Space Between Time

2

I went to bed that night thinking of Oaks. He didn't seem like a bad guy. I mean from what I've heard so far I kinda like him, I wouldn't mind some action during my stay here at the school. He was so handsome too. The way his hair curved in many ways so perfectly, the shapes and curves of his body. His deep blue eyes stared straight at you when you were talking to him.
When I wake up I'm gonna go see him. Maybe he can tell me more about the school.
I dozed off slowly, my mind filled with his words and face. I couldn't stop thinking of him. I don't know why either. 
"Hey, Dane!" Oaks said running up to me. We were in the woods, filled with the tallest evergreens I've ever seen in my whole life. The night sky filled with shining stars, like someone had dumped a container of silver glitter over a black canvas. "Hey Oaks!." I said waving, a big smile plastered on my face. Oaks all of a sudden pulled in for a big hug, burying his face in my neck. He took a deep breath in, then a deep breath out. "You smell like pine wood," Oaks said, surprising me. That flattered me in a way and gave me butterflies. "T-Thanks Oaks." He hugged me even tighter than before, like a bear hug now. "Your welcome, my love." My love? What does that mean? "After Leo's death, I was so worried for you. They wouldn't let me see you." Oaks said slowly letting go. With a big sigh of relief, he said, "I'm just glad you're back." What was he talking about? Who are they? And why would they let Oaks see me? "Me too!" I said suddenly. I was even surprised at what it said. It just suddenly blurted out of my mouth as if I had no self-control whatsoever. "Now, let's go catch up with the rest of the group. They are gonna be so happy to see you again." Oaks grabbed my hand and pulled me forward to follow him. I was surprised by the sudden pulling of my arm, that I had almost plummeted face-first to the ground. That was until a rock. BAM! All of a sudden I was falling in slow motion toward the ground. I could hear faint laughing, that sounded as if coming from Oaks; slowly fading into a– void...? Everything went dark. My mind shut down. There was nothing. I was unaware of anything.

〰️

I woke up to my roommate switching on the light all so suddenly. With no knowledge, I opened my eyes with a burning sensation filling them. The light was too bright to comprehend this early in the morning. My head was dazed by what I had dreamed of last night. My eyes slowly focus on the slightly watered window before me.
I slowly got up, using my elbows as support to hold me up. I looked over to my roommate who was now sitting at his desk jotting some words down on a lined piece of paper. "What time is it?" I mumbled. Lifting one of my arms to rub my eyes. "Time for you to get a watch," Leo said coldly. He hadn't looked away from his paper not once. Giving up asking him for the time I slowly got up from my bed.
I quietly walked up to Leo, peeking at what he was writing down. I had read the messy scribbles of words like membrane, nucleolus, cell membrane, chromosomes, and ribosomes. I didn't care for them. They reminded me of science and schoolwork. It was still the weekend, and I'm gonna be honest with you. I was a bit nervous about school starting tomorrow. I didn't know why I was nervous. I guess I'm just scared of not finding the right classes. Or being late.
"Sounds boring.." I said. Walking away from Leo's desk to my side of the room to where my desk was. Without looking up for even a split second Leo said, "Good, get used to it. That's all this boarding school is. Old broken down. Even the books are filled with dust." I hated getting bored, and Leo's words did not help. "Good to know, and how old do you think this building is?" I looked and turned to Leo when I got to my desk. He shrugged. "Oh, I don't know, probably around 200 years old. They just fill the building with modern furniture to make it seem like a good building–" He trailed off, giving in a big sigh. "And not some old run-down castle." He finished. After that, he started writing faster on the lined piece of paper. Every once in a while glance over to look at a textbook
I could care less. I grabbed some fresh clothes that I found in my bag. I unpacked half of the stuff last night. Though, I had grown too tired to finish. I walked to the bathroom to change into some fresh clothes.
After that I went back to my dorm room, grabbing my phone. Since I was there then I could just finish unpacking my stuff. I had this feeling that if I finished unpacking everything I had I would be farther away from my mother. I began to ponder at the thought of her. Did she make it home safe? Did she miss me? I could feel my eyes getting teary as I tried to stop my thoughts from questioning more deeply. What if she got in an accident on the way home from the fog? No, I had to stop thinking of that! I mentally yelled at myself.
