Saving Herself

Serenity was beyond the havoc

 Summer holidays had took their end. Ben was walking towards school.

He joined Bertha's friend group, who were excitedly chatting.

Yet while he was talking, he felt an arm around his shoulder. He halted. It was the cologne he knew by heart. It was the voice he had loved to hear. And yet it was also the voice who told him to leave.

Ivan joined in, talking with Bertha, joking around.

Of course, it was obvious that Ivan was being usual friends with Ben again to avoid suspicion. And even though Ben forced a smile and laughed with Ivan, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions deep within. He would have to endure the fake smiles, the fake kindness, which he all had to return, while having to hide his corrupt self for the sake of his reputation and dignity.

And escape wasn't really there. Aurelia hadn't shown up.

Heck, she always wasn't there. At one point, last year, she started skipping classes. She used to be quite religious of arriving on time and being there every day.

It was only when she was texting her about his schedule and how the first day was great to him was when she texted back telling him that she switched schools.

Aurelia had been trying to get to him, to tell him how she was thinking of switching schools. He should've seen this coming. Aurelia had given up on him long ago. The time when she had to leave the assembly hall after getting a phone call was the moment she went to the secretary to sign the document which would confirm that she is no longer a student of that school anymore. She had filled the application of her major courses, which was merely decoy, lied to others about her courses, just to make everything look like nothing is going on. In the end, there was a reason she barely showed up to class. She had attended visiting days of other schools. And she hated to endure a day longer in the school she barely felt a part of.

Ben replied to her by telling her how he saw that coming. He continued texting about how his courses were great, and how his teachers were so good to him. He didn't care, hm? Whatever Ben labeled "good" about his school couldn't compete with what Aurelia had in her school.

For the next months, Ben would pester her with asking for a meetup. She said no every time, until she finally blocked him.  

Ben is emotionally constipated. 

And silence had saved her.