Monday 6:00 A.M. Cloudy day School day
Miles comes back from his morning run already. The Chain, he felt, but it was incredibly light compared to yesterday and seemed to fazes through objects as he ran. He didn't follow it, he plans to go after school. And his thoughts haven't exactly cleared since last night. A wound doesn't heal overnight after all. His mind was still clouded and he was barely even bothered by the chain. But not cloudy as in a calm, cloudy day. It was more like a cloudy right after a storm. A cloudy that feels like it's making fun of you and doesn't let you see the sunlight. A cloudy day which Miles dislikes.
He goes inside the house and grabs a change of clothes to take a shower. He sees his mom barely waking up from the corner of his eye as he enters the restroom but she turns away the moment she sees him. Miles isn't bothered by it. He knows she means no harm. She's just getting away from what hurts her. After all, it's not wrong to run away from that which hurts you. But it does make him feel R E G R E T about it. It may appear as if he didn't say much but there was dust to be found under the carpet he lifted. For now he simply goes into the bathroom.
He takes a shower slower than usual. Well basically immobile. He stands as the water runs down his body and washes off the soap. He showers with warm water. Very warm. It's how most people shower when they're feeling down, they look for warmth and try to receive it from simple hot water. But they won't replace the warmth from actual affection and L O V E. After he's done he gets out and dresses to eat. The breakfast was served already as usual but again, one was served and the other 2 seats were empty. He sat there and ate with his R E G R E T, his dad's memory, and himself.
He got ready for school properly and headed out with his backpack. His school is only 1 mile away and he decides to walk over there. Now you may wonder what type of kid Miles is at school, and yes, he is EXACTLY what you are thinking he is. Complete loner (by choice), not popular with girls, not in sports, doesn't talk at all, average at school, falls asleep, and acts dead even though his mind a landmine ready to go off the moment it gets stepped on or activated some other way.
He walks into school and feels as if he's being observed and looked down on so his mood is already a negative one. Specially when he sees the opposite sex laughing. He knows he doesn't even have a presence when he walks by but for some reason he feels as if they are laughing at him. It's an uncomfortable feeling to say the least. He goes to his first period class. The teacher , Mr.Barbick, lets him in a couple minutes in earlier than the rest. He sits at his desk and puts his head down to block everything from his sight. But he manages to see the damn chain. It's still there.
He's starting to think he may have gone crazy again. No one seems to have seen it either. He forgot about it because he was feeling so shitty still. The prisoner's chain locked onto his ankle. -What the fuck is this chain tied to , hell, at this point I might find something better than this bullshit world- Miles thought to himself. He heads to his classroom even though classes haven't started yet but his "favorite teacher" ,his first period teacher, lets him in before everyone so he can sit in quite and alone. Though at many times, he tries to talk to Miles which gets him annoyed or anxious depending on his mood that day.
Mr.Barbick: " Hey Miles, my boy, how you been lately?" He says from his desk.
-Fuck-
Miles hated more than anything having to talk to people, specially at school. Every time the teachers ask to go in groups or pairs he puts his head down and waits for whatever will come.
Miles: "Uh-um good" he says in an awkward tone.
Mr.Barbick: "AAHHHHH that's good to hear. No girls you been talking to ?"
Typical adult-to-teen question.
But it still applied to Miles, this universal question. He got lucky because there was a girl on Miles' mind surprisingly. After all, he's an emotional mess, not an empty shell, yet. But the bell for first period rings and saves Miles. Miles lungs exhale deeply, his body relaxes after being so tense, and he feels his head cool down. That's as much as Miles can handle a day at this point. He gets easily anxious with any interaction, specially that damn silly question.
The students go into class. Some alone. Some in groups or pairs. Some still asleep and others walking around as if it's already noon. Then the one person and only who can catch Miles' eyes. The girls he likes. Suddenly the chain is out of his worries. How could he not when he sees such a beauty pass by.
She's a blue-eyed, dark hair, white pale skin with slim body, yea basically out of his league. She doesn't even turn to his view. She sit 2 desks in front of him diagonally. Miles stares at her stupidly with ZERO intention to talk to her. If he can't even talk to a teacher for 10 seconds how would he talk to his crush. Sure he had feelings for her and
L U S T for her but, I mean, what the hell would Miles say ? He basically forgot what it is to talk. Most people can't talk to their crush or ask them out, how would an anxiety-full, depressed, momma's boy talk to her? And Miles... point is he can't.
The bell rang and class started after with everyone settling down.
Mr.Barbick: "Alright class. Today I want to get started with a little partner exercise just to get you guys going, alright? So everybody go ahead and pick a partner."
Miles:"fuck." He says a bit a too loud.
The whole class turns around to look at him in surprise at the fact he even talked. Some guys were laughing, but everyone looked over. Mr.Barbick included of course. Miles felt everyone even though he was looking at the window which was right next to him on the left. Like the times you walk in late to class and everyone stares, theres no reason for them to stare but it feels awfully awkward.
