Like Orion & Spark

17: While Looking for a Way Out

I was hunched over my paper, diligently copying my notes as the professor droned on. In the pauses, I busied myself by tracing a line across the sides of the page.

A heavy rain slammed against the windows, shaking the glass and causing the occasional branch to scrape against it. I kept a mental list of everything I spotted. Clouds, storm...

I still couldn't find a name. That was the task I had preoccupied myself with; if I was thinking about my surroundings, distracting myself with anything else, I wouldn't be thinking about what had happened on the weekend.

Light, darkness, overcast, rain.

I wondered how the hell Orion had decided on his name. At what point did he settle to call himself after a God? If I thought about it, the decision made him sound kind of egotistical.

I sat through my morning classes, waiting for the break in my schedule, when I could head to the cafeteria. That was my only respite lately.

As soon as class was dismissed, I gathered my papers and clicked them into my binder, falling into step with the stream of students.

When I arrived at the cafeteria, I ducked past the lunch line. The food was never worth eating unless I was desperate, but I could at least make myself a sandwich.

At the tables near the front were the different fraternities, all huddled together like it was a cult. Which, I supposed, wasn't entirely wrong—I just didn't think they would make it obvious.

As per usual, I spotted a few people making idle conversation with Trevor. He knew everyone and never seemed to hold a grudge. When he spotted me in the cafeteria line, he shouted loud enough to grab my attention, beckoning me to come over.

Even after I'd returned from Kieran's apartment, he hadn't pressed the issue. I didn't know how he wasn't angry with me, but I was okay with normalcy. I could handle that.

Once I had finished preparing my food, I got a plate and joined the others at the table. The din of voices rose as I approached. Outside, clouds blotted the sun through a washed-out sky.

Thunder, lightning, fire.

As my eyes scanned the room, I lost focus on the conversation. Eventually, Nico arrived from his history class to join us. Except, instead of greeting us like a normal human being, what he said was,

"Does anyone have a lighter?"

Trevor swivelled to look at him. "Why would we?"

Nico groaned irritably. "Fine, does anyone have anything that could make a spark?"

I clicked back in reality as his words registered in my head.

Spark.

***

The days passed in a repeating cycle. It seemed as if each time I finished an assignment, two more projects were announced. I barely had the time to focus on anything else.

On Tuesday, Halloween arrived. I had anticipated this day for many reasons, but now that time was ticking, my palms had started to grow sweaty at the thought.

Today was the day to execute my plan.

I pulled on a makeshift suit—it was nothing but a simple yellow bodysuit—impossible to see when I layered it underneath my actual costume.

I was going as Chandler from Friends, mostly since Gabriel wanted to be Joey, and he had convinced me it wouldn't make sense if he went alone. Nico had agreed to be Ross, but only after hours of pestering.