Hiraeth: Blackout (I)

Chapter Seven

Many Days of school went by. I hadn't seen Bexley again in all that time, almost forgetting about her.

There was a four-Day weekend where I had no homework and most of my classmates were visiting their families. I decided it would be a good opportunity to study and relax, so that's what I did the first Day.

But the second Day came around, and I was already bored. I went to the activity center to see if there was a motion picture playing I might be interested in. When that plan failed, I wandered around the building aimlessly.

I was just about to leave when I ran into Bexley. She was at the café, reading a book, and as I approached her I was immediately greeted with, "Micha-Mike!"

She invited me to sit with her, and since I had nothing better to do, I did.

"How's your weekend going?" she started off, setting her book aside.

I shrugged. "O-Okay, I guess."

"Got nothing to do?"

"Haha... Well... Yeah."

Bexley squinted and rested her chin on her hand, thinking. "Maybe we should do something. Together."

This idea was strange to me. I'd only met the girl once, a good while ago. But she had given me cake, so I felt like I owed her. "Sure, w-why not."

Bexley's face brightened and she packed up her things. "Excellent! Why don't we go into the city?"

I froze. "W-We can do that?"

"Of course," Bexley replied, giggling. "You just have to fill out a form."

"Oh."

The two of us headed to the main office and Bexley directed me to the front desk, which was hidden away on the other side of the entrance to the school. The friendly dog lady there handed us both a paper, which we signed before leaving.

As we waited for a taxi, I asked her what the plan was.

She thought a minute. "Well, Bijou City is very big. There's a lot to do, but I think we should go to a museum. Maybe lunch afterwards, then the big shopping center in Old Town."

"Sounds good," I replied as we hopped into the quartz land taxi Bexley had called with her telephone. I offered to pay, but she would have none of it.

The taximan laughed at my failed attempt to be a gentleman, saying, "An independent one ya got there, boy."

I turned to Bexley, confused, who smiled and whispered, "He thinks we're on a date."

"Oh!" I exclaimed much louder than I intended. "No, sir, uh... w-w-we aren't, um... y-ya know."

The taximan just nodded, smiling. "O-hoho! You're not, are ya?"

I frowned angrily. "We're not."

"That's alright with me, just means I don't have to worry about teenagers kissin' in my car," he teased with a laugh.

The taxi picked up speed as it turned onto the highway, headed for the city. I admired the fields as I had when I arrived in Idyll. They were still just as beautiful, if not more, and it was exciting to be on the move.

As we passed a small cluster of houses, Bexley tapped my shoulder. She pointed to a three-story cottage built in a large circle of trees and said, "That's where I stayed when I went to SAM Junior High."

"You d-don't live here?" I asked.

"No. My parents sent me here."

I remembered Aka and frowned. "Y-Y-You don't get along with your mom and dad?"