Shadowteer

Chapter 27

"Hey Manon! I've been... looking for you... everywhere..." Chris placed his hands on his knees and vent down, trying to catch his breath. He kept running after Manon but she just ran away like she was avoiding him? Manon? Avoid him? Please. She probably just didn't hear him while he was screaming like an idiot down the hall. "Why did you keep running?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask Zainab?" He looked her with a face that simply said Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? She rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly. "You should exercise more. You're really out of breath and we barely ran at all. Maybe take Zainab with you to the gym-"

"What are you... why... doesn't matter. I want to say something to you." He grabbed her hand and took her into an empty classroom, ignoring the fact that she was yelling at him, trying to pry off his arm with her claws- I mean nails and that she was causing a huge scene. He locked the door and took in a deep breath.

"I have class Chris and so do you. Now I need to leave-"

"Manon, would you listen?" She kept quiet. He bit his lip and grabbed her hands. She looked down, her eyes widening. "I know this is weird but I have to get it off my chest."

"Okay... what is it?"

"I see you." She blinked, twice, still trying to understand. He facepalmed. "Did you hear me? I said-"

"I heard what you said. But I don't buy it. That's all." She spoke in a matter-of-fact voice and shrugged at the end like it meant nothing. Sure her heart kinda sped up the moment he said it but she also kinda knew it was a lie. Chiefly from experience.

"Come on, you know I larb you-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there." The butterflies in her stomach were going crazy but she shoved them away with logic. Something she had learnt both from her mother and personal experience in her preteen years was that boys were not to be trusted. "First off, I get the Avatar reference and Spiderman reference and I appreciate the fact that you used the Spidey one especially... but I know it's all a lie. Who put you up to this? The twins? Was it Kemen? No, Fred. Or Tyler? I want to hear a name."

She waited. She cursed herself for hoping that it wasn't a lie. That all he said was the truth, that he actually did feel something other than hate for her. Her hope shattered when he stared at the floor, looking guilty. "I... I had a bet with the boys. They said I was too chicken to do it. I- I guess I proved them wrong."

"Oh." She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to cry and or punch his pretty face. She cleared her throat and put on a calm face, taking Chris by surprise. He had expected her to be angry, to yell but the fact that she was calm frightened him. "Okay. Well, congrats. Goodbye."

"Manon, wait!" He held her back. She pulled her hand away and folded her arms, a cold expression on her face. She was too tired to deal with him. Sure, she wanted to yell but she didn't have it in her. She was already used to getting disappointed by her mother, father, ex friends and well, what was one more person? "Look, just... you know I hate bets. I only did it cause I was too chicken to talk to you about..."

"What?"

"I- uh-" she chuckled and turned away from him.

"It's okay. Doesn't matter. You can go talk to Zainab about it though. I'm sure she would be happy to listen!" She glued a fake smile on her face. He saw beneath her facade and cursed himself for being the cause of her fake smile. The one he had seen her use to hide her tears more often than he would have liked. He followed her out of the classroom, wondering why she had stopped and froze when he saw the vice principal shaking her head at them.

"What were you two doing?"

"Ms. Bustier, sorry, we were just-"

"Does it matter?" Manon stared at the red head, looking extremely disinterested in the conversation.

"Of course it matters Manon. I want an explanation for this behaviour right now." He grimaced when he saw students staring at them from classes, some taking pictures and videos.

"Can you just give me detention so I can get to my class? I've wasted enough time with Chris already."

"Ms. Chamack!"

"What do you want Caline?" Ms. Bustier stared at her, her mouth open. Chris couldn't help but do the same. She shook her head and cleared her throat.

"I will not tolerate this. Your parents will be called and you will be going to detention."

"Great. Have fun there Chris-"

"You too Ms. Chamack. If this ever repeats itself you will be suspended, are we clear?" Chris nodded. Manon rolled her eyes. Ms. Bustier looked her over sternly, disappointment clear in her eyes. "I expect more from you Ms. Chamack. I thought you had grown out of this side of you. We are all going to have a discussion on this later. Dismissed. Get to you classes."

Manon smiled and curtsied mockingly for show, hearing some of her classmates roar with laughter. Deep down, it pained her to see that look in Ms. Bustier's eyes but she hid it well.

"...I guess I'll see you at detention then." She snorted.

"Who says I'm going?" He choked on air and stared at her. She stared back, her eyes empty and dull. His mind flashed back to when he was dealing with his own depression. He wondered what she was thinking of.

"Manon, please come."

"Why don't you ask Zainab to go. I'm sure she'd love to since you two are always together nowadays." He sucked in a breath and licked his lips. The fact that she kept mentioning Zainab irritated him.

"I didn't ask for her, I asked for you. Just come. I need you to be there. There's something I want to say-"

"That didn't work out too well the last time though, did it?"

"Please." She stared at him and turned around.

"I'll think about it." She walked away, mentally cursing herself for giving in to him. She knew she was going to anyway and to be honest, she didn't care about Chris or anyone else. She was hurt and she wanted him to know it. All that mattered now was that she made it through the rest of the school day and detention, alive. Hopefully.