Like Gods

[6] disappearance

"You didn't show up last Thursday." Dylan swung his bag off his shoulder and took his seat next to Christopher, interrupting his conversation with the guy in front. His Monday morning had already been pisspoor and he was still a bit bitter about the complete diss that he had gotten the previous week.

Christopher turned his head slightly, seeming unbothered by Dylan's statement. "I know, something came up." Dylan frowned.

"And you couldn't have sent me a message?" 

"I don't have your number." Chris shrugged, turning to his notebook where he scribbled something, which piqued Dylan's interest. 

"You could have come by." 

"I told you, something came up. Something more important than stupid fucking biology." Chris snapped, eyes meeting Dylan's. There was something more than anger there, he could see it, but he could not put his finger on what. "I'll make it next time, just let it go." 

"Yeah, okay." Dylan got his history book out as the bell rang. Mr. Morgan entered the classroom and set his briefcase down on his desk.

"Sorry I'm late, car trouble." He hurried and got a folder out of the case. "Today we'll be continuing with what we did last class, so I hope all of you have read the pages I assigned." He started going around the room and giving out papers to everyone. "Once again, you'll be working with your desk buddy and discussing these questions. You are allowed to use the book if need be."

Dylan sighed and shot a glance at Chris, who probably hadn't been listening. It didn't seem like he had at least, considering the fact that he was hunched over his desk, the leather jacket he usually wore discarded over his chair.

"Hey." Dylan poked his side lightly.

"Yeah, I heard." He closed his notebook and straightened his shirt just as Mr. Morgan came by and gave them their paper. "I didn't read." He said it so nonchalantly and at that moment, Dylan had a strong urge to punch him in the face. Did he not realize that this was the senior year? That everything that he did now mattered. It sure didn't seem like it. 

"Of course you didn't." He muttered and started writing down the questions himself.

There wasn't any more conversation between the two of them during that class, and when the bell rang Dylan didn't waste any time before he left the room. As he walked through the hallway, past the sports board, he remembered Coach's words from the previous Wednesday. He stopped.

On the list that was, just like Coach had said, fastened to the board, there were about twenty names typed. He didn't have to look far to find his name, and he wasn't that surprised either. The warning bell rang soon after and made him move again, towards math with Felicia.

__

The week went quicker that Dylan had thought it would. In what felt like a day, it was Thursday and he was eating lunch with the soccer team. 

"So, how many newbies will be joining us tomorrow at practice?" Jake asked as he picked at his not-very-appetizing food. Dylan chuckled.

"I think three," Shawn said with a mouth full of food, "two juniors and one sophomore." 

"A sophomore? Damn, that kid's gotta be good." Landon said, clearly impressed, and not wrong to be. Getting to join the team in the sophomore year didn't happen very often, and there was extreme talent required.

"Yeah, I think his name's Jeremy," Shawn continued, now having swallowed the food, "He's friends with my cousin. Played his entire life, and his family is from Spain." Dylan nodded and continued to spoon food into his mouth. He hadn't eaten any breakfast and was starving.