TW: Curse words, Forced coming out
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CLASSROOM B
I want to say something, anything to ease the tension, but I know it’s not my business. For some reason, I felt guilty. I knew about them, a secret I promised to keep.
The room is tense, the air heavy with unspoken words. I take in the sight of Max’s furrowed brows as she absorbs the unfolding drama, her face etched with concern.
“So you ended things with me, because of him? Him?! Over me?”
Sarah’s words are laced with bitterness, and her finger stabs the air, pointing accusingly at Tome behind her. Tome flinches, his eyes closing, tears on the brink of escaping. Tome’s vulnerability is palpable, and my heart aches for him as I observe the emotions etched on his face. Sanya stands protective in front of him, shielding him.
“Sarah, please stop behaving this way” Sanya pleads, his arm outstretched toward her. She pushes his hands away before they make contact.
Sarah’s rejection stings in the air, the touch that never happened a stark reminder of their fractured relationship.
“Don’t fucking touch me, or so help me, I will rain thunderbolts into this class,” Her eyes dared him to attempt it. Sarah’s anger crackles in the room, and the atmosphere feels electric with tension. Her threat hangs heavy in the air.
“Sarah, I’m sorry” Tome utters in a desperate attempt to mend the rift.
Tome’s apology falls flat, and Sarah’s cold response silences him.
“Not a word from you, Tome. Not a word”
A voice echoes through the air,
“Sarah Mills, Sanya Knot, and Tome Ming, Your attention is needed at The Dome.”
The intercom goes silent after the announcement.
The intercom announcement resonates through the room, a reprieve from the intense moment.
Groaning in defeat, Sarah storms out of the classroom, leaving a trail of lingering tension in her wake. As she goes further away, the storm softens, and her emotions become more complex.
Sanya lets out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders slumping as he processes the drama. Tome wraps a comforting hand around his arm, offering solace through touch.
“Well, that was something. Who would have thought? Sanya and Tome”
Bri leans back into her seat, amusement dancing across her face. We all take our seats, forming an irregular circle as the drama subsides. I find myself lost in thought, worrying about the boys. My distracted expression doesn’t escape Max’s notice, and she lightly nudges me, her eyes filled with curiosity.
“I knew about them. I mean Sanya and Tome.” I whispered to her. She tilts her head, silently urging me to continue.
“I can’t really give details about that. I promised them.”
My pleading eyes put an end to her inquiry. The secret of their relationship being out is one thing, but I have no right to divulge what I’ve seen. I shouldn’t even have peeped at them.
“I’m worried about them, Max. What if everyone hates them because they are two boys in love? I don’t know how accepting the world is now.” I confess nervously, my concern evident. Their fears of rejection weigh heavily on my mind.
“Love is Love. The world has evolved past that. I mean Bri is bi-sexual. Correct?” Max reassures me, emphasizing the importance of love transcending societal norms.
“Yeah Ariel, I’m pretty sure they were more worried about Sarah finding out. You see how she can be. Scary. I wouldn’t want to mess with the Storm Queen.” Bri chimes in, recalling Sarah’s temperament. She fakes shivers in fear, running her hands through her pixie cut as she lets out a light giggle.
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“Sarah can be quite reactive.”
“I think the word you are looking for is unstable, Hannah”, Bri interrupted.
“Even before she gained her ability. I think it would have been better if they told her though, right bunny?”
Hannah adds, turning to the male seated behind her. He has his back leaning into the crevice of her thighs, playing with the locks of her hair. Nodding, he acknowledges her question, and she reciprocates with a small, affectionate gesture. At his response, she gave his thigh a little neck hug.
“Can you two not be disgustingly romantic for once? I’m trying to not throw up in my mouth” Bri teases, eliciting laughter from the group, including a quiet chuckle from Senza.
As our conversation shifts to lighter topics, my worries begin to dissipate, and the camaraderie of our group brings warmth to my heart. Bri constantly teases Hannah, Hannah reacts animatedly, Senza is his usual quiet self and Max is lost in her book.
Suddenly, I sense a presence beside me, and our group falls silent as we all become aware of an intruder. I turn to find Samuel, and his nervous demeanour is evident. My eyes widened as my eyes fell on the person in my close space. His hands reach behind to scratch his head, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. The atmosphere is tense with his arrival.
