When Worlds Collide

Chapter 14

The kitchen was so silent, that the ticking from the old clock on the wall seemed to completely fill the room. Mrs. Clarissa sat on the chair across from me in deep thought, her glasses rested on the table as she propped her chin up in her palm. My eyes scanned her worriedly, still a little worked up from having to retell the entire situation between Ethan and I.

"You know honey, if there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that things may not always be as they seem. I think you need to give it some time, it's very likely everything will become clear soon enough," she smiled, looking so tired and frail. She never wore her favorite burgundy lipstick, or that sweet perfume I used to love as a kid. We had been taking pieces of her all this time, and now she can barely keep herself up. I felt so guilty.

My shoulders deflated as I stared at the orange juice sloshing in my glass as I tilted it, wondering how much I'd have to push for it to all flow over.

"I really like him, mom," I sighed, before quickly tensing at what I had just said in my moment of vulnerability. With a small chuckle and shake of her head, she simply carried on with a new twinkle in her eye and a small smile playing on her lips.

"I believe we should at least set up a therapy appointment soon, anything less would be a bit irresponsible of us, don't you think?" She tilted her head to the side playfully.

"Yeah. . . I know," I sighed, slouching further down into the wooden chair. "I shouldn't have ditched school, but I just didn't know what to-"

Mrs. Clarissa set her hand on top of mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I understand. I've excused the absences, no harm done. But I am so proud of you for calling me to get help, that was the best thing you could have done."

Nodding, I stared back down at my phone as Mrs. Clarissa stood, faced with the last message I sent to Ethan as I waited in the street for Mrs. Clarissa:

Today 10:37 AM

Nothing will ever mean as much to me than the time we have had together. Thank you.

~

"I'll start riding the bus from now on, I don't expect you to keep driving me, Vera," I mumbled as we walked through the hall to our first class, the usual morning softness was now replaced with rushed chatter. A new sense of urgency fueled this innate desire within the student body to spread gossip throughout the school- especially now that Ethan Matthews seems to have disappeared.

I couldn't help but feel bad for Chloe, jokes about how sex with her was so bad that Ethan had to flee the country seemed to be the new hit thing. A couple of guys at the lockers to the left of us began whispering to each other and staring at me, making my skin crawl and forcing me to grip the straps of my backpack tighter.

"The fuck you clowns staring at? Bunch of mouth breathers is what you are," Vera snapped, shocking them out of their dazed stupor before they began taunting Vera back. I picked up my pace, just wanting to get the day over with so I can move on to tackling the next one. That's the only way I've managed to keep myself together so far.

"Ivan, no. It's fine. I really don't mind, okay? You're going through a lot right now and I don't want to leave you on your own," she says, rummaging through her canvas bag as I sat at my desk and stared out the window. The trees were almost bare of leaves now, their branches spindly and dead looking. The pain I felt yesterday was suddenly gone, now all I felt was hollow and completely gutted from the inside. Nothing seemed like it would ever be okay again.

"Why is everyone looking over here? Christ, we should just start charging them for photos," Vera grumbled, slamming her notebooks around as she glared at the onlookers. Nervously, I scanned the room to see people still whispering and staring at me like the guys in the hallway were, and something just seemed. . . off.