Volume I Chapter 11

"Vanessa-" The girl got away before I could finish asking her what we're up to for today's trip outside the city. Seeing the glistening changes made on her deep brown eyes, made me extremely intrigued on what could possibly be the reason for her emotions to switch sides like a snap on one's finger. Was it something bad enough to make her run off to the location of the caller? Is she in trouble for it, or is it that she's needed somewhere at the moment?

As I walked by the roadside, I continued to ponder about how many times I've noticed her continuously change emotions within a single week. From aloofness to joy, sarcasm to anger, silliness and sadness. It all just seemed to me that she was full of emotions that one could express rightly. Slightly envious about her expressing freedom, I found myself marveling at what great courage it must take to be like she wanted people to see her be.

I wonder...

"Andy Collins?" I heard a voice uttered behind me and turned to see that it was one of my old classmates from the axed section above. Mark Mullen, a boy with crescent eyes that never seem to fully open up into the world below.

"Mark, what brings you here?" I told him after he reached where I was just a couple of steps away from where he originally stood in. "How's school life nowadays? I've heard that my younger brother had caused you some problems on the student council. Sorry about that." He quipped, scratching the back of his head as lead the way towards the nearby bus station while we talk. Siblings were never really mentioned but Mark was one of the older brothers of the students who was previously in charge of our student council volunteer work. The moment I've heard that it was someone named Mullen, I've already connected the dots to the two of them. I just never realized that the older brother would be the one to admit it to the people affected by the news and revelation.

"Honestly, I thought it was fine to let that brat be tied down when he was elected to be in the council. Never would I ever thought that he would be caught skipping class with his partner a little door down his girlfriend's class. Seriously! How can he expect me to cover up for his girlfriend when he was the one clearly at fault for the whole incident?!" He huffed; his eyebrows furrowed into a light frown as we stood at the pedestrian side waiting to cross a busy street. I couldn't really give much any reply onto this subject, so I just stood there and listened to his input about the whole mind-puzzling fiasco at school.

"Are you mad at him for being gay or are you mad about the fact that your brother cheated?" I asked out of curiosity as the counter above our heads turned to zero. I walked hurriedly to the other side, continuing my way down the nearest terminal while he evidently tried to catch up with my brisk movements.

"Gay? No, not really. Cheating? Yes, absolutely. Discovering one-self's identity is always a good thing to venture in but doing it on the process of having others hurt for the so called cause, is not my cup of tea." He explained, hand movements moved frantically as he tried to justify his side of the bargain.

"Hmm… No need to get nervous." I hummed and let him know a fleeting thought before walking a little bit slower as we both neared our final destination.

"You know, I've just realized that I've been ratting my ass out to you all this time. Got anything interesting to share with your new class?" He elbowed me; eyes upturned into high crescents as I shook my head at his probing inquiry.

"Nothing new, really. I think we've already pretty much established that someone in our class would be unlucky enough to be transferred on one section that hates us the most. Talking about grades wise- I happen to luck out and discover some hidden gems around the area." I said to Mark, my thoughts drifting back to the girl who had to leave early just a few moments ago at the school gate.

"Really? Well, isn't that good that you finally have friends now?" I gave him a glare, sending him the message that he should shut it before someone gets hurt when I was stopped by him dragging my bag backwards.

"What-" "Stop for a moment." I looked at him to see that he looked serious for a moment before asking, "Why are we stopping in the middle of the way?" The people around us passed by, their eyes looking ever so often back at us because we were clearly blocking the way. I tried to shake his hold off but I couldn't really reach it. So, I settled on grabbing his arm instead when it was just in time that he removed his hand from my bag.

"Sorry about that. I thought I saw someone moving suspiciously over there so..."

"Alright. But next time, try giving a warning before dragging me behind and staring off into oblivion."

"Yes ma'am!"

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"Hey." A shadow loomed over and sat beside me with her bag wide open.

"Oh, hey." I greeted, wondering why the girl was currently seating beside me and not on the usual spot that they have on art class just a few days ago. "Is there something in my face? Because, I don't know about you but staring at one's face such as myself can get a little... out of hand in terms of aesthetic beauty." I silently snorted, flicking over the paintbrush I have in my hand to leave a white droplet on her face before going back to coloring a white flower on the canvas I had placed in front of me. We were currently on our third period consisting of one incredulous hour of art class before taking break for the next hour or so.

