“Is that for your eyes?” Jason pointed at the plastic dropper Satara was tapping against her side of the table.

“What?” She looked away from the clock and followed his gaze. “Oh. Yeah.”

“How many times a day d'you have to put them in?” He resisted the sudden urge to itch his eyes. “When I had conjunctivitis, they said I had to use them for about a week.”

“They said I could use it for up to two weeks if I need to but the infection isn't that bad.” She rolled the bottle between her thumb and forefinger, glancing at the clock again. “It's supposed to be twice a day but I forgot this morning.”

“Oh. Are you gonna put them in now then?” he asked. “Lunch just started.”

“I know.” She tapped the base of the dropper against the wooden surface again and didn't say anything else.

She's going to run out of time if she doesn't go soon. He scratched his neck. Why would she wait – Oh.

“Do you want me to help you?” Though she didn't answer at once, her attention shifted rapidly to his face and away again. “I know how to do it.”

Her barely veiled scowl refused his offer.

“Are you sure?” she asked despite it.

“Yeah. I had it before too, remember?”

“Putting them in someone else's eyes isn't the same as putting them in your own,” she warned him.

“What? You think I'm the only one who got it?” He leaned forward and gently prised the dropper from her fingers. “You know what it's like in my house. Once one of us catches something, we all all end up catching it too.”

“I guess I should be glad there's only three of us then.” Satara placed her fingertips on his knee as he started to climb up onto the table. “Not here. Somewhere else.”

“Why?” He removed his foot from his chair and followed her out.

“Someone might … bump into you.”

<><><><><>

Aaah. Jason rubbed his palms dry on his T-shirt as Satara sat down in the closest empty classroom and clenched handfuls of her hoodie as if he were about to tattoo her forehead. So that's why she didn't wanna stay in the classroom.

“Now what?” she asked, face forced into a neutral expression despite her terse voice.

“Um. Now you try not to blink.” He laughed awkwardly as she stared up at him. “I'm gonna – Is it okay if I – you know?”

He flapped his hands near her face and somehow she understood what he meant at once. After a taut second, she nodded and her skin warmed his fingers as he parted her eyelids with his thumb and index fingers. This is so awkward. What if I accidentally poke her eye? Or drop it on her face? He leaned a little closer but her mouth turned down at the corners. He held his breath until he was sure she wasn't about to punch him in the stomach.

“Okay. Here – here we go,” he muttered, more to steady himself. “It might sting a bit.”

She probably knows that already. I doubt I'm the first person to help her put them it. Her eyes, practically black when indoors, fixed on his face instead of the dropper as it hovered over her right one first. How the heck am I supposed to concentrate like this? I'll end up dropping it in her nose at this rate.

“I won't blink,” she promised him and her breath menaced his face like dragon flames.

I know and that shouldn't be a problem here but somehow it really is. He nodded and wondered if his hands were trembling or if she was getting impatient. Okay. Okay, I just have to do it. It's just eye drops. I'm just putting eye drops in. It's not like I'm about to kiss her.

“One!” he squeaked and the first drop landed in the inner corner of her eye. He let go of her eyelids but tilted her face up before it could slide down. “Blink! Quick. Blink it in.”

She did as she was told but frowned as soon as the medicine had been absorbed. As if she had heard his thoughts. “Did you miss or was that on purpose?”

“Mum said it's easier to do it like that,” he said too quickly. “You don't feel it too much that way.”

“Hm.” She blinked a few more times and pawed at her right eye for a moment. “I think she's right.”

“It didn't hurt?” He gulped and pressed the back of one fist to his burning cheeks in turn as if doing so would cool them down. She shook her head. “Should I – should I do the next one now?”

She lowered her hands and shuffled her chair forward before tilting her head back again. “Go for it.”

She's not angry? Jason repositioned his hands and resisted the urge to blow out his cheeks in relief. Thank God …

But when he moved over to her left eye, she closed her right. As if she knew he was more uncomfortable than she was.

As if she didn't want him to feel that way.

Ever.