"..." I am currently feeling quite distressed as I look at the 'colleague' sitting across me. While looking straight into my eyes, she puckers up her bottom lip in an expression of pity, and though I think she really should be saving some of that pity for her pug face, I must still deal with it soundly.
"Yeah... it's pretty bad I guess." I said quite forcefully while donning a weak smile. She looks towards me for a second more before turning away to talk to the girls beside her. *Phew* I heave a silent sigh of relief. To explain what just happened: I was violently interrogated by a colleague in class. Though minus the violently, and probably the interrogated too.
Yes, 'I was by a colleague in class.' We sat across from each other and I was asked whether I had a 'date' for the dance, to which I obviously replied "Of course, I'll be bringing my pet mango." As you do, though again, maybe minus everything after 'No'.
Plus, I doubt Mangela would enjoy being around all those people anyways. Mangos don't survive long in crowded ecosystems after all. Terrible jokes aside, I think I'm about ready to make a run for it if we're not let out soon.
"RRRRRRRRNG... RRRRRRRNG" The incredible, ear-shredding sound of the school bell finally echoed through the anticipant advisory classroom.
I jolted up, pulling my bag out from under the seat I left wobbling behind me as I pulled my headphones up to my ears and made a beeline for the door.
"Cairo, hey. It's Annie, from a few days ago… Do you have a second?"
Before I could even reach the doorway, I was stopped by a muffled voice attached to a pair of optimistic green eyes staring holes into mine.
"Crap."
My face contorted as I remembered what Caroline had told me to do... well, about a week ago. I spared no effort trying to conceal the bothered look on my face as I saw the herd of people walking out the door before me.
"Listen, I'm a little busy right now. But I'm sure someone else would be happy to help you." I said, beginning to make my way past her.
"Yeah, that's what you said the last three times…" Annie's shoulders stiffened slightly as she moved to plant herself in front of me again, she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as if to appear more composed than she was. Her red sweater hung just loosely enough to reveal a white undershirt. Dark blue jeans drooped down to her ankles. Not exactly eye-catching attire, but it seemed strangely intentional. Like someone who wanted desperately to blend in without appearing too plain.
"Ms. Aspern said you're supposed to be the one showing me around so..." She said, her tone tightening ever so slightly. "Please, show me where the library is." Her words were steady, but there was a hesitation in her tone, as if she were carefully choosing every syllable.
I winced at the idea as my face morphed further but her eyes remained locked on mine expectantly. "Fine." I replied. Expecting refuting her any longer would waste more time than it took to get the damn thing done. "And the homework center too, thank you." Stepping aside she gestured for me to lead the way. 'This little...' I stop my thoughts before employing the use of a few choice words. Sighing mournfully, I took a moment to think of what to say before noticing the deadly stare coming at me from my home room teacher who seemed to have been listening in on our exchange. "Well, come on then." I said hastily, hurrying out the classroom door.
I walked briskly towards the direction of the school library, not intending to waste any more time than I needed to. Annie followed behind me, but from the flustered look on her face she wasn't content with speedwalking to keep up. "Hey, can't you slow down a bit?" she asked in a strained voice. Her hands darted to her sides, smoothing out her sweater as she shuffled behind me.
"Huu." I slowed down, letting out a sigh along with as much of my impatience it could carry with it. She quickly caught up before I started again with a more 'reasonable' pace.
"Where is it you have to go so badly that you can't help showing me the library?" Annie asked, her breathy words dragging out the question. "None of your business." I replied, as her face contorted into annoyance for the first time.
"Asshole." She said a bit too loudly before seeming to recognize her stupor and tightening her lips suddenly. Her eyes shifted slowly to see my reaction, as if looking over too obviously would somehow guarantee that I heard her.
"Yeah, I know." I responded curtly. "You know I don't have to be the one to show you around, right? I know what Caroline said but I'm sure you've met enough people by now who'd jump at the opportunity to help a new female transfer student find her way around." I added, making sure to emphasize the word female.
Annie took a second to give me a confused glance, seeming caught off-guard by my response. After a moment, she let out a forced cough. "Well, I didn't want to bother anyone." She answered softly.
"So 'anyone' doesn't include me?" I asked as her face tightened up. Wordlessly, she kept her gaze fixed on the hallway ahead of us.
Finding my way to the library wasn't exactly a difficult process. But, given it was on the opposite side of my two favorite places in the school: the side exit and the front exit, it wasn't the most convenient detour. "Here you are." I said standing at the library entrance. "The homework center is behind the double doors in the back, so you don't need to worry about me showing you where that is too." I stated happily, not bothering to hide the relief I got from that fact.
