Thirty Days ✔

20 | ELEUTHEROMANIA

eleutheromania (noun)

an intense and irresistible desire for freedom.

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day three.

It was halfway past the third day and yet again, Zero hadn't shown up to school. Zero's absence made Chase notice how slow the hours passed by without the company of the person who meant the most to him. 

Whilst moping around the school halls, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around at the pace of a sloth and raised his eyebrows when he saw the person he had least expected to see that day. 

"Dad?" he began before correcting himself. "Er- my bad, Mr. Warren."

His father let out a hearty laugh at that, patting Chase's shoulder in amusement. 

It was no doubt that Matthias Warren was a firm believer in discipline. However, as Chase got older, he'd been awarded freedom. His father gave him the opportunity to move out and live on his own so he wouldn't have to be surrounded by pesky relatives - and in doing so, his father and him had gotten way closer than they had been initially. 

"Why do you look so down? Is something bothering you?" his father questioned with a curious tilt of his head. 

Chase let out a slight chuckle and shook his head, "It's nothing, dad. You worry too much."

"I worry too little," he corrected. 

"You told me once that every-time you worry about me, one of your hairs turn grey."

"Yes, and?" he urged. 

"Dad, your head looks like Antarctica."

That earned Chase a smack on his arm followed by a giggle from his father, "Ah, how are things at home? Are you looking after yourself well?"

"Yeah, I am. Dad, have you seen Zero?" 

"Zero? Is that a movie?"

"No, dad. He's a kid in your class," Chase snorted. "The one with dark hair and really dark eyes."

"Really dark eyes? That's definitely a way to describe someone," he responded, tapping his chin - deep in thought. "I don't know, kid. There are a lot of people with dark hair and really dark eyes in my class. I'm going to need you to be more specific."

"He has like - this little beauty mark just below his lips."

"Chase, I didn't mean that specific," he interrupted. "Is it the kid who you usually sit beside?"

When Chase responded with an eager nod, his father continued, "I haven't heard from him either, maybe you should go check up on him?"

"Ah, if only it were that easy."

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