Teen Romance Fantasy

Act 9 (Ch)

Honestly, the moment I got out of the hospital, I didn't know how to feel. I kept thinking back to that one question. Was there anything I wanted. I tried to think about it but my mind stayed blank.

Well, I had my hands already full with other things anyways. There was no reason for me to think too much about it since I was tortured by the worst thing mankind had ever created. Math.

Eric promised to help me but he had to cancel in the last second. Why? How would I know. Anyways, this is why I ended up wasting my time at school even after everyone had gone home already. Believe me, the classrooms sucked even more, when there was nobody in them. At the very least they could have turned on the heater.

"You haven't gone home yet Christian?", a deep voice echoed through the classroom. I looked up and Noticed Nikola leaning against the doorframe. His straight black hair was neatly combed as always and his clothes freshly ironed.

"No. What about you? Is your butler running late?", I asked calmly.

"Of course not. I'm in charge of organising the school festival. A few of the clubs asked if they could perform something, so I thought I should take a look at their process.", he explained. His right hand never let go of the strap that belonged to his black leather shoulder bag.

"Now that you mention it, I think Anthony said something about it. Were you on your way to the gym?"

"Oh... yeah...", he mumbled quietly to himself, as though I had said something wrong. "What are you working on? Perhaps I can help."

"Math."

"Oh, let me see."

I handed Nikola my iPad which at first he seemed to struggle with a lot but eventually he got a hang of it. My math homework on the other hand made him even paler than he already was. I could clearly imagine what he was thinking without even saying a word or ever looking up to face me.

"Have you done any similar task in class or has anyone already solved it?"

"To be honest, I got this homework as punishment for skipping school.", I admitted embarrassedly. My teacher just hated me. It was not as though I was only skipping math. I was skipping almost every class but my new teacher believed that I had a personal problem with her. Absolute bullshit!

Anyways, Nikola put down his black shoulder bag and set down right next to me. He tried his best to solve the question but eventually he realised that we were not getting anywhere. There must have been some formula to solve this question but we had definitely not learned it so far and that was bothering Nikola a lot. He tapped his fingernails against the table and sighed loudly every once a while. He gave up.

"It's impossible."

"Thanks for trying Nikola."

"Well, it's gotten late already. I don't think I can make it in time to visit the clubs. When is your bus coming?"

"In half an hour I think."

"I still have time. Do you want to see the pictures I took from my vacation with my family in Romania?"

I nodded. I had never been in Romania before. Nikola's parents were from Romania so they often visited their families there. I was rather curious to see what Romania was like and oh boy it looked amazing. Nikola took countless pictures of magical castles, mysterious forests and bittersweet sunsets. If only he didn't swipe with lighting speed, I could have enjoyed the pictures a little more and perhaps he wouldn't have accidentally shown me that one picture.

I only saw it for a split second because he instantly realised what he was showing me and therefore turned off his phone. Nevertheless this one second was enough the allow me to see that picture of Sarah Archer and someone else standing next to her. Both their faces were covered by mist and yet I could clearly tell that the person on the left was Sarah.

"Why do you have a picture of Sarah on your phone?"

"You know the freak?"

"Kind of. I've been running into Sarah a lot lately."

"I'm sorry for that. I was in the same class as her last year. Someone must have sent this picture to the group chat."

"Sure. Makes sense."

Like hell it made sense but Nikola was sweating. He seemed uncomfortable and there was obviously more to the picture than he was telling me. Why else did he turn off his phone like this?

"Why do you call her freak?"

"Because she's a freak."

"And what exactly makes her a freak?"

"A lot of things. Haven't you heard what happened between her and Mishka? She hurt Mishka for no reason at all and later even tried to get her expelled by telling the headmaster lies about her. Seriously, don't get caught up with-"

Suddenly Nikola froze, when we heard someone disgustingly coughing not too far away from us. It was the kind of coughing you would always recognise. It was despicable and honestly frightening at the same time. As if someone was coughing out their soul.

I followed Nikola's anxious gaze until I set eyes on a complex of black mist. Behind it was none other than Sarah Archer. Of course she was here. She must have been sleeping in the classroom next to this one.

Nobody said a word. I couldn't see her face and yet I knew what expression she must have had on her face. A hurtful and forced smile. Bittersweet and depressing.

"I'll be going then. Catch you later Christian."

That was all Nikola said before he grabbed his leather bag and ran outside. Right past Sarah, his head hung low. I on the other hand stayed and kept on staring at the mist that covered Sarah Archer's face.

"Sorry, I didn't meant to make it awkward for you.", she mumbled as her voice was shaking.

"Did you hear everything?", I asked carefully. She shook her head.

"No, I was just passing by."

Well this was awkward and Sarah didn't want to leave apparently. Nikola's footsteps continued to echo through the halls. Only once I couldn't make them out anymore, I began feeling anxious. Now what? I had to say something at least.

"Haven't gone home yet?"

Honestly, great question Christian! You knew how stupid that question sounded but still you had to go out of your way and ask it!

"It's okay Christian. There's no need to force yourself. I actually just wanted to apologise for talking to you the other day. It was a dumb idea. Do me a favour and stay away from me from now on."

And thus she left as well.

I was too stunned to say or do anything at all. Why in the world was everyone telling me to stay away from her? Why was even she telling me to stay away from her? People hated Sarah for what she did to Mishka.

I could never hate her for that. Little did anyone know that on that day Sarah saved my life. If Sarah hadn't stepped up to protect me, someone she didn't even know, things might have turned out differently for me. Perhaps I wouldn't have been sitting in that very classroom, wondering why fate seemingly hated Sarah for being a good person.