Anaphase

Phase XVI

Last period, thank God.

It had been the longest day, painfully stretched day. I missed Mrs Griffin. Missed her hot chocolate too, I'd do just about anything for a good mug of that right now.

After taking my sufficient notes I tried to keep reading them over and over to try memorise, but to no success. 

Anything to get Candace and her puppets out of my head would suffice though. 

My knee hurt like hell and I just wanted to be around Demetri if I was being honest with myself. I wondered what class he was in, what happened after I'd left.

How he came to my rescue. Again.

I daydreamed of him walking in. I replayed his booming voice in the hall.

I smiled.

But he gave me such mixed signals. One day he seemed like he didn't mind my presence, the next he's walking away from me. I hated seeing his back walk away. Suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised.

Subconsciously, my hand wandered to my bandage that both him and I shared.

Now that I was reminiscing on the past few days, the stranger things seemed and the more pieces didn't fit together. 

Vaguely I remember my sudden appearance in front of Demetri at my house, the strange shadow I sensed at his home, how everything went red and I hurt people today. Not to mention how Mr Griffin seemed to calm Evelyn with the flick of a switch.
I found my brows in a furrow as I tried to make sense of these puzzle pieces towards any kind of reasonable truth, to no success.
Dead end after dead end left me confused and tired. Over my years I'd learned to become aware of many things, including things I didn't want to see, being a shadow myself.

I'll have to be more aware from now on still. I wouldn't remain oblivious.

The Griffin's were known for that very reason, and I was in a front row seat to their mystery.

I really needed to take a breath. For a few minutes I sat there concentrating on my breathing. My effort was in vain as I realised the bell would ring any moment now and I'd have to ride home with Demetri. Sitting too long with him in silence made me swallow every five seconds, but it was a complete euphoric rush.

Shortly after, the bell rung loud and true, setting the class into a frenzy.
A few girls who would usually gossip about me were examining me almost fearfully, speedily packing their belongings and getting out of my sight.
Well that's new.

Before I'd even taken two steps out of the class last, a large hand gently swung me around. Gasping, I reflexively used the force to shove the hand away.
"Woah," smirked Elijah.
"You really have to stop doing that," I disproved, a little shocked at my reflex myself.
Shrugging his hands into his pockets he locked my gaze with his ocean eyes.
"I'm real sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have grabbed your arm in such a way," he apologised in a serious tone, but not quite genuine.
"I'm over it," I replied rubbing my wrist, still unsettled in his company.
"Cool," he laughed. He kept shifting around making me feel rather seasick. Could he just stay in one place, it's giving me anxiety.
"Do you uh, so you have a ride home?" He asked.
"Oh um," I muttered. "Ye-"

"Yeah she does. Come on," interrupted Demetri literally appearing out of nowhere again.
My heart leaped in either surprise or something else...

"I see," growled Elijah. He looked so unsettled I pitied him. He was being nice after all.
"Crawl along," spat Demetri.
"You don't have to be so rude," I thought but stopped when he gave me a silencing look.