"Bye Troy, bye Nika, bye Melokuhle. I'll see you later." Pushing the car door closed, I say those heartbreaking words once more. it is less intense, yet nothing seems to have gone according to my hopes whatever of those I had in mind. The sky has become a brighter skobeloff and my backpack has even become less burdensome. Even Troy yelled at the parking lot much less than she had yesterday. I stand up straight now knowing exactly which steps my feet were supposed to embrace and that was enough for me to feel some slight relief.
"Ambrose, remember what I said last night." Nika verbally nudged me through the open window with his usual smile and wink. Ah yes he speaks of the letter that I received from my peculiar classmate. I will try my best to fully embrace his advice but I still can't recall exactly how long it's been.
I wonder if the gym teacher or my escort from yesterday would be resonating somewhere nearby. As if now they are the only somewhat friends that I have acquired. I guess that will be revealed to me when I pass through those doors. Which will happen as soon as the chaotic banter of the early morning clears and I can hear the sound of distant birds and insects again. I watched them from afar knowing that it was more than just a physical distance that separated me from them. It was also time that drew us apart, a life that they lived, that I would never understand in full.
Then that haunting chime began to echo in my mind once more, it felt like it was so distant while still able to pierce through and resound in my mind. Only now it reminds me of someone in a somber state rehearsing their soliloquy. I cannot wait much longer, I must find the source now, I can't rest without being granted at least this small piece of closure. I take a few steps towards the doors of a transparent metal as the ground beneath me solidifies. Yet even then it melts as I linger on each passing step, so with haste I step across the wide pathway of stones. Finally pushing past the transparent metal doors into the school. Something is telling me this is where I'll find closure but I cannot locate where the noise could be coming from. It's almost painful now as I find myself barely able to maintain a straight face.
Again I am in a forest which is desperately calling for me to embark on a journey through the trees. There is no sun beyond the congregation of celadon foliage, yet light still abounds from somewhere. I then hear my name, a gentle call, from somewhere beyond this mass of trees "Ambrose, Ambrose." Then I remember where I am as the foliage dissipates and I have returned to the school. My escort is standing there once more, his smile, now that most of the dust of unfamiliarity has been cleared, is even more amicable than yesterday.
"Oh hello-" I pause to think for a moment but nothing in my brain connects. "You haven't told me your name yet have you?" That was the problem, I'm not used to asking for the names of people.
"Oh, well, if people don't ask me to, I usually completely forget to introduce myself." The escort smiled gently back towards me. "It's Mordecai Revere, you can call me either, I don't go by anything specific though." Mordecai Revere answers pushes onward to my classroom, seeming more eager than I have ever been but I stop my feet cemented as I reach out my hand. Nika always manages to convince people to like him with a firm handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Mordecai Revere." I deliver my words as assertively as I can. Mr. Mordecai Revere takes my hand accepting my handshake. With that simple test of fate I knew that I was thoroughly prepared for the rest of the day. Something that I wasn't before.
Proceeding to class I make solid strides with each of my steps. The ground beneath me is now impenetrable like the marble that it's really formed from. From the hallways here on the third floor every inch of the ceiling is a frosted glass allowing light to pass through but only an obscured haze beyond it. I remember exactly which number and letter I am searching for "14c", it's displayed across a golden name plate next to another window of frosted glass. Behind that door I will encounter Phenix and the girl who I received a note from.
Mordecai Revere still recognizes the door first, despite my careful scrutiny as we approach. "Alright Ambrose, the second day is never nearly as tough as the first one. I wish you the best." Mordecai Revere opens the door and I walk through, everyone is already sitting in the same position that they were yesterday. The same seat next to the girl was left empty for me. I wonder why everyone avoids her, attempting to sit as far away from her as they can.
"Ambrose, it's great that you could join us again." The teacher stood in front of the class beckoning me to sit down again, she seems to be the only one that is actually welcoming me while the rest scrutinized, suspicious of the fact I was still here after yesterday's embarrassment.
"Thank you Miss..."Oh no, I haven't even asked for the name of my teacher, I shake my head completely clueless, finding that I would rather submerge into whatever comfort I'd find in my seat. So that is where I found myself moments later ignoring Phenix who I knew at this point wanted nothing to do with me. I turned my head over to the girl that sat next to me as subtle as I possibly could hoping that she wouldn't take note of it. The fact she didn't treat me like repellent was comforting and maybe means that I'm making progress.
Even though she wasn't treating me like repellant there is some sort of frustration she was projecting. I don't know why sitting next to her felt so different from yesterday but for once there is something on me that is eager to open my mouth to speak. Instead of giving into that urge, however, silently observing the exchanges between students to build an idea of classroom dynamic is what I am doing instead. I do realize that Phenix never really stops socializing with the rest of the class whether it be through subtle whispers or more silent interaction. I believe he's what people call a social butterfly. Same as the Phenix that I knew back then but it was still a different one.
The teacher continued soon enough after I had sat down leaving little to no time for me to think. "So you see the peaceful epicenters of the world's economy went into a state of rapid decay after the failed attempt at an industrial Pax Romana. As a result, the Magna Carta of 908 was set into place. We'll go into more detail about that next week, but that's all you need to know for your quiz on Monday." Troy went into great detail about all of that stuff years ago. Once more it became obvious that Troy was able to cover more material faster when it was only me she needed to teach. Everything in this class seems to be moving so slow and I begin to drown it all out
So my eyes drift over to Phenix once more as I sit there, fading in and out of consciousness. Somehow his image remains prevalent even though the world around me fades in and out.
Author's Note: Please forgive me. I know that I promised to be posting regularly but I had a lot going on with school and soccer and life in general starting back up again. Nonetheless I missed being on here so much and I thought about returning quite often but I needed to fight the urge in order to get my work and life together. Now I'm in a stable state where I can once more be on the internet. Thank you so much for understanding, I hope that I will see you sometime soon. Have a pleasant time with life until then.
YOU ARE READING
The Cure To All Disease
Science FictionLiving by the sea he could never touch Ambrose has spent his entire life in complete solitude perfectly satisfied . Adopted by a young couple who could not have children. Suddenly all of that changes when his adoptive mother becomes pregnant. Ambro...
