Absent

Chapter 3: Not-so-victorious flee

I spend the class hidden behind my hands and, just in case, a curtain of my reddish-brown hair. I can still feel his eyes piercing through my defensive shields. He never looks away. He never rests.

I keep avoiding Chester until the glorious and beloved bell rings. I take it as my cue to run before he has the chance to intercept me.

I'm not sure of where I'm heading. It must be far, that's all. Fighting my ways through crowds, and I never once noticed I'm running on circles until I'm back at the same classroom.
Lucky me, Chester's nowhere to be seen.

Jimmy is the last one to exit, and he's kissing the living crap out this Blond Chick like there's no tomorrow. He notices me out of the corner of his eye and, a little reluctantly, puts a break in his social interaction or whatever you want to call it. I sigh a little too and exasperatedly inspect the floor for a moment.

"Er... yeah, sorry about that. Heather, our next class is Biology, but we feel like skipping. Vicky, mind if I take her?" Jimmy asks her, and she giggles and nods. Did she even listen to what he said? For a moment, Jimmy is dragged into her world, but I bring him back by pulling him by the sleeve. He acts as if he was slapped out of a trance.

Jimmy guides me in silence. I can see the spark in his eyes that must've been placed there by Blond Chi-Vicky. I instead keep my mind open only to look at the view. The main building in my college is mostly gray, but some students painted murals of imaginary landscapes, of abstract scenes, of day-to-day objects, of the school itself, and of the stupidity of the adults.

Teachers let them do this little part of the school their own, and it's pretty.
Outside the main building and in the quickest way to Biology Lab, there's a greenhouse. I enjoyed spending time there with Chester... or a good book.

The walls are painted like the interior of a forest with low trees. There are birds in cages that sing in harmony. There are pots with all kind of flowers. There are benches and fake-and-fresh grass in the floor and flat rocks to guide you to the second exit. We waste no time to continue on our way, but I stop long enough to notice a third door hidden behing hanging plants. A third door that leads to where?

I wonder...

I'm about to enter the Biology Lab when Jimmy grabs me by my arm and hugs me. I am covered by his presence and I remember our old days as best friends.

"May I ask?" He says, and I murmur yes, a little worried about his tone. "Do you still love Chester?"

My reaction is to try to pull away, but Jimmy hugs me tighter. "Relax. I'm only asking 'cause he'll want to ask you. Good luck."

Jimmy leaves me and I understand what he meant. Chester is hurrying towards me, words ready to be spoken, and a speech ready to be pronounced, but I'm not ready to hear. I turn on my heels and enter class. I take no notice of the teacher or my classmates as I sit down and sink in my books once again.
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For a whole week, I'm normal again. Jimmy is back into confidence with me, and except for Vicky's interruptions, we spend the whole time with each other.

Chester has come close to having a forced word with me, but I dismiss him every time with a little regard in my heart.

He seems broken each time.

Today I'm heading for Chemistry, alone as always, when I decide to investigate that third door. So much temptation...

The final push is when I hear the unmistakeable call of my name from Chester. I sigh and open the door, storming outside.

Outside.

Outside of the school, into a alley.
That's where the magic door leads you to, my little secret. No one else goes through the greenhouse. They take the other way, through cafeteria. Do they even know about this? Does the school know about this?

I giggle with the thought, and decide that I don't care. I run to the street and find the boy I saw a week ago waiting on his motorcycle. I look to around to confirm we're alone.

He's waiting for me.