Chapter 6: Dilemma

February 25th, 08:50

Ava's POV

'Damnit, I slept in...' She faintly remembered the small party her friends through as she looked at the sleeping bodies strewn around her.

She sighed, stood up, and traipsed over to her closet, selecting her outfit.

A cool blue sundress, denim jacket, and a pair of pumps. She grabbed her towel and quietly snuck out of the room and walked towards the shower.

Waiting outside was Miko. "Greetings Miss La Grange." She bowed her head lightly with her towel wrapped around her hands. "Early day for you...?"

She responded with a nervous smile "

Afraid I slept in. What about you...?"

Miko stood coyly and smiled "I'm meeting someone today..."

'Wait...she doesn't mean...'

"You know Terrence from 3-B, right? Being his best friend and all..."

"Well, Yeah Terrence And I know each other..."

"Heh, I've kinda had a thing for him since forever..."

'Dear lord she is serious...'

Ava's hand drifted to her eyes covering the shame she felt

"...But I guess he hasn't felt the same..."

She looked at the now troubled girl who stared at the floor with sadness.

"My French Fry...I think it's time to let go of him..."

Ava clenched her hand, a rush of guilt and anger flowed over her. She grabbed the girl by her shoulders and looked in her eyes intently.

"Don't give up, Terrence is a little reclusive, he's not big on loud or surprising things. He's quiet and delicate and enjoys the finer things, he loves coffee and books and little silent moments in the sunset. So don't give up..."

Miko nodded slowly, her surprise plastered across her face, which soon became a look of hope with her words. "I won't, I promise..."

The door to the shower room opened and a girl stepped out drying her hair with another towel covering her body.

Miko smiles at her and walked into the shower room, closing the door.

She leaned against the wall holding her forehead. She sighed heavily "What just happened...?"

09:15

Terrence's POV

The four of us sit around our usual table at the back. Our strategy session was just completed. I looked around expecting her arrival and looked at my friends who sat around me reading various books. "Where is Ava?"

Sandy looked up and replied "She's probably still asleep, a bunch of the girls decided to have a party, her roommate hosted it and she agreed..."

I nodded slowly and looked back at my book.

10:30

At this point, my state of curiosity has become one of worry. My compatriots share my concerns and we all decide to leave in search. Tyler and Sandy went around the buildings. Ray and I searched the outer buildings and fields.

"Stay calm man, I'm sure she just thought it was too late to come and see us."

"You know Ava, she wouldn't just- wait, do you hear that?"

"Yeah..."

We stopped in our tracks hearing the sound of laughter, her laughter. We approached the stands slowly. There she was, heartily laughing along with Frankie. I held out a hand for a moment but Ray stopped me. Shaking his head, he came close to me and whispered "Not the time..."

We left quickly and met Tyler and Sandy outside the library.

"Did you find her...?" Tyler asked hurriedly

I looked down as Ray answered with a sigh "She is with Frankie..."

Sandy hugged me tightly "I'm so sorry Terry..."

I sighed quietly and patted her back softly "Thanks Sandy, but I've got to be alone for a bit..."

She let go of me and I walked toward the stairs. Tyler raised his hands to stop me but said nothing as I slowly ascended the stairs to the rooftop. I looked out over the fields outside the school through the holes in the fence and sat down on the bench overlooking everything.

'How did this backfire so badly...'

'I don't know either...'

I turned my head up at the sky with my eyes closed.

11:05

Miko's POV

Miko walked around the school halls. Passing the three compatriots outside the library as they spoke of their downtrodden friend.

"We can't let him go like that? What is he going to do?"

"Calm down Tyler, Terry isn't that stupid..."

She froze for a moment hearing the name.

"Well, what can we do for him now?"

"Forget it, just leave him to his time on the roof..."

She looked at the stairs "The roof...?"

She ascended the stairs quickly, opening the rooftop door. There he was, tired and morose.

She approached carefully, remembering what Ava told her earlier, and sat down next to him.

His eyes cracked open as he looked at her and he spoke lowly "What do you want Miko..."

"I don't want anything Terrence...What's wrong?"

he looked at her with a depressed face "Not calling me your French Fry, that's new..."

"You don't like that name..."

"But you call me that anyway..."

"Not anymore, anyway what's wrong?"

His eyes shut again "It doesn't matter..."

"It matters to me..."

She held his hand and nodded.

"Okay, my friend...likes someone. We all hate this person but we can't tell them, we just saw them both together..."

"Well, I'm sure your friend has their reasons right?"

He looked at her with some displeasure

She squirmed slightly under his gaze and shut her eyes 'Bad word choice...I understand now.'

He turned his head back up at the sky with eyes closed "Told you it doesn't matter..."

"But it does matter, it's making you sad..."

He looked back at her.

"You're intent on getting to the root of this aren't ya? Why?"

She closes the distance between them.

"Because I care about you, Terrence..."

He leaned back for a moment with a nervous look. She realized what happened and moved back, blushing heavily.

'Stop doing that. He doesn't like stuff like that.'

He sat closer to her and looked over the fields, leaning his head onto her shoulder.

"Thanks, Miko..."

She smiled and leaned on him.

"No problem, Terrence..."

15:00

Ava's POV

Ava walked down the hall toward the library, guilt permeated her mind as she thought of how she abandoned her friends without a word.

The three of them sat around the table reading in silence. She looked at them strangely "Where's Terrence...?"

Tyler clenched his fist in slight anger "Terrence is busy right now, more importantly, where were you all day?"

"I was...um...busy as well..." She smiled nervously, sympathetic to their feelings towards Frankie.

Sandy sighed as she kept reading her book. Ray kept his gaze on the stairs awaiting his friend's descent. Ava stood awkwardly as the situation unfolded.

Suddenly, Ray stood, excited to see his tired friend, escorted down the stairs by Miko. Ava looked at him, then towards the stairs as the two of them walked off to the dorms.

A sharp pain pierced her heart. She held her chest tightly and walked out of the library, drawing confusion from Tyler and Sandy.

Ray looked on at her walking with curiosity then walking to the dorm to meet his friend.

15:07

Terrence's POV

A sinking feeling has amassed in my limbs. The physical effects of the game yesterday still have a hold on me as it seems. Miko assisted me down the stairs, passing the library in the direction of the dorms. Outside the main door, I picked my head up and looked at her.

"I think I can walk the rest of the way from here..."

"Are you sure? I have no problem helping you in..."

"Really, it is not an issue..."

'Besides, I'll never be able to live that down.'

She smiled tenderly and let go of me as I stepped to open the door. She took a few steps back and bowed as I turned to wave goodbye. She then ran off back towards the school building.

I stepped inside and sighed heavily. The way Miko behaved was, out of character for her, but, it was...nice in a way, sort of.

I shook my head and trudged over to my dorm room, stumbling inside and closing the door. I collapsed into my bed and slowly started drifting off to sleep. Though my newfound peace was disturbed by Ray bursting through the door in an excited mood.

"Dude, I have big news on Ava..."

I buried my face into my pillow. "I don't want to hear it..."

"But she may still have something for you..."

I raised my head. Sure I was depressed, but the statement had piqued my interest.

"How so...?"

"So, Ava was with us in the library and happened to catch your little moment with that other girl. Long story short, she ran off looking disappointed..."

I wrested myself up to a sitting position and thought.

"It might just be..."

'In that case, we still have to get rid of Frankie...'

'Agreed...'

I looked up at Raymond with an air of determination around me.

"Ray...we're visiting the power company tonight..."