Compositions of Us

05 · The Lifelines Walk the Tight Rope

© an affiniteas 2013-2014 ink on Wattpad

05 · The Lifelines Walk the Tight Rope

When I got to school the next morning, Joshua Anderson was the top headliner of Farello High gossip. 

It was no shocker that everyone talked about his sudden injuries to the smiley-face bandaid that strangely worked for him. Joshua was a star because the students assumed he had gotten into a fight. Fights were never common as the media deemed them to be. The last one that happened at our school finished quicker than it started because the dean came before the circle of spectators could even form. 

Through the sea of gossip, the hot shot was no where to be found. All the information about him was just a bunch of hearsay passed on from student to student. Joshua didn't show up to his locker, nor did anyone have a clue about his whereabouts. Even though I was actually with Joshua yesterday, I kept my word and stayed silent.

As I walked to first period with Eric and Mikaela, both of them were in their own little worlds. They did ask me about Joshua, but I shrugged in return since I was as "clueless" as them. Sort of. 

Mikaela was focused on her phone which I believed was concerning Trevor. She told me that they agreed to end their break and were back together again. With Eric's case, I was still worried about his situation.

"They weren't so happy," Eric replied impassively since he was more attentive on the manila folder he was reading.

Disregarding his lack of interest, I asked, "You didn't get into trouble, right?"

Eric shook his head, his voice still blunt. "No. Joshua showed up before we closed and apologized. My mom couldn't resist and forgave him."

Did Eric fail to notice that Joshua was a little beaten up? 

From there, the class president appeared off center. Just by the tone of Eric's voice, he wasn't in the mood. Though this diva attitude of his was occasional and irritated me every now and then, I was a bit relaxed to hear that Eric and — I admit — Joshua were both okay.  

Eric closed the manila folder and slid it between his arm before he announced that he was going to class. I thought that was why we were all walking together in the first place. 

Without even anticipating a reply, Eric stormed off to his AP literature class. Confused with Eric's change of behavior, I glanced over at Mikaela who probably didn't even notice his departure.

"What's his problem?"

Mikaela tore her gaze off from the screen and looked at me. 

When she asked who I was talking about, I sighed. "Eric, Mikaela. He looks upset."

She shrugged and replied honestly, "He's probably just stressed."

Even if that could be a reason, it didn't convince me one bit.

Once I parted ways with Mikaela to head to my physics class, my stomach flipped when I realized that I had homework due. I wasn't looking forward to Mr. Brenner's face of disappointment whenever he discovered a student had forgotten his horrid assignments.  

As soon as I got home yesterday, I cooked Mom some dinner and ended up knocking out on the couch.  

Yesterday's events took the life out of me that it felt like some weird dream. 

Plopping down on my usual seat, I opened my textbook and flipped through the pages to find the homework I missed. The equations were so alien to me that I wanted to yank my hair out. Physics was something I would never understand.