Miles feels incredibly anxious. If a meteor fell onto the school right now at this moment he would feel nothing but happiness. He gets tense and feels blood running to his ears and gets red. This is really no big deal but he can't take this much attention.
Mr.Barbick: "Uhhhh language please Mr.Miles, haha. But anyways, let's keep class going, pick your partners."
Miles notices his body relax. He didn't really notice he was tense or simply didn't think about it. He lets out his breath and feels calmer. -That's enough for today- he thought. He hears his crush talk and he can't help to turn around a bit and forget yet again about the chain no one sees. She looks incredible, he noticed she looked great since she walked in but he cant help but to repeat it again to himself.
Jessica: "Damn it, she's not coming?!" She says loudly under her breath. After half a year in school, Miles learned she is egotistical and only talks to one person in that class at least, her bestfriend of course. She seems to look down on everyone and even though Miles had a natural hate for people like that, he was fine with it. Her looks were enough to make him stupidly forget everything bad about her. He knew she had a shitty personality from the beginning since to him it was common sense. Everyone has flaws, so if someone had perfect looks, no flaws on the outside, then they had all their flaws in the inside, but he simply liked her.
Anytime socializing was involved in any work, Miles pulled off the i'm-going-to-look-down-until-partners-are-made-and-hope-to-end-up-alone, which never worked because Mr.Barbick would be his partner since this teacher strictly follows the rule "no student left behind." The class was usually 31 students, now 30 since Jessica's friend wasn't there. Miles just thought about that and hated today. Now he has to end up with a student.
All the pairs are done after a bit. Haha. Except for 2 people who are coincidently alone. Turns out to be our heavily anxious Miles and our narcissistic queen, Jessica. Perfect.
Mr.Barbick: "Well you two kids are the last ones... so uhhh, can you partner up?" He asks sweetly with a mischievous smile. Mr.Barbick really thinks he's helping Miles out by setting him up with the cutest girl in class but he hasn't a clue of the great catastrophe he's causing in Miles' head.
Mile thought were a plane crashing down, just -AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! WHAT DO I DO? She's going to have a bad impression of me if I don't talk but what am i supposed to do...- Jessica went to sit next to him and Miles was already scooting way too over to the other side. His knees were shaking 1000RPM and sweat was running down his forehead.
Mr.Barbick: "Alright then, let me explain the exercise. This is English class, we will do writing and listening on one another. This will be an interview. We have 10 minutes to finish this. Partner A will ask B questions as in an interview, normal questions please, nothing inappropriate. For 3 minutes then we alternate. B will ask A questions. After that you guys will get the remaining 4 minutes to write a quick summary on the information you got of the person. Simple right? Alright if there are no questions, let's get started."
Miles was wayyyyyyyyyy more nervous now. What questions should he ask? Should he ask "Why are you so pretty?" Considering how stupid he is he might.
Jessica: "So do I ask questions first? Seems like you don't want to be first." Ahh there's her I-look-down-on-people attitude.
Miles: "uhh-uh yea..."
Jessica: "Okay then. First question, why are you so quite? You never talk, there a reason for it?"
Miles: "Well i-uhh, I'm quite, I guess?"
Jessica: "Why's it you always put your head down in class?"
Miles: "I d-don't like to-"
Jessica: "Speak louderrrrrrr:)"
Miles: "I said I-uhh simply don't like to be here."
Jessica:"How come?"
-For fuck's sake, why's she being annoying right now?- Miles couldn't help but feel frustrated. She was asking questions she knew would annoy him just because she was bored at the moment.
Miles: "I feel bored I guess." empty answers to empty questions.
Jessica: "Isn't that your fault though? You basically don't even take up space in the class." She wasn't even looking at him anymore, she was looking at her phone under the desk.
Miles: "Yea, your right." He says timidly balling up.
Jessica: "Hmmmmmm. what.else.do.I.ask"
Jessica: "Jeez. I don't know what to ask you, I don't even know you. But fuck itttttttt, are you an only child?"
-AN ACTUAL QUESTION??? Ok ok. Lets just answer her normally- He was incredibly happy from moving one millimeter closer to her.
Miles: "Uh yea, Im an only child."
Jessica: "What's that like? I have 2 older brothers but they're a pain in the ass."
-ahhhh im learning about her.....- He was immediately imagining their future wedding.
Miles: "Well it's ok. Lots of attention towards me I guess, many people say it's a bad thing."
He's talking much more fluently with little stutter.
Jessica: "I wish I had that I-"
Mr.Barbick: "Time, switch!" He says smiling at Miles like a dad looking at his son with his first girlfriend.
Jessica: "Oh I guess it's your turn."
