Thermophile

Four: Protector

"Leib, just drop me around the corner, I'll walk from there." I told him, fidgeting.

"Nope, little sis. Mom specifically told me to drop you off the parking lot and walk you to your classes, and be with you on breaks and lunches." He over-cheerily answered.

It had been two days since they found me and I was trying to go through without mulling over what happened to me in the park.

Aaand, I was finally given permission to attend school, one downside though, I had my brother tailing me every second.

The trip to the hospital was a nonsense, the doctors didn't find anything wrong with me both internal and external, but I couldn't explain the pounding of my heart the first time I stepped in the white-tiled building.

Next was to the psychologist, who told us that my mind was probably blocking the memories because it was either traumatic or insignificant, but whichever, I would recover them as time passes.

"I can take care of myself, dude, and you have classes, and practices, and a date! How are you even gonna manage to babysit me, huh?" I am forcing myself to cheer up, to erase the flashes of people in white in my mind in the last two days.

I tried every single thing I knew to get my mind off of the seemingly big chunk of memory missing in my brain that I was itching to remember, but alas! I failed, because even now that I stare at the windshield of my brother's car, blinks of human-sized tanks and white tiles kept sporadically appearing.

"What date?" Leib's voice pulled my thoughts back to him.

It took me a beat to catch what he had just said. "With April Mabry, duh!"

My brother frowned appearing annoyed, but I could see the budding blush on his cheeks as he killed the engine and pulled the handbrake.

Smile lit my mouth, opening my door and getting off. Leib walked to my side and handed me my bag. This would be a long day with him glued to me so might as well make it worth my while. "You guys are practically dating."

I suppressed my smile as I heard a choking sound and then him clearing his throat a few times after.

True to his word, he really did walk me to my class even with his football buds calling him.

"Wait here for me after your class."

I didn't think I heard him right, so I stopped mid-walk towards inside the room. "No," I knew I sounded like a kindergarten whining.

"No," he mocked. "You can't do anything about it, I can't do anything about it. Mom's order." He looked pained from just telling me that. "Have to report to her every after your class too-if you're doing fine." He crossed his arms on his chest.

I groaned. I am doing fine, exclude the bubbles popping and invisible murmurs buzzing in my ears.

"Get to your class, kid." He pushed me gently towards the room-like steering a little kid.

"Give April a kiss for me, would ya?" The kicks of teasing Leib were endless.

"Shut up." I heard him mutter and walked away.

I chuckled. Now let's go learn.

● ● ● ●

As soon as I entered the room, my eyes scanned for Les, full name's Celeste Vaani, she hated being called that, though. She was seated at the last row from the door I just came in, first column. My feet took me to where she was and sat on the empty seat beside her.

She hadn't looked up from her notebook which she was furiously scribbling using a pink mechanical pencil with a cat-head cap.

"Good morning, stranger." I greeted.