After School Club

04| The Calm

I woke up at 5:30 am, even though I barely slept. It felt like torture, and I knew I had only myself to blame. The sky was still dark, and even the birds were snoozing. I couldn't understand why school started so early.

After dragging myself out of bed and shuffling to the bathroom for a shower, I emerged feeling a bit more awake. I grabbed my school uniform from the closet, smoothly putting it on with black slacks. The shirt buttons gave me some trouble, and I tied my tie with a touch of awkwardness.

Soon after, I grabbed my backpack and a piece of bread for quick breakfast. Balancing the bread in my teeth, I hurried to the car to make my way to the school. My dad then drove us to our destination.

I arrived at school exceptionally early today, and the campus was nearly deserted. The lack of students and teachers in the vicinity gave it a somewhat lonely atmosphere. Gradually, more of my classmates began to show up, including my former best friends.

They settled into their seats, each absorbed in their own affairs. There were no greetings, not even the smiles that used to be a daily occurrence. I suppose I'm practically a stranger to them now. I was cool with it, or at least I tried to be.

Not until I found myself crying in the shower about it.

Not having much to do, I thought I'd leave the class and wander the school until the bell rang, hoping to bump into someone I knew. Just before I started, a person I still saw as a friend walked into the class. However, I still had trust issues with him.

To my surprise, he walked over me right after setting his backpack down. He inquired if I was planning to go somewhere and suggested joining me if I was. I decided to give it a shot and accepted his company, and so we began our aimless stroll.

"You seem like you don't really plan out your days," he teased, as if he had me all figured out. "I must say, losing friends can be pretty hard, though."

"You know, they say fate plays a role in things. Although, I can't help but wonder... Why did you choose to wander around with me?" I slipped my hands into my pockets as we strolled down the hallway.

"I've been watching you, not in a weird way. You usually wear that sort of amusingly downcast expression. I thought maybe we could chat about it," he explained.

"No wonder I've had that constant feeling of being watched. It turns out you were the one behind it," I remarked with a hint of humor.

"Haha, my bad. You seem pretty chill about it, though. By the way, in case you've forgotten, I'm Ezekiel. You can just call me Eze for short."

"Geez, of course I remember your name. We're class—" The bell rang as I was trying to finish my sentence, ending our talk.

We exchanged a knowing glance, the unspoken agreement that we would continue our discussion later. With that, we headed back to the classroom.

At the end of the day, as I was packing my books into my bag after class, Ezekiel's familiar voice reached my ears. "Mind if I walk with you again?" He asked casually. I looked up to see him leaning against the doorway, a half-smile on his face.

"Sure, why not?" I replied, a small smile forming on my lips as I zipped up my bag. As we walked side by side through the empty hallway, Ezekiel picked up where we had left off.

"You know, it's not often you come across someone who's comfortable with being observed," he said, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Most people would find it unsettling."

I shrugged, feeling surprisingly at ease discussing this topic with him. "I guess I've always believed that we reveal a lot about ourselves through our expressions, even if we don't intend to."

Ezekiel nodded in agreement. "That's true. And it's interesting how people often mask their true feelings."

As our conversation continued, I found myself growing more comfortable around Ezekiel. His friendly demeanor made opening up easy. We chatted about our interests, fears, dreams, and even our preferences when it came to girls, uncovering surprising similarities along the way.

With each passing day, I found myself enjoying our talks more and more. The school's hallways transformed from mundane paths to avenues of exploration and connection. It was as if Ezekiel had a knack for turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.

As the days turned into weeks, our friendship deepened. I learned to trust him, and I knew he was genuine in his intentions.

Our aimless strolls before and after classes became cherished moments of sharing and understanding, reminding me that sometimes, the most meaningful connections are formed when we least expect them.

But you know, it kind of feels like there's something I'm forgetting. I'm left wondering what on earth it could be. Then again, if I actually managed to forget whatever it is, it's probably not all that important anyway.

Or so I thought.