Art is by on !!

A pathetic squeal erupted from my throat as I flew through the air for a short while until I crashed into something... soft?

I was fully expecting to fly against the wall and hit my head, but that didn't happen. Blinking quickly, I sat up a little bit and felt my back hit the broom. My head whipped around and I yelled at the broom. Never have I felt so dumb in my life.

Yelling at a broom, this all has to be some sick nightmare.

"Ugh, get out of the fucking way! Look at what you did!" I face-palmed and felt whatever I was sitting on shift beneath me.

I looked down and saw Baldi.

My face flushed bright red.

He was pushed up against the wall, mostly laying on the ground. His head was tilted up to look at me and his arms were hung around my waist. Neither of us said anything, we were both in too much shock, supposedly.

He must've caught me, I realized, a slight smile spreading across my face. He doesn't have a bad bone in his body.

I hadn't realized I was giggling until his questioning voice brought me back to reality. "What are you laughing at?" He didn't seem offended or anything, just genuinely curious.

"Oh," I stopped myself and looked down with the smile still on my face. "It's just funny because I was thinking about today, and how everyone says you're so cruel, but," another giggle escaped. "Look at you! You gave me an ice pack and caught me in the span of a half an hour."

It bothered me a little bit how comfortable I was around him. It didn't feel right, like I was supposed to stay away but I couldn't. Just being around him made my heart skip a beat and giggle.

"Well it's the least I could do," he laughed with me. "I don't like hurting anyone."

I forgot about the broom blocking our path, the situation we were in, and everything around me.

His laugh was slow and kind of nasal, but it was cute.

"You need to get a new job," I said quietly, smiling sadly. "Working here isn't for you."

"It's the only place I have. I can't explain why," he looked away and removed his arms from my waist, setting them at his side. "But let's uh," his face flushed as the fact that I was sitting on him settled in. "Get out of this corner."

Nodding, I uncomfortably stepped to the side and stood up, almost instinctively offering my hand to him. If anyone would've seen anything that had happened today... it wouldn't have been good.

His hand firmly took mine and he stood up, turning to the sentient broom. His face turned from happiness to utter disgust. He grabbed the broom's handle and shoved it to the side and into the wall with ease, despite the broom's visible resistance.

"Don't do that again." Baldi spat, turning to me and his smile returned almost immediately.

If he could easily push it like that then why didn't he do it before all of this happened?...

I pushed the question aside in my mind and looked back at him. I remembered that I did have school tomorrow and my mom might be at home. I'll have to come up with a good story to excuse being this late...

"Thank you for everything, Mr. Baldi. But I really have to get going... it's late."

Baldi's smile faded and he held my hand with both of his. "Do you have to leave?" His tone was sad and desperate.

"Y-Yes," I frowned. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, don't worry."

He silently nodded. I was about to pull away, but I felt him tug me back a little bit.

"I have to go-" Before I could finish my sentence, I was cut off by a tight and protective hug and a kiss on the top of the head. The hug was so comfortable and warm, I just closed my eyes and melted into it.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow," he said quietly, letting me go and looking down at me with a flushed smile. I didn't want to pull away, but I did.

We exchanged waves and I found my way out of the school, my cheeks still red from the encounter.

Literally everything that could've happened today happened.

~

I made my way back to my house, struggling to remember how to get back home. I had a phone, and I could use Maps, but I didn't even know my address. I relied on my hazy memories of getting there to lead myself back.

Our house wasn't the prettiest, but it was better than the surrounding ones, and I figured it out by that. Knocking, my mom threw the door open and looked down at me.

"Where have you been," she scolded, opening the door wider and stepping to the side.

"After school activities," I explained, keeping a straight face and stepping into the house. "I was looking at all of the clubs and stuff."

I've always been a phenomenal liar. This was nothing for me.

My mom wasn't willing to accept that story though. "For two hours, you were looking at clubs?"

Holding back my fear of her figuring out my lie, I let out a deep sigh.

"Yes, I got to try some of the stuff out too. I don't think I'll be joining any though, I'm not that social." I mustered a fake laugh and set my bookbag on the ground. "I'd rather just go to school and come back home."

My mother's eyes diverted their attention to the large and swollen bruise on my hand. She peered at it and grabbed my hand roughly, yanking it to her face to look closer.

A dirty look was cast my way, silently asking me to explain myself.

"Martial arts club." I swallowed, running out of confidence and ideas. "I wasn't very good at it."

She dropped my hand and gave me a disapproving look, but just turned on her heel and headed for the living room.

"Whatever," she muttered under her breath. "I have to get back to work. Do your homework or whatever you have to do, okay?"

I nodded and ran up to my room, jumping onto my bed.

I must've dropped the ice pack on the way home, I cringed and remembered Baldi's words. "Just try to bring it back tomorrow, okay?"

Whatever. I'll have something figured out if the principal asks. I always do.

Running the tips of my fingers over the bruise, I remembered that it was only Wednesday and I had the rest of the week of school to finish.

Part of me didn't want to have to go back into that sci-fi, shadowy hell-base, but the rest of me wanted to see Reese, Baldi, and everyone else. They make it tolerable.

Tomorrow, I won't be late. I won't get in trouble. I'll even tell Reese about... I froze. I can't tell anyone about our encounter. If word gets out then we're all screwed. I'll just say I stayed after school like planned and nothing happened. Easy enough.

I closed my eyes and flopped back onto my pillow.

I could use a nap right now...