'Should I go to the upper floors later?' Standing just in front of the stairs to the second floor, Riku sighed. Why did he care so much?
Before he had left the office he made sure to take his medication as per usual but for some reason that off feeling was still lingering.
Looking down at his phone he clicked contacts, his finger hovering over the emergency number his therapist had given him.
'Am I going mad? What would I even gain from questioning Elites about a lost bottle of medication? Maybe the old man was right… Perhaps a re-evaluation wouldn't be a bad idea.'
"I'm really losing it huh?-"
"Is that a normal occurrence for you?-" Came a voice from above him? Looking up there was a woman standing on the stairs. 'An elite?' "Is everything alright?" She continued as Riku couldn't help but stare.
|| Too beautiful to be real ||
"Do you make it a habit to stare at people?" She was starting to become annoyed as Riku apologised immediately.
"I didn't mean to stare, I just wasn't prepared to see someone suddenly there-" Trailing off a bit he wondered why she was here, looking at the time on his phone it was rather early for an Elite to be here?
'It's still morning… why is an elite student here? A special program?'
"I guess I'm just surprised an Elite student is here before midday" or should he have said he was surprised to even be talking to one? This woman had a a sophisticated air about her but also- "You smell interesting…" he couldn't have prevented himself from saying it. The smell was almost suffocating, almost… but not in a bad way?
As if slightly worried the student masked her sudden face change to that of confusion.
"Your not a pervert are you?" She deflected his comment with a pure deadpanned expression.
"Are you dumb" he responded with an equal deadpanned expression. For once he thought that someone in the elite class wouldn't be an idiot but it seems he was wrong. "Well I'm heading out" Riku said as he went to leave-
"-The smell coming from me, what does it smell like to you?" Stopping short of leaving, he turned back around. It seemed she had slightly moved allowing some light to hit her frame.
He could see her a bit better now, her eyes were a beautiful light brown that complimented her straight almond hair that hung down just past her shoulders. The uniform she had was a dark black version of his, a blazer, collared shirt and pants with black cleats. Although her outfit had a strange symbol pinned to the end of her collar.
|| How can someone be so beautiful? ||
'Maybe something elites only wear?' He thought as he tried thinking of the best way to describe her smell.
"I'm not exactly sure myself but you smell sort of like an apple being coated with sugar? before being burnt? Something like that…" at the end he seemed to mumble his last words. "Why did you want to know-" as he went to ask his question, he looked back up to the stairs to see she was already gone.
'Don't tell me she wasn't real either?'
-
"As you are aware students, mass homicides have been getting worse so please take care of yourselves. The district leaders will be issuing strict curfews in the coming weeks so please do heed police warnings. It's for your safety-" The teacher looked in the direction of Monoko's desk before she continued the lesson on English.
Riku also took another look at the desk covered in flowers, gifts and more.
He saw Monoko quite a bit, she was a bright girl who had a great study attitude and had two best friends. One from this class, the other from Class 4.
Looking over to where one of her best friends would be, it seemed they didn't attend campus.
'Who could blame her? She lost her best friend to a serial killer' deep in thought, Riku looked out of the classroom window like he always did. The sky outside had gotten incredibly dark- 'seems like a storm is brewing'
He didn't pack an umbrella either…
Lunch eventually came and Riku was excited for one thing and one thing only. Kangaroo meat~
Monday's had one thing going for them and that was Meat Day or rather Meat Monday. You could chose any meat that was served along with any four side dishes of your choice.
"Next student" Came the voice of one of the cooking staff. "What do you want to order- oh, Riku, same as always I take it? Kangaroo meat marinated with spice sided with rice, vegetables, some fruit and eggs?"
It was probably one of the only times he'd actually smile with pure intent. This woman knew Riku's order by heart by now, it was his favourite. The main chef also loved the challenge to cook it every Monday.
Depending on School campus and district, some would provide extraordinary meal service. Vista institute was one of those that had full catering, he had to give it to the old man. He knew a good campus from a shit one.
Sitting down, he transferred his eggs one by one with a knife and fork onto his kangaroo steak. He let the yokes break as his knife cut through both as his fork travelled to his mouth savouring the goodness.
'Yeah this is the good shít' he thought as flashbacks to his life in district 8 came to mind of him looking for food through dumpsters came to mind. Looking at his body, he was still quite thin but at least his spine didn't stick out like a sore thumb anymore.
"How can you eat that?" Came a voice he was familiar with. Looking up from his meal Saya looked at it with displeasure for the sight.
"What?" He said as she then ignored him and moved on to sit quite a distance away. She had been weird lately- 'Weird as in watching me 24/7' he'd felt her gaze in class and while he was walking here she was creeping around corners watching him.
'This isn't what the old man would call a crush right?' He thought carefully remembering Vonic teaching him quote on quote customary actions when you have feelings for someone.
He remembered calling Vonic a creep and causing him to become slightly depressed.
Thinking about it now, it was funny because the old man tried so hard to show the younger him how to socialise. Just so in the future he could somewhat mingle better in school or just life in general.
It honestly made him wonder why he didn't just settle down and have a family of his own. He made a great father figure.
'Then again… he works so much.'
-
The rest of the day went smoothly as classes were finally over. But Riku wasn't spared by Saya who stared and followed him practically anywhere she could. He at one point remained in the bathroom just to get some peace from eyes burning holes to the back of his head.
He tried to confront her but she would pretend she was just walking by or do a u-turn and go the other way ignoring him again.
Eventually he gave up and just accepted it. His thoughts on it came to a deciding factor that this would all roll over, as infatuation is usually temporary.
The only problem he had now was the rain…
"ahh~ it's pouring-" Spoke someone close as she pulled out an umbrella and headed out.
'Of all fucken days to not have an umbrella…' gritting his teeth he walked straight through the rain, it was colder than it seemed. His once warm clothes began to be swallowed by hammering water. 'Why did it have to be winter?'
-
By the time he got home he was a river of his own. Even his bag was soaked to the brim. He'd left all his books and more in his locker rather than taking them home knowing everything would probably end up fucked.
Ignoring the AI he went straight to his room and chucked his bag on the ground promising himself to mop up the water later. As he made a b-line to the bathroom stripping off everything with cold shivers and chattering teeth.
He put the heat all the way up as he got in and his body hungrily soaked up the hot steam.
His head was throbbing as he fixed the temperature to just right before washing himself.
'Shit I feel sick' he thought as his head throbbed some more as his body felt weakened all of a sudden. 'Damn did I get hypothermia? I didn't even notice' It was possible considering how cold it was. Also the fact he just put his body through heat instinctively all of a sudden only to feel worse?Why hadn't he considered this? Because he was drowsy and wasn't really thinking straight. In fact his body was burning up more!
In an attempt to help his body adapt as it was probably only a mild case, he got out of the water and grabbed a towel wrapping it around himself. Sitting on the floor of the steamed up bathroom wrapped in a towel he found himself looking at the ceiling before he closed his eyes and rested his body against the outside glass of the shower.