His V-neck sweater vest partially covered a white polo shirt untucked out of his pants. However, I shouldn’t spend too much time surveying him. He breaks the tension with his nervous words.
“Ariel, how are you do-”
Before Samuel can complete his greeting, Trent curtly interrupts him, her voice brimming with authority, “I want to believe you have started the project”
The room is electrified by his interruption, and his words hang heavy in the air. My heart races as I anticipate the confrontation that is unfolding.
Trent strides forward and stands in front of me, his commanding presence overwhelming. His rolled-up sleeves reveal his toned, veiny arms with black visible tattoos, and I can’t help but be drawn to his icy grey eyes, though I try to focus on the impending confrontation.
After a brief pause, I turn to Samuel, my voice steady, “Can we talk later? I really need to attend to this”
Samuel nods, looking somewhat dejected, and his disappointment is clear.
“Pathetic”
Trent scoffs under his breath before storming off. Just when I think he can’t get any meaner, he proves me wrong. My heart aches at his cruelty. Apologetic glances are exchanged among the group as I leave in pursuit of Trent.
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SOMEWHERE IN THE CLASSROOM BUILDING
As we make our way away from the classroom area, my frustration simmers, and I can’t help but voice my annoyance,
“Will it kill you to communicate like a normal human being?”
Trent, however, remains unresponsive, walking ahead with an air of indifference.
In a fit of frustration, I grab his arm to stop him, and he pulls away as if my touch burned him. My eyes catch a glimpse of black ink beneath his rolled-up sleeve around his elbow.
“Hands off”, He growled, pointing his finger at my hand.
I let out my frustration, “Fine! I don’t even want to have anything to do with you. If not for this stupid assignment! You are such a terrible human being!”
Suddenly, I remember the whispered insult from Trent, and my simmering anger transforms into a raging inferno. His narrowed eyes are filled with emotions I can’t fully decipher, and his chest heaves as my words penetrate.
“Pathetic?! PATHETIC? Is that what you see me as? Shit! Fu- shit! I can’t even curse at you.”
I release my pent-up emotions, my voice sharp with anger. The tears flow down my cheeks, and I wipe them away, taking a deep breath. Why did I let his words affect me so deeply? I felt so weak and drained emotionally from my outburst.
“Why do I even bother?“, I scoffed. My voice rises and falls, and my emotions are a whirlwind of frustration, anger, and hurt.
Trent’s hurt is evident, and he turns away, avoiding my gaze. He can’t bear to look at me anymore, and my heart aches at the pain I’ve caused. I wipe my hands across my skirt, trying to regain my composure. Before reaching out towards him, gesturing for the papers in his hands. His eyes followed my gesture, looking from my open palm to my glossy eyes.
I felt my body engulfed in a pair of arms. A hand pulling my head into an embrace broke my trance. His arm snaked around my waist, bringing me to his chest as he steadied us. I found myself softening into his embrace. For a brief moment, my heart fluttered but I refrained from returning the hug.
As quickly as the hug happened, he pulled me away from him. Trent remains silent, his face impassive, and he turns away, his gaze directed at the ceiling. He avoids looking at me, and my heart aches at the rift between us. His realization is clear, and he avoids my gaze as much as possible. He hands me the papers, his reluctance evident.
“Hmm... That’s...that’s my part. Don’t mess it up” he mumbles, his embarrassment palpable.
In a rush of emotions, he walks away, leaving me confused and emotionally drained. My eyes gazed at him until he disappeared from my sight, leaving me standing confused. The feel of his hands still lingering on my skin. How does he annoy me to bits but still manage to comfort me so deeply?
What on earth just happened?
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A few feet away, two hidden observers analyze the scene, their curiosity piqued.
As Elise grabs Trent’s arm, Hannah excitedly taps Bri, her eyes glued to the unfolding drama. “Oh! They’re flirting.”
“Are you sure they’re flirting and not fighting?” Bri replies with uncertainty in her voice. From her point of view, the look on Trent’s face showed discomfort and anger.
At that moment, Trent pulls Elise in for a hug. Hannah let out a loud shriek. “Totally flirting.”
She then continues, stating as a matter of fact. “I mean, ice and fire. I don’t see a better match than that. It would be a sin if they didn’t belong together”
Bridget found herself slightly convinced by her words, “I mean, you do have a point”
Like and Comment or else, Elise will keep crying till the next episode
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