Never Again

Chapter 8

"Vera what are you doing here?" I asked, startled.

"I'm here to see Hunter." She said waving her hand.

"I'm sorry Vera did I make you wait a lot?" Hunter immediately stood up and scratched his head as if forgetting an important date.

"No it's okay." Vera said, smiling.

"Kaia I must go now. Go back safely okay?" Hunter and Vera bid me goodbye.

I am all alone right now. I'm not used being alone because Wendy never fails to make me feel like I'm home. It has been hours since she left but it already felt like days, I miss her. I tried to crumple the soda can but it won't bother change its shape. I guess even my body's screaming for a rest.

I sat in the bench and dialed Wendy a call. She didn't pick up her phone, so I tried and tried and tried.

xx

It's almost 7:15 in my wrist watch and I'm still glued from my bed. Half awake, half asleep. I reached for my phone on the side table of the bed to check any messages unread, none. I completely opened my eyes and stretched a bit, pain. My body's screaming from pain. My legs are almost numb and my head's almost breaking in two.

"You're finally awake? Go get some shower the water's still warm." Vera smiled as she combs her wet hair from bath.

"Thanks." I moved inch by inch like a worm on the soil. Fortunately, I managed to get up and fix my beddings before finally taking a bath.

"You study hard last night didn't you?" Vera asked, now using a blower to dry her hair.

"Just a little since my tests aren't that good this quarter, I need to catch up." I said.

It has been two days since Hunter and I last talked. I thought I'll feel empty without seeing his face even in just a day, but it turned out like I'm still okay, I'm still breathing, still alive.

After 20 minutes of preparing my stuffs I finally head out to our classroom. As I enter the room, everyone's busy with themselves, highlighting books, jotting some notes, memorizing endless formulas, solving word problems, some are just sleeping with books in their head. Everybody looks so tired.

I finally sat on my chair waving a hand on Hunter and Vera right behind my back. Hunter's not studying instead he's playing some childish games on his phone making him look even cuter. I smiled. Gosh whatever he does just makes me happy.

I stared at the chair beside me. Wendy.

I wonder if she's okay, if everything's fine. If she's still the Wendy I know. I sighed, my normal way of releasing thoughts.

"Kaia lend us a hand okay? Hunter and I didn't study." Vera said almost pleading.

I snatch a glance at Hunter he's looking at me, a serious look. I wonder what's going on in his mind.

I nodded but I failed to smile. I know Hunter feels something weird about me today, even last Friday when we last talked.

5 more minutes and Professor Taylor would make her way inside. I'm half tired half nervous.

Suddenly someone tapped me on the shoulder, its Hunter giving me a piece of note. I know that color that scent, it's from the post it pack he stole and insisted his.

I accepted the note and carefully opened the paper folded into four, trying not to make a sound from the quiet room filled with the buzzing sound of air condition unit and the occasionally dropping of pens and markers.

"Let's talk after class."

My heart's even adding to the list of painful body parts in me. I can feel the electricity running through my blood and in anytime I might break and shower in the sky with fireworks and unicorns and all the colorful things in this world.

I bite my lower lip to stop myself from smiling from ear to ear. I inserted the note he gave me to my wallet and continued with the browsing of books still thinking about him.

7 hours of torture ended easily, I bid Vera goodbye and now I'm walking with Hunter to my favorite coffee shop, the place where I first met him and the place where my heart started to beat again, Friendly Bean Café.

"What would you like to order?" I asked feeling a little bit proud since I'm a regular in this place.

"I don't know what's best so please just like yours." He said smiling.

"Okay I'm 100% sure you won't be disappointed – Two French Vanilla drinks and two Mocha Swirls please."

"You know I should be the one taking you to a restaurant. You have been doing this for me twice." He said half laughing.

"Next time it's your turn." I smiled at him.

"So what's the problem?" I asked.

"You" He said.

"Me?" I asked once more.

"You are the problem. Can you tell me what's going on? Why are you so upset?" He leaned on the table looking more concerned and interested than ever.

"What? I'm never upset." I joked trying to sound cool.

"So what's with the frowning and worried face?" He asked again trying to corner me until I confess.

"That's nothing. I'm – I'm just worried about Wendy." I finally said.

"I heard she's moving out? It was posted about three hours ago in the student's website." He sounded unsure but I almost jump off my seat.

"What?!" I almost dropped my jaw.

"The bulletin on the announcement section a while ago, it was clearly written in there." He explained trying to be calm.

"That's impossible! Wendy won't ever do that!" I almost screamed.

"Kaia I know, I'm shocked too. But it is true, it is legit." He remained calm.

"I'm clueless." I'm almost crying.

"I'm sorry I thought you knew already." He sounded really guilty.

"No it's not your fault please don't be sorry." I'm trying my best to hold my tears.

"Would you like to confirm?" He asked.

"But our orders aren't here yet." I said my voice trembling trying to sound okay.

I guess I needed some more time to accept the things I'm hearing right now. I think I'm not yet ready to see that note right in front of my eyes. Wendy won't answer my calls she won't even bother read my messages, how will I suppose to know where she is?

Hunter keeps on calming me and he continues to convince me that everything would go back to its usual days, but I'm barely listening, just nodding.

I opened my phone our photo is clearly encrypted on my lock screen both of us holding a cone of ice cream under the sun, smiling like nothing's ever wrong with our imperfect lives. Memories of us through the years keep on barging in my mind, forcefully, painfully. Like a huge capsule to take in without water and with dry mouth. I found myself crying. I stood up and run as fast as I can to the university. I want to see it. I want to see it with my own eyes.

"Kaia wait!" the last thing I heard before I ran even faster.