Bruised

Ch. 11: Uncharted Waters

|Aya|

I sigh, as I stare up at a faded brick building, where parents and their children are walking in and out of for open house. I really didn't need to be here. In fact, I could spend the rest of the day leisurely wandering around town like I was doing earlier. Helen thinks that I have to be here. A lie I told her for the third year in a row, but she neither knows or cares enough to find that out. Too busy attending the "open house" for Trinity Academy, a posh private school that my foster sisters attend. It's less of a school event, and more of a social gathering for the rich. Each one of them showing off before the new school year.

Either way, when I get back to the house one thing is for sure: I will have a crap load of chores to do.

But, yes, I didn't have to be here for the school tour because I know the place like the back of my hand. I've been here since freshman year and the only things that have changed since then is the graffiti on the lockers. However, I somehow convinced myself to attend the one this year just to see where classes (mine specifically) would be. Since teachers get assigned to different rooms each year. Hands in my jacket's pockets, I stride up toward the entrance. Holding the door open for a few people.

Entering the building I could see some familiar faces, mostly my AP teachers from last year are leading tour groups. I stick to the back of one, blending in with the crowd before splitting off on my own. Poking inside of classrooms here and there for signs of a teacher's name on a chalkboard and details for the first lesson of the school year. I still can't believe we fucking use chalkboards. Makes me miss the  technologically advanced smart-boards at Trinity's. No dusty chalk fingers or screechy noises to endure.

As I'm exiting out of one classroom, I go to the one across it to find two cute guys already inside. I lean against the door frame in silence, watching them. Victor is sitting atop one of the student tables, drawing something on his iPad while Gabriel is at a bookshelf. He's grumbling and cursing as he pulls out books only to put them back. What is he doing?

One day these boys are the picture of innocence, and the next they're suspiciously snooping around a classroom. But...I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt, like Sang said, they don't seem like bad guys and I really shouldn't jump to any conclusions.

At least for now.

  ••••••••• 

|Gabriel|

"So many fucking books in the way..." I mumble to myself as I move some novel off the shelf and take a look in the gap for some place to set up a micro-camera. Nada. I shove the novel back in its place and move more dusty ass books around in search of the perfect spot. Seriously, who's gonna read the autobiography of some guy named Audie Murphy? I've never even heard of the dude. I'd rather draw maps then set up cameras, but I lost in Rock-Paper-Scissors with Victor.

So here I am. Inhaling dust. Wondering to myself quietly if I could die from breathing in so much of that shit. I cough and put the book back in its place, taking another one out and oh, what a surprise. It's another autobiography of the same fucking guy. Well, now I'm curious enough to open the book to at least figure out who he is. Like did he invent a cure for some nasty stuff or what?

"What're you guys doing?" SHIT. I dropped the book and the micro-camera I had in my other hand and I scramble to grab them. Hoping whoever said that did not see the little black camera. Luckily, there are a lot of desks in here to provide cover.

"Sorry, we just got lo-oh." Oh? I turn around to see what got Victor so tongue tied. We rehearsed the excuse a million times in case someone came in and he screws it up? What even wo-Oh. "Hey Aya, didn't expect to see you here.." He says exactly what's on my mind, minus the sweetheart.