Stars' Song: Clef

Chapter 12 : Inside Wants To Be Further In

12-1

The heat coming from the windows reached me, signifying the peak of this Monday morning. The lively atmosphere of the classroom is caused by the face of the clock. It was lunchtime, but for today, I had no plans. Being in no rush, I stretched my arms and took my time to fix my backpack. Everyone was making their way out while some were inviting others to eat.

"Hey, I kind of forgot my wallet, so can you buy me something today?" Ronin's voice stood out like a sore thumb.

"You don't even hesitate, huh? No way." Keith removed himself from his chair and made his slow escape. "June, Cy, you coming?"

Cyril set himself on his feet without replying.

"Mm." June packed his notebook before letting out a yawn.

"H-hey! Come on, man!" Ronin wrapped his arm around Keith's shoulders as the four of them exited the room.

On the armchair of the seat June got off from was a wallet. As expected, June ran back into the classroom. He let out an inaudible sigh, relieved by knowing nobody had stolen his belongings. He grabbed the small piece of leather and proceeded to the exit.

"Dummy!" I yelled before he could disappear behind the doorway.

"Shut up!" He snuck a glare towards me before jogging away.

I let out a laugh. As it died down, it was followed by a sigh.

June and I belong to a band, albeit separate ones. We have to practice, meaning our schedules change and drift into different directions. As a result, we don't have time to spare for each other. Things will worsen when it comes to late August to early September. We attend classes, finish school tasks and projects, study for quizzes and exams, practice for the contest, take care of our houses, and try to look after ourselves. There was no time to even breathe, but I had never thought of everything as suffocating.

Because, in the end, I get to see his shadow beside mine once more. I was accustomed to our hectic timetable, but there's a reason why I got used to it so quickly.

The gentle scrape of a chair croaked. To its direction was Amber standing up and making her way out of the classroom in quick steps. Controlled by curiosity, I trailed her traces, avoiding incoming students who might bump into me. I kept Amber's back in my focus, causing me to bump shoulders with someone. I muttered a sorry without looking at who it was.

Amber pushed a glass door and stepped into the school library. This was an unfamiliar part of the school for me—not because I don't like quiet spaces; In fact, I love them a lot. I just don't search for a quiet space when I'm in a populated location.

The tip of my fingers landed on the glass. A weak push was enough for it to swing open. I was met with a wave of cool air, prompting a shiver down my spine. Before searching for the girl who disappeared behind bookshelves, I scanned the air-conditioned library. My feet were as light as a feather, afraid of making any noise, but considering it was the middle of summer, the library was almost full, the incoherent chatter bound to become normal. Maybe I should also stay here more often. My head could use some air-conditioning.

The placements of some of the bookshelves were kind of weird. Some stood in the middle of the room, preventing a normal walkway flow. The impracticality hid a better view of the whole library, making me assume Amber was behind these bookshelves. They were more like walls, splitting the room in two, maybe even four sections.

I turned around the corner to find Amber setting a notebook and a pad paper down an empty table for four. She sat down and took a pen from a brown pouch, not missing a single beat. As soon as she opened the notebook, her hand began to write, and her expression began to relax.