Maybe This Time

Chapter 22

-Eric’s Time-

One more week to go and it will be the final hell week that we will be experiencing here in Aceltoria.

And we are the epitome of cramming.

We were greeted by the dark and gloomy sky this Monday morning. Since only a week is left before the dreaded exams, the teachers will be reviewing us and it will be our chance to ask questions to them about the lessons and clarify some things. After the flag ceremony, we all went back to our classroom and chatted for a little while. But I think that something is not right.

Processing….

Processing…

What is it?

Processing…

Aha! Got it!

Caleb and Ana are not talking.

Okay something weird is going on. Is it the end of the world? Nah, you’re overreacting, Eric. Ana’s talking with Jamella while Caleb and Winston are absorbed in their own conversation. Yeah. They’re just busy. Any minute now, and they will talk to each other and be in their own world again, like they always do.

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

Any minute now…

Wait for it…

Something is definitely not right. Ma’am Degrasto arrived and we went back to our seats. I saw Caleb and Ana lock gazes with each other.

But there was nothing.

They would usually smile at each other and have a small talk. But now, they look like they’re both strangers to one another. They stared at each other blankly and sat down. Not a word was exchanged between the two of them. When recess came, they didn’t even acknowledge each other’s presence.

“Girls, come on! Let’s go grab something to eat. All these reviewing sessions makes me hungry!” I heard Ana say to her friends, a big smile plastered on her face.

“Sure! Hey, you guys wanna come?” Jamella asked us.

“Why not?” Winston replied.

“Okay! Hey Bams!” Jamella turned towards Ana’s seat but she was already gone. “Bams?”

“She went ahead,” Caleb answered… expressionless.

What’s happening? Usually Caleb would always go with Ana. Heck, he even accompanied her to the comfort room. Of course, he stayed outside.

“O-Okay. Let’s go?” Alexie suggested.

“Caleb, you coming?” Jonathan asked.

“Nah, I’ll stay here,” and then he opened a book and started to read. All of us except him shared a look. We went out of the classroom and went straight ahead to the canteen, only to find Ana eating with some of our batch mates. The girls went to her while we bought our snacks and went ahead. We found Caleb staring out the window when we returned to our room, the book he was previously reading was left open on his desk.

I’ve only known Caleb for roughly a year, but I know that he is not in his usual self.

“Caleb, what’s wrong?” Jeremy asked him. Is it me, or did Caleb just stiffened and his eyes showed hurt when he heard Jeremy’s question? He looked at us and gave a small smile.

“N-Nothing.”

“Dude, you’re obviously lying,” Mike replied.

Winston placed his hand on Caleb’s forehead. “Are you sick or something?”