How To Not Eat Thy Neighbor

Chapter 5

Long story short: I started freaking out. Very quickly. I kept my grip on my pencil, dialing Michael's number. 11:00 at night? Doesn't fucking matter. He didn't even need to sleep, anyway..

My breathing still hadn't calmed itself. The hand with the pencil shook. I could feel the damned tension. Stress was not something I could deal with. Especially not like this.

My foot kept tapping as the phone dialed. I felt what might just be the most relieved I've ever been. 

"Hey-" He answers, promptly being cut off by me.

"There's been a situation- I don't know how to deal with it." I say as quickly as I can, I doubt he can understand me. 

"Woah- Rick- first is first; you're safe, right?"

"You'd have to define safe- but immediate danger? No. I'm alright in that case." 

"Judging by the spotty cellular, I know exactly where you are." The call cuts out. 

I grit my teeth and exhale, poking my phone out of semi anger. I'm still shaking.

The lights go back up. 

"I got here as fast as I could." 

I'm somewhat taken aback.

I blink a few times to make sure it's not a stress induced hallucination.

"Michael?" I narrow my eyes. "The hell? How many damn traffic laws did you just break?

"Zero. I ran here."

I narrow my eyes and blink again. "You what?"

"Never mind it. We cover it next week." He pauses. "Now, please explain the situation. You sounded pretty damn shocked on the phone, I doubt you're any less shaken seconds later."

"Somebody." The shaking is there, but less now that I'm not alone. "Probably knew you. I wouldn't know." I stutter slightly. "They said to leave a message."

I see him take in a breath. 

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." He drags his palms down his face, not dealing with this today. "If you excuse me, I'm currently in the mood for chucking something out of the window. Preferably whoever told you that, whoever their boss is, and maybe their entire family line."

I've stopped shaking all together now. I'm more focused on Michael's ability to insult someone. It's a goddamn talent, I swear.   

He takes his hands off his face, preparing himself. "And what does that message happen to be?"

"See you soon." I answer. I can see the emotion on his face, whatever it may be. He just withers into it. 

"The desire to throw someone out a window has escalated into off a cliff." He collects himself again. "Sorry, about all that.  I know exactly what brought it on, and I won't hide it, but apologies."

I'll never understand how he can go from mature adult to throwing someone off a cliff (or at least threatening to.)

"You mind if I walk you home?" He seems a lot less angry now. (It looked like anger, at least.)

"Please do. I never saw where he left to. My eyes aren't fans of high speeds."

"Any other clues?

"Pretty sure he was a student. That's how he stayed behind." That part I've got clear. If I saw him, I'd know. He starts walking me out.

"Does this... you know." I'm a bit shy about it.

"That's exactly what it is. And exactly why I reacted the way I did." He sighs again. "Before you blame yourself, you're not at fault here. You can still get out of it. We can pretend the class goes as planned, pretend this didn't happen." 

It's kinda poetic, how he says it. Trouble finds me. 

"God, I wish I could. Something tells me the universe won't have it."

"Not if I've got my say. I'm not letting you get dragged into this. That's final." I don't know what tells me, but something tells me he's about as serious as he gets with this.

Conveniently, we've reached my complex by now. 

The rest of the night is pointless to explain.

-

The day is too, in all honesty. Michael doesn't stay when he delivers his apology pasta. Pretending it didn't happen doesn't work. I know exactly why he doesn't stay. He can't. Eliza's probably with him. I know I'll see her again tonight. I know she knows, he's Michael. She probably knew the second he left last night. 

I can't say I hate her, though. She's got good intentions. I can tell that much. She's not cold, either. She's just rough around the edges. Trust issues, if you will.

You could say I'm determined to get to know her. I am, in a sense. My savior complex wants me to, too. I know the worst thing I could do would be help Michael in this situation. It knows that. So it find a different way to still save someone.  That's it's compromise.

She's there, as always. Directly in front of my desk. The man from last night isn't here. There's no evidence he ever was. Chair is empty, no books on the desk. We go on without him. We don't raise alarm to the fact he's gone.

It's like a 9-5 with more individuality. I'm allowed to say what I need to, but in the end, work still becomes dull some nights. The whole room is like that. Slower than average.

I'm done the lesson in record time, no need to keep people overtime. The class shuffled out. The lights don't go out. There's no stragglers. Nothing.

Michael leaves ahead of Eliza and I. 

"I figured I'd tell you one of us will walk you home from now on." 

It's the first time she's spoken to me without anger. I doubt our walks will include much of a conversation.

"That includes the trip here and back." She adds. "Michael had something on his schedule, so it's me tonight." 

She's mostly silent, as I expected. I don't feel the need to break the silence, either. It's neutral in a way.

I consider the lack of anger a win for me. It feels even better to have a night where something isn't amiss. Quite frankly, I think this might be the start of a great idea. I'll remember to thank Michael in the morning.

When we finally arrive, she doesn't speed off like I thought she would. Instead she waves. I swear I almost see a smile.

-