Alone.

What Is He Doing Here?

Chapter: 6
What Is He Doing Here?

9: 09 am. That was the time that I read on my watch when we entered the school gates. Meaning, I was one class late and the second was under session.

As soon as Adam killed the engine, I didn't waste a second in unlocking my door and getting out of the suffocating environment inside. I couldn't bear sitting in there, because all of a sudden, he seemed too intimidating for my comfort. His staccato change in attitude from being relatively bearable to an absolute arrogant prick kind of made my head spin.

I picked my schoolbag blindly and tried to slung it over my shoulder, but the stupid strap got stuck in the gear box causing me to jolt back with the pull. I reached to get the strap out, but so did Adam. The small brush of his fingers against mine felt like a current to me and I flinched away.

Get a grip on yourself, Ray!

And no, this wasn't a pleasant kind of tingle that I had been experiencing around him. Rather, the kind that resurfaced due to sudden insecurities. I avoided looking at him, but I could see from my periphery that he had one of his eyebrows raised at me. I tightly grasped the strap and slung it over my shoulder and strode towards the principal's office before the said man started asking about my whereabouts from my family.

By the time I was done being interrogated by our principal, the second period was also over and done with. I sighed, God, I'm so tired. I raked a hand through my hair and winced when my fingers got tangled in a hundred knots, And I need a shower... I thought sarcastically as I rolled my eyes up to stare at the stray strands on my forehead with utter disdain. I made my way towards the next class, history.

Suddenly, I was tackled in a hug and before my tired brain could comprehend what was happening, I was bombard with questions.

"Where have you been?"

"Why do you look like shit?"

"You missed the first two classes!"

"Does Ashley know? She's been worried sick!"

"Hell, even Aiden graced us with his presence asking about you!"

Then again, in a chorus, "Where have you been?!"

I pushed the two annoying girls away from me giving them a look of irritation, "Can you two please stop screaming?"

They both looked guiltily at me.

Staying silent for a moment, they kept their expectant eyes on me.

I sighed, "I got stuck in the rain. There was an old lady trying to cross the road but was having trouble in doing so. I was trying to help her but there was a lot of traffic. I almost hit a car in the middle of the road but Adam came to my rescue. The old lady offered me a cup of cocoa and hence the reason I was late."

As soon as I was finished Sabrina and Amelia were ready to open their mouths to go another round of questions.

But I raised my hand before they could say something, "I don't know what he was doing there and I honestly don't care."

Or at least that's what I'm trying to convince myself.

I looked at them in exhaustion, trying but failing to smile, "Now, I'm really very tired at the moment and I'm not in a mood to talk." I turned around and started walking towards the class. "When is day gonna be over," I absently mumbled to myself not caring if my friends heard me or not.
...

I was playing with my food during recess. Amelia and Sabrina were with me, but they wisely kept their mouths shut and avoided asking any prying questions as they nibbled on their sandwiches or whatever else they were having.