Down The Highway

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was just another normal day we had in school. Everyone was facing the professor and taking down some notes. I was trying to make my notes as fancy as they could be even if a lot of people already told me that my handwriting sucks so much. I glanced at Dylan who was for the first time taking down some notes. I wondered what led him to do that thing that he doesn't usually do.

When he caught me glancing at him, I immediately looked away to avoid his serious eyes. Before, whenever our eyes meet, he does a lot of flirty things like winking and giving me a flying kiss. But he changed after the time he accused Travis of being Xanny. He started to be so serious. And so when our eyes meet, he does cringe things such as looking away, frowning, and just ignoring me.

As if his feelings vanished. "Ok class, I just want to announce that since tomorrow is our school's anniversary, there would be no classes" the professor stated. Everyone screamed to celebrate until he added, "but, that doesn't mean that no should go to school" it started to become silent in our room since everyone seriously started to listen to him including Dylan who seemed interested.

"The program starts in the evening so in the morning, everyone would help decorate the school and everyone is required to attend the anniversary" I nodded to agree as our eyes met unexpectedly. "Oh, and umm, I checked your history assignments last night. The one you guys wrote with your partners had the topic of a memorable experience in your life that you mixed up with your partner's experience to create a fictional scene"

I frowned at it, wondering why he had to mention it the moment our eyes met. "I just chose my top 3 favorites. 3rd place for Jannet and Maureen's work titled Success After Hard Work" then I realized why he mentioned it. Everyone clapped their hands for Maureen and Jannet. Including me who smiled at her and raised my clapping hands to congratulate both of them.

While the professor continued, "the 2nd spot is for Jake and Myles' work titled The Girl In The White Jeans" everyone clapped their hands too, both of them are my classmates but since I don't talk to too many people in our room, I didn't know who they were or what they looked like. But since they were my classmates and had the 2nd best paper, I had no choice but to congratulate them.

"And my all-time-favorite... Dylan and Jade's work titled Unknown Lover" all the loud clapping and cheering noises became so much louder than before. I saw Jannet clapping her hands for me as she emphasized her smile to congratulate me. I looked at my other side to see Dylan's reaction. I expected him to stand up, take the recognition and brag a lot about it.

But he did the opposite thing. Like he heard nothing. He just kept his head held down while writing some notes. But I kept on staring at him until he looked at me. I smiled, but he immediately looked away. Turned out that he didn't care about the recognition at all. I sighed in sadness wondering what was wrong with him. "I'm a big fan of romance short novels" he added while I smiled to hide the confusedness I was feeling with Dylan who seemed so lonely.

I didn't know if he was throwing a prank on me, he was just lonely, or he changed, or maybe it wasn't him that I was seeing. "I guess you guys are now ready for your next project" I haven't even got over the other project yet and there goes another one. I sighed, not happy about what he said.

****

I got so bored in the house, mom and dad were both there and TV is not allowed when they are there because they're the ones who use it. At least my favorite TV show was not on air that time or else I could have fought to them a lot about it. Since I was done with all my homework, assignments, and projects, I decided to walk down the highway. At the St. John Street. "Hey! You look lonely!" I heard a deep voice from my back. I found Travis looking at me with his bright smile on again.

His smile made me give one too. I kind of parted my hair a bit for him to see me clearly. "Oh, hi! Travis. I greeted while we smiled at each other. I kept on walking while having him beside me and passing by some different houses and trees with also some people walking with us. "What are you doing here right now?" He asked concernedly.

I turned my back around at the way we were going and walked back to face him. "I'm a little bored at home. I usually go here and walk down here on the highway when I'm bored to entertain myself a bit." He nodded and walked in front of me. We were on the same path but in different directions because I was facing him while he was walking in front of me. Complicated.

"And what about you?" I asked him. Finally went in the right direction of walking right beside him. "Just wanted to give me a bit of walk because since when I had a car, I don't walk often anymore. I just wanted to walk as an exercise" I nodded to show that I agreed with him. We both continued to walk. Gradually, the orange leaves fell from the trees we passed as we stepped on them.

The floor we were stepping on was quite slippery, uneven, rough, and hard. But I'm used to it because I always walk there. It was on that road where I didn't know everything would start, end, begin again, and end again. Walking on uneven roads, many may make stumble, fall, and sink. But we must learn to be aware of everything that cannot be seen. Because we may not know that those are what will knock us down as human beings.