Lost

Nero

The day of the competition launch has arrived.

As I make my way into the room that we will be giving the presentation I follow the photography teacher who apparently is the one who is receiving the donations from Halo. As we entre the classroom I scan the room of student they all look the same dress similarly but just as I almost return my gaze to the teacher, my eye snag on a bundle of jumper and brown hair sat at the back of the room. 

Brown hair, like chocolate milky delicious.

Green eyes, something I could get myself lost in, bags under them. has she slept?

Short, pale skin, hollow cheeks, almost like she has not eaten. 

A deep grey jumper that look three sizes too big swallows her. 

Bright multi covered leggings sticking to her curvy legs.

What am I doing? Why am I so caught up in her? This is so wrong!

I clear my through stuff my hands into my pockets and continue my walk to the front.  Ready to get this over with.  I deliver my speech about this stupid competition without taking my eyes of her. Miss Willow, I know her name from when she was absent from this plane and did not answer to her name. My eyes have not strayed far from her this entire time. By the time I finish the first rule something shifts, the air almost feels tight just by looking at her I can sense there is something wrong with what I just said but what? I cannot look away from her as I finish this her gaze drawn to her hands as they fidget as if she cannot control her own hands. Nerves perhaps.

I wrap up the whole speech, once finished I am crowded the young people asking further questions about the competition. As I answer them I look at her the one I cannot stop looking at as she makes her way to the front of the room and talking to Mr Roads. 

The conversation seems heated she looks worried? stressed? concerned? 

She is talking to to the teacher yelling "SIR-" I can see the way my presence effects her as I cut her off "what is the problem hear?" she flinches causing a thrill to fall through me like her fear is appealing.

"Nothing Mr Halo just a few concerns with the rules that I have solved" she shakes her head almost to disagree that this has not been solved: what rule could she have a problem with?

"do you agree that this has been solved Miss Willow" her name falls from my mouth with ease yet disgust like that name does not belong to her anymore that is has the right to be replaced by mine.

"no" her voice is small weak like she is struggling to do anything even standing.

"What may be the rule you are having an issue with" my voice is calm careful not to scare her. 

"the first one"

"what is wrong with it"

"I cannot meet it so I cannot entre the competition that is all, goodbye Mr Halo" she sounds broken destroyed defeated as she starts to walk away I grab her arm pulling her so our eyes meet 

" maybe the rules be altered if you tell me the problem"

she is shaking and my hands are fully wrapped around her arm I could do it twice that is how skinny she is, is this why she is in such a large jumper to hide her malnourishment?

"n..no it is fine Mr Halo I will just not enter"

"you see that will not do. either you say your problem or I will dissolve the competition and you will automatically win"

"y...you cannot do that" her nerves are more present now 

"so" I pause and get closer to her face causing her breath to catch in her throat "what. is. the. problem"