Time was fast running but Tina had no intention whatsoever of going to school. All she wanted to do at the moment was to vanish with the breeze which was just as absurd as it sounded. She strolled along the pavement; lost in her thoughts of dejection. Inwardly, she felt bitterness surged through her at every memory that flashed her mind as she fought back her tears. She was miffed at herself and whatever was going on in her life.
“They were the main reason she was like this but they don’t seem to get it;” Her inner voice echoed. Just thinking about it alone made her stomach churn with hatred.
After what seemed like an endless walk, she finally got to the bus stop. She settled on one of the seats under the waiting shade– staring down at her feet. Not long, the first bus pulled by but she was least interested in getting on board. She remained glued in her seat, drowning in her grief– the sense of numbness infused her body as she crumpled inside.
At that moment, a figure took a stand beside her a few inches away but she was so lost in herself that she didn’t even notice. The average height young man who seemed to be a year older than Tina glanced at the gloomy girl sitting opposite him and tilted on his toes– pulling on the handles of his bag in the process as if to stretch while he stared straight ahead with a refreshing smile on his face.
“ Life is too ironic to fully understand right?” He uttered in motion, diverting his gaze back to Tina.
The latter instinctively lifted her gaze to the voice that rapt her ear only to be met with the sweetest smile she had ever seen; his ebony black bang slightly covering his face. She stared into those sea-green upturned eyes with a quizzical look on her face– not sure if she knew him or not but then the uniform he wore caught her attention. They were from the same school but he didn’t look like someone she had seen before.
“Don’t you think so?” He continued, having Tina’s full attention now. He could tell from the latter’s eyes the amount of pain she was harboring deep down. “You see, “ He paused for a second. “It takes sadness to know what happiness is. Noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence.” He went on hoping to send some sense of encouragement to her but the latter just stared intently at him– not getting what he was grumbling or better still not interested.
She studied him for a while if she could get anything but then his impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance gave little away. She knitted her brows in confusion and kept glancing at him with the same quizzical look; her earlier trauma and bitterness are suddenly gone. The intruder noticed the hostile attitude from her face but as if on an impulse; stretched out a hand to her.
“Ethen,” He said as he stood over her with a smile pasted on his face in tactful silence– while he waited for the latter to take his hand and introduce herself as well. But instead, Tina scoffed~ rolling her eyes in the process as she briefly glanced into space then back to Ethen. Seizing him up, she jolted to her feet with her frayed emotions.
Giving him the cold shoulders, she adjusted her bag over her shoulders– threw him the stern look, and waved an approaching taxi to a stop. Ethen watched as she hopped in and it sped off. He instinctively allowed his gaze to travel back to his stretched hand and shrugged; dropping it by his side as he pressed his lips in a tight-lipped smile. Just then, the second bus rode by and he glided in.
************
Phidel had left home earlier than usual with Isla having the slightest idea what she was up to. “She said she had an early morning class and wants to avoid being late for it.” That’s all that the former got from her mother but then how come she knows nothing about it? She thought to herself.
Taking the sisters into critical analysis, she noticed they were totally at opposite poles. One was reserved and turned to look over things while the other was the kick-ass type who wouldn’t let things just slide over so easily. Not to talk of her intimidating personality.
Isla had combed the entire school for Phidel but she seemed not to be anywhere in sight. She asked quite a few friends of hers but no one was sure of her whereabouts– not even Claire who seemed to be her stalker.
She had wanted to search around some more but the morning bell left her no other option than to retire to her class for their first-period lessons. Though she had long settled in class; pretending to be deeply immersed in the ongoing lesson, her mind was just not at ease– especially not knowing her cousin’s whereabouts nor what she was up to. A sigh intuitively escaped her lips as she rested her elbow on the desk– supporting her head with her palm whiles her eyes stayed glued to the board; jotting down some notes.
Rowan on the other hand was no different from Isla. It had already been 30mins since lessons started but to his surprise, neither Tina nor Phidelia (Phidel) was in. His eyes scanned the room which seemed settled with everyone in, except the two– even Roxy and Bella were in.
“Where could this two be?” He grumbled mentally to himself but shuddered at the thought of them being together somewhere. It was surely going to be fireworks if they truly were. A sigh of exhaustion instantly escaped his lips, suddenly growing impatient as he hoped for the class to end soon.
Meanwhile, Phidelia and Phidel were huddled somewhere in the hallway leading to the control room just a distance away; hoping to have their chance to sneak in. “Are you sure about this?” Phidelia whispered over her sister’s shoulders as she peered in over from behind into the open space from where they hid.