Chapter 9: The Echo of Goodbye
After Oli walked out of the classroom, I stood frozen in place, unable to move or speak. My mind was struggling to process the sudden emptiness that now filled the room. The sounds of students gathering their things and rushing outside barely registered in my ears. It was as though the world had become muffled, distant. I didn't hear their excited shouts, nor did I notice when the classroom emptied. My mind was stuck, looping around a single thought—my closest friend had just left me, and I might never see her again.
I don't know how much time passed as I stood there, numb. Suddenly, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. The gentle pressure jolted me out of my daze, and I blinked, coming back to the present. Alaric stood beside me, his expression calm and understanding. He didn't say anything, just waited for me to catch my breath.
I could feel my chest rising and falling rapidly, as if my body was trying to make up for the emotions I was too overwhelmed to express. Alaric had already taken out both of our lunches, his calmness a stark contrast to the chaos swirling inside me.
"Let's go to the ground," he said softly, motioning toward the door.
I couldn't find the strength to respond, so I simply followed him. My legs moved mechanically, one step after the other, while my mind remained somewhere far away. We reached the spot near the stage where we had sat together the previous day, but today, it felt completely different. I could barely focus on anything around me. The food Alaric had laid out in front of me seemed like it belonged to another world, one I wasn't part of. The gnawing ache in my chest made it impossible to feel hungry.
"Elara," Alaric's voice was gentle, a soft nudge to bring me back to the present.
"Hmm?" I replied faintly.
"Were you sad all day because of this?" he asked, his tone kind and non-judgmental.
I didn't answer immediately. I wasn't looking at him; in fact, I wasn't looking at anything. My eyes were open, but they weren't seeing. My mind was drifting somewhere far away, to the memory of Oli walking out of the classroom, to the quiet fear that I might never see her again.
"Yes," I eventually whispered. "She told me she would leave after lunch. That's why I was in a bad mood earlier."
My voice sounded distant, as if it didn't belong to me. I felt drained, completely empty. Alaric didn't push me to say more. He simply patted my shoulder, a gentle reassurance. I looked at him, surprised by the sudden gesture. Alaric wasn't the type to show such affection, at least not usually. But today, his smile was warm, calming in a way I hadn't expected.
"Don't be sad," he said, his voice soft but firm. "You'll meet her again, I'm sure. And when you miss her, you can always call her. It's not the end."
I wanted to believe him, but the weight of Oli's absence still pressed heavily on my heart. Before I could respond, Max came over, looking at me with concern. He knew how close I had been to Oli and must have guessed why I was upset.
"Max, please… I don't want to talk right now," I said, cutting him off before he could say anything. My voice wasn't harsh, but it was final. Max understood and left without another word.
Alaric glanced at me, then at the lunch spread out between us. "You should eat something," he said gently. "You'll feel better if you do."
"I don't want to eat," I mumbled, my gaze drifting once again to nowhere in particular. My appetite had vanished along with Oli's departure.
But Alaric didn't give up. A few moments later, I saw his hand reach toward me, holding a piece of food. "Here," he said, holding it near my mouth.
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. But the quiet persistence in his eyes encouraged me. Slowly, I opened my mouth and took a small bite. It was a simple gesture, but for the first time that day, I felt a faint smile tug at my lips. I continued eating my lunch, feeling a little lighter with each bite.
The lunch bell rang, signaling the end of the break. We stood up and made our way back to class. I was feeling better, but the day was far from over.
Just as I began to relax, the math teacher walked in, his presence reminding me of something I had pushed out of my mind: I hadn't done my homework. I had tried last night, but with Oli's departure looming over me, I couldn't concentrate. My unfinished homework weighed heavily on me as the teacher began inspecting everyone's work.
When he reached my desk, his eyes narrowed. "Elara, where is your homework?"
I stood up, feeling the eyes of my classmates on me. "I… I didn't do it," I admitted.
"And why not?" the teacher asked, his tone stern.
"I forgot," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.
"You forgot?" The teacher's expression hardened. "As punishment, you'll do it twice. I expect it completed by the day after tomorrow."
I nodded quietly, sitting back down. Tomorrow was Sunday, so I had time, but the thought of having to do double the work weighed on me. The rest of the class passed in a blur. I couldn't concentrate on anything, my mind still swirling with thoughts of Oli and my unfinished homework.
It wasn't until the final period that my mind began to clear. For the first time since lunch, I paid attention to what the teacher was saying. Alaric, who had been silent for most of the afternoon, finally spoke.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked, his voice low so as not to disturb the class.
"Yeah, a lot better," I said, offering him a small smile.
"If you need help with your homework, just let me know," he said.
"Are you free tomorrow?" I asked, surprising even myself with the question.
"Yeah, why?" Alaric asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"I have to do the math homework twice… but I don't know how to do it. Can you help me?"
Alaric seemed surprised, but after a moment, he nodded. "Sure. Where do you live?"
I gave him my address and asked him to come over at 10 the next morning. With that settled, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
"Bye, Alaric," I waved as we left the classroom.
"Bye, Elara," he waved back with a small smile.
I wasn't ready to go home just yet. Instead, I wandered around the neighborhood, my feet leading me to the park where Oli and I had spent so many afternoons together. I sat on a bench and sighed, letting the quietness of the park wash over me. I still missed Oli, but for the first time today, I felt a sense of calm. Maybe it was because of Alaric. He wasn't as bad as I had thought. A small smile tugged at my lips as I stood up and made my way home, my thoughts slowly shifting from Oli to Alaric.
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