Chasing the Sun

042

When we arrived at the foodcourt where the students were supposed to have their meal, it was already packed and the students had already started eating. I checked to see if my class was sitting altogether, but figured that they were all scattered and that we could seat next to any student. With that, I decided to eat with Tawan and sat next to him on an empty table.

"You're only having omelette? we're on top of a mountain and the food you chose to eat is omelette rice?", Taiwan said as he looked at the plate of omelette rice in front of me. Contrary to my completely boring food choice, he was eating chicken basil with rice, a perfect meal to eat on a perfect place.

"I wanted to eat the buttered shrimps, but you know how i suck at skinning them. By the time I finish, the whole school would've gone to start the retreat."

He let out a sigh and stood up.

"Where are you going? Aren't you gonna eat?"

"Stay here and wait."

He took off and headed towards the food station where he talked to the kitchen staffs. I couldn't make out what he was talking to them about, so I figured that he was just going to order more food.

Moments after, he came back carrying a plate of skinned buttered shrimps and placed it on my table as he set aside the dull omelette.

"I don't wanna ruin this experience for you. And by "ruin", I meant I don't want you to eat what you don't like."

I smiled to Tawan as he ate his food, which I thought had already gone cold because he was gone a bit too long for the food to stay warm.

"Continue being like this and I'll get used to it."

"You can get used to it, I'll gladly peel shrimps for you until my fingers go numb."

"oohh, loverboy. Do you usually hit on girls with those lines?"

"I'm usually much better."

We finished the food just in time with all of the students even when we came in late, and just after all the students had eaten we were tasked to go the activity area of the park so we could officially start with the retreat. It was strange that I didn't see Aj anywhere the whole time we ate and went to the activity area, but I guessed that was relieving for Tawan and I as we got to enjoy eating together without the fear of Aj spoiling the moment.

A few students were already seated on the floor of the activity area when we came in, and our class was instructed by the student council to sit on the area designated for us. Slowly, the room started to become full and the murmurs of the students filled the whole area. Aj was still nowhere to be found. I remembered the conversation I overheard between Aj and somebody else on the bus, and they were talking about pictures or something. Strangely, it bothered me that he was out of my sight, and I felt like he was up to something sinister that's why he was not sitting with us.

I gave Tawan a call as my suspicion grew bigger, but he didn't answer any of them. I searched for him on their class, but he too wasn't seated. My heart started pounding heavily as I noticed Tawan and Aj's disappearance from the crowd. In panic, I stood up and headed for the exit to look for Tawan. However, I was blocked by a teacher who was guarding the doors.

"The retreat will start in a few moments, go back to your place", The teacher said with much authority.

"But I--"

"Go back.", He said sternly as he looked at me fiercely. I wanted to tackle him and just barge my way outside because of my panic, but a few students were already looking at our direction and the tension was starting to go off.

Frustrated and nervous I made my way back to the crowd and sat as I prayed nothing bad happened to Tawan and maybe him and Aj missing was just pure coincidence.