Beyond Hate

Eighteen

Toby

I had definitely expected her to squeal and laugh and jump on me. But I had not expected that she'd just stand and look at me weirdly. I had not expected that she just smile in puzzlement. What did it mean when your girl isn't that excited about your rebellious return. They had almost had us out of the boarding house and now we were back, it was supposed to be different.

"what's up now? You seem really quiet." Jerome called from beside me. I turned to look at him, my bags had been unpacked and I was now stuffing my locker with what I'd brought from home.

"Nothing o. I'm just... There. So what's up with school now, any new gist? Apart from tests that you did, did anything happen?"

Jerome swung his fair legs down. "Nothing much o. School was just pretty quiet. And... Em.. I'm dating Betty."

My ears perked up at that. I looked up at him. "Since when?"

"Since I don't know..." he smiled slowly.

"wait o.. When did the chemistry come back? Or is she just one of your assignments, you'd dump her in what? Two weeks? " I asked Jocosely.

The silence that prevailed after that confirmed that I had maybe joked too much. His smile faded and he looked down.

"I decided to see if things would work out. And I guess it is." Jerome shrugged. His eyes were glued solely to the book in his hand. He turned away and lay to the side of the bed. For some odd reason, asking him about Chemistry had triggered something weird. I wanted to query him, ask him what was wrong. But I stopped myself. Maybe he needed space or something.

I groaned. Of course it was not anything or something. It was because I'd said he might dump Betty in Two weeks. But it seemed like the truth. That was him, it was what he did.

But I didn't want to make him feel like I didn't care about his feelings. So I lied. "Betty is a good person. It would work out."

He turned. "Yeah, maybe. Maybe it would. I really pray it works out. And you should pray too."

*******

Zara

The hallway was free, exams had started five days after the Nineteen boys returned. It had been quick and impromptu. Although the principal had often announced that exams would soon commence and they would make it quick. I revised my government as I waited. Three hours more and I'd be having my first paper. I was seated in the old music room. It was quiet and comfortable. Everything I was reading settled in.

I was so concentrated on reading that I hadn't heard the door opening. It was when it was being shut that my eyes snapped to the door. To my surprise, Toby stood there, looking around the room.

I swallowed. In the whole five days since his return, I had only spoken to him once. The other times he never caught me alone. He'd always catch me in the midst of people. I was avoiding him and I didn't know why. I had been avoiding he and Jerome since his return.

I shifted uncomfortably on my seat. I straightened my back and let my lips curve into an easy smile. "Hey."

He slowly let his gaze fall from the ceiling to me. His eyes twinkled finely as he smiled. "hey."

He made his way over to my side and sat down. "what's up?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. It's been a while."