Freshman

Chapter 40: The Wistful

"She's smoking again, isn't she?" I asked Mejel as I entered the dining room.

Nope, the attendance was incomplete. It was practically just the three of us– Mavie, Mejel, and I– inside Mavie'so house.

I entered her dining room. Various snacks and viands were out of the fridge and pantry, but no one was here to enjoy them. Her dining room was quiet again for such a long time, you'd tend to wonder if there was ever any sound before. Looking back, it felt gloomy to be standing there– just until I saw the smoke.

I saw the backyard emmitting gray clouds. The puff of smoke wafted unto my face like warm steam, but with the scent of burnt material came with it. I grimaced at the sudden smell. I hated smoke just as much as I hated the scent of coffee.

"Yo, Mavs," I called, but she didn't respond. She continued to smoke....

"I, uh– wanted to know what's up?" I conveyed a peppy smile, but she still looked sullen.

Mavie only smokes when she's depressed, or whenever she feels like it. Between those two excuses, I bet the first one's the best guess anyone could ever take.

"Do you know?" She suddenly spoke. "Do you know how it is to go on for countless of sleepless nights, unimaginable self-death threats, and to live off without communication from the man you love?"

Damn, I thought. Not this again....

"He still hasn't made a change of heart, has he?"

She snorted. "You think?"

"I thought you had already called off a truce?" I coughed. "What ever happened to that?"

"He never accepted it," she blew a puff of smoke. "Even for our damned monthsary he couldn't show and make up for his actions."

"Mavie, you don't think that he–"

"He has given up in our relationship?" She stood. "Oh I've noticed that, hon. So don't tell me what I don't think, know, and see! Because I think, know, and see everything!"

Geez, I thought. Can't this girl take a break?

"Hey Mejel," I called. "It's getting late.... I'mma just go."

"Wait!" Mejel grabbed my arm. "There's food!"

"Yeah, not happening." I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Give Mavie my regards. Hope her situation gets better though, with or without a boyfriend."

She sighed. "Fine. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

The following days of agonizing separation between both of them wasn't healthy for Mavie. Two or more small fights were made, but thankfully it wasn't as scandalous as the first one.

Mavie didn't just lose his boyfriend, but it seemed like her whole group of friends too. Aganda, Maine, RA, Renz, and basically everyone took Vauld's side!

If you had to sum it up– it was the whole 7B versus Mavie. Her own class even got tired of helping her out.

If this were the Trojan War, this'd be the part where Achilles drags Hector's body along the dirt road while riding his majestic chariot. Mavie had submitted to defeat and was finally and officially Vauld's ex girlfriend.

What's a break up without formality, am I right?

We were surprised that suddenly one day in November, Mavie stormed in our classroom and yelled "Vauld! We're over!"

It seems that even the most dedicated and most unyielding forces like Mavie gives up too. She took and succumbed defeat at last and managed to live a submitting life.

It was November. That was fairly quicker than what I had expected, and it was almost the first End of Term Tests. That was the busiest week in my HTEC freshman days, next to clearance week of course.

Some things had changed a lot too. Jan, Michael, Hasha, and I have been distant. Very distant. Unlike before, Jan and Michael started hanging out with dudes for once instead of sticking to Hasha and I.

Then Hasha had friends in 7C helping her monitor her crush, Khans.

[Khans, from class 7C. Hasha's crush. A former 7B student until we were placed in our permanent sections in the orientation week. Now he lies in 7C with Michaela.]

While I was with Mejel, Jia, Jen, and W. Hanging out with them as much as posiible, and I finally felt that I was somehow closer to Jen. Finally.

After the first term End of Term Tests, it was our semestral break. One week of serenity and nothingness. It was boring since I had nothing to do but draw. The wi-fi was out, our television was getting fixed, and the only option to actually do something other than draw was watch over my little brother.

And as much as possible, since he was only months old, I didn't want to listen to him cry all day.

After that one week trapped and isolated at home because of semestral break, I was glad to say that everyone missed each other when it was all over.

We welcomed the new term with new group of friends, squads, gangs, or whatever you may call them– happily categorized to the right group of friends. You see, first term wasn't quite so patent in terms of our chosen group of friends. You'd be surprised to see goody two shoes made into gangsters, and the craziest would turn into the quietest. Now that we are properly settled in, I guess it's safe to say that we have finally found our rightful ranks.

Staying out late, mentoring your own best friend, finding an interest in someone new, being part of the biggest confrontations this school year, and not to mention Jen and I getting closer with every single day that passes– oh boy, this was gonna be one hell of a term.