It was four days already since Drake read the book, yet his mind had still not settled from these numerous thoughts that kept pestering him.
Alessia was back in her house since Sunday as promised. Laura was so concerned when she arrived that she didn't even bother to ask where Alessia slept in her absence. The week had been going okay for Alessia as she had been spending more than the normal free time her mum always left for her. They had been going shopping and buying some other stuff. Although, the thing that amused Alessia the most was her mum's rebuilding of a science laboratory in this new house. She used to have one in their previous house where she would often work, eat and sleep in the absence of her mother who was either on a trip away from home.
Drake had been seeing Alessia just a few times this week as she left school almost immediately it was over to hang out with her mum. She had not left him any messages. He wasn't angry or disappointed, but deep down he felt very lonely. As usual, Drake was still having the company of his love; music.
He opened his music player and played one of his favourite songs, Jon Bellion's "All Time Low" as he stepped out of the house with his earpiece steady in his ears.
Drake wasn't all too early today as many students were either chatting in the hallway or struggling with their individual lockers. Drake tried his best to keep looking at the ground as he took his steps. Well, until he stumbled on two entwined lips as he approached his class. It was Nathan and Belle, the most famous high school sweethearts.
Drake noticed their faces rather quickly and he suddenly started sweating from his bowels. He ignored them and walked into the class and as he entered, his eyes met with Alessia who had her face stuck in a book. He quickly took his eyes away as he continued walking to his seat.
Drake was overthinking; did he do right or was this another wrong move? He talked to himself in a thousand languages only he could understand as he looked frequently at his desk and the board. He was trying so bad to resist the urge to look back and exchange pleasantries with her.
In this battle of choices that Drake was fighting, Mrs Zoey walked into the class with her normal look, not sad, never smiling as she told the class to settle down. Drake felt like a loser deep down as he knew he had lost his chance to say something. Did he just ignore Alessia's presence and was she offended?
Throughout the class, Drake perfectly wore a look of optimum concentration which covered his scattered mind almost perfectly, until the worst could happen.
"Drake? Drake?" Mrs Zoey had been calling the absent-minded Drake repeatedly only to be answered with silence. The entire class was united in laughter for various reasons, some for Drake's distraction and some for the fact that Mrs Zoey was helplessly looking like a fool.
Drake was back to his body and the class after the laugh of the class echoed in his mind. He wondered what was so funny that could have aroused such amount of amusement from them all.
He turned his head to the back unintentionally and he saw Alessia. This time, she was staring at him right back as she tried so much to tell him that his silence was the reason for this outburst. Drake was clueless and couldn't take a hint. He didn't smile or laugh, he was just lost.
"Looks like homeboy has been orphaned from his mind too" Someone whose voice sounded like that of the bullies shouted from the back.
Drake was devastated as he heard this, not because of the hurtful words, but every sound of laughter became extremely audible as his anxiety kicked in. Had they been laughing at him the whole time? His countenance was sullen as he looked with his head facing the front. He couldn't take it this time, not in the presence of Alessia. What sort of person would she see him as?
Drake got up from his chair in haste as he walked towards the door of the class. He was so enraged in his mind that he even totally forgot about the teacher who was just there, silent. He left the class as the laughter was on a repeat in his mind as he walked to the bathroom.
He opened the tap of the basin as he looked at the mirror, disappointed and sad about whom and what he was. All of these were killing him to the point that he felt choked. He didn't cry but his heart melted into emotions he couldn't explain with words. After more than 5 minutes of self-pity and hate he manifested, the class was over as the alarms rung loudly.