Heart's Games

Heart's Games|Chapter 3: Hide-and-Seek

Chapter 3: Hide-and-Seek

The next morning, I began to analyze what happened the night before. What was that all about? I'm absolutely sure that was Harold. But why was he hiding from everyone? What about his body? How did he know all that? Are my new friends in trouble? So many questions to answer, but so little clues. I figured that I had to analyze it for a moment before telling anyone. I got ready for breakfast and tried my best not to wake-up my roommates who still had one more hour of sleep left.

Jerome was waiting for us in front of the cafeteria. He had his hands tugged in his pockets, looking a bit less playful than usual.

"How are you feeling?" he asked me.

"I've been better," I sighed, but tried my best to not take the topic any further. Apparently, so were they, because we were pretty quiet as we made our way through the cafeteria. Unfortunately, I had to bump into that idiot. And I assure you, the last idiot I would ever want to bump into.

He looked like he was about to curse until he spotted my eyes. "Kate! I am so sorry, I heard the news."

"You know, Tyler, sometimes a sorry doesn't mean anything," I said, leaving him speechless behind me. I know...it was a bit mean from my part, but I wasn't in the mood for dealing with him. Just as I thought I had left him behind, he spoke up.

"I know what you mean," he said as I turned to face him. He was standing like ten feet away from me, but I could still see the pain that was being expressed by his face. "I know how you feel," he insisted. I didn't say anything, because I knew exactly what he was talking about. I turned my gaze to my left to avoid eye contact with him before he noticed I felt guilty. "I've had that feeling of losing someone you love, too. I will admit, it's not easy, but those sorry's looked like lies to me. People thought that I was a vulnerable little boy, but I knew and understood perfectly what was going on around me. My mom was never coming back and a sorry wasn't going to bring her back. So all I can say is that I hope he is in Heaven and that the wound in your heart fades away."

I analyzed my words carefully. He closed the distance between us, but stood far enough to not offend me. My gaze had faced him once again once he started talking, and hadn't moved. So now here we stood, face-to-face.

"Now that means more," I said, right before leaving him and heading to eat breakfast.

Jerome talked about how our building was the best since the others were filled with the rich kids. It was kind of like one of these poor-with-poor-and-rich-with-rich things, but there were exceptions, though. Like Claire, for example. She sent the audition tape and they accepted her. Once she entered, she didn't get along with her roommates. Her best friend was Fanny, so she begged to be transferred to the J.H. section. At first, her claim was ignored, but after getting in a big fight with Nina, she got what she wanted. The rest I wasn't in the mood to hear. I only played with my food and took a bite every now and then. My head was so focused on Harold. Jerome asked me about the homework we had for Mr. Rochester, so I bent down to reach my papers, when I saw a paper on the floor. I grabbed that instead and opened it to find a computer written note that read: "To: Kate. They're going down as also. One by one." Harold was here, like as much ten feet away. Suddenly, my heart started beating like crazy. My fright was taking over me. I had no option but to let it take control of me as if I had no forces left inside my frozen body. My whole world fell down and shattered into millions of pieces. I heard murmurs around me, but the rest just echoed in my head. As I sat there, I looked at my surroundings. Everyone was focused on their own thing, and no one seemed suspicious. Harold wasn't here...at all. I shook my head trying to snap out of it. Jerome and Grace sat there, eating their breakfast and enveloped in their own conversation, not even noticing my little moment of shock. I cleared my throat as I stuffed the paper in my pocket.