Instead of overthinking I decided to finish unpacking my stuff. Putting my clothes in boxes under my bed. Making my bed. Putting some decorations and essentials on my desk. While I took everything out I couldn't help but feel homesick looking at all of my stuff from home. Taking out some of the clothes me and my mom had thrifted for on my birthday. I couldn't help but shed a few tears.
Once I was done I started heading to Oaks dorm room. The need to see him again was incredible. His smile, and how body was outlined perfectly as if he were from a painting.
I went through all the twists and turns, wounding hallways. I walked quietly, though swiftly at the same time. I ran into some people on my way there, giving them a smile and a small nod as I passed. Once I got there the door had read 84B. I took a deep breath in, and out before I knocked.
Knock, knock
The door sounded as the fists of my hand hit the door. The door swung open with a young boy around my age, though it was not Oaks. Oaks had ginger hair, as this boy had straight brown hair with brown eyes. His smile filled his face with joy as he saw me. "You must be Dane!" How did he know my name? "Yes I am, and you are?" I stood awkwardly in front of the door. "I'm Jerry!" I looked at him in shock. "I once had a friend whose name was Jerry." The boy in front of me nodded his head. "Sounds fair, I mean Jerry's a pretty common name." I chuckled not knowing why. "How did you know my name?" I asked the boy as he invited me in. I sat on one of the brown sofas at the end of their room near the window. "Oaks just could not stop talking my ear off about you last night," Jerry said, throwing his arms up in the air. "When should Oaks be here?" Jerry walked over to his freshly made bed and took a seat down, his body slightly turned to where I sat. "He should be here any minute. Oaks just went to fill our water bottles down in the cafeteria."
I and Jerry had a conversation while waiting for Oaks to come back. It didn't take long for oaks to walk through the door with two filled metal bottles. Ice smashing against the insides of the metal. I could see Oaks' expression change right after he saw me. Oaks walked over to where Jerry was sitting and handed him the water bottle. Jerry's water bottle seemed to be a lighter green than Oaks. Oak then went to take a seat on his lazily made bed. "Hey, what are you doing here?' Oaks said, a smile creeping up onto his face. "I came to see you," I said, realizing how dumb I sounded. "I think it's destiny," Jerry said in the conversation. I forgot Jerry was sitting there if I was being honest.
It went silent for a while. It wasn't a comfortable silence though I did not like it. "We're having a little hangout tonight here. If you want to come just meet me in the boy's bathroom. My three best friends are going to be here." I wasn't one for parties, but knowing that I would be able to hang out with Oaks sounds fun. I would get to know him more, and if Oaks' friends are as cool as him, and accepting I suppose it wouldn't be that bad.
"Did you know Oaks has a big crush on someone," Jerry said, breaking the silence that fell upon the three of us. My fave lit up, and I sat straight up. Though, I got embarrassed for acting that way. I slowly slouched back into the chair asking, "so, who is it?" I couldn't help but admit that I was a little curious. "I swear Jerry, I don't." I smile at the sudden embarrassment Oaks was in. Did he not want me to know? "Sadly, I can't tell you. He'll have to tell you himself." My face had a Disappointed look on it. "WHY!" I can't believe Jerry brought it up and won't tell me who it is. "Who is it, Oaks?" I was acclaimed. I could see his face turn a bright red. At this point, we were all smiling.
After a while of talking about random useless things, I got to know them a whole lot better. "Sorry guys but I better get going." We all calmed our smiles and started saying our goodbyes. We all went to the door, Oaks, and Jerry waving at me while I was about to step out of the door frame. "Wait!" Oaks exclaimed, grabbing my arm. I looked at him with doe eyes. "Do you want to come to my party tonight?" His grip on my arm loosened. I looked down at where he had grabbed me and he quickly let go, I smiled and said, "Of course. See you tonight in the bathroom." He smiled at me and nodded his head in approval. I walked away back to my dorm room. I couldn't wait for tonight. I didn't know any of his friends, nor anyone here. I was still in disbelief, how could someone like Oaks invite me to a party at his dorm? I was psyched!
