No More

As expected, Clarissa was sitting right in the centre of the room. She seemed to be concentrating on the debate as well. She just sat quietly, watching the brave Trevor Michaels go toe-to-toe with the most lily-livered teacher in the school.

Mr. Sawyer was fighting a losing battle. He kept trying to wave Trevor down into his seat using his hands. 'Trevor, please. Sit down,' he said calmly from the safety of his desk. Trevor did look like he was ready to trample anything in his path. Mr. Sawyer continued, 'The police have already held a meeting with the staff and strongly advised us to tighten our security. Advice which the board has promised to take.'

'So…until then, what do we do, sir?' He looked around the class hoping to gain more support than he already had. 'Do we sit and wait for this killer to pick another target? I don't know about the rest of you guys but I've got a bright future ahead of me and I'll be damned if some Jason Voorhees wannabe tries to cut that future short!'

At this statement, his fans rose to their feet. Ten seconds of roars and cheers then followed a non-stop chant: 'NO MORE! NO MORE! NO MORE!...'

The noise was deafening but Sineas didn't mind. Clarissa didn't seem to mind either. She just looked on. Even though he had decided he wanted nothing to do with her anymore, Sineas wondered what expression was on her face. What was going through her mind?

Mr. Sawyer finally gave up and left the classroom, leaving a valiant Trevor and his supporters to celebrate their victory.

During lunchtime, Sineas had taken his time in picking a table. He finally settled on one that was just two tables beside The Thinker. His favourite, the one under the graceful shade of the young peach tree had been taken.

He had not had any breakfast and could feel his stomach crying out for at least a morsel of bread. Just five seconds after he had sat down, he began to exterminate his cheese sandwiches.

The thoughts of his mother resurfaced. He finally decided that it was good that she escaped that hell but he was now concerned about where she was. What was she eating, if she was eating at all? His first guess was that she had returned to their old house in Breechwood but he turned this one down for two reasons. First; Aunt Janice had sold it on the grounds that she needed the money to support Sineas since Judge Henrick had agreed to take the advice from Doctor Jacob, that his aunt should become his caregiver. Doctor Jacob had also taken the liberty to propose that since his mother was mentally unfit to handle money, Aunt Janice had to take over. The second reason she would not return to her old house was because the police were looking for her and her old house would obviously be the first place they would look. Either way, Sineas decided to be happy that she had escaped. He smiled and took another bite of his sandwich. He felt the bench move a little. Someone had sat right beside him, about an arm's length.

Clarissa's face looked stale as she coolly unloaded her lunch bag. It was all fruit: two apples and a banana.

Sineas watched her from the corner of his eye. Of all the tables! he thought. Of all the millions of tables around him! She had to sit at the table where he was enjoying some peace and quiet? He lost his appetite. He slammed his lunchbox shut. He was hoping she would take the hint.

She did not even glance at him.

He cleared his throat.

It didn't get through.

He tried again, a little louder.

She took a bite from her apple and just looked on ahead. Sineas was invisible.

'Couldn't you find another table?' he asked her.

She was unconsciously and very slowly taking pea sized bites from her apple. Six seconds later she said, 'I like it here.' She stayed quiet for another four, 'I'm not going anywhere.'

He was getting very furious with her. He gritted his teeth. 'Clarissa, what is wrong with you?'

She remained quiet for five seconds this time, then, 'There's nothing wrong with me,' she said quietly. Her attention was fully devoted to her apple. So far she had barely reached its core.

Sineas clenched a fist on top of the table. 'Am I a joke to you? Do you find pleasure in making me your charity case?'

She finally turned to look at him. Her eyes narrowed. 'What are you talking about?'

'So you do think that I'm that stupid, don't you?'

She placed her apple on the table. 'Sineas, what on earth are you talking about?'

'I am talking about the gestures. The smiles, the jolly conversations, that incident in the classroom when out of your good heart you decided to join the outcast. All of that was just for show, wasn't it? You're probably trying to become class president now that Justin's dead.'

Clarissa looked bewildered. She further narrowed her eyes. She just sat there, silent, staring curiously at him. It was hard to tell what she was thinking. 'So that's what you think of me?' She said nodding her head thrice, then continued, 'So you think…' she choked, 'You seriously think I gave up my friends and my time, my…' she choked again.

Sineas was no longer sure if those were fake tears glistening at the edge of her eyes.

'Do you really think so little of me, Sin?' She patted her chest, 'Do you really believe that me befriending you was to appear holy in people's eyes? Do you really believe that after I lost my friends, my parents' trust, I would pursue this so-called mission of making you my charity case? If that's what you believe then I'm sorry to tell you this, but maybe everyone was right about you.'

He looked away. His frown had relaxed a little. He was no longer sure if he really was angry.

They both sat in silence. Clarissa was now looking at nothing in front of her. Her eyes were red but none of the tears fell. They just shone at the rim of her sockets.

Sineas was rubbing his thumbs on the table. He tried to think of a clever comeback. He decided not to. What if she meant what she was saying? No! No! I won't let you fool me again, Clarissa, he thought. 'So…' he shrugged slowly, '…why did you do it?'

She swiftly turned her face back at him. She looked very angry. 'Do what?'

'Befriend me? Why did you do it?' he asked.