The Search for Serenity

7 - Friend Thing

- Alice -

Tuesday arrives and I stand leaning against my locker in the halls, watching the trails of rain glide down the glass doors of the school. The beautiful madness of nature blankets the town, the winds strong and the rain heavy. Leaves blow and puddles ripple in the wind as more drops of water land. The weather is particularly grey today, the cold being unmerciful on my bones as I rub my hands together in attempts to generate some kind of warmth.

I zone out, wondering if Toby was okay out in the rain yesterday. I felt bad having taken his jacket, leaving him with just his sweater.

What if he got sick? Or slipped in the rain and broke a bone?

As I get stuck in my thoughts, I nearly flinch at the shrill sound of the bell. I lift my weight off the lockers, heading to class.

I arrive to the immensely decorated science room and Mr Fell, my biology teacher since Sophomore year, stands outside the class as he welcomes us. His huge glasses sitting on his nose as he beams. I return his smile in greeting as I walk in, searching for a seat, but find nothing but an empty table in the back. The rooms walls are covered in colourful annotated diagrams and equations, a breath of fresh air from the plain beige walls of most other classrooms that cast boredom and headaches upon everyone inside.

I walk over and pull out one of the chairs, taking a seat and grabbing my notebook and pencil case from my bag. As I do, I catch sight of an approaching figure in my periphery. I play no mind until I hear the chair beside me scrape against the hard floor as it's pulled out, a squeaking sound emanating around the relatively quiet classroom, and I feel a presence place itself in the seat next to me. Judging by the light scent of a specific cologne, I know who's next to me.

"I didn't know you'd be in my bio class this year."

When I hear no response, I look over to him. Toby's face is blank and he seems to not have acknowledged my presence at all.

"Hey, are you alright?" I ask with sincerity as his pulled together features and tight lips tell me something's not quite right.

"Peachy." His reply is passive, leaving me worried and unsure. I awkwardly sit back in my seat, deciding it be best not to push for now.

Whatever good mood Toby was in yesterday evening has vanished, the indifference in his eyes almost convincing me it never even happened at all.

I can't help but wonder if I did something wrong. Was it because I took his jacket? He did give it to me but maybe he was too polite to ask for it back. Or maybe it's because he thinks I'm some stalker who likes to stare at him and it's made him feel uncomfortable. I momentarily look back at him, seeing him intently focusing on Mr Fell as he starts his teaching. His eyes flit back to mine for a split second, making me divert my own elsewhere.

Great, he probably thinks I was staring. Again.

"—are what, Alice?"

My attention snaps back up to Mr Fell and my face instantly heats up, feeling the classes eyes on me. I stammer, not knowing what to say. I can't exactly ask him to repeat the question because I wasn't listening, and I can't say nothing either.

I can feel my breathing becoming slightly ragged as I try to string together some words, but my mind can only seem to focus on the eyes around me that burn into my face. I can almost hear my own heart beating in my ears as my throat tightens, my anxiety gripping me like a python would its prey.

I go to open my mouth, but a deep voice next to me intervenes. "Are Chromoplasts, Chloroplasts and Leucoplasts. The three types of plastids present in plant cells only are Chromoplasts, Chloroplasts and Leucoplasts."