When I got back to my dorm Leo was still working on schoolwork. "Where did you go?" Leo asked. "Oh, I just went to visit someone." I blushed thinking of Oaks. "Wow, not even your third day here and you're already pulling some girls." I went into a state of confusion. What did he mean girls? "I thought this was an all-boys boarding school?" I asked, curious. "Oh, well it is, but two girls are attending the school. They just got here last year. They're pretty popular being the only girls here. Though, they are friends with Oaks." Something about the way he said Oak's name made my stomach turn as if Oaks had done something bad. "That's cool I said." Leo didn't answer. Instead, he sounded a hum and went back to focusing on his work.
Maybe those were the friends Oaks was talking about. If so, I could handle it. I always got nervous around boys, but girls, I never did.
I went over to my bed and plopped down. I turned around so Leo couldn't see me, and pulled the covers over my head. I missed my mom dearly. I missed her so bad that I would give anything back to hug her again. I wanted her near. But she's so far away, what if something happened to her, and I can't do anything about it to help her? Anything that reminded me of home reminded me of her.
I could feel tears trickle down my eyes.
Why was I being so emotional? Why? I shouldn't feel this way because I'm old enough to be able to stay away from him.
I could feel a sharp pain in my stomach as if someone had tried to get me out. My heart ached, and my eyes started to feel as if they would pop out of my skull at any moment. My stomach hurt, and in a few seconds, it felt as if I had lost all reason to stay alive. I lifted my hands to my mouth to muffle any screams of pain that were ready to flow out, like crashing waves on a beach during a thunderstorm. I couldn't breathe. At that moment I just wanted to die, for all my pain and suffering to end.
Why was it me? Why can't I just be normal? Once I start school tomorrow it's all gonna go back to the normal failing grades as usual. I would wake up, go to school, and come back and do whatever. It's gonna be just like a normal school, except I live here now. I'm stuck. And I'm never gonna be able to get out.
My vision started to get blurry, and slowly faded away.

I seemed to have passed out for a while being that outside was almost pitch black. There were no stars when I looked out my window, being so cloudy, and rainy before. I got up, having the feeling that I was missing something. After a while of pondering my mind hit an 'ah ha,' moment. I said I would meet Oaks at the bathrooms for the party! In a panic, I brushed down my hair and grabbed my phone running out of the dorm room. I sped and walked to the bathrooms. When I got there I could see a tall figure standing sideways from the door frame. "Hey Oaks!" I said waving over at him. I started to slow my panting down and walked slowly over to him. Trying to act as if I didn't fall asleep before the party, and had to go last minute. "Hey..." Oaks said. Pushing himself off the frame of the door.
I stood in front of Oaks leaving space between us. "So..." I said feeling awkward. "Ready?" I nodded my head giving Oaks a small smile. "So, I'm gonna be there with two more of my friends, Jerry, and you." I don't know if it seemed to be just me, though I thought his eyes lit up even more when he said his last word. "You."
"Sounds great!" Oaks gave me a big toothy smile and suddenly grabbed my hand. The warm touch of his hands seemed to take over the coldness I had. His fingers intertwined with mine. I felt butterflies fluttering all over my stomach. "Let's go!" Oaks said, swinging his arm voiding mine to follow with his.
When we got to the outside of his dorm room where the party was being held I could hear faint laughter, and screams of enjoyment. Almost like what you would hear at a family dinner table where all the adults were. Oaks still held onto my hand opening the door. I was greeted with faint music and laughing, and three people around my age sat down on the floor in the middle of the room. Two girls whom I do not know the names of yet, though remember Leo talking about them. There was Jerry whom I had met earlier that day, laughing and talking with the girls. "Hey, guys!" Oaks said. Oaks let go of my hand, and a wave of coldness washed over my hand where it used to be filled with warmth. Fairy lights were hanging in the corners of the room, creating a cozy vibe. All three of them quit laughing, still having big smiles on each of their faces. "You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend, Oaks!" A girl with fiery red hair exclaimed. She had a strong accent in her voice when she talked, though I couldn't seem to grasp what type of accent. I stood there awkwardly, arms hanging at my sides limply. Oaks still stood by my side. "I don't. He's just new, and I thought we could invite him to our little party." Oaks said calmly. "Ok! Well, come on don't just stand there awkwardly, come here, we're just talking about how annoying some of the teachers are here." The girl with fiery red hair said. I noticed that the two girls sat extremely close to one another. And the girl with dark wavy brown hair seemed to stay quiet. Oaks smiled, and chuckled a bit, gesturing a hand for me to come forward to sit in the little group. Once we all settled down there was barely a silence before Jerry started speaking. "Well, you already know who I am, though everyone this is Dane Lockwood."
