I'M A MESS

Chapter Five

Isaac's POV

Ok. Calm down.

It's been seven days ever since the last time I had a somewhat proper conversation with Aaron. That was around the third time I came to his house to provide him with dinner. Since then, we've never talked. More like, he was avoiding me.

I am a man of pride and I don't very much like owing others.

Yet I owed Aaron two. Currently, I have only one debt left to pay for he already used the first one to turn me into his personal feeding assistant.

I wanted to get this debt over with so obviously, I have no choice but to keep on sticking to him until my debt gets paid. But there's a catch.

He's been steering clear of me. Walking the opposite direction when we encounter, avoiding my gaze when I try to approach him, engaging into a conversation with someone else when I try to start one. I don't even know what I did to make him act as such.

But anyway, who cares about what I did? This foolish act of his is only prolonging my anxiety to fully pay my debts. I must do something somehow..!

The academy bell's ring echoed throughtout the corridors, signaling the end of the day's lectures. As the students left the room after the teacher did, I assumed the chance to talk with Aaron. After wearing my bag around my shoulders, I immediately made my way through chairs and tables and approached Aaron while he silently placed his equipments in his bag.

"Hey", he jumped upon hearing hearing my voice, as if he was startled. He lifted himself up from his seat and shuffled away.

"Hey!", I chased after him and grabbed his wrist right before he managed to step out the open door. "Why are you avoiding me all of a sudden? It's making me quite anxious as to what I did to make you do such, you know?"

My question was left hanging in the air for he responded to me with nothing but silence. The breeze even became audible enough as it howled in its entry through the room's open windows.

"Unhand me, Isaac", his voice went down an octave, manifesting something indifferent to powerlessness.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you-", my sentence was left unfinished for Aaron, all of a sudden, took a step around and turned to me with eyes filled with desolation. Even I was taken aback by such an unexpected change in his behavior that all I could do was gape at him while shock and confusion sprung on me.

His hands grabbed my shoulders tightly, "Just please..!"

That look again.

The expression of a flightless bird which I last pictured.

"Please..", he held his head down as his grasp tightened.

The empty look on his face compelled my body to betray my head. I mindlessly reached my hand out and as my fingers lingered on his arm. My eyes struggled to meet his and as our eyes met, I couldn't help myself but want to comfort him from whatever made him look so sad.

"Why-" Before I made a step to his consolation, he released me and took a step back.

"Sorry". With that, he left - leaving my question unanswered.

The next day, the class adviser announced that the semester's midterm exams will be held on Thursday next week. I sighed to myself and  Aaron's expression yesterday afternoon suddenly flashed in my mind. It left me wondering why he looked so despaired and the thought of it somehow distracted me from even remembering what day today is. I looked at my watch and remembered today was a Thursday. Seven days left before the exams, huh? I gave myself a gentle slap on the cheeks. No time for distractions, Isaac.