I huffed and a cloud streamed from my lips. My grip on my bag strap could have crushed a human skull. I was not prepared to go back to school.
Maximus dragged me along through the empty alley, the snow piling on top of the dumpsters and crunching under our feet. I peeked at the windows, hoping no one would catch us trespassing as we hoisted ourselves over the fence leading to the other side of the street.
We both stopped to look at the entrance of he school. From there, you could still see all the kids in the halls getting ready to head to class. No one knew about what I did except for my classmates.
"How am I supposed to face them?" I turned to Maximus and he didn't bother to look back at me.
"I don't know. I couldn't even comprehend what you were telling me so I sure as hell wouldn't think they would take it any easier."
My shoulders slumped and I looked back at my feet. "Can I transfer?"
A good few minutes passed as we just stood there in silence. By then, all the kids have gone to their classes and the only sound was the harsh wind and a couple of cars passing by. I looked at my watch, we were just stretching out the inevitable.
"Alright," I sighed. "I'm leaving."
I trudged towards the entrance of the school and fumbled with the card on my keychain to find my ID. I hovered over the scanner for a second. Before scanning the card, i turned to see if Maximus was still there.
No one.
I shook my head and walked through the double doors. The snow from my jacket melted and fell to the floor as I took cautious steps to the home room. I tried to take as much time as I possibly could but in a minute I was already at the front of the door.
I took off my gloves and stuffed them in my pockets. I took off my hat and patted my hair down. By the time I was done stalling, the only thing I could do was turn the doorknob.
Come on! Taking longer will just make it harder!
Finally, I pushed the door open and looked around. The desks were arranged in their usual rows and the teachers desk was empty with only a few folders stacked on the corner. Only one chair had a bag handing on it, a simple black backpack.
"Why the fuck is no one in here?"
I stepped inside and looked on the teachers desk. A single notebook was opened to the daily attendance. Everyone was marked here today.
I walked over to the one desk with a bag and opened it. Obviously I shouldn't be doing that but it could give me a clue.
I looked at the cover of the notebook. It was Zachary's.
"Yo!"
I dropped the book back into the bag and turned my direction to the door. A familiar red head was standing by the door, trying to catch his breath. The rest of the class was standing by the door, impatiently waiting for him to enter.
He finally came in and walked up to me. "I thought you were turning yourself in."
"They decided the information they had on me was false."
"So you're off the hook?"
"I mean, I still have to talk to officials and clear my name and record but-"
We both were interrupted by a loud cough. Mr. Blade was standing at the front of the room, the rest of the kids crowded by the entrance.
He motioned the rest of the class to take their seats and I moved out of the way.
I walked up to Mr.Blade's desk and waited for him to tell me what to do. My desk was gone so I couldn't sit down. I had no idea what they were doing for almost a month. They were probably going to transfer me because I would be bad for publicity.
After a few minutes, both the class and I were becoming impatient.
"Um, Mr.Blade?"
He looked up from his papers, his intense gaze making me quake. He put a paperweight over his stack of documents and folded his hands.
"Well?"
"I, um... I don't have a seat."
He turned his chair and behind it was a single stool. No desk, just a stepping stool.
I bit the inside of my cheek and carries the chair to the back of the room. I sat in the back of one of the isles with my knees crunched up to my chin. I took out the notebook from my bag and started jotting whatever the teacher wrote on the board. Half of the crap I didn't understand so I would have to get it clarified by Maximus when I got home. I wasn't in the mood to ask the teacher to explain.
Once the bell finally rang, I sighed and stretched my legs from being stuck in the same position for an hour. I went through my notes and erased and rewrote some of the notes neater before tucking the notebook away and following the rest of the class to our next room.
I couldn't miss the small girl with her bright pastel hair approaching me. Luna looked up at me and frowned. We looked at each other for a few minutes. Some of our classmates hung around to see what would happen.
She looked like she was about to strike a punch. She probably could throw a hard one and I was too stressed and tired to catch it so I waited for her to do something.
But she didn't do anything. We just stood there until one of the teachers saw the crowd forming outside.
Most of the students were standing there, watching intently for someone to make a move.
They wanted some action and as heroes in training, that was honestly awful. People just need something exciting in their lives, even if it means getting in to other people's drama. I was sick of it.
"Look," I spoke. "If you need to do something, do it now so we can get to class."
By then, the crowd died down as the teachers chased after them. One of the teachers asked us what the commotion was about.
I smiled at him. "Nothing sir, just a misunderstanding from those students. We're friends and would never start a fight so if we do, you'll know something is up."
Luna just watched me blankly as we headed to our math class.
"Are you okay?" she finally said.
I hid my clenched fist. "Why do you ask?"
"Chance and Kody told the class what happened, about some evil spirit possessing you. No one believed them but watching you today, you seem really tired. I know we don't really know each other but you're acting, like, really strange."
"How observant."
"And your eyes are purple."
"Are they now?" I responded sarcastically.
"Yeah," she said, clearly not getting the hint.
"Luna, if you want info, go to Kodiak. He's the genius. I don't even know what's going on with me. Please, just give me time to adjust."
I took my seat by the window and avoided Luna's glances.
As the clock ticked, my vision became fuzzy. I rubbed my eyes but that seemed to make it worse.
Then the coughing started. It was small inconsistent coughs, then consecutive coughs
that disrupted the entire class.
"Fable, do you need to go to the nurse?"
"I-"
A coughed again and, this time, a red liquid covered my hand.
"Is that blood?" Liam screamed.
Of course that was the only thing I heard before everything sounded muffled and I could only focus on the red dripping from my mouth.
Someone grabbed me out from the chair and led me outside. Alert, I tugged away and turned around.
"Where are you going?" they said.
"The bathroom."
"The bathroom is this way."
"... I knew that."
I walked with them to the restrooms and locked myself in the stall. They didn't enter the bathroom, telling me they were a guy but every thing was so disoriented that I couldn't tell the difference.
I sat on the toilet until three bells rang.
Each time a bell rang, they knocked on the door, asking if I was okay, and I told them to get to class.
So they would and would come back, asking the same question.
The last bell of the day, no one could be heard outside, no one was in the bathroom and I stood by the sink. I regained my composure and could finally see the purple color disappear to give me back my brown eyes.
Another knock came at the door and I finally went to go open it.
I looked up at Zach's hazel eyes and squinted at him. He had a box in his hands and I took it without question.
"Chocolate?"
"I heard it helps... with migraines?"
I nodded. "Thanks. You like sweets?"
He bobbed his head.
We stood by the bathroom door in the empty hallway and I tried to get rid of the tense atmosphere.
"I, um..." He looked at me curiously. "I know a good sweets shop. If, like, we could talk and-"
"What time?"
"Huh?"
He took a card from his chest pocket and scribbled something on it. He handed it to me and I read his number over his name. He had pretty handwriting.
"Text me the time and place."
He waved at me and I smiled shyly and waved at him before he walked out the door.
My smile widened and I hopped around the hallway before I heard chatter and bursted through the doors.
It was definitely not a date but I could help but feel my heart jumping out of my chest.
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I'm sorry for the inconsistency of updates, I've been lacking motivation. I've been getting more ideas though, I just have a hard time getting them on paper.
Expect the next update next year! (get it, cause it's almost the end of the year. I know, I'm hilarious!)
Lots of luck and other stuff 🍀