Reflections of an Idle Mind

"Do you really want to try that?"

"Do you really want to try that?"

Simon was crouching beside her in class, about to once again try to steal her pencil case without her noticing. As soon as he heard Cathy's warning, he hopped back into his chair, and continued with the doodling he was working on.

"How do you do that?" He asked in frustration. "You're not even looking but it's like you can sense where I am."

"More like smell." She replied jokingly. "When was the last time you had a shower?"

"I shower when the mood takes me."

"Well, the 'mood' needs to take you a little more often." Cathy said with a little smile.

"Hey! Keep the voices down!" The English teacher, Mr. Fry, remarked at the increasing noise level in his classroom. Simon continued in a whisper; "You're just trying to find an excuse to keep me away, aren't you? You know I've got to succeed in stealing your stuff some day, so you want to keep the number of tries I take to a minimum."

"That would be a good plan if you weren't so predictable, Simon. I know all your tricks."Cathy finished coyly. "Now get on with your work. Mr.Fry likes you, but even he can't give you a good mark for a blank page."

"You doubt my skills, Cat. One day it'll-" Simon paused as the door opened and Mr.Fry walked over to greet their visitor.

"That's Melissa, isn't it, Cat?" Simon quietly remarked.

He looked up with Cathy to see their teacher speaking quietly to her older sister, but she seemed surprised. Melissa looked sombre, and her uncharacteristic politness seemed to confuse her. He wondered if something was going on, but he didn't know what it could be.

Melissa exited the classroom just as Mr. Fry asked Cathy if she could go outside to see her sister. Simon watched puzzeledly as his friend left the classroom, and did his best to look busy as he watched Cathy through the glass of the window to the hallway.
From where he sat, he could just see Melissa's mouth carefully forming sentences he couldn't hear while Cathy's wondering face took in her words. As she spoke, Melissa's expression became more and more pained and Cathy looked confused and concerned. Simon thought he saw her lips say '...okay, right?' and he looked to her sister for her response. Tears filled Melissa's eyes as she shook her head slowly.

Simon watched quietly as his friend crumpled to the ground. He could hear her sobs through the classroom walls but knew he couldn't go out to help her. She lay like a broken child, crying and in pain, but he couldn't reach her, he couldn't comfort her. He watched helplessly as Melissa picked up her inconsolable sister and half lead her, half carried her down the hall, then they were both gone.

Simon sat frozen. He wanted so badly to know what had gone wrong and to do something for Cathy, but he still was trying to process what happened. He tried to press it out of his mind, knowing worrying wouldn't get him any closer to his answers, but the grief-stricken look on her face was still vivid in his memory. It bugged his thoughts for the rest of the period until, while walking out of the class, Mr. Fry told him to go visit the principal's office before fourth, and to not worry about being late.

Simon cautiously walked to the principal's office through the masses of students on their way to class, and knocked on the door before entering the familiar room.

The principal, Ms. Matthews, sat at her desk as usual, and Simon took a seat across from her in his usual fashion. As he started to ask what he was in trouble for this time, she interrupted calmly, but sadly.

"No, Mr. Lear, you are not in trouble. I just have some news for you."

"I trust you were concerned for Cathy this afternoon after her sister arrived, and we thought it best if you knew the reason for her grief, as you are a close friend."

Simon didn't know what was coming next, but based on the principal's mournful demeanor, he wasn't sure that he wanted to know anymore. Nevertheless, he let her continue.

"This morning, Jacob, Cathy's brother-"

"I know Jacob." Simon put in.

Ms. Matthews looked down for a moment, then continued in a tight voice.

"Jacob was in an accident. Another driver was coming over a hill and just didn't see him."

Simon realized suddenly what she was building up to. His voice was barely above a whisper as he said what he knew was heartbreakingly true.
"He's gone, isn't he?"

He stared straight at the woman sitting across from him to see her say a simple "Yes."

The full impact of this truth rose up inside him; he would never see Jacob again. He would never hear his laugh or punch his arm or joke around or play catch ever again. It was all over.

Simon had just enough presence of mind to murmur an "Excuse me" as he abruptly left the office. He needed to calm and collect his thoughts. Jacob was gone; and Cathy, his Cat, had just lost a brother. He had to come to terms with things if he was going to help her through it, so not caring about anything else going on, Simon walked out the front doors of the school. He would need a long walk to work out the mess of feelings circling his head.