The Broken Ones

Chapter Thirteen

"That all for today's lesson," James Adams said as he looked over the students that attended the Ecology and Environment Seminar. The students began packing up their belongings as James inspected the class list. "Is Valeriana Engel able to stay behind if she is still here?" He asked.

Valeriana turned to Johnny. "C-can you-u w-wait f-for me-e?" she asked him.

Johnny shook his head, and he hurriedly packed his bag, "Sorry Valeriana," he told her. "I have an introduction to Mathematical statistic lecture that starts in a few minutes." He finishes packing his bag and quickly flung it onto his back. "See you later."

"Y-you t-too-oo," Valeriana called weakly after him.

As the rest of the class filed out of the room Valeriana slowly made her way to the front desk.

"Y-you wanted-ed to see-e me," Valeriana said nervously.

"Valeriana?" James asked her, she nodded in response. "I am not sure if you are aware of this, but there is a group oral presentation as part of this course."

"An-n o-oral," Valeriana uttered as she shifted on her feet nervously.

"For obvious reasons you won't be required to do the oral," James informed her.

No points for guessing what that oblivious reason is, Valeriana through sarcastically to herself.

"Instead, the unit chair has decided that you will need to complete an essay," James continued. "The topic of the essay will be the same as the orals, a current environmental debate issue."

"Do-o I get-t to-o p-pick what issue?" Valeriana asked.

James nodded. "The issues are; the dredging of the great barrier reef, whether fossil fuels should continuing to be used as our primary source of power and whether nuclear power plants should be built in Australia." He explained to her. "You can choose to argue for or against on any those topics, and you must discuss the political, economical, social and environment impacts at a local, national and international level."

"Is-ss t-that-at a-all?" Valeriana asked.

"Yeah, that's about it," James told her.

"Th-thank you-u for-or your-r time-e," Valeriana replied as she turned to leave the room.

"Valeriana, just one question?" James called after her. "Were you named after a genus?"

Valeriana nodded. "No one-e has-s ev-ever-r go-gotten-ten it b-b-before-ore," she admitted. "T-the spe-species in-n the-e Val-Valeriana-riana gen-genus a-are my mo-mother's fava-favourite types-s of flo-flowers-s."

"It a lovely name," James told her.

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"And just like that week two is finished," Frankie announced to Johnny and Alesia.

The three had met up after their last class of the day. For Alesia, it had been a psychology seminar, while Johnny and Frankie had a Studio Arts Seminar. Valeriana would join them in an hour after her Literature lecture was finished.

"I think that I am starting to get the hang off Uni," Alesia admitted. The three were at Dani's Café, seated at one of the tables in the far back. The café was located next door to the library.

"I'll go buy the coffee," Frankie announced, as she stood up and walked to the counter.

"How is she always so happy?" Johnny asked as they watched her go.

Alesia shrugged her shoulders. "How am I supposed to know," she asked. "What about you, you're always happy as well."

Johnny didn't say anything, he just looked down at his hands. "That's different."

Somehow even while being on the other side of the room, Frankie loud voice could be heard by both Johnny and Alesia.

"It nice to see you, Elliot," Frankie was telling the boy she bumped into while waiting in line.

"Elliot," Johnny gasped. He looked up and hurry searched for Frankie's face in the line.

"What wrong?" Alesia asked the panicking boy.

"Shit," Johnny uttered when he recognised the person Frankie was talking to.

"You know him?" Alesia probed.

"Hide me," Johnny squeaked as he hid under the table.

"Johnny want are you doing?" Alesia whispered, trying not to draw more attention to the boy.

"Hiding," he whispered back.

"Oh my God Johnny," Alesia exclaimed hopelessly as she rested her head in her hands for a few seconds. She lifted her head up. "You have obviously never done this before because by hiding under a table you will draw more attention to yourself."

"Then what do you suggest I do," Johnny requested urgently.

"First, stand up," Alesia commanded. Following her orders, Johnny slowly moved his body for under the table and rose to his feet. "Act natural, there is a bathroom to your right. In a few seconds, you are going to naturally walk to it." Alesia put a strong etherise of the word 'naturally'. "You will not look at all in Frankie direction, and when the boy has left, I will text you to tell you that you can come back."

"Thank-you Alesia," Johnny said urgently.

"Just do it," Alesia insisted.

Johnny nervously walked towards the bathroom and disappeared inside. It didn't take long for Frankie to return to the table with the other boy trailing behind her.

"Alesia this is Elliot," Frankie said as she introduced the two. "I met him at the bus shop."

Alesia smiled politely. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Elliot replied

"Where's Johnny," Frankie questioned.

"Bathroom," Alesia answered truthfully, she didn't want Frankie to catch on to the fact that something was wrong. Alesia had learnt a long time ago that the best lies were the ones based on truth. She stared at Elliot curiously. "He might be a while."

"Well it was nice to see you again Frankie," Elliot told her. "I have to go."

"See you around," Frankie told him as Elliot waved a final time and walked away from the two girls. Alesia waited for Elliot to leave the shop before texting Johnny. A few minutes later Johnny reappeared.

"You just missed my friend," Frankie informed him

Johnny smiled weakly. "That too bad," he mumbled before taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"Well I should get going, if I want to beat the traffic," Frankie told them as she stood up. "See you guys later and say hi to Valeriana for me."

"Bye Frankie," Alesia called after her.

"Are you going to ask what that was about?" Johnny questioned anxiously.

Alesia shook her head. "If you wanted me to know, you would tell me," she explained.

"Thank-you," Johnny muttered.

As the two sat together in silence as they waited for Valeriana.

As the silence seconds turned to minutes, Alesia couldn't help but think that she wasn't the only person that was running from their past. 

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A/N: As some background information a genus is a rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms in biology.  The order is Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species.

The assignment that Valeriana and Johnny have to do for their Ecology class is the same as an assignment I did in Ecology earlier this year. My group successful managed to argue that we should keep using fossil fuels. Our group was called We Didn't do it, A Short Presentation on Climate Change.