"It's nice to meet you, Dane, I'm Agatha Lindle." The brunette finally spoke, her voice being soft and warm, almost as if she had worked in a library when she was young and knew how to keep a quiet yet loud voice. Enough to hear, but quiet enough not to disturb. A soft smile kept on her face ever since I laid eyes on her.
"Now, you can't have just met Oaks yesterday. I will have you know Oaks isn't very good at making friends, but he goes for quality, not quantity. You must be a good one, especially if you knew and just met him yesterday because let me tell you when I first met Oaks he was not the Oaks you've met. I'm Lada Borisov by the way." The redhead girl had said. Though I will say the thought of Oaks being softer for me did cause some butterflies to flutter out of my stomach. "Nice to meet you both," I said, a smile creeping up on my face.


We all had a blast until it got to the point where the party was dying down and we all didn't have anything else to say. I got along with them very well, almost like I had known them since I was little. I even learned about some of the teachers here.
Mr. D is a math teacher, who seemed strict, unexpecting, old but funny, and seemed to have heard like a rabbit.
Mr. Jar is an old, grumpy, boring, strict, and mean English teacher. Well, there goes my hopes of enjoying English this year.
Ms. McGona seemed to be a kind-hearted woman, though she seemed to be against any rule-breaking or 'bad' thinking. Whatever that meant.
And the headmaster, I think, speaks for himself.
We all sat there, with nothing to do and felt as though we were wasted. Though, there wasn't any booze, drugs, or drinks, just some Hershey's chocolate, stale tasting soggy popcorn, some soda pop with some potato chips.
"Does anyone want to play truth or dare?" Agatha suggested, shyly. "Sure!" Oaks said.
"Ok, cool so who's gonna go first?" Lada said. "I suppose I will." I didn't know what else to say in the dead silence that washed over me as the red head spoke. So I spoke what first came to mind, soon regretting it. I felt as though if I were to pick dare she would get me something horrible, but if I chose truth she'd ask something I would be too embarrassed to share.
I could see everyone staring at me as though I shouldn't have said anything, even Oaks. Lada had a big smirk forming across her face, her unique bunny teeth showing through her lips. "Thrush or dare, brave one." She said, her smirk fully forming now. "Truth,"  I said, pulling as much confidence as I could into my tone of voice. "Are you gay?" My heart skipped a beat. What should I say? Panic started to creep up on me upon hearing those three words.  I didn't want to be a bad friend already and lie. But if I told them the truth then what if I lose all of them, and they tell everyone and I get bullied? But if I don't tell them the truth and they find out I lied, then I would lose their trust and loyalty. Then I remembered what my dad had told me once. The truth always comes out.
"Yes," I said quickly. All the confidence I had in my tone before was gone.
I looked over to my right where Oaks was sitting a distance away from me, I saw a smile light up his face, wrinkles creasing at the corner of his eyes. His cheeks are rosy pink. 
A few more rounds passed by, though we were all getting tired and sleepy.
"Well, I'm gonna head back to my dorm guys. It's getting late, and I'm getting sleepy. But Oaks, I think Dane's a keeper." Agatha said, surprising me. I would have thought that Lada would be the one to say that out of all of them. But I guess the most mischievous hide behind the best masks. "Same!" Said the redhead getting up with Agatha. "See you guys tomorrow." They both said while waking out of the dorm room and out the hall holding hands. "I suppose I should get going as well. I mean we do have school tomorrow, and it's my first day. I don't think falling asleep in class would be the best move." I said getting up and heading my way toward the door. "Goodnight!" I heard Oaks and Jerry yell before I closed the door behind me.