Someday - A Short Story

Someday: Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

A Fun Life is All About Eating Lunch and Going Home Together

SO, WHERE ARE WE heading, Torph?” Isaline asked, her arm still firmly locked into mine. It was as if she was telling the world that she owned me. That was how possessive she clung to me. In all honesty, I did not know how to react to this kind of possessiveness. Was I really that woefully inexperienced?

“I...” I can’t say I don’t know. It was all on a whim. Stupid brain. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

“You...?” Isaline asked expectantly.

“I think the roof is a great place.” What? What the hell was that?

“The roof...?”

I have to finish what I started. “Yeah. It’s sunny and windy and bright and shining,” I said, forcing a smile.

“I see...” Isaline said slowly, not knowing as to what to make of this development.

“But first, let’s head to the canteen to buy some food,” I said.

“Right!” Isaline said, the cheerfulness returning. “So, what do you want to eat, Torph?”

“I’m not sure what I want,” I said. “Let’s see what’s on the menu.”

As we arrived at the canteen, the serving lady greeted me, “Ho, Torph!” She was big lady. Brown skinned, chubby, and in her mid thirties. Also, she had a heart of gold. Or that’s what I see. She serves me food whenever I cut my classes, despite the canteen’s rules concerning not serving students when it’s not time for food.

“Good day, miss Sasha,” I greeted back.

“Good day, miss,” Isaline greeted as well.

Sasha glanced over to where Isaline was standing, then she leaned close to me, whispering so softly, even I had a hard time understanding, “So, how long have you been dating?”

“WH-WHAT?!” I said as I jumped back, my face burning.

“What’s the problem, Torph?!” Isaline asked, surprised at my sudden reaction.

“No-nothing!” I said, my face still burning from ear to ear.

Isaline placed her hand over my forehead and leaned uncomfortably close to me. I can feel her body heat. I can feel her breath on my face. I felt like I was going to melt anytime. “You seemed so surprised, Torph. What’s the matter?”

“My, my,” Sasha said, bringing a hand up to cover her sly smile. “Kids these days. How bold.”

“You...” I clenched my fists as I stared at the serving lady.

“Won’t you introduce me to your girlfri- I mean, friend, Torph?”

“Fine,” I said as I calmed down, releasing the pent up embarrassment within.

I gestured first to Isaline, then to Sasha. “Sasha, this is Isaline. Isaline, Sasha.”

“Nice to meet you, miss.” Smiling, Isaline held out a hand towards Sasha.

Chuckling, Sasha shook Isaline’s hand and said, “Oh, dear, call me Sasha.”

“Miss Sasha then,” Isaline said.

“Sash, two orders of pork noodles,” I said.

“Yes sir! Coming right up, sir!” Sasha said with a mocking salute as she turned to go inside the kitchen.

“This is a nice canteen, Torph,” Isaline commented as she looked around.

“Is it?” I asked, looking around to see what was nice in this place.

The canteen was wide, I’ll give you that. And clean. But that was all. It looked pretty normal. Wide glass panes, tables and chairs attached to the ground on every wall and at the middle, the kitchen, and the counter. It looked every bit the normal canteen it was.

“It is!” Isaline said, her eyes glittering.

“Each to his own, I guess,” I said.

“Hey Torph, who’s that?” Two people entered the canteen’s entrance as I was about to say something to Isaline.

Looking at them, I didn’t recognize the two newcomers.

“Hey you...” I said, trailing off. Then, “Who’re you?”

The boy who first called out to me had red, spiky hair. It was annoying. But, his laugh was more annoying. “Don’t you remember?”

“I don’t,” I said flatly.

“Torph, who is this?” Isaline, who was watching, asked.

“I’m not sure either,” I said.

Then, as if on cue, the girl who was with the boy spoke up, “I’m Leia, and this is Garne.”

“Yeah?” I said.

“Yeah,” she said.

Then there was silence. And I did not like the silence. And Sasha came and broke the silence. And I thanked her by paying for the noodles. Then Isaline and I left for the roof.

“Torph, who were those?” Isaline asked as she finished her bowl of noodles. We were at the rooftop of the school’s main building, sitting on one of the benches not occupied by the birds that were constantly burbling.

“Hell if I know,” I replied honestly.

“Weren’t they your friends?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, I answered, “No. I only have two friends in this entire school. Including you, there’s three. Such is the life I lead.”

Then, before Isaline could say anything, “Are you still hungry?”

Shaking her hands in front of her, Isaline smiled, “I’m good. Thanks, Torph.”

“Shall we go back to the classroom then?” I asked.

“Sure!”

And with that, the rest of the day passed by quietly, save for the hot glances of Aika and the cold stares of Hana, which grew increasingly scary and life threatening when school ended.

But as all bad things go, they can surely get worse.

“Let’s go home, Torph,” Aika said after the last bell rang.

“We’ll escort you to your place,” Hana smiled.

“What about Isaline?” I asked as I started to wonder where Isaline actually lived. Because, after all, it has only been a few days since she left my place to go look for blue skies.

“What about me?” Isaline asked as she followed the three of us out the door of the classroom.

“We’ll pass by your place to drop you off before we pass by mine,” I replied.

“Hm? What are you saying, Torph?” Isaline asked, confused. “We live together. I live with you.”

Then my world ended.