The Painful Kiss of Augustus
Chapter 6
Dusk settled in, daylight gave way to the evening to roll in. The wind started to whirl with a hint of coldness as the ground started to will the heat away. Some of the students were still lurking around the premises of the Gymnasium. It was six in the evening and the ember of fire that hung at the horizon gleamed faintly. The lagoon laid meters away from the entrance of the Gymnasium reflected the solemnity of the amid sky, with the lingering silence that filled the voidness of the my subconscious self. With the wind softly caressing my face, my thoughts started to erupt uncontrollably and was I oblivious of what was happening to me.
The muffling voices started to fade when I trudged away from the Gymnasium. As the moonlight spilled through the little hole from the trees, washing a silver glow to the path I was taking in, I slowed down. Every time darkness rolled over the firmament, I could feel the sense of excitement and dismay mixed up. Never did I imagine myself being this perplexed since this was what I'd been waiting for. My walk wasn't in usual pace, the outsole of my shoes almost rubbed disturbingly at the surface of the ground. Thankfully, there was no student along the hallway. My action and the lace of perplexity on my face might rivet the attention of all. That was the least I wanted to to right now.
There was no room of sadness, I mentally chided to myself. This wasn't right, I should be happy and celebrating since I will be graduating with flying colors. I tried to plaster a slight smile on my face but I was certain I looked like insane right now. What was wrong with me? Sighing heavily, I lifted my head and saw the light from the moon, inching out slowly as the silver gleam started to pour. Maybe I was just overreacting. Yes, maybe that was it. I was thinking of the negativities of the new environment because I was too attached with my junior year. The thought started to deplete as soon as I reached the soccer field. The back of Ivy welcomed me as the silver glow washed over her silky black cascading hair.
The though that bothered me awhile back subsided surprisingly as I lunged to her part. My mind whirled around the thoughts about her. Until now, I was still clueless on why I got a sense of protectiveness towards her. My mind always circulating about the thoughts of her but when I was near her, I became crippled. Maybe, I pitied her; I was fed up of the verbal abuse she was gaining from our schoolmates. The thought of leaving her all alone here made my stomach knot. Her stoic face every time they bullied her flashed on my mind. She did not show any semblance of sadness, nor did she show even a faint trace of weakness. Her chin was held up high, like holding a supremacy of a sole heir.
The large moon inched away from the bank of clouds, reigning entirely at the sky. The silver glow bathed the whole premises of the school as some raven started to flight and the intrinsic sound of crickets wore on my sense of hearing. Ivy was silent as she hugged her knees, planting her chin on top of her bended knees. My presence did not surprise her, nor did my greetings. She just casted a nonchalant nod and resumed looking elsewhere.
"How's your day?" I began, I'd love the silence when I was with her but there was something urging me to speak.
"As usual,"
I turned to her but she didn't even bother to look at me, "What do you mean?"
"The usual mundane routine. Bullies in every hallway trying to make fun of me."
"They're still at it, huh?" Clenching my jaw, I tried to restrain myself to explode, "Why don't you try to escalate this to the Guidance Office?"
"You think it will make my life at ease once I escalated my problem? We have talked about this already, August. It will never be of use. It will be futile." She croaked, slightly shacking her head.
