‘Now, please get with your partners. Once you’ve done this, come to the front for your case.’ Mr. Carter flicks his hand to signal he’s done talking, and a lot of the students start to rise from their seats. I do so as well, grabbing my things and making my way over to Amy. I set my stuff down next to her and flop into the chair with a heavy sigh.

  ‘Hey~’ Amy drags out the ‘e’. She’s got a stupid smirk on her face too. She definitely remembers me.

  I run a hand through my hair, trying to suppress another sigh.

  ‘Hi, Amy. Let’s just get this over with,’ I respond flatly, my expression one of pure dissatisfaction.

  I stand up slowly, bracing my hands on my knees to do so.

  ‘You stand like an old man. Need your cane, Gam Gam?’ A soft giggle leaves her lips as she teases.

  I’ll just ignore it for now. Don’t fall for it.

  ‘Let’s just go get our case,’ I start to make my way to the front. My hand gestures at her in a ‘come here’ sort of way.

  We have to wait in an obnoxiously long line, while Mr. Carter is at the front, handing out the case pieces. There are supposed to be thirty five groups, after all. It’s bound to take a while.

  ‘So, how were things after I got expelled?’ Amy whispers in my ear. She could just talk, I feel like. She doesn’t have to get her nasty air in my ear. I roll my eyes.

  ‘Don’t talk. Just be,’ I shut her down, or at least I hope I did.

  ‘Nah, that’s boring. Just answer my question,’ She puts her hand on my shoulder, and it makes me shudder. Her hand is freezing. Like suddenly being transported to Greenland in the winter.

  ‘Fuck off.’ I respond curtly, brushing her hand off with enough attitude to ideally get her to, as I said, fuck off.

  This goes on for a few more minutes. I’ve just decided to ignore her. She isn’t worth my time, or my rage. We get up to the front, and Mr. Carter looks between the both of us.

  ‘Ah. Who are you guys again?’ He looks at his computer once more. I can spot the attendance list on the right side of a split screen, as if that’s going to help him. I’m about to open my mouth and answer-

  ‘Amy and Tomi, sir,’ Amy beats me to it.

  I give her a sidelong glance of annoyance, before I’m brought back by Mr. Carter’s soft hum.

  ‘Alright. I’ll give you guys this one. The Heki N. Case.’

  …

  …

  …

  Excuse me?

  ‘Um- sir- I don’t mean to be rude, but-’ My heart races, and my head spins.

  I’m back. Five years ago. He died. My throat begins to close, and my eyes sting like hell.

  ‘Tomi? Is something the matter?’ Mr. Carter takes his palm from underneath his chin, suddenly seeming all the more alert.

  I shake my head, trying desperately to spit out a ‘no’ or an ‘I’m okay’, but the words won’t come out. I point to the door with shaky hands, before practically sprinting outside. Several students give me weird looks on my way out, but I don’t care.

  No.

  I can’t be back there. That day will remain in the past. I can barely make it outside the door before my legs give out and I collapse to the right of it. I bury my hands in my hair, tugging at it. The pain will ground me. Maybe?

  My chest heaves, and my vision darkens.

  This is it. I’m going to die.

  I shut my eyes tightly. Once it’s over, I’ll be in the afterlife with Heki. I’ll get to see him-

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  A tight pair of arms wrap around me. They’re strong. Warm. My body subconsciously relaxes in its grip.

  ‘You’re going to be okay. Take a deep breath,’ the voice behind the body is soft and soothing. Just like Heki.

  More tears spill, but my heart starts to slow. I inhale sharply.

  ‘Too fast. Deep breath. Like this,’ he demonstrates, taking my hand and placing it on his chest. My eyes are still closed, so I can’t quite see who it is.

  I take another shaky inhale, and he starts to run a hand down my back.

  ‘Good, good,’ He praises softly.

  I take a few more breaths, each landing affirmation from the mystery guy. I open my eyes and look up.

  Oh shit.

  How embarrassing. The boy I’m obsessing over, after I literally just met him, is comforting me. Come on, man.

  ‘I- uh- thanks,’ I sniff, frantically wiping the tears from my face.

  ‘No problem. I saw you run out of the classroom like that and had to check it out.’

  I nod against his chest. Wait. I’m against his chest.

  I push against his shoulders, but this man just won’t budge.