Annie's gaze flicked between me and the library doors, her lips pressing together as she pulled at her sweater's sleeves once again. She kept adjusting her posture as her eyes surveyed the students around us, shifting her weight awkwardly as if she wanted to make sure she wasn't seen standing improperly. "Well," Annie glanced back at me. "I do still need help finding the fine arts build-"
Before she could finish her sentence, my headphones had somehow found their way over my ears. My legs, incredibly, had started a brisk pace towards the music wing all on their own! Recalling all the strangeness of that moment, it was hard to say whether the drowned-out voice of some girl following me from behind was real, or just another part of the strangeness. In any case, it wasn't long before it had disappeared entirely into the background noise of the school hallway.
The clamor of loose strings and off-key notes echoed through the hallways of the music wing, the dissonant melodies a familiar prelude to Caroline's office. Nearing the open door, the cluttered orchestra muffled into silence as he crossed the threshold, broken only by the rhythmic clatter of a furious typing. Caroline sat at her desk, her focus held entirely by the computer screen before her. Busy enough to not notice him entirely.
Lingering in the doorway, Cairo felt a pang of guilt about interrupting her. But after a moment of hesitation, he knocked with just enough extra force on the open door. The sound startled Caroline, her head snapping up as she blinked in surprise. "Oh, you're here!" she exclaimed, pushing her chair back before immediately going to rummage through the clutter in her desk. Cairo remained standing, his discomfort growing as she darted from drawer to cabinet.
"Take your time," he offered, his voice carrying a mix of guilt and awkwardness.
Caroline finally reappeared from under her desk, holding an extravagant bouquet of flowers wrapped in colorful cellophane. Cairo winced at the sight, but he held his tongue. He knew he wasn't in a position to complain.
"Here you are, sir." she said with a slight bow of her head, walking over before thrusting the bouquet toward him. He hesitated before taking it, the overwhelming scent of the shrubbery already filling the small office. "Sorry, again, for making you-" Cairo started. "Nonsense." Caroline quickly cut him off. "Don't forget, you're doing this for the both of us."
A sharp ding from her phone broke the moment. Caroline glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing slightly before her eyes darted back to Cairo. "You should get going now," she said abruptly, her tone shifting. "I'm going to have a very angry student coming in any second now."
Cairo raised an eyebrow, unsure if he should ask for more details. Before he could speak, Caroline waved him off, shooing him toward the door. "Go on," she insisted, pausing only as he reached the doorway. "Oh, and make sure to say hi for me." Her voice echoed behind the door as it shut behind him.
Caroline barely had a few minutes to get back to her work before the door to her office flew open once again, slamming against the wall. Annie stormed in, her face flushed with frustration. "Aunt Caroline!" she burst out, her voice rising above the residual music from the hallway. "T-That person you told me to ask for help! Or, no, person is too nice of a word to use on that weasel... Yeah, he's more like a raccoon than a human, that guy. A slippery, selfish, raccoon-eyed weasel who dives headfirst into another pile of garbage before you have the chance to catch it, let alone pinning down that infuriating, trash-diving rat..."
Caroline opened her mouth to greet her niece but quickly realized it was futile. Annie was already halfway through a torrent of complaints, her words tumbling over one another in a near-incoherent rush. "He ditched me—again!" she fumed. "I mean, sure, he says he's busy or whatever, but does he have to be so rude? He isn't even busy either, I bet. What the hell could that raccoon have to do besides stuff another mouthful of garbage into his mouth?" Annie was ceaseless in her tirade, making sporadic attempts to temper her words but in the end her anger always had the final say. "Not that I blame you for putting him in charge," she added hastily, "but seriously, Aunt Caroline, is there no one else!?"
Caroline leaned back in her chair, her expression unreadable. She waited patiently for Annie to run out of steam, offering nothing more than a calm nod every now and then. Finally, Annie threw her hands up in exasperation. "Well?" she demanded. "Aren't you going to say something?"
Caroline stood, retrieving her car keys from a hook near the door. "Come with me," she said simply.
Annie blinked, her frustration giving way to confusion. "What? Where?"
Caroline offered her a vague smile. "To do some... reconnaissance."
Before Annie could ask for clarification, Caroline was already heading out the door. Bewildered, and still a little angry, Annie followed warily behind, struggling to hold back all the words she hadn't said before.