The images moved so fast that Xaloc's mind could not capture any of them. He could feel the other's joy but every other thing was very blurry.
Xaloc felt that if he tried a little more effort, he could see clearly. However, he did not feel like it would be particularly beneficial to him so he just stood in the blurry mist and waited.
After a few hours, he blinked open his eyes. He had fallen asleep in the class then. He had never done that since he was a kid.
That fight must have really worn him out. But he did not use a lot of that odd force so why?
Xaloc noticed that he was lying on a soft bed with white and blue bed sheets. The room was also decorated in the same white and pale blue undertones.
He sat up and looked around. He was in the school clinic.
Someone must have moved him from the class. He did not feel any hint of Danger in that dream space so it was probably Jude. He was the person that Xaloc felt most comfortable with.
He rubbed his forehead. He hoped that Jude had prevented the nurses or teachers from calling his parents as the problems that would bring would just be troublesome.
He leaned on the wall. Not only did he have a pounding headache, but he also felt very sleepy. It was as if he had not taken a nap just a few hours ago.
He checked the clock. It was 4 p.m. He had been sleeping for eight hours. Xaloc could not wait for eight p.m so he can take his sleeping pills and have a good sleep.
His craving for sleep has been getting worse just as the book had mentioned. He blinked and popped a coffee-flavoured gum into his mouth.
He needed to report back to the teachers, get the day's work and assignments, do them, go outside to buy coffee and then go home.
He reached out on the bed for his headset when the door opened and a tall youth walked in. Jude was one of the tallest boys in their school with blond eyes and brown eyes.
Jude was carrying a Chinese takeaway bag. He saw the recently awake Xaloc. Xaloc's black hair was messed up and his normally cold eyes were filled with dew and looked misty.
He looked like a tired and fragile beauty.
Jude was stupefied for a moment. He muttered in a low voice, "How can you sleep so much? I thought you were in a coma."
He walked to Xaloc's bed and sat beside him as he placed the chicken noodle soup beside the bed.
"The teachers said you should take a few days off and try not to study too much. Xaloc, if you are in trouble or need help, you will tell me right?" Jude asked as he pretended to look through a book.
Xaloc glanced at him before nodding. "I will ask for help if I can't solve the issue." To do anything Iess is just plain illogicality.
"If you can't solve the issue?" Jude pondered over his words but it did not make him feel better. "I got you some noodle soup and sugar canes. You probably need more sugar. I also copied all the notes and assignments. They are in your bag."
"Thank you. I will return them soon." Xaloc said before he picked the noodle soup and drank the hot broth slowly.
The room was soon filled with a silence that made Jude very uncomfortable. The older he got and the more aware he was about his little crush, the more he had less to talk about with Xaloc. He was always afraid that he would say something and the very perceptive Xaloc would figure it out.
For a second, he wished that Chike was here to fill the space with his endless chatter but Chike always dominated the atmosphere wherever he was. He glanced tentatively at Xaloc.
They had just two months of school left in high school. College was very uncertain, he might not have another chance like today.
"Xaloc."
Xaloc put down the soup as he listened to him.
Jude's heartbeat furiously as he gazed at the beautiful creature before him. The air from the window blew about the loose strands of black hair across his face, the evening sun seemed to cast a halo over Xaloc.
He was so beautiful, so smart and so da** perfect. In the end, Jude chickened out.
"I will be right back. I need to check on something." With that, he fled the clinic.
Xaloc sighed and picked up the soup, finishing the hot liquid. Jude could not still confess. He lacked the ability to grab and make use of his opportunities.
How could he not know? He was not lacking in emotional intelligence. Jude had a crush on him since freshman year. Perhaps it was due to puberty or some other reason.
For four years Xaloc had waited and yet Jude had never confessed to him. What a pity!
Although Xaloc did not love Jude, if the other had confessed and asked him out, he would not mind going out with him. Granting Jude's wish in exchange for having a high school romance full of youth and memories was not a bad deal.
Jude was good looking, respected and liked him. A good bonus was that he knew Jude very well.
It has been ten years since they met, he could perfectly guess the other's response to any scenario which he was comfortable with. Xaloc did not like unpredictable elements in his life.
What a pity! He doubted the other would get any chance like today. There was still college though.
Ding!
A text message entered his phone and he reached out for it.
<
"She doesn't like White Poppy Flowers, she likes the moon rose. Always lying." Xaloc's face was cold as he spoke out loud into the empty room.
With that, he pulled the headset over his ears, letting the heavy music wash over him.