Maybe In Another Life

Chapter 16

It was after classes that Soren went on a hunt for a quiet place.

His roommate was jerking off in their room to some magazines, and it wasn't a pretty sight.

With his economics books in hand, Soren fled the room, slamming the door behind him as he franctically searched for an escape. The room was a mess, rommate loud and obnoxious, and he over all had no personal space. His hands itched with annoyance and a desire to change his reality, but there was nothing to be done.

Another door opened and closed in the hall and Mavis stepped out. She had that constant tired look on her face, hands lost somewhere underneath her sleeves.

"What's up with you?" She says then proceeds to yawn and stretch. "You've got that disgusted look on your face."

Soren's eyebrows slowly draw together and he observes her, a part inside of him still resisting, and blaming her for ending up here.

She, walks up to him, pressing an ear to the door he just came out of, before her lips curled into a sly grin.

"I see." Was all she said, staring down at the books in his hand. "Follow me."

Not waiting for a response or any sort of acknowledgment, Mavis marched ahead, as if leaving Soren no choice but to follow her.

She knew if she'd elaborate or ask, he'd give her a hard time, so instead she simply left it to his curiosity to do the job for her.

Soren battled himself internally glancing around before following her.

As they walked, Soren watched Mavis's cat like struts. She almost walked on the tip of her toes, subconsciously placing one leg before the other which enhanced the movement of her hips. Her thin hands loosely dangled by her sides as she crept through the halls and up the stairs.

It was still day outside, but it had a stygian feel to it. The clouds concealed the paling yellow orb, yet the light managed to find any little gap and breakthrough. The autumn wind knocked at the windows, getting stronger by the hour. The forecast predicted a storm tonight.

"Stick to the wall." Mavis suddenly stopped, and pushed Soren back with the whole of her arm. She pressed his back flush against the wall, doing the same while she stared up at something.

"I'm sure students aren't allowed on the roof, thus the camera, but if we just stay in the blind spots we should be fine." She tells him without actually facing him.

He looks down at her arm which still remained across his chest, watching as it rose and fell with his breathing.

Mavis felt his warm breath hitting it, and removed it, motioning to him with that same hand, to stay low.

The two inched along the wall until finally, on the last step they were faced with a door.

"School personnel only!" The sign plastered on it read.

Mavis pushed it open and they emerged onto the roof.

Just like the school premises and all windows, the roof was fenced. The floor was just a smudge of unfinished concrete that was stained with pools of water.

It was nothing special, antennas and water tanks scattered all over. But it was a nice change, from inside, from feeling trapped and imprisoned.

"It's no library," Mavis begins, "but it's, literally, a breath of fresh air."

He bit back his snort, stepping forth towards the edge. He could see the sparse woods that surrounded the school, the road and then the city somewhere ahead, concealed by the fog.

The wind bit at his skin, his fingers numbing in their curled form around the books.

"Why'd you bring me up here?" He finally asks.

Mavis looks at him, her brown and blue eyes round. She shrugs, bringing the corners of her lips down.

"Don't you think it's a bit weird?" He asks, leaning against the metal railing. "We didn't talk at school and now we always stumble upon each other."

"Why would it be weird? We're in a new place and the only people we're familiar with are each other." She explains in a rather exasperated tone.

"Look I get you don't like me, I'm not trying to be all buddy buddy, but I thought there's been some progress. You don't talk to anyone and I'm bored. So I don't really see the problem." Mavis continues defensively.

Soren sharply exhales, torn between making friends with her or ignoring her. Something held him back. Was it really the fact that she was rumored to be a slut at school? Or the town folks' opinions on her and her family?

"I get it, you're worried about your reputation. Don't be, we'll go back to not knowing each other when we're out of here." She walks away from him.

"I'm not worried about my reputation." He grumbles, watching her cross the roof.

"Well then, a penny for your thoughts?" She turns back to him.

He presses his lips in a straight line, a little crease abiding between his brows in resistance.

"You can be as blunt as you want, I'm not one to take offense easily."

He remains silent either way, his finger scratching at the distressed spine of one of his books.

"Fine, how about 21 questions? Here I'll start: How long have you been boxing for?"

He look up from his hands and raises an inquisitorial eyebrow.

"What? Starting easy is the way to go." She shrugs.

"I started when I was 8, so a bit over 8 years now." He finally responds.

"Cool. Now it's your turn." Mavis wipes away a raindrop that had landed on her nose.

"Uh... what's a hobby of yours?" Soren reluctantly played along.

"Oh." She drags. "Good question actually." Her face morphs into one of confusion as she tilted her head to one side and stared into nothing. "Well I don't like to read. I don't draw nor write. Can't sing to save my life and my dancing is even worse. I don't play any instrument, nor practice any sport professionally. I just box sometimes to stay in shape or workout even though I'm not fond of it. So I guess I don't really have a-... Well there is this habit. I'm not sure it's considered a hobby, rather an impulse..." she trails away getting lost in her thoughts.

Soren tilts his head in anticipation, but the answer never came.

"That's an answer for another question though. So to answer this one, I was born with my hands growing out of my ass, so I'm not really good at anything, thus my lack of avocations." She faces him with a weird tilt on her lips and raise on her eyebrows.

They stood in silence, the rain around them beginning to grow louder while everything got darker and a black cloud hovered over the school.

"Well I guess this is where our bonding stops for today. Better get to the library before your books soak." Mavis looks up at the sky, her bangs already wet.

And with that, she heads to the door, and disappears into the darkness behind it.