Chapter 36: Something Different For Once

When I leave the house, the atmosphere outside seems better than most days. For the first time, I appreciate the fresh air and the warm sun. Yesterday went unexpectedly well which makes me feel that today will go that way, too. As I pass through our pathway, I take a glance at Gran's small flower garden and notice the singular purple flower again. Really reminds me of Malinda. I dismiss my thoughts the moment I go up the bus.

The driver looks at me the moment I step inside the bus, "Didn't you promise to tell me when you would skip school?"

"I know, sorry. Thanks for still coming today."

"Of course, you have quite a… crowd here."

I finally notice that there are more students in the bus today than normal. Around this time when I'm getting picked up, there would only be a handful of people inside. To be exact, the bus is already almost full.

Finding my way through my usual seat, I observe everyone being quiet and taking small glances at me.

Um, what the fuck?

As much as I hate being teased and trampled on, I think I'd rather go with that than this whole thing right now. I try to ignore the situation and calm my mind. That's right, I still have about 40 minutes to go before we reach school.

Everything can still go by normally. I open my bag and search for my sketchpad. Before I could, I peek out the window and notice that we aren't going the normal house-to-house route to school. We're going straight there. I thought there are still a lot of stops to go through, then I remind myself that the bus is practically complete. That means I'm the last one to get picked up. Why am I the last stop today?

I lean on my seat and disregard my drawing agenda. Because in just 6 minutes, we already reached Winterville High and Tech. Or W.H.A.T. Which also happens to be my current reaction.

Everyone in the bus goes down quietly which again I find strange. The bell rings out of nowhere. I don't have a sense of time today (which is a dumb statement because I never do), and almost stumble from my actions deciphering what I'm supposed to be doing. Well, whatever it is, I guess the day has already started.

And this day just wouldn't stop getting weirder. The past few classes has been chill. More chill than the days that no one cares about me. This is the fourth class of today and not a single soul touched me or even mentioned me in a bad way. Or mention me at all. The harassment did lessen down by the years, but there should at least be one before lunch. But no. Everyone was just simply looking at me. Now, it's completely wrong. Unless… has the bullying really stopped? Did the world finally decide to give me a break?

The second that pops up into mind, lunch has finally begun. Everyone immediately went outside, as if they were in a hurry (I mean, that's everyone every day anyway), and I follow. I don't look at anyone but it's fairly obvious that there are eyes everywhere focused on me. The school hallways have never felt this light to me in my life.

I was right, today is going to go great as well.

I enter the cafeteria, and everything is going normally with everyone eating and buying and finally some clutter of noise, because, you know, food. And that would mean that the line is ludicrously long, so the usual goes for me.

I grab a canned drink from the vending machine then try to find Cyrus and Theo. In class earlier, I was contemplating how much I should tell them about the cave because I promised to tell them something about it. I already have a premonition as to how they'll bug me about it.

I see Cyrus and Theo in the usual table. They seemed a little alarmed once they notice me as I go near them.

"What? You guys, too?"

Cyrus stutters, "What do you mean?"

"Everyone's acting weird today. They're all glancing at me, but there's no bullying. Did I do something?"

"I don't know. Did you?"

"Did you do something?" I ask again.

"Don't know. Did we?"

I roll my eyes.

Theo intrudes, "Anyway, you said you wanted to tell us something yesterday. Come on, bro!"

Well, they're indifferent, that's for certain. One way or another, I'm going to have to deal with this. I sigh, "Fine, but it's seriously confidential, and I can't say everything right now. Got it?"

"Chill, Mr. President. What is it?"

"Okay, so, remember when we went to the cliff a few days ago and then my sketchpad fell down."

"Yeah." They leaned closer.

"And remember I went down to retrieve it but then I messaged you guys saying I saw something weird and you should assume I'm dead if I wasn't back in like 5 minutes?"

"Yeah." They leaned even closer.

"Then I came back after a minute, even though I told you guys I thought I was down there for a long time?"

"Yeah!" They leaned too close, I had to back away a little.

"So, what really happened is that I found a cave," They nodded when I said it. I continued, "and inside that cave… time freezes."

Cyrus and Theo also froze.

I laughed, "I shit you not, I was looking in that cave for so long, but when I got out, it's like nothing happened outside."

Cyrus and Theo were still unresponsive, and I do somehow enjoy their priceless reactions. I go on, "But the even crazier thing is that while I was looking inside I…" I hesitate.

Theo disrupts, "Hold up! So, you're telling me that you found a cave and time stops when you're inside? That's hilarious!"

"I'm not lying, dude." My eyebrows furrow.

Theo laughs, "Yeah, right. And what were you saying, someone was inside that cave? Let me guess, there was some sort of fuckin' mermaid or something?"

I finish my canned beverage and stand up. But Theo keeps on going before I could go away. I roll my eyes again, "I told you I—" Before I could finish my statement, Theo stood atop the table while still laughing and it obviously caught a lot of attention. But what he said was the pinnacle of the entire thing.

"Everyone! Rhys Harrison fucking believes in fairytales!"

So,

You know that one scene from every coming-of-age movie where the climax of the problem comes in and wrecks the whole mindset of the dumb protagonist? This is that one scene.

That scene when Lady Bird didn't get the special sex she wanted.

That scene when Charlie breaks up with Mary Elizabeth through a game.

That scene when Cady Heron lost the best people of her life that night because of self-deception.

That scene when Rhys Harrison's few moments of genuine hope for happiness were crumbled by the harsh reminder of reality.