Marshall Boy, stop it!" or "Willow Girl, lie down!" I used it on Matt one time for fun, just to tease him and also to calm his ass down, and it just, worked.

I always thought that he’ll just listen to me.

It was quiet for some time now, aside from Matt's heavy breathes from screaming so much.

Then Alex spoke.

"Well, we should get back to class, then.” He looks me in the eye as he begins walking, cussing me to saunter with him i…an almost trance like state. He chuckles and stops walking.

"You should probably get him." He says, pointing over to the now death-glaring Matt.

I shake my head. "Wha-? Oh, right. Matt! Let’s go!" I yell.

He eagerly gets up and speed up towards us, then getting right in between Alex and I.

Matt mumbles something under his breathe.

I just roll my eyes, huffing.

Alex smiles.

"Saskia? Hello?“

"Go Alex, school is done, we don’t need you anymore. Go home."

"I don't think I can do that. I would feel much better if I actually saw her get up and walk with you. I don't trust you, to be quite frank.”

"YOU got to be f*****g KIDDING me."

I feel someone grab my arm tightly. I wince out of my daydream.

"Let go!" I say, looking up to see who has the vice grip on my arm. It was Matt, with a feverish look on his face. He purses his lips, then let’s go of my arm.

"Sorry Saskia. " He mumbles while grabbing my bag.

I look around, and realize that I'm still in class. I am terrible at dozing off.

"Well. " Alex says while putting on his coat. "I’ll be on my way. It was nice meeting…you two." He gives us both a smile.

I stand up from my seat. “I’m sorry about Matt. He can be pretty…overprotective.” I smile awkwardly. Matt glares at me, then aims it at Alex’s direction.

“I can't wait to see you next.” I say casually, hoping not to come across too clingy or eager.

"Same to you too, Saskia." He looks at me for a minute, then leans in close. "And remember what I told you earlier…call my name if you need me."

I nodded, though speechless as I tried to find the right words to tell him that he need not to worry, but I just kept my mouth shut and continued to nod. Something that was, honestly, a little out of my character.

I always speak up for what’s right. Alex’s assumptions are wrong, but I guess he’s just trying to help. If I saw Matt reacting that way to someone, I would probably say something.

But, how could simply yelling out someone’s name help you in the moment of danger? What is he, some super hero?

Oh God. I wish.

Matt gives an annoyed sigh. "Alright, we all done talking? Let's leave, please? I gotta talk to you." He grabs my hand and pulls me away from Alex, much to my retort.

"Uh, bye Alex!" I say, while fumbling to put on my backpack on.

"Goodbye, dear." He says with a smile.

It was completely silent on the way home. Matt was trying to spark up some conversation about our first day at this school, but I wasn't listening. He really over reacted back there, and he knew that I was pissed.

On a different note, on the drive home, I spotted the wolf in the same position, and in the same state; dead and bloated.

It really needs that burial sometime.

After some time, Matt pulls up in the driveway. I grab my bag from the back seat, and try to open the door.

It's locked.

"You better let me out now." I say with my teeth clenched, not meeting his eyes.

"I really need to talk to you." He states sincerely. He takes the key out of the ignition and places it in his pocket. "Like, bad."

I sigh. I keep ahold of the door handle still, now testing out its durability.

Ya know, I can easily break this open…

I stealthily start wiggling it in different directions. This should be pretty quick.

Placing my feet up on the dashboard to cover what I was doing, I turned to him and get settled in, making it look like I was getting comfortable to listen.

He waits.

"What?” I spit.

He swallowed, then began tentatively. “We've been friends for a long time now, and I want you to know that I do some of the things that I do because I just want to protect you.”

He purses his lips and pauses, as if he is trying to find the right words to say. “I need to protect you. It's just a strong urge that I feel inside of me that I can't control. Understand that whatever I do to make you upset, I’m so sorry. I don’t do it out of envy or spite, but because I just love you.”

He puts his head in his head shamefully. “I should've told you all of this before our friendship got this strong.”

He lifts up his head to meet my emotionless gaze with tear-brimmed eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, I will always be loyal to you and, but sometimes I feel like you're not going to be loyal to me, and that scares me. I feel like, one day, I'm going to snap on you, Saskia. I'm going to snap so hard, and it might terrify you. I know you’re strong, and nothing ever seems to scare you…but I’m telling you Saskia, I might hurt you one day.“

The door handle is very loose now.

That's right, keep talking Matt.

He sighs. "Just know that that person is NOT actually me. Like my actual self, like…"

Almost there…

He rubs his temples and exhales slowly. "Saskia, we've bonded and expressed so many feelings towards each other. I do weird, crazy things because it's in my blood. I do it, because I'm a-"

I manage to break off the handle and give the door one hard kick, sending the hunk of metal flying off the rusty hinges and onto the pavement.

Go me.

I smile to myself, then turn to look at Matt, a victorious smile plastered over my face.

"You done ranting?"

His mouth gaped open. He doesn’t say a word. I smile wider.

"Good. Don't bother me. I'll be in my f*****g room."

I swiftly step out of the car, making sure to kick the broken door on my way inside the apartment.

I hate one-on-one talks with Matt.