Taylor and Victor

Chapter 12

Taylor

She saw Victor today, in the hallway, looking as usual as he could.

No one mentioned about what happened, but she could take a guess and know he's happy. Taylor imagined what he did after they parted last afternoon. She hasn't talked to him since, she couldn't find an excuse to.

In the hallway, she's waiting a bit longer than she supposed, standing beside Sam and waiting for Mia's friend to go away. Now when she found herself a subject of interest, she no longer felt so desperate to stay in her seat, reading or revising her book inside her classroom. She better off getting her mind to rest.

Taylor's passing time on her own by kicking her leg to the ground, playing with her shoulder straps while looking around. In the middle of the bustling people, how they wouldn't leave her alone, neither doing anything better by stopping chatting is making her quite unjustified.

She could go straight to her class after getting off the bus, but her classroom wasn't any less tedious.

Mia's friends eventually parted and came back to their class. Taylor manages to put on a smile when they're passing her. One no one cares enough to look at. She checked with her watch, and there's eight more minutes for her to stay down here. Taylor waited until Mia came closer and linked arms with her.

"Yesterday, Sam recommended that I read some books, and I think I'm getting addicted," Mia said.

"You do?"

"Yeah, obviously. But not everything, though."

"I thought he'd has something else to give you."

"He did. And talk about it." Mia stopped, Taylor released their arms. From Mia's coat pocket, she pulls out an earbud case. "Is Sam still around?"

"He just went up.Why?"

"Just found out I'm still holding his earphone."

"Do you need me to give him that?"

"Really?" she said. "I didn't want to bother you though."

"My first subject's up there, if you don't know."

Mia smiles, apologetic, putting the case into Taylor's hand before heading to her class. Just when she realized her patience was all for nothing.

"Thank you."

Taylor watched as she joined her classmate, once again putting her out of the picture.

For that second of foolishness, she forgot how awful eleventh graders in her school are. Not to discriminate against a specific age, and probably won't be that bad if she's sixteen. Her class sucks also, she likes none of them. But at least she and they were at the same age. Her seniors are different, considered her lower stand beside them. She could just meet Sam during lunch break.

Taylor checked her clock for more excuses and she had about enough time if only to walk back to her class. Half a minute would still be within the line. But she pushed herself to start walking before thinking of anything further.

Taylor passed students after students, some making room for her. Some didn't notice making her nearly bumped into them. She figured out if she walks faster, she has a better chance they'll leave her alone. Taylor lifts her chin high and acts as if she had grown a year older just seconds ago. She was quite indistinguishable.

But sometimes, they suck.

"Hey, you."

She turned back, wondering if someone called her. Most of them are doing whatever they were doing. She spotted two boys whom she sure is heading up to her. Taylor looked around to check, and no one acknowledged them around her.