Beyond The Crash

CHAPTER 28 | [FAMILIAR FEELING <PT II>]

I know I have an excellent memory... Lilley thought to herself as she stood in the middle of the hallway back to the hall like a stranded puppy.
So... where exactly is the indoor gym located?

Just like when she couldn't find the cafeteria, she couldn't find the indoor gym. She was sure Nicky gave her directions of where it was located. No, she was positive he did. But the question was, was she listening?

She heard him, yes. But did the words register? She stomped her feet as she couldn't even remember what she was supposedly thinking about.

She then wondered how she had to use the washroom so many times without even drinking much water. Was this just a natural reaction in this world?

She didn't know and had no one to ask.

"Okay, come on," she told herself. "Let's think back to the tour..." But as she tried, she was met with a blank space.
"Seriously, does this world alter my memory or something!" She groaned as she ran her hand down her face. "I can't even remember this much-"

She paused upon seeing two students exitting from the hall. They both gave her a weird look and whispered with themselves before walking away.

"Great. Just great." She eye rolled.

Now, the easy solution to this was to just call Nicky or Axel and let them direct her. Easy and simple. But... she didn't have their phone number. So, easy became not quite easy.

"Lilley," she started another pep talk to herself. "You were unwillingly brought into another world, and you've survived this long somehow. Finding an indoor gym shouldn't be that hard."

So, she did the only thing her brain could think of. She started walking. No direction or anything. She just let her feet take the lead. She has to come across it eventually, right?

As she was walking in the seemingly never-ending rugged hallway, her brain started retelling all the things that had happened to her. Her meeting with Nicky, then Axel, then Stella and the rest. Even the green haired supposedly named Jayden guy-

She blinked. Stared 'round her and then blinked again. How was she on the floor?
She was walking just fine, and now she's lying on the ground. How and when did she trip?

See, not even the universe wants me to think about Mr. Green hair Jayden. She grumbled as she stood up and dusted herself only to be met with a pair of grey eyes.

She felt her heart drop down to her feet.
Hair slicked back at the side. Fox like eyes staring at her with a glint of interest and those piercings she seemed to recognise immediately.
He grinned a little as he tilted his head a little to the side.

Lilley stood still. No moving, breath hitched. Had he always been behind her?

"Are... you okay?" He asked, voice with a bit of playfulness.

She didn't answer. She just stared at him, agape.

His eyes squinted a bit as his brows furrowed a little together. "Lilley?"

Her mouth opened more, "Ah-" she choked.

She bent her head to avoid staring at him as she coughed. She could already feel her cheeks burning.
He walked a bit closer to her, "Do you need water?"

She adamantly shook her head as she continued coughing. As he stepped closer and she stepped back and continued to walk back until someone swung the door open, hitting her.

Before she could fall this time, William caught her. And her coughing cease.

Great. She tightly smiled as she refused to raise her head to look at him even though she was in his arms. She was sure a tear rolled down her flushed cheeks.

"Hey Will!" She heard someone call him. "Let's go- oh~" He cooed. "Am I disturbing?"

"Shut up," William responded playfully.

"Awwn, haha," the other guy laughed. "Is she okay-"

They both stopped in their tracks as she suddenly pushed William off her and turned to walk away only for the same door to swing open and hit her in the face.

Before anyone could react, she was on the floor.
Both William and Zayn stared in shock before registering what happened. William knelt down beside her to check if she was unconscious.

"Mark, you killed her!" Zayn exclaimed, ruffling his dark hair.

Mark blinked, then stared at the girl in question on the floor.
"I didn't mean to! I swear!" He exclaimed.

"I think she's just unconscious-" He paused as he saw her quiver a bit. He smirked.
"I'll take care of it. You guys go ahead."

They both stared at each other, then back at William.
"Sure. Hope she's okay, though," Mark commented as he stared at Lilley.

"Wait," Zayn paused. "Isn't she the girl from art class? The one you were star-"

"I think you're late. You guys should hurry up?" William interrupted.

Zayn stared at William suspiciously as Mark pushed him along. "We'll talk later," Mark told William as they walked away.

Once they were out of sight, William tapped Lilley.
"They're gone," but she didn't move. "I'm sure it's quite uncomfortable lying on the ground."

She still didn't move, not like she couldn't, but she did not want to face William.
Then she heard moving and silence followed. He must have walked away.

She peeked but saw no one. As she adjusted to a sitting position then did she see him sitting leg crossed and back on the wall. She blinked a couple of times.

"You okay?" He asked again.

This time, though, she slowly nodded.
"That's good," he shot her a smile.

"How... how did you know my name?" She asked slowly. She was sure she had never told him her name.

He nodded.
"We have the same art class, remember?"

"Ah, right, right." She nodded as she averted her gaze.
She couldn't bear looking into his beautiful grey eyes that had an uncanny resemblance to Atticus.

Are they truly twins? She wondered.

"Were you headed to the indoor gym?" He asked, breaking the silence.

She still didn't look at him but nodded.
"Wanna go together then?"

She paused. Should she?
Well, this was no thinking matter as she could just easily say yes, but the problem was the person asking.

She stole a glance at him and saw him still staring at her, seemingly enjoying her reactions. She scratched her head, not in thinking but in stalling.

"Would..." she started softly. "Would that be okay with you?"

She heard him chuckle a bit.
"Of course. I was the one that offered."

He stood up and helped her up.
"Sorry about Mark," he apologised.

"No, no. It's okay. He didn't know," she looked everywhere but at him.

He didn't say anything, but she could feel that he was probably smiling... or grinning.
She stole another glance at him.

Back in middle school, she would hear her fellow classmates, even her friends, talk about how there are some people who have an amazing side profile. She smiled and laughed with them, but she didn't really understand what they were saying.

Now, she gets it.
She wished she could just call them or something, to tell them-

Wait.

She could, right?

She was able to call her aunt, so this should be no different, right?

Wow, Lilley. She mentally sobbed. Do you even think at all?