parallel lines | ✓

17

MARVEN'S ABSENCE INTRODUCED someone's presence. In preparation for the new term, our homeroom teacher assigned new seating arrangements. Unlike most of my classmates who dreaded their class chat partners being shifted away from them, I was thrilled as Marven and I are already sitting across the class so his new place cannot be any further away from me.

As our teacher recited from the new seating chart, I couldn't help but take notice in a particular shy kid at the end of the classroom. He was engaged in his literature books while the rest of the class was making a racket. He would lift his head up every two minutes, observing the people around him and then got back to his reading. Something about him has always intrigued me so I hoped that he would sit somewhere near me for me to learn more about him. He was a mystery and I was determined to unravel him.

"Wallace, you may take your new seat behind Laurette. I believe your silence can cancel out Laurette's talkativeness." Mrs. Lynette spoke. Thank you universe for reading my mind, and gee thanks teacher for the extra, unnecessary remark. People always say I'm talkative but when you're the only child with busy parents and restricted phone hours, class hours are really the only suitable time to converse.

Wallace took his seat behind me, adjusting his desk while asking to make sure I had enough space to move around. We haven't been in the same class since sixth grade so his new voice was nearly unrecognizable to me. Apart from that, everything about him felt the same. He still shied away from social interactions and had his eyes lingering on the popular girl of our class; his crush since elementary school. I remember when he first revealed his crush in a round of truth or dare, I thought to myself why would you go through the troubles of pursuing someone you won't have a chance with, since she was outgoing and well experiences in dating and he had never spoken to a girl. Who would have known that a few years later, I would find myself stuck in unrequited love too.

With Marven being miles apart and Ramona being seats apart, my mission was to make Wallace open up and perhaps even help him with his crush to fill the void of me not yet ending up with mine. In return, I seek nothing but a companion to talk to and someone I can confide in. You may wonder: why in the world would you want to confide in someone you barely know a thing about? Well, let's just say I trust him with my secrets because if he barely even speaks to people, I doubt he'd share my secrets with them.

___

Recess rolled in. Ramona insisted on inviting Daelan to our usual lunch spot which made me a little upset. I was obviously glad she and Marven ended things and she's moved on, but to see a couple grow in love, then fall out of love made me upset in general. Even if it's not people I know in real life, a celebrity couple for instance; it breaks my heart to see them split when I invested my time and affection towards them.

Ramona requested me to find Daelan since she wanted to retouch herself in the bathroom, and look pretty when he arrives. Knowing he'd be by the school canteen per usual, I headed towards that direction when I was suddenly stopped by the antagonist in all of my nightmares; Harriett Pearl. I would never admit this but I actually don't hold her even partially responsible for what happened with Neptune. It wasn't her fault that he couldn't stay loyal to me and fell for her, but I keep convincing myself and everyone else it was her tactics, so it wouldn't mean Neptune fell out of love with me. In retrospect, perhaps I'm the real antagonist here.

"Hey Laurette, have you seen Daelan?" Harriet asked, taking me by surprise as I didn't expect us to be on speaking term. Not after I spread false rumors about her, and definitely not after she broke the girl code and decided to date Neptune.

"I'm actually looking for him too. He should be around here somewhere." I replied, tossing my head around to find his presence so Harriett and I could skip the awkward small talks. "So what are you looking for him for? Sorry, you know curiosity gets the best of me."

"Oh nothing in particular. Daelan and I just begun hanging out at recess cuz' my girl friends are at dance practice and his friends at soccer. What about you? Why do you need him?"

"I don't, his girlfriend Ramona does." I answered, hoping she would take a hint to not cross her boundaries. "Also, I love how Neptune is so accepting of your friendship with Daelan because as I recall, he forbid me to have any guy friends."

"Oh about that, I stopped seeing him after our first date. We're better off as friends." Harriett replied, sounding as though she was up for a new challenge. Then she shifted her gaze to greet the figure behind me and I had a horrible feeling that Ramona was going to go through exactly what I went through. "Hey Daelan, shall we?"