Her Reason

CHAPTER 4

The next day, Alex went to school early.

He wore a hoodie and entered the school with his head bowed down to avoid eye contact.

Whenever someone would stare at him, it felt as if it would pierce through him like a dagger.

He sat down quietly even if he was the only person in class.

As he waited and waited, his classmates came in.

“Hey, Alex. What's up?”

He looked up and saw Ashley smiling down at him.
He just nodded at her and she frowned.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

He looked away from her and placed his hands on his desk.
She held his hand and he felt something run down his spine.

“You can tell me if there's something wrong. I'm always here, y'know?”

He just smiled at her.
“Thanks. I'll be sure to tell you if there is.”

She smiled at him and sat on her seat and chatted with her seat mate.

Ashley seemed like a carefree girl. Even if she gets bullied, she manages to defend herself. And even if she gets hurt, she always gets back up.

And that's something Alex isn't and will never be.

He slouched on his chair and waited for Miss Ever lock to come in.

As she took attendance, Alex waited for his name to be called.
He looked outside the window since his seat was just beside it.

Their school was surrounded by beautiful cherry blossom trees.
That's probably where the school got it's name.

The entrance of the school already had cherry blossoms by the side, and at the left side of the school was a path way that was also surrounded by these beautiful trees.

And the school also holds a festival whenever the flowers would fall down from the trees.
They said it was always beautiful and fun since each classroom opens up a stall and many people come in.

Alex wasn't really looking forward to it.
Fun wasn't really in his vocabulary.

“Alex Oakley!”

Alex snapped out of it and saw Miss Everlock and the rest of his classmates looking at him.

Some were laughing quietly and some were shaking their heads.

“Oh, uh.. Present.”

Miss Everlock shook her head.
“Pay attention next time, Alex. If you don't answer right away next time, I'll be considering you as absent, okay?”

Alex just put up his hoodie and covered his face since he was just humiliated.

***

Today was like any other day.
He sat alone, he read alone, and walked alone.

Ashley kept asking him what was wrong, but he always replied with a smile and told her that it was nothing.

Since their teacher wasn't coming today, Alex chose to be alone again.

Instead of the library, he went to the almost hidden pathway at left side of their school.

It was indeed beautiful.

How the pathway was almost covered by the pinkish trees, and how these trees surrounded it were all gorgeous.

Alex walked and walked.