Complications

Chapter 6 - I Want Answers

"My fault Miss!! It was all...my..fault."

I instantly recognised their voice, and acted on instinct to turn around and express my shock.

I looked to see Mitchell, staring at me with his worried brown eyes.

Damn they were a nice shade of brown though... I did not just say that.

"You started the fire?" Miss Sophie asked, switching her gaze between me and Mitchell.

"It was an accident but....yes. I dropped the beaker of acid then the Bunsen burner slipped because of my hand." He said, whilst looking down at the ground, almost embarrassed to admit to it.

Why the hell was Mitchell covering for me!?

Where...what...what about our bet exactly??

"I see." Miss Sophie said. "Well Aria, your free to leave us, Mitchell, please sit down."

I left the room in shock, silently shutting the door behind myself.

I was walking down the hallway in my own thoughts until a voice broke my trail of imagination.

"So how did it go?" 

I looked up to see Selina.

"Wh- how did what go?" I asked.

"Telling Miss Sophie? About the fire?" She clarified.

"Oh that, well you see..."

********

"MITCHELL COVERED FOR YOU?" Angel and Rosalie asked in unison at our playground bench.

"Knew it!! I told you I shipped them." Monika laughed.

"Why would he do that though?" I asked, still confused as hell.

"Because he looooveessss you!!" Angel mocked, before I threatened to throw my water bottle at her.

I was about to retaliate further before Mitchell walking alongside Miss Sophie caught my eye.

He had a look of worry on his face as our head of year escorted him through the science building.

I didn't realise I was totally focused on him before our eyes locked for a quick second, before he looked back down solemnly and avoided looking up again.

Why did he do that to himself? 

*******

I chewed the back of my pen in science class, desperate for the day to come to an end.

God I hated Thursdays.

I was about to pull out my phone and plug in my earphones before the girl sitting next to me handed me a note, before subtly pointing at Angel across the class.

I opened the screwed up piece of paper covered in drawings of eyes - that girl had problems.

'Mitchell's in iso, has detention for the whole week.

-A'

Oh God seriously?

Why did I feel guilty?

Was it because I didn't own up to my own mistake?

Was it because I felt weak? Because Mitchell knew he had to cover for me, as if he knew I couldn't do it?

....was it because I felt something for Mitchell??

Ugh I'm overthinking again.

***********

The rest of science class was a blur, I couldn't focus on anything the teacher was on about.

The end of the day came fast, I didn't see Mitchell with his usual gang of friends at lunchtime, and he was nowhere to be seen on the playground or the football pitch.

I felt guilty for some reason.

Like it was my fault that Mitchell could actually be in trouble badly.

I came to the conclusion to talk to Mitchell after school to see what was going on. There was no other way, right?

*********

Monika and Selina left early later in the day, and Angel and Rosalie ended up in detention, (surprise, surprise), so it was just me after school.

I saw Keegan, Ramon and Abram talking to each other outside the science block, and so I slowly approached them to ask about Mitchell.

I instantly received odd looks from them when I began to walk up to them.

"Hey, have you guys seen Mitchell anywhere?" I asked, clutching on to my book in my hand.

"Nope, wasn't in school today." Keegan replied abruptly.

"He...he wasn't?" I asked confusedly.

"Nah, weren't in lessons or anything, so he probably slept in and gave up on coming in." Ramon said. "But Abram is here if you want him."

Ramon winked at me various times and nudged Abram.

Ugh.

Him and his weird ships.

"No thanks, I'm good." I said, before quickly walking off.

So Mitchell's friends think he wasn't in school today. So it's either they don't know he's in isolation, or Mitchell doesn't want them to know.

I remembered from the note Angel passed me in science that Mitchell would have an hour detention after school, and I contemplated as to whether I would stick around or not.

I figured I might aswell, so I hung around in the library reading until I heard a thunderous amount of footsteps approaching from the upper stairs of the science block.

The isolation guys.

I slammed my book shut and grabbed my backpack before leaving the library, and at a perfect timing aswell, considering the second I turned to the stairs, I came face to face with Mitchell.

"Aria." He said, almost in a whisper.

"Mitchell," I replied. "What...why are you in isolation?" 

He gave me no reply and walked down the stairs, avoiding eye contact and exiting the door.

Oh hell no was he getting away without giving me some answers.

"Hey!!!" I yelled as I ran out the building after him. "Mitchell!!"

He turned back and paused for a second before continuing to talk away, head down, and hands in pockets.

"Hey!!" I yelled again, this time catching up and walking alongside him.

"What do you want?" He asked in a monotone voice, staring at his feet as he walked.

"Answers." I said, without a thought. "I want answers."