Oasis Path©(English Version)BOOK 1 OASIS SAGA

Part 17.

Lawrence, January 20th.

Three days ago, I returned to Lawrence. The overwhelming need to escape home persisted, even though my health is not yet at its best. I tried to convince my mother that I had improved considerably and could wait for the results of my clinical studies at school.

Upon arrival, I was greeted with warm welcomes and expressions of concern for my health. However, there was no sign of Alex. Lisa, always the reliable informant, briefed me on the events during my absence, and I quickly resumed classes.

We walked through the halls, me attempting to appear normal, but my heart raced uncontrollably, unable to stay calm. Finally, we reached the classroom. The uncertainty of whether to enter or not took control of me. I stood frozen at the entrance, although Lisa seemed oblivious to my indecision and simply dragged me along with her.

“Hey, time to go in! Let’s go!”

Lisa took me by the arm, and we entered the classroom together. Alex Evans was there, but I barely dared to look at him. My heart seemed to want to escape my chest, and breathing became difficult for a moment.

When the attendance was called, I responded to my name, and Alex Evans addressed me coldly.

“I see you’ve recovered, Miss Johnson. Welcome!”

“Thank you, sir,” I managed to say, my heart pounding.

The class proceeded in total normalcy. While he spoke, he moved around the front of the room, returning to his stern and composed position. With about 20 minutes left in class, we began to hear constant ringing, the alarm signaling us to leave our classrooms and go directly to the main garden of the school.

“Take all your books and orderly exit to the main garden,” ordered Evans. “There must be a fire.”

As he finished speaking, all the lights in the classroom went out, and everyone began to exit desperately. Suddenly, I felt someone grabbing my arm and pulling me back. Alex was forcing me to stay despite how dangerous the situation could be outside the classroom.

“Sir, what are you doing?” I asked, totally surprised, while everyone else had already left the room.

He seemed not to hear. He dragged me to the back of the classroom and made me enter what I later found out was like a kind of private office with various maps, artwork, and a mini-library. Quickly, he secured the door of that place, and while I demanded an explanation, he only approached me.

Gently, he brought his hands to my face and looked into my eyes.

“Forgive me, but I needed to see you,” he said sweetly.

I was bewildered by what was happening. In the distance, many people could be heard shouting about a fire that seemed to be quite serious, and I couldn’t help but question what appeared to be rather irresponsible behavior from Mr. I-always-follow-the-rules.

“There’s a fire, we can’t stay here,” I said desperately.

“Calm down,” he said, stroking my face. “See that door to the right of the windows? Just open it, and you’ll be right at the back of the garden.”

I had to regain my composure. I had to avoid his hands, his face, his entire being at all costs.

“What do you want, sir?” I asked, returning to my manners.

“What do you want, sir?!” he asked, somewhat surprised, turning to look at one of the large maps hanging on the wall while resting one of his hands on the desk next to me. “I thought the ‘sir’ was unnecessary when we were alone.”

“You thought wrong!” I exclaimed, stepping back several paces, only to find myself against the wall. “A man who has just gotten married should not behave like this.”

He looked at me intensely, and I... began to analyze the situation with detachment. If he had just gotten married, it would be logical for him to be on a honeymoon, not at school teaching. My heart raced again at the possibility that he had canceled that marriage.

Just then, Alex shook his head gently and drew a mocking smile that I had never seen on him. He immediately erased that smile and approached me to place the palms of his hands on the wall, just above my shoulders. Slowly, he brought his face close to mine, and I could only turn my gaze to the side. His eyes sought mine intensely.

“Amelie,” he whispered softly, “you can’t dodge me all the time.”

His breath brushed against my cheek, and although I tried to resist, my heart pounded. I closed my eyes, trying to block out everything I was feeling.

“What really bothers you, Miss Johnson? My informal behavior, or the fact that I got married?”

His attitude filled me with surprise but also left me speechless, without ideas to lie to him.

“Look at me! Look at me, Miss. Answer my question!” he demanded angrily.

“It doesn’t bother me; it hurts,” I confessed very softly, keeping my gaze to the side, with tear-filled eyes that threatened to fall. “It bothers me that you came to my house, told me all those things, and then, as if nothing, got married. But of course, who am I to make such a claim? I must understand my place.”

“I think I’m falling in love with you, Amelie,” he said, breaking down the wall of coldness he had built just a few seconds ago. “I ended things with Hilarie. I couldn’t keep my promise, not after what I felt when we kissed.”

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. At that moment, I looked at both hands and saw no ring. My surprise was evident to him, and without being able to say a word, I brought my hands to my forehead as if expecting to clarify my thoughts.

“I think you’re confused,” he commented more relaxed. “Let me explain everything.”

And so he began to tell me everything that happened after our kiss. Alex said that after leaving my house, he couldn’t help but feel guilty. He thought about our kiss and felt he had been unfaithful to Hilarie.