My Lantern

CHAPTER V

Maybe it's true that pain comes after happiness.

My mind is baffled and my heart is in constant pain every night as I tried to recall the moment when I saw blankness in Jai's eyes as I met him last Monday, the day after we were on the Nashwood Lair.

Last time, we were so fine and happy and FRIENDS but now he's back to being that weirdo again.

I thought when we had those moments, those "lantern" moments, it means that everything got back to normal again, no weird Jai, no weird outfits, no weird absence but no, nothing has changed. Besides it got worst.

He's not hanging out with me anymore, he distanced himself from me, he's enjoying his solitude and he avoids me whenever we ran in the hallway. He treated me as if I'm not his friend. As if I am nobody.

One time I tried approached him, he left before I could even utter a word.

"Tell me what does Martians look like?" Mikey Shaffleton asked me with his Irish accent, his attentions on his papers but ask me curiously eitherway.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You seemed deep in thought. Like you float down to Mars."

"Yeah. What's up?" Debeh Trever joined in.

They're both my friends. But we're not as close as Jai and me. And we're only hanging out during classes because they know that the rest of my time would be with Jai. And now, it changed.

"Nothing." I lied, pretending like I am interested with my papers, but the truth is it is blank. Mikey must have noticed it because he scoffed.

"Stop punishing yourself. Why don't you talk to him?" he said.

"He's avoiding me remember?"

"Have you tried their house?"

"Yes, I have and he wasn't there. His father would tell me he left and would be coming back and I waited there for like six hours and I felt foolish because I know his family is lying to me. I know it! I mean, why would they keep secrets from me?"

"Miss Kaif!" my Journalism professor hushed me.

"Maybe he needs time?" Debeh sounds doubtful.

"And try to understand him." Mikey sounds sure about what he said.

I bowed my head. "I don't know. I just don't understand him." More quietly this time.

"Just give him time." Debeh suggested, surely this time.

"Isn't three weeks not enough? I'll give him godamn 365 days for all I care if he would at least tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"Miss Kaif, leave this room immediately!"

Without hesitation, I got up and bolted out the door. I would've slammed the door behind me but I refused to. I cannot afford any detention.

I went straight to the school ground across the birch tree. I sat down the soft grass throw my fist to the ground. I'm so mad! Even Debeh and Mikey, the two of them will equalled to nothing compared to Jai alone. And why am I keep on thinking about him? I bet he doesn't care about me anymore. I bet he's happy on his own right now.

I crouched, my head on my knees.

"I just wanna talk to him..." my voice trailed off and tears started to trickle down my chin.

"Why?"

"Because, I'm... what?" my eyes widened.

I got up and turn around the opposite side of the trunk. I saw Arjun Singh. One of North Victorina University's heartthrob. His exotic beauty could lure foreign girls to bed. And I'm an Indian so I'm used to his face, he's no beauty king to me. Besides, what is he doing here?