Stop Being Human

Chapter 18

Melody gathers her bags back onto her shoulders as her bus arrives. "I'll see you in a few days, okay?" She hugs me goodbye, "Text me if you need anything." Melody turns to the bus door and closes her wings in order to fit.

"Have fun!" I shout to her just before the doors shut behind her. I watch her pass by a few seats before settling near the middle of the travel bus. She places her bags under her seat and then sits. As the bus drives away, she waves me goodbye. I wave back and we hold eye contact until the hovering bus is too far for me to see her anymore.

I sigh and tell myself I'll be fine. It'll be quiet and lonely in the dorms, but at least I know I am not the only one. Pois is staying as well and asked me to stop by her dorm today so I can help her catch up in English. She wants to get it all done now and have the rest of the break to herself, and I don't blame her.

I pull out my phone and text her that I am on my way now. I pick up my bag from off the ground and head that way.

"Hey! Come in!" Pois greets me at her door.

When I step into her room, all I can smell is nature and plants. Almost as if I am out in the woods. She has her window open, and the curtains fly up every time the wind pushes in. I'm not surprised when I see the many plants and vines decorating her desks and dressers. She has them all contained in glass.

"Don't mind the plants." She says, catching me staring, "I have to cover them when I have visitors." Pois analyzes her plant pets and smiles, "I can only grow the poisonous ones."

I nod, "That makes a lot of sense."

"It reminds me of home." I watch her run her fingers up and down the glass containers, "But it can get a bit moggy in here, hence the window."

I find it nice that she does all this just to have visitors over. I wonder if it's hard living as someone who could physically kill you with their touch. That'd be rude to ask.

"Are you ready to get started?" I start, taking my bag off of my shoulders. Pois motions for us to sit on the floor as she grabs her folders and notebooks.

"Not exactly." Pois groans, flopping down onto the floor, "But I need to do this to avoid being pulled out of the Fantasy Games."

I agree with her, "I will explain everything as best and as fast as I can for you." I pull out the few papers she needs and read over them in my head. It's my work but I need to explain this all to her in a way she hopefully will understand.

"Thank you... again for this." Pois shyly looks at me as she fiddles with her fingers.

"It's no problem. I'm not really sure what I'd be doing right now if you hadn't asked me to come over." I analyze the first paper, "Okay, so, in this one we read the short essay and then we have to take specific sentences from it, analyze them and explain how they connect to ourselves or people in our lives." I look up from my paper and she is staring at me blankly, "You read the essay, right...?" Slowly a smile curves on her lips and she shakes her head no, "Oh goodness, okay."

It takes time, a few hours at least, but we are able to get through three out of the four assignments Pois needed help on.

I point at one sentence on her page, "I would highlight this." She does just as I say it with her lime green highlighter. From my bag, my phone starts ringing. I dig through all my folders and utilities until I find it. It's Brandon.

"Can you give me a minute? I've got to take this." I point at my phone. Pois doesn't mind; she nods her head repeatedly then turns back to her assignment. I quietly step out of the room, trying not to slam the door behind me.