Surrounded But Alone

Chapter 29- His Reaction

(Next day)

Mitchum's Point of View;

I woke up this morning, and out of habit, I first checked my phone and saw a message from the school's group chat. That was strange considering how the school ran on green energy, what could have happened?

I didn't have a class until around two this afternoon, so I didn't need to rush today. After doing my morning routine I left my room and saw Presley lying on the couch with his headphones on. The time was probably close to eleven and he was still in the same clothes I saw him in yesterday. He must have come back to the apartment very late last night. I wondered if he was one of the few that the dean had to come to bring to their rooms. Another good question was why two travel suitcases were packed near him. Did more of his stuff arrive?

I thought he was asleep so I tried my best to close my room door quietly but as soon as I did his eyes opened. That probably meant that he wasn't listening to anything in those headphones either.

On seeing me, Presley just got up off the couch, muttered a greeting and rushed in his room without waiting for a reply. That was weird but I had breakfast on my mind to worry about it. When he came out he was changed but he still hadn't said anything to me as he seemed too busy with fixing his bags. It would seem as if I had to probe if I wanted to find out anything. He was always a private guy but it's not like I had anything else better to do at the moment.

"You got in late last night?" I asked, finishing the last of my cereal as he now began searching the cupboards.

"It wasn't by choice," He answered dryly not even looking at me.

"What do you mean by it wasn't by choice? Were you held hostage or something?" I questioned while referring to the message I saw on my phone this morning.

The flour container slipped from his grasp which caused him to flinch when it hit the floor. I don't know why he apologized for that but then began to explain what had happened yesterday.

I almost couldn't believe that it really was a hostage situation."Oh my gosh! That's terrible! Poor Gail; I don't even know what to say. How do you cope after experiencing something like that?"

"Well, she is terrified considering what happened in the hall. As for how to cope, if there is anything she can do, it's her choice." He said that so casually as if it didn't have any options. I knew what I would do if I ever found myself in a situation that I didn't know how to handle alone.

"She can talk to a guidance counselor, a teacher or even tell her parents and maybe there would be something they can help with. It would be better to talk to someone who can help instead of going through it alone. But to think that there are people out there who would do horrible things like that to others. You have to be so careful out there. No wonder my mom sent me her Taser gun as a housewarming gift. I thought she was just being cheap."

"At least your mom cares enough to send you something," He sighed quietly which kind of surprised me.

"What do you mean?" I asked concernedly but it seemed like he didn't expect me to hear him.

"Oh um, nothing I was just saying that you shouldn't complain. It is a gift from your mom after all."

His prior statement was still suspicious because as far as I knew his mom died when he was much younger. At least that's what he told me a few years back. He didn't give off the vibe of I should be lucky I had a mom but stressed her caring. Why would he make it sound like that? I still decided not to pursue it, at least not yet.

"Oh OK, well I'm not complaining, just reevaluating. I probably wouldn't have gotten close enough to use it anyway. But it sure was a good thing you showed up; you were practically a hero," I said changing the subject.