Lone [MATURE HS]

Chapter 35.

N. Prepare for the drama

School was the usual. Except for my seminar class, one where a substitute was established for Howard. Not seeing him there was inducing my anxiety, my panic. My brain is taunting me with visions of Howard's lifeless body. I grip the edge of my desk tightly, my stomach hurting from hunger and look ahead towards our new professor instead.

His name is Martin Baslov, a Russian 32 year old man with a stern voice, black curly hair, thick beard, and beautifully grey eyes. He has a strong build, tall and intimidating at first. Baslov searches the classroom for faces, before his eyes land on me. His thick eyebrows furrow, and he glances down at his attendance sheet, which most teachers don't even care to keep, but he does.

"Tara Mercado?" He calls, and I am just staring at him with a blank expression. Most of the students are focused on their side conversations, ignoring Baslov with not effort to listen. He's surprised at my presence, examining my face as to almost remember it. "Nice of you to finally join us — now, everyone, turn to page 12 of the analysis we were doing three days ago..."

The class goes on and I just sit there, unsure I can continue the rest of the forty minutes. I have the analysis thanks to a classmate, though not seeing Deborah anywhere makes me nervous. She had something to do with Kennedy and all of a sudden she's disappeared just as Kennedy was imprisoned. My schoolwork is vital, and so I force myself to read from where they're starting and assigning myself to read on my own the very beginning.

I see Xavier typing on his laptop. He occasionally glances over at me, making a questioning face. The worry clear on his face. The last time I saw him was recently after he got Keth to leave me alone when Harry was in Florida. He doesn't turn too many times after I practically ignore him, not wanting him involved in anything or asking any questions. I move on with the class discussion.

Finally, it's over. I rush to get out of the lecture room, though I'm stopped by none other than Xavier. I sigh heavily and turn my head to look over at him, stopping just left to the door of the room. He stares me down for a few seconds before blurting out in a breathe, "Where have you been, Tara? Jesus...you had us all worried. Does Charlie know you're back?"

Blinking slowly, my chest rises with inhaled breath before muttering, "Yeah. I texted him but he hasn't gotten back to me. He might be angry with me."

"He's not, trust me. He just thinks you don't want to talk to him or involve him in your life anymore," Xavier explains, gripping his laptop bag tightly. He turns his head to glance down the hallway briefly before turning back to me. "Listen, I have to go to premed. But...I'm glad you're back."

Xavier walks away before I can say anything in return. I chew on the inside of my lip, walking towards the field outside knowing there's where I'll find Harry. The day is cloudy with the occasional sunlight seeping through. On my way there, I spot a familiar pale guy sitting at a bench, enjoying what it seems to be a pear and a textbook in front of him.

My feet start to approach him, my mind distracted but for only a few seconds until I remember Harry and I agreed to talk to him together. Considering also that he's less likely to want to get violent with me if he's confronted with Harry, who Keth is terrified of.

I find Harry at the field, already grabbing his things, a duffle bag and a water bottle. He chugs nearly all of it by the time I approach him. He's wearing basketball shorts and no shirt, the white tee hanging off the strap of his duffle bag. Hair pushed back with one stroke of his hand, wiping his brow with his wrist. He sees me seconds before I'm fully in front of him.

"Hey," I greet gently, and he throws out his water bottle in the recycling bin nearby. Having bought one from the vending machine already, I hand a new cooled one to him. He raises an eyebrow, his lips quirking up at my thoughtful gesture.