I walked through the empty hallway, searching for something, something vital. It seemed as though some part of myself was missing. The passage was drenched with darkness which made me nauseous.
I could see a slight opening towards the end. The slight pitch of light not enough to illuminate the entire passage; the passage where I stood not being able to move forward.
That's when I heard an odd voice calling my name in a low and seemingly hoarse tone.
"London?"
The boy's voice sounded heavy, with...grief?
He sounded more audible as I made my way towards the little pitch of light.
"London? Can you hear me?"
At this I enhanced my speed, taking larger steps. I was almost running but as I stretched my arms to catch hold of the opening; I tripped.
I gasped trying to catch my breath but in vain. I was in the midst of an enormous black hole; a black hole not escaping me to some alternate universe, but instead drowning me as the surface kept on rising. My lungs burnt from the lack of oxygen and my throat constricted as though someone was strangling me. I tried to swim as fast as I could trying to reach the surface but it was pointless; my body had lost all it's might and my clothes were all wet and I lay still in the midst of nowhere.
I jolted up from my bed, panting heavily. I was soaked; not in water but my own sweat, my bedsheets were crumpled and I felt exhausted. A nightmare, one that had crossed my mind several times earlier, but I could never place it anywhere, I had never drowned or even got into water for a nightmare like that to be triggered.
It was still early in the morning and my body refused to fall back into my slumber. So instead I decided to go for a run and catch on some fresh air. I pulled on a sweat shirt and my track pants and made my way downstairs.
The sky was still dark but on the verge of dawn. I pulled on the hood of my sweatshirt and plugging my earphones in, I started to run down the hill to the garden at the end of the street.
The track in the garden was surrounded by lush green trees on the either side, giving a soothing feel and working miracle on my, still on crack, nerves.
Suddenly I collided headfirst into something hard. I lifted my gaze up from my hood to apologise, instead I met with the same chocolate brown eyes that I had come to like, but I still loathed the person whom they belonged to.
"You're blocking!" I said instead.
Sweat dripped from his hairline, his gray mullet sticking in odd direction, as if he had been running his fingers through them. He looked as tired and flabbergasted as I felt. I wondered if he had a nightmare as well.
"What? You are following me now? I told you I'm not going to work with you guys and that's final. So leave me alone."
"Excuse me! I'm not crazy enough to follow an ass like you. And about the the group thing you aren't getting a choice. The marks are getting counted for the finals and I can't fool around with it and I won't allow anyone else to do that either. So you are going to work with us."
"And what if I don't want want to, huh?" He smirked pulling a single eyebrow up, as another bead of sweat ran down his face.
So you wanna play this way?
"And what if I want to tell the others about your,"closing the distance between us I whispered in his ears, his familiar fragrance of vanilla filling up my insides, "little panick attack."
I wouldn't have done that but my curious self wanted to know how he would react to it. Now it was my turn to smirk as I saw his features change. I felt proud and satisfied of myself knowing that I had finally slapped off the smirk from his face, even though not literally, the feeling was good.
Putting my weight on one feet I crossed my arms across my chest, which I held high with pride, I waited for his answer.
But the tough guy in front of me instead did just the one thing he was best at, he shoved me out his way, and walked out of the garden. And I knew he would have ran out, if his pride allowed that.
I had hit just the right spot.
And just like that my morning was brightened up contrasting to the last night's dark gloomy dream.
After an hour long warm shower, which basically included me standing gazing in front of the mirror; procrastinating, I changed into a comfy black shirt and light blue ankle-folded denims. I scanned my cell for any texts as usual and just then my cell chimed. And before the caller tune could cause chaos I answered it.
"Wassup?" I asked Clarice who rarely called before classes.
"Yeah so, Cherry and I are bailing on college today-"
"Why?" I asked, lectures would definitely be boring without her.
"Shut up and listen. So, we're going shopping for dresses and other stuff. You wanna join? And yeah, ask Felix too, he's not answering his cell."
"Okay. But I don't think Felix and I can make it. We have this project together and we should be zeroing down the topic today itself."
"Can't you do that some other day? Wedding shopping together would be convenient idiot!"
"Oh! This is for the wedding? But it's still time for that-"
"Three weeks! My loser brother has given me only three weeks to prepare for the whole thing. Do you have any idea how short of a time that it?"
That was still a lot of time, but I kept myself from telling that to her.
"How about you two go today? Then you can come along with Felix and me, anyway I'm sure you won't be able to shop for everything today itself."
"Okay, then tell Felix that he better not bail!" She cut the line as I heard Cherry asking her to rush.
____________________
"Cherry mentioned to me about it yesterday." Felix said as we headed towards the cafeteria.
"Yeah? So, why didn't she tell Clarice that you already knew and you won't be able to go shopping anyway." She most probably forgot.
"I don't know. I'm feeling nauseous today, let's get this over with quick."
He said gulping down cool water as we took our seats at the usual round table.
"Hawaii seems cool. But I'll have to ask my parents." I told him, opening my tetra of cold coffee.