Beside me was Vanessa, sculpting something that seems to be a little humanoid figure with her hands that were smooth as jade. I remember her clearly arriving just now and missing the first two periods of the Devil's Friday schedule. So, I couldn't help but ask, "What took you long enough to go to school?"

Her hands then stiffened to a halt, and feeling that she was offended by what I said I opened my mouth again to reassure her that it wasn't really necessary for her to share. But then she replied, "It's nothing. I was just so tired that my alarm didn't wake me up in its usual time. Before, I knew it, I've already skipped class." I couldn't tell if she was lying to me or not, but her eyes told me that she was more than conflicted about what she was using as an excuse.

"Alright, well, you didn't miss much on the two periods anyway. Just some announcements here and there that the school event would be pushed forwards to the end of next week. Ms. Callaghan gave me the information that the said volunteers of the event would be exempted to pass subject deadlines, on the same week that the school event would launch. A little incentive she says." I said, changing away the earlier topic and focusing on what was to come.

"Thanks." She looked at me in reply and I nodded as I continued outlining a thin layer of shade on the flower's stamen.

"Got anything planned after school?"

"Maybe…"

"Really?" With an eyebrow raised, I looked to her direction just to see her face leaned very close to mine.

"What really?" I leaned back for comfort. Her eyes continued to roam around the heavyweight and textured paper, before going back to mine. "I thought…"

"You thought what?" We continued to stare off into each other, waiting for the other to say what was on their mind before being awaken by the loud sound of the school bell ringing throughout the class.

.

"Is everyone from both committees finally here?"

"Everyone's here!"

A supervisor shouted and continued to watch over all of us as he sat on the make-shift center stage that the guys on the production team had hammered just a couple of few days ago. The sun was nigh, and having to decorate the whole desolate plot of land was a little taxing from what I've had expected. Since the theme was about promoting awareness on the trees wasted by the community, the dean had decided to make it so that there would be a small courtyard, or a lush of green at the school's old and unused parking lot.

Now it's been about two to three school days, since we started plowing and replacing the good soil from the dried and crack ones that were hidden underground.

"Water?" A dirty white gloved hand reached out to me, carrying a bottle of cold water to quench my thirst from standing under the heat of the high sun. I gave a small nod of thanks to the student who was handing out water bottles in our group near the stage, and turn to unequip the pair of dirty gloves on my hand for a small drink.

"So, any particular reason why your famous committee partner is ignoring you now?" A student behind me asked.

I looked around to see a boy with a hanging name tag, Ivan, and frowned. I didn't necessarily know someone who bore his name, nor have I been in a small interaction with him. So, why would he talk and ask me something about my relationships with a lot of other people beside me. To be more specific, why would he think I would answer his question when I didn't even know he existed?

As if sensing my confusion and aversion to the sudden conversation I was having with a stranger, his body tensed as he continue to say, "Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I just tend to just ask people straight out about what I've recently noticed about them. The chances of letting introductions fester in and help to get to know each other, usually just gets pushed out off the back of my mind. So, if I do sound like I'm butting in right now or something-which I probably am, I apologize for that." I let out a hum, sipping on the water bottle to quench my thirst, before wiping of my mouth with a handkerchief I've hidden deep inside my other empty pocket.

"Was about to ask the reason why but, whatever…" I told him, tilting my head a little on my right, before letting my eyes roam around the crowded place to find the subject of our interest. In such a short time, I quickly noticed her signature sporting bun from the right side of the barren parking lot, bouncing, as she dug the hard soil with all the strength that she could muster. And under the strong rays of the brightening sun, her shirt was looked damply fit, rocking a petite body shape that looked very flexible amidst the strong heat.

"Actually, I'm a little clueless as to why it's even happening in the first place. Everything was fine the last week that the two of us met." I said to him, recalling back to the fun things that the two of us did in the span of five days. However, truthfully speaking, it was all fine before the last school day ended. Probably.

I'm not exactly sure of myself. But I knew that I wouldn't exactly be stupid enough to just say it to someone I've clearly just met.

"Hmm…" He hummed and drank several gulps of water before opening his mouth, "You say that, truly you do. But why is it that I feel like you've already got some ideas as to why everything went from fine, to not fine at all?" As if sensing someone was talking about her, the subject of our small talk turned her head towards our direction and made her eyes locked with mine.

.