  ‘Oh. Are you not the hug type?’ Finn scoots back, blue eyes sweet, but staring into my soul. Holy shit, his eyes.

  ‘I- I am. But not from strangers,’ I reassure him quickly.

  ‘But, we aren’t strangers, are we? I mean, sort of. But we still know each other,’ His head cocks to the side, and he shifts into more of an Asian squat.

  ‘I guess that’s true. The principle is the same, though. We hardly know each other.’

  Finn slowly nods, and his nostrils flare.

  ‘I guess you’re right. Anyway,’ he starts, ‘are you feeling better now? Do you need me to go or can I just stay a minute?’

  ‘Who’s to say I’m not ready to go back inside yet?’

  ‘I hate to put it this way, but your face is red as hell, you’re still shaking, and it looks like you’re high with how bloodshot your eyes are.’

  Well, damn. Ouch. Before I can say anything, he puts a finger up to silence me.

  ‘And especially after a full scale panic attack, it's a bad idea to go right back into a room as big and full of people as it is.’

  I scoff, and I’m about to retort. Who says that someone looks high after a panic attack!? His words repeat in my head once more, and I realize he’s right. I’m not ready to go back inside. Especially not to Amy.

  ‘Ugh. I hate that you’re right,’ I murmur under my breath. I swear he wouldn’t be able to hear, but he ends up just snickering.

  ‘Yep. I always am when it comes to these things,’ he giggles, earning a death glare from me.

  ‘Shut up,’ I murmur even quieter this time, and he just laughs.

  ‘Stop it! It isn’t funny…’ I pout.

  ‘Oh, but it is,’ he quips. Finn suddenly steps closer to me, and his hand goes to my cheek. A thumb ventures under my eye, wiping a leftover tear away.

  ‘Hey, at least you’re looking better now,’ he shrugs. ‘Ready to go back inside? I’ll go in after you.’

  I nod, and pick myself up off the ground. My knees pop as I move them.

  ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but how old are you exactly?’ Finn seems to be trying his hardest not to laugh, or cry.

  ‘I’m eighteen. I just have old lady knees,’ I grumble, bringing myself inside. I scan the room for Amy. It seems like she already has our case. Amy looks up from her computer, casually holding up a piece of preserved flesh, and a piece of the asphalt lay on the desk.

  ‘I did a bit of research, just to figure out what’s going on in general.’ Amy gestures to her laptop, where there is a game of Flappy Bird on the ‘You Died’ screen.

  My fists clench ever so slightly.

  ‘Did you really?’ My gaze flicks between her empty notebook, the computer, and the piece of flesh in her gloved hand.

  ‘Pfft-’ Amy does a spit take. ‘Of course not. I’d think since you had such a,’ her lip twists up in a look of disdain, ‘strong reaction to the case, you know a lot about it.’

  My left fist twitches, and my jaw grinds. This girl is pissing me off already.

  ‘I know a bit about it. I watched it on the news when it happened,’ I responded vaguely, through clenched teeth.

  ‘Oh really? Then why’d you react like that? You don’t seem that empathetic, unless you’re just pathetic,’ she emphasizes the ‘pa’ in pathetic.

  I remain silent. I suck in air through my teeth. Don’t fall for it. Don’t fall for it. Don’t fall for it.

  ‘Alright,’ I check my watch. Class is almost over. ‘Since class is almost over, do you want to come to my dorm to work on this project? I checked the Canvas page, and the rubric is posted there.’ I can feel my own anger radiating in waves.

  ‘Sure. Just don’t get too pissy, eh?’ Amy grins. She knows exactly what she’s doing. ‘What’s your building and room number?’

  ‘I’m in dorm 3, and my room number is 402. I don’t have a roommate, since she dropped out the second school started, apparently,’ I shrug.

  To my surprise, Amy actually writes it down.

  ‘Got it. And I’m going to be there at 7PM. I have to leave by eight, though. I have a party to get to.’

  I nod as Mr. Carter stands up from his desk.

  ‘Okay, guys. Time to go. The rubric is on the Canvas Page, and there will be no more time to work on this in class. It’s due August 30th,’ he announces to the class, while everyone begins to leave. I immediately pack up my things and book it out the door.

  That was my first, and last class of the day, so I have the rest of the day to myself.

  Well, besides Amy coming to my dorm at seven.