Khrysta tried to hold back the memories, trying so desperately not to think about them. It was futile, however. The more effort she put into trying to distract herself, the more the past invaded her thoughts. Images flashed through her mind: the park ... their rooms ... the phone call ... the hospital ... the fight ... the seclusion ... the pain of it all ...
Khrysta was so preoccupied with the visions of her past that she didn't know that she had started running, nor did she take any notice of the tears running down her face.
She didn't care.
Briggan sat in yesterday's spot. Instead of bringing out the two books, he retrieved a pair of headphones and an mp3 player. Putting on the headphones, Briggan looks through the playlists and selects a song, but loops only the chorus:
I, I don't work
'Cause I ruin everything
And no, this can't be right
I never wanted it to be this way
It wasn't supposed to end like this tonight
All alone
With no place to go
The words played over and over. Images of the past replayed themselves along with the music, pulling him deeper and deeper into their darkness. He was under their spell.
Mastace arrived at the school in better time, but the comment Khrysta made was still burning fresh: " Listen, you seem like a good guy. Really. However, I wouldn't advise that you go meddling in anything that isn't your business unless you want someone to get hurt." Mastace couldn't help but ponder these words. Was she trying to hide something? If so, why would she hide whatever it was? Do Briggan and Khrysta have some sort of connection that Mastace wasn't aware of, and what is in their past that they didn't want him to know? He could see the damage it was doing to Briggan, and they had only one momentary interaction. How extensive was the damage in Khrysta? So many questions that aren't getting any answers ...
Later that day, at lunch, Mastace caught sight of Briggan in a corner, once again, all by himself. He seemed in a bit of a darker mood than yesterday. Had what he wrote from those books been that serious that it was still affecting him today? Something had to be done.
Mastace had snuck up on Briggan, or Briggan just wasn't being very aware of what was going on around him. In either case, Briggan didn't see him coming.
" Hey," Mastace said, causing Briggan to jolt up.
" Jeez, you gave me a fright."
" Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. How are you doing? Are you still feeling okay?"
" Why do you want to know?" Briggan asked.
" I want to know because I care,"
This response sent Briggan's mind reeling. What did he just say?
" I beg your pardon?"
" I said that I wanted to know because I care, Briggan. I want to know how you're holding up. Did you get whatever that was yesterday checked out?"
" No, I didn't bother. I already know what happened."
" If it was something serious ... "
" Trust me," Briggan interrupted, " It wasn't serious."
" Well, ... If you need anything, anything at all, ... Come find me. I'll be here." Mastace turned and left. Three words Briggan never expected just shook his whole world and turned it inside out and upside down: " I'll be here."
He had no other way to respond than to break down and sob silently, where no one would see him in his pain.