Not Your Regular

Chapter Seventeen

Linda's POV

I had gone early in the morning to Bryan's house the day after he told me about Steve's uncle's death. Although we had planned to go to school together, I still wanted to find out if there was a way we could reach Steve before going to school.

"Good morning," I knocked on the door to Bryan's house.

A chubby, fresh skinned, old, gray haired woman with wrinkles on her face opened the door. I figured that was his grandmother.

"Good morning ma'am," I greeted more politely.

"Morning. Come on in." She replied in a very thick voice I wondered if she really was the one who spoke. I entered into the house. "Bryan is in the shower, he will soon be done." I heard the voice, still deep. She closed the door.

"Alright ma'am," I replied.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"No, thank you ma'am," I said and heard footsteps on the stairs behind me.

"That's Bryan", she said and pointed to my back. I turned to see Bryan in a gray towel.

"You didn't say you would be coming this early in the morning," He pouted.

"I didn't plan to, but after receiving the news Steve won't be coming, I wanted to find out if there is a way we can get across to him and give our condolences. He might have left without a word, but he's still our friend," I chanted and Bryan was watching my face the whole time.

"If that is what you would like to do. It's alright. Wait for me while I get dressed and we can go together to his parents house," he said and sprinted up the stairs.
"They are the closest we can get to reaching him." He was saying as he went.

Bryan was back downstairs in about seven minutes. That was so fast. He came with his boxes and luggage. Yeah, we were going back to school that day. Bryan hugged his grandmother goodbye and we went out of the house.

Unfortunately for us, we got to Steve's house late. "His parents have travelled to California," was the information we received. Concluding that we had tried our best, Bryan and I went to school.

I was moving in with Grace, so we went straight to her place. Apart from that fact, Bryan was super excited that he would be seeing his girlfriend. Jason was coming too. There was only one person missing, Steve.

We got to school early afternoon. I alighted from the car and walked up to the door to knock. I didn't have to, the door opened to reveal Jason smiling so brightly. He gave me a hug and I hugged him back.

The door opened further to reveal Grace who had slightly reduced in size. "Internship must have wore her out." I thought.

"Hey guys. How... " she started to say but couldn't complete the sentence as Bryan sealed her lips with a kiss.

After our greetings and pleasantries, we finally entered into the house.

"What of Steve?" Grace asked and silence stole into the room. Bryan hadn't told them yet.

"He may not be able to return to school for now," Bryan was the one to reply.

"Why?" Jason asked, concerned.

"His uncle died," Bryan muttered silently.

"Not another death," Grace said shaking her head.

"Have you called him?" Jason asked.

"He won't pick our calls. That's the natural Steve. He hasn't called since and he knows he's at fault. He won't call and he won't pick our calls," Bryan answered and I just bit my lip knowing he was right.

"We went to his parents house, hoping to get a message across to him through them. To tell him we are still his friends and he can call on us..." I started.

"But they were gone right before we arrived." Bryan finished.

"There isn't much we can do about it then. We can only pray that he is fine and patiently wait until he comes back to school." Grace said. "Guys it's a new semester. My last year," she said very excitedly.

"And mine too," Bryan said poking her in the shoulder.

"You guys shouldn't rub it in our faces that you're graduating this year," Jason said sounding a but hurt and I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

They all joined me in laughing too. Oh! How glad we were to resume.

That was how the new semester started. Moving in with Grace was a lot of fun even though there were times I had to go on some forceful strolls just to give Bryan and Grace some space.

We kept waiting each day for the return of Steve, days turned to weeks, weeks into month and still no sign of Steve. The first semester ended and Steve didn't show up. We still couldn't contact him in anyway. We could only keep hoping he was fine. We all decided to spend for one month semester break in school. We thought soon it would just be Jason and I, and they would be gone.

Don't you think it is funny? The way time passes when all you're doing is having fun. Before we knew it, break was over and their last semester was here.

The semester seemed short, Bryan and Grace were very busy. Concerning projects, professional exams and other things like that. I, in my own place, slowly enjoyed my lectures and was starting to get the feel of being a psychologist.

There was still no sign of Steve. I found myself getting worse in my habit checking every coffee shop. Everyday, I hoped that he would at least be there. I didn't know why I did that, maybe because he was my first patient ever, I wanted to be sure he was fine. I didn't get the chance to. Well, not until it was time for the final year student's final exams.

I had woken up in a frantic rush that morning. I had slept very late reading for the exam I had that morning. Quickly, I brushed my teeth and took my bath. As fast as I could I put on clothes and rushed out of the house.

I was running all the way to my exam hall, I was getting late, but my legs brought me to an abrupt stop in front of the coffee shop two blocks away from the house. The dark brown hair and swinging cup in his had stopped me. It was Steve. He was in the coffee shop. I rubbed my eyes to be sure I wasn't imagining it, but he was still there. I think he saw me too, because as soon as I stopped he stepped out of the shop and started coming towards me.

He seemed slender and there were bags in his eyes, like he lacked a lot of sleep. Although he seemed a bit worn out he looked cute as always. I slowly walked up to him. I couldn't say anything, I was too shocked to. It was almost a year since I had last seen him.

"Hey," he said stopping I'm front of me, rubbing his hair.

"Hey," I blinked my eyes and greeted back. Then I snapped, as though a part of my brain had been reset, I gave him a kick know the leg and glared at him. "Why? Why did you leave just like that?" I kicked him in the leg again and this time he cussed under his breath.

"Hey, calm down." He said rubbing his leg.

"I want to, but I can't. I feel like beating the hell out of you," It took all my self control to stop myself from shouting in that public place.

"Can we sit and talk?" He asked, his hand rubbing his hair again.

"I wish to, but I have an exam." The words escaped as a whisper from my lips.

"Okay. Go on and write your exam. I'll be waiting for you here in the coffee shop." He said patting me to go.

After taking a last look at him, I took to my heels and ran off to my exam hall. All the way I was thinking of just one thing or person, Steve. It was at that moment I understood how much I had missed him and missed talking to him.

As I sat to write my exam, I couldn't wait to see him once I was done.

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