Regularly Irregular

CHAPTER 17 - Caught

You spent the rest of your school day being hyper aware of anything and everything going on around you. Every time you passed though the halls, your eyes scanned over every single face trying to discern which ones were unfamiliar or suspicious. The scratching sound of pencil on paper was like the ticking of a clock hand in a silent room. It drove you mad. Or more realistically, you were driving yourself mad. By the end of the day you were exhausted and had yet to even catch a glimpse  of the girl Jotaro spoke about.

You were so tired that you almost forgot to meet up with Kakyoin at the end of the day, and it wasn't until you heard him shouting your name across the hall that you remembered. Stopping and scooting towards the wall you waited for your friend. The sea of students eager to leave made their way around you, splitting apart and gliding past as if you didn't even exist. Someone bumped into you as you waited. You felt a strange stinging sensation in your arm where their body made contact with yours, but you didn't think much of it. They muttered you a quick apology before going on their way, and for a moment you could have sworn you caught a glance of a smile as they vanished into the crowd.

"Y/n!" Kakyoin had finally caught up with you. "It feels like I haven't seen you all day!"

Your gaze shifted behind Kakyoin for a moment, analyzing the faces of all the students walking past. "We literally had lunch together not even two hours ago, Nori." You chuckled softly, deeming it safe for the moment to let your guard down.

"I'm sure you missed me though, considering how you don't have any other friends," Kakyoin teased, poking a finger into your side.

You swatted it away, rolling your eyes at his childish remark. "Next time we get milkshakes together I'm stealing your cherry~" You turned on your heel and began to walk away, leaving a suddenly flustered and offended Kakyoin to follow at your heels.

"I was just joking! I'm sure you have lots of friends in your other classes."

"Chill, Nori. You were right anyways, I really only talk to you and I guess Jotaro."

"Oh! I meant to ask about that. So you guys are on first name basis now then, huh?" Kakyoin wiggled his eyebrows at you, and you couldn't help but scoff.

"Don't read too much into it, dumbass. When I had dinner with him and his mom she was the one that insisted I call him Jotaro instead of Kujo."

"And no one can disagree with Ms. Holly's dreamlike charm." Kakyoin leaned his head in your direction.

"Yeah, something like that."

You stopped at Kakyoin's locker before making your way to your own. As you replaced your indoor school shoes with your street shoes, a sudden feeling of oddity came over you. Narrowing your eyes, you searched the depths of your mind to figure out why you felt so off all of a sudden, only to realize that Jotaro had not accompanied the two of you at the end of the school day. Normally you wouldn't find that strange at all, but you had gotten so accustomed to his presence that it felt somewhat wrong without him; almost like your duo with Kakyoin was turning into a trio.

"Speaking of the giant, where is he?" You thought aloud.

"I think he went home early today? I'm not too sure myself honestly. I ran into him in the hallways when I was going to the bathroom and he said not to wait for him at the end of the day so..."

"Maybe he decided he was coming to school too much and had to start skipping more again," you shrugged.

"I don't know... I feel like he doesn't really care about that anymore. Ever since you and him started to get more acquainted he's been showing up more."