Fine Form

18 | GHOSTING

18 — GHOSTING

FOUR DAYS after the weekend, Dimitri's MIA. No calls, no text, no scandal. Yet. All week I've been treading on thin ice around Theodore and he's completely oblivious to everything. I don't think Dimitri hasn't broken the news to him yet and it makes me wonder what he would think.

Would he see me differently? Yes.

Would he explode? Maybe?

The boy's been in his own little world and pulling out his hair stressing about the upcoming exams. At the beginning of the week, Jeremiah had reported he'd seen him at student services for his exam stress. My heart goes out to him but he has nothing to worry about, I know he'll do well.

I stumble into class a little late, having overran by ten minutes to walk it across the school playground. To my surprise, students aren't hanging from the ceiling and no chairs have been thrown about. There's a light murmur of chatter and trade of insults.

"Miss! MISS! YO MISS!" Christian thundering voice yaps my ear down. I place my books on the desk, apologizing to everyone for arriving late. Chrisitian's still screaming my name. "I have a question," he states again when I don't reply.

My hands meet my waist, turning to face him. "I might have an answer,"

The classroom buzz dies down as they face him. "Should I get into trouble for something I didn't do?" I narrow my eyes at him, having not figured the gist of the conversation. What was he trying to say? Did he get into another fight on the field? Did a teacher give him detention again? Did Coach Saltz not give him a football to play with for lunch?

"No. If you haven't done it then you shouldn't get in trouble," I say, sounding so unsure of myself.

He grins triumphantly. "Glad we're on the same page Miss, 'cause I haven't done your homework," the class explodes with laughter as I facepalm myself. Jesús.

My face has morphed into a serious expression and he gazes wearily at me, knowing he's in deep shit. Good. "Christian, don't make me tell you again. You're leaving for study week in three weeks. Your final exams are less than four week away, and you don't have some ounce of fear? Beside, it was revision homework for you," Theodore slides his chair back, strutting up to my desk with sass.

I stare jadely at him, fearing for my life in case he suddenly knows about me and his brother. He simply smiles, winking at me and placing his own homework down. "Or at least be like Theo who's given me his copied homework from Sarah," Of course Sarah would give Theodore his homework, she's had a massive crush on him since the beginning of the year. Theodore isn't innocent in this either, he uses it to his advantage.

Theodore faces Christian, his pearly whites showing. "Yeah Chrissy. At least I've done it,"

He's grimly looking at Theodore now, arms folded across his chest. "I don't copy like you." he mumbles. They begin throwing insults about each other's hairlines back and forth and I manually step in to seize the crossfire. This was going to be one long class and Lunch couldn't have arrived faster.

The clock ticks, I sit silently straining my eyes at the examiners report I'm supposed to be writing for the year ten in class test. I don't mind being alone but sometimes it becomes suffocating to the point where my mind begins to wander.

I think back to the car ride, breakfast at Abuela's and the subtle flirting over dinner. The illusion he presented me was so perfect and innocent on his behalf. He had no business being that charismatic towards Abuela and playing the role of my loving fiancé. And now, he's completely disappeared off the face of the earth. Gone with the contract.