Yellowed

Chapter 15; Tale of Morris

Carlo Paul Morris' POV

The sun still goes down with the same magnificent glow as the day ends, but just like before I met Flavus, the sunshine, although it still feels warm, is incomplete.

As the landscape of the horizon afar casts a long shadow and the color of blue darkens, and the clear light of the moon and stars shows, I was here. Standing near the edge of the rooftop but far enough not to see the ground below. And I'm still hoping that Flavus will meet me here before the sun sets, but for the past two days, I haven't seen any sign of him. 

I looked over the field and saw distant stars twinkling, like a kid looking out of his bedroom window and gazing at the stars with his parents. The thought of home never gets old, and my eyes perched on the starry blackness of the night sky. I feel a kind of calmness but am still empty.

It was almost completely dark before I decided to went home. On my way out of the university, I  see a man walking strangely familiar. I can tell based on his uniform that he is a staff at the university. I wasn't wrong. As he came closer, I confirmed that it was Mr. Gray. But unlike before, he had a heavy and serious look on his face. 

"Good evening Mr. Gray," I greeted him as he approached. "Why so serious, sir?" I asked, making him furrow his brows as if I had said something wrong. 

"Mr. Morris, why are you still here at this hour?" he asked, completely ignoring my question. 

"I... I just went to the garden sir," I said. "But the plants are all wilted, do you still have seeds that we can plant in there?" 

"Yes I do have but it was in my dorm, I'll make sure to bring it tomorrow. You can get it in my office," he said. "By the way, did you happen to see Flavus today?" he asked. I can see that his furrowed expression relaxed when he mentioned Flavus. 

"Mr. Gray, I haven't seen him today. The last time I did see him was two days ago when..." I paused and hesitated if I would tell him what had happened that night or not. I choose the latter. "Yeah, I saw him two days ago." His expression changes again. I have no idea what was going on with him and Flavus, but I can see that there is something more. 

"Yeah, Ms. Follon had told me that he's been absent for about two consecutive days and..." just like what I did, he paused midsentence. "And I tried to go to his dorm, but it seems like there was no one there," he continued. I just remembered that they are almost neighbors, just a couple of units apart. 

"He's also not answering my calls and messages," I revealed. 

"Maybe you can try to contact him again for me?" Mr. Gray suggested. "If you do, please tell him that being absent without an excuse letter may result in detention or suspension," he explained. I just nodded, and with that, he left, but I just had a hunch to go to Flavus' dorm. 

"Ahm. Mr. Gray," I called. "You're on the same floor with him right?" I asked. 

"Hmmm. Yes Mr. Morris, why do you ask?"

"Can I walk with you, I'll try to visit him," I said. 

"Yeah, sure. Good idea." 

Then the two of us walked outside the university. The night air seems to be cooler now compared to the past days. The wind is blowing, and the stars twinkle in the dark as if somebody had decorated the night sky. We both walked in silence on the sidewalk until he spoke again. 

"So, you've become friends, huh?" he said, making me look at him while trying to figure out what he meant.

"What do you mean sir?" I just asked in return.