-.....wut. MY turn? What does she mean by that? Hmmmm maybe I missed something.-
Jessica: "HellooOoO. It's your turn to ask questions. Remember? "
-OHHHHHHHHH, fuck.- Mile thought.
He has zero idea how to approach this since he always skipped activities like these or did them with Mr.Barbick. But now he's a boxer in the corner. What does he even ask her?
-Should I ask her "Why are you so pretty?" No no no no no no NO. What type of person would ruin such a perfect moment like that. I have to play my cards right, can't just say some cringe question. Ahhhhh I'm scared. What if I ask a question that makes her remember something bad? And then that makes her have a bad image of me?"-
Overthinking.
It affects all of us at every moment of our lives. When you see your teacher upload a long assignment. Or when we hear the cursed words "we need to talk." Thousands of questions are eating away at Miles' mind and body even though he's the one asking them. At our most fragile moments we question and stress over small things. Like if we ourselves change our shadow to make it bigger. But then-
Jessica taps his shoulder while facing his way. As he turns his head he sees his real-life Mona Lisa in front of him. A spell is casted on him and all his worries stream away with her tap. A simple tap but coming from the right person it's not just a tap.
Jessica: "Heyyyyyyy. Aren't you gonna ask me anything? We don't have too much time."
He felt in the clouds, basically untouchable. When he saw her blue eyes he couldn't think help but feel relief. Her smile told him everything was okay. And words were able to flow out again.
Miles: "Uh? Uhh yea. Ummm, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Jessica: "Sheeesh. I don't know, I never thought of that. Maybe a model. Ahhhh I wish, it would be so easy to live like that."
Miles: "I think you can make it, you're beautiful."
Jessica: "——"
-WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!-
Miles: "Ahh-ahhh uhh sorry i didn't mean t-"
Jessica: "It's fine, don't worry XD" She says laughing with a bit of blush.
She's facing his way as he finally builds up the courage to turn around and look at her again but her face is only a couple inches away, still smiling.
-Huh? Why's everything fading out behind her? Am I breathing? I never looked at her lips so closely... they look so...soft...-
Facing each other, they both stay still for what seems to be an eternity where time doesn't exist.
Maybe they will-
???: "Just kiss already!"
Jessica: "SHUT UP ANGEL!" She snaps back.
That kid Angel or whatever his name was doesn't realize what he just ruined. Now Miles and her just turn around nervously after meeting each other's eyes again and stay quite for a bit
-Was that a good thing? Angel interrupted which seems bad but I didn't know what to do... she was cute though, should I try to-
Mr.Barbick: "TIME! Alright everybody, write down the information you got on your partner and your impression based off of it and go back to your seats."
Jessica goes back to her sweet after saying "Later." to him.
-Calm down butterflies.- He thinks but can't help feel like he got closer to her. The period goes on again and nothing special happens for the rest of the day. The chain hasn't changed though it feels heavier for some reason but no one has seen it. 6th period comes and he walks into his last class, P.E. His favorite class of course because he can be alone somewhat. They do their stretches and head off to play basketball.
???: "Oh hey Miles, you want to play on our team?"
Miles: "Uhmmm I-I'm good man, thanks." He walks away from him and plays with a ball by himself, if you could call it playing. With the chain on his ankle not doing anything, bothering him a bit but nothing else. No one has seen it.
After a while, it's time and they go to the locker rooms to change. He does quickly then leaves school walking with only one thought on his mind, T H E C H A I N.
He takes a detour from home and starts following the chain which goes past his house to the forest where he runs. He follows it for about a mile as it phases through trees until he sees something different. It reaches a certain tree, but it doesn't go past it. Instead it simply goes into a hole big enough to fit a person through it. He's read a story somewhat related to this but he can't quite remember which one it is. The chain goes into the hole where he can't see the bottom of which creeps him out. He walks around this giant tree somewhat dried up tree, but the chain isn't on the other side.
-I don't want to go in. There's no way what kind of fairytale bullshit is this? Should I have even followed it ? I don't even know if this shit here is real!!!-
Frustration, stress, confusion, and fear are instilled in his heart and mind at the moment. With his heartbeat raising and feeling like he's cornered he gets on all fours and starts crawling at last into the damn whole.
-Why am I even doing this?-
He goes into the hole and after 3 feet of crawling-
Miles: "—!!"
Miles: "AH FUCK."
He falls for around 5 feet and falls on his side hard enough to knock his sense out for a couple seconds. He looks up and sees his in some kind of cave out of tree roots and the hole is still at the top. The one he fell from. He rolls over to his other side only to find an almond shaped exit covered with vines and leaves in front of him but with light peeking through. He looks at his chain and it follows out of the exit there. He gets up but hits the "roof" and has to get down a bit. Takes a deep breath, moves away the vines and walks out of there.
-What the...-
A "woman" is in front of him around 10 feet away directly facing him with a smile-
???: "So you're the one whose been in need of me."