It was true. Even though I was practically an adult, I didn't know if my parents would permit.
"I don't think I'll come." He said sipping from my coffee.
"Clarice will kill you. It's her elder brother's wedding. Also, flight is booked."
"You think I don't know her." He laughed.
"What's so funny? " Neil asked taking a seat besides me.
"Nothing, just thinking about how Clarice is going to make this guy,"I said pointing towards Felix,"suffer from her ordeal when he bails on her brother's wedding."
"I'll deal with that later. Coming back to present, is this Enzo guy going to show up?" Felix asked.
"He will, for sure."I smiled remembering our morning encounter.
"You seem pretty sure." He said raising his eyebrows, obviously implying to something else.
"Did you catch up with him today?" Neil asked with a curious smile.
"Nah, nothing like that. Just a gut feeling." I brushed it off.
"Oh now you feel about him in the gut, and soon enough there would be butterflies in your stomach..." Felix muttered under his breath.
This guy-
I brushed away his comment yet again. Just then I saw Kai, he too caught my eye and walked towards us, his swimming bag hung around his shoulder, bouncing on his hip.
"Wassup guys, weren't all the lectures over like an hour ago?" Kai inquired.
"They were, we are waiting for Lorenzo, we have this project of ours to discuss." Felix cut in before I could answer.
"And as always he is fashionably late." I added.
"Nope, nothing like that. We have our swimming practice right now. He's at the court; practicing."
Oh
"Great." Felix looked exasperated.
"Why don't you guys come there too? You can catch up with Enzo there itself or you could do your thing and wait for him at the bleachers." Kai said simply shrugging.
We were three of us sir
"But I doubt if he'll even bother to catch up with y'all." Kai went on.
"Why are you even friends with him man?" Neil asked, something I had been curious ever since.
"You know it's something like you're not aware how someone becomes your bestfriend," Kai said with a laugh, " besides he's not so much of an ass as he walks around portraying, just saying."
Excuse me, what
I simply laughed. That was the best I could do when Kai stated Lorenzo not being a complete jerk. I disagreed obviously.
"Okay? So, you guys coming or what?" Kai asked looking at me preferentially.
"I don't mind." Neil looked at me and Felix expecting our approval.
~¤~
We took our seats at the third tier from down adjacent to the stone built staircase. Kai disappeared into the boy's locker room after parting ways.
Only the seniors and few student council members were at the court. I didn't recognise any familiar athletes from my year.
"There's the snack!" Felix suddenly blathered making both me and Neil jump.
"What the hell?! Keep it down." I hissed.
"What? I see beauty, I appreciate it." He winked shamelessly at me.
"Don't you dare paste Clarice's words for escaping. And as a matter of fact, you want to appreciate what, beauty right? You've got Cherry for that."
"Cherry and I aren't together also-"
"Drop it, will y'all!" Neil cut in handing us both the rough drafts from his research.
Meanwhile my eyes unintentionally lingered over the person Felix was drooling over.
Oh- okay
Now the view in front was undoubtedly praise worthy. I hated my guts to admit that to myself the more I did out loud.
Lorenzo was standing fancily right in front of us talking to some council member. His black-striped blue trunks hugging his generously proportioned physique. He was wiping his gorgeous grey hair with a hand towel but the evil little streams of water escaped the small cloth.
Okay Felix
He had such an oblivious demeanour that he couldn't care less if people from an inch or a mile distance were gawking at him.
"Edwards, enjoying much?" Felix asked, his grin evil.
"So, who's gonna call the escaped Men's Vogue model here?" Neil asked finally looking up from the drafts he was editing.
"London" Felix stated factly.
"Excuse me, why?"
"I wasn't the one who assured his attendance here." He said casually.
Right
"Me neither." Neil continued typing his work down.
I was over smart maybe
"Okay." I breathed in deep. If that was how it was going to be.
"Hey! Enzo!" I called out loud bringing the man's and the people's attention towards me.
"You coming-"
He started towards the bleachers before I could go on further; where the three of us were sitting. He pulled on a light mint t-shirt on the way.
"I'm blessed with healthy eardrums, Edwards." He threw at me.
Attitude much
"London," I imitated his cough, "Only my close friends are allowed to call me that."
"Use your own catchphrases for once Edwards." He said implying more on the name.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes at him, "Sit" I patted on the seat besides me.
"Tension is overwhelming." Felix snorted.
Fucker
Lorenzo looked at him with a loss of words.
"Ignore. Guy got no filter." I eyed at Felix to which Neil laughed.
~¤~
(A/N: Hi people!
Ahh get me a Felix someone?? Please??
You know you need friends like him who just talk nonsense but actually make sense, now I am probably not making sense, but never mind.
I just heard one terrible news last week, college is starting next month, like literally after 7 months of dormancy I am wondering what is college exactly??? (lots of questions marks)
Anyway, you guys do the business we agreed upon...vote and comment♡♡
-Love, Maads<3)