"Vanessa?" I called out to her and seeing as she was in a sort of daze, I couldn't help but squeeze her cheeks to remind her that it was not the appropriate time to daydream in an empty classroom. Lunch had long started for the few minutes we were stuck here. Everyone already left to go eat and I sure as hell would like to grab one before the bell rings yet again for the second time.

"Ow… What is it?" She looked at me with a disturbed face, massaging her pinched cheeks like a kid who had been toyed with for a silly cause.

"I said I was asking you earlier of what was it that you thought about the painting? Was it good in terms of visual aesthetic? Bad? Overly bad? Horrible? Lacking? Is there too much ink on the detailed areas?" I asked, generally curious about her thoughts and input on what I've done. Art, for the life of me, is something that I've always struggled with throughout the years of going back and forth to grade school. You may think that every kid would have the ability to form an irregular shape or drawing of what they'd see, yet for some reason, the little me from back then would always have trouble of copying one picture into a single white paper successfully.

Although its been years since I've found that I'm horrible at drawing, I couldn't help but double check if I- at the least of it all, improved my mimicking skill through years of constant practice.

"Actually, that wasn't what I thought to be beautiful- I mean your painting was very good. Yes..?" She stammered on her words, seemingly flustered from the slight errors she said from the past couple of minutes inside the room.

"Yes?" I asked, curious as to why there was a questioning tone at the end of her sentence. She didn't really respond to my question, but instead, took a second glance at the Sunflower I've tried to capture on the small canvas propped in front of me in a tranced manner.

"Hmm..." She hummed, trailing off with eyes as wide as saucers before grabbing a hold of my wrist and dragging me off outside the room with speed I've never knew she had.

"Wait-" "Did you see that?" She asked me, her eyes focused back onto the inside of the art room with a serious expression latched on her face.

"What? Was I supposed to see something?" I said, taking a few steps in to peek at what she was trying to tell me when she harshly pulled me back behind her in a protective manner.

"What's happening? Vanessa-" "Shh…"

At the pin drop of silence, the room turned a lot colder than usual. Everything inside the small room seemed frozen and for a few seconds, I thought I was seeing the world going from black to white like the old reels of a recorded movie. My hands felt as cold as ice, noticing the strange things that were currently happening behind my glasses.

By the time I closed my eyes, I was sure that I had nothing to assure myself that everything was just the tricks of a tired mind. But a strong grip from the body next to mine, proved that I had someone to experience this strange illusion with, and I had someone to latch dependently on.

"Andy? Hey-"

"Huh." Opening my eyes, I saw a ceiling full of white. The softness of the bed and the smell of disinfectant in the air made me sat myself up to see where I currently was.

"Why-" "Oh. It's good that your awake! Honey, try not to skip lunch alright? We don't want you fainting again on the second time around." The school nurse, Ms. Jefferson Clyde, reprimanded me just when I was about to ask why I was sent to the clinic again for the second time of the week.

Weird, I knew that I didn't exactly faint if I clearly remembered being at the art room earlier with Vanessa. Stuck with questions I'm unable to answer, I turned to the girl who stayed next to me for an explanation on how we ended up in this kind of situation in the first place. The only reply that I've got was a wry smile.

Why are you smiling like that? What exactly happened?

"Pearson, I expect you to take care of your classmate more- now that she has fainted twice in a span of 48 hours. Tell me if she persists that you don't help her, I could always right on a letter to speak to her guardians about her declining health at this time. You, of all people, should know how I really don't like students taking up my time because of them not caring for their bodies' needs."

"Don't worry Ms. Clyde, I certainly will."

"Alright, you two, close the door after you finish up. I need to go back to the place where I'm needed the most." And with that, the famous angry old nurse throughout the whole school went out without even looking back.

I felt a little angry- actually a lot angrier than what I imagined myself to be. Being blamed for not taking care of myself wasn't what I exactly had my anger focused on, yes, it wasn't. However, it was because of the girl sitting beside me instead.

"Why didn't you tell her what was going on- actually, what was it that was really going on earlier in the small art room?" I asked her with baited breath, my eyes closed for a while to control my burning anger and desire on what exactly happened that got me through all of this.

"Nothing happened. You asked me what I thought about the painting and I said it was beautiful. We didn't notice that we've gone long without eating inside the room, thus, you fainted-" "Fainted? Do you really expect me to believe that I fainted just because I missed lunch for once?"

Before knowing it, I have unexpectedly raised my voice towards her and had left everything to the still silence of the room.