Project: Socialize (Chapters 1-197)

193. Intruder

The school day soon ended, and then came the usual wait in the classroom for the hallways to clear as well as the calm walk up to the accessway that connected the main lecture building to the secondary club building. It's actually been quite some time since I've taken this path, and it's actually quite surprising to me how the scenery had changed.

I looked out from the accessway, feeling the cold, winter air as it blew on my face in a piercing manner. However, I ignored the slight discomfort that the cold and dry winter wind brought and focused on the beautiful scenery. From here, I could look out and see the beautiful skyline of Palisia where the windows of the skyscrapers reflected the blue sky overhead. In the distant horizon, a plane flew by from the airport located just outside the city to the north, occasionally being obscured by the skyscrapers that stood before it.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Loyd stopped by my side and also looked over the railing and at the school grounds as well as the sprawling city before us.

"Yeah," I responded, listening to this new voice of mine and still trying to familiarize myself with it.

"Well," Loyd softly chuckled as he took a small step back from the railings. "Let's not let the others wait too long."

For a brief moment, there was a somewhat awkward, maybe even considered rigid, moment where he seemed as if he wanted to raise his arm in my direction but restrained himself. However, there was still that slight movement which had caught my eye, causing me to look up from his arm and into his eyes.

"Is something the matter?" he asked when I stared into his eyes.

"Nothing," I shook my head. "Let's go."

Then, I walked past him and towards the door on the other side of the accessway where the Irina was holding the door for me. Loyd waited momentarily, almost as if he was thinking about something, but he soon started walking as well, and with his larger stride, caught up with me in a few steps. Irina was holding the door for the two of us, and I smiled and thanked her when I finally entered the secondary club building and escaped from the winter frost.

With the sound of the door unlocking, Loyd slid open the door to the club room, and once again, I was greeted with the familiar scenery of the room. There still existed the long, rectangular table with school chairs neatly tucked in on each side. The same cabinets were present, the same lights, and the same decorations on the wall. Everything just appeared to be as the way that I had last seen it, which has been for a while now.

Upon entering, I stopped in my footsteps, confused as to where my seat will be. The others walked past me and mobilized to their usual spots. Muria walked over to her chair by the closed window and Irina walked over and sat down in the seat next to hers. Loyd first went to the air conditioner to activate the heater before he went to his usual spot on the left side of the long table. Then there was Noah, who wandered over to the seat next to Loyd's and sat down where he usually did so.

I looked over at the seat that 'Alevian' used, which was the one closest to the door and the one that's slightly further from the other seats. I frowned as I recognized the fact that I will be unable to use this seat as it is not for 'Alvelyn'. Therefore, once again, I felt the awkwardness and that slight feeling of loneliness in my mind that stemmed from the fact that I am no longer myself and have to endure such a feeling for a month.

"Alvelyn!" Irina called my name, waving in my direction. "Come on."

With a slight show of hesitation, I clenched onto the strap of my school bag that I wore over my shoulder like a purse and walked over to her. However, upon closing my distance with her, I realized that my body slowly relaxed, and I believe that this was due to the welcoming atmosphere Irina and Muria, to some extent, had displayed towards me. With a confident smile on my face, I carefully tucked my skirt against my back thighs and sat down on the chair.