Looking for you

Chapter 6

Alex

After February what remained of the school year went by very fast. Before I knew it I was taking the final exams to end the year.

It was barely Wednesday and everyone was exhausted for all the studying, we were still missing three tests, two tomorrow and another on Friday.

"I don't know what's gonna happen with biology" that was Kaisha talking out loud, or maybe to me.

"What do you mean you don't know ‘what's gonna happen with biology'?" I asked.

"I'm very nervous. The exam is tomorrow and I'm not remembering the 4 phases for mitosis" Anguish and frustration where clear in her voice. Even thought I smiled remembering the method professor Wright told me to memorize mitosis and know it's order...I smiled unwittily.

"Hey Alex! I'm talking to you! Please help me instead of dumbly smiling for god knows what"

Snapping out of my thoughts I turned to Kaisha.

"Relax, you'll be fine. 'I Promise Myself A Tattoo'" I grabbed my bag and walked out of the classroom approaching my locker.

"You what? Alex! c'mon this is no time for you reminding me your future crazy plans..." I kept my stuff laughing at my friends suffering voice.

"Kaisha, I just gave you the answer right there. You're smart 'sister' figure it out" I smiled and hugged her. "Breath, don't panic and you'll be fine"

She stood there thinking where among my words I have thrown the answer and I left heading to the main yard.

At home, after dinning, I studied for tomorrow's tests, Biology and Spanish. When I ended it was 10 o clock and I wanted to wake up early as always. Every time there were exams I forbid myself to read any book not related to school, and no matter what was the subject, I'd quit studying at 10 to get some sleep.

Next morning at school the principal said there would only be three hours of classes and after that the two tests, whenever we finished those we could go home.

Those hours went by slowly beginning with geography, grammar and then ethics. When recess came Kaisha was passing frantically the pages of her notebook to 'remember' whatever she had missed last night. The twins, who were now our friends, where calmed and confident as I was.

"Girl, stop it. Either you know the answer to whatever you'll be asked, or you won't. You studied as much as you could, nothing else can enter you head. Please, leave that notebook alone" I took the bunch of notes in her and left the at the other side away from Kaisha's reach, getting myself between them.

"What?! No, no, no. I need those notes before next hour. Alex, give them back" As an answer I crossed my arms and turned to a side. Kaisha threw herself over me trying to reach the notes, once on her hand, she started to pass them again from side to side.

"Seriously?" I asked. She didn’t answered. I stood and left because I knew in no time she'd start asking me stuffs on the subject and I wouldn’t want to answer. Not because I didn't want to help herm but because that was another of my ‘rules’. If there was a test, I wouldn’t read anything related to it's topic, unless class specified it.

The bell rang, general attitude was the one of a condemned man. You could feel everyone’s tension in the air, the entire classroom was nervous. After all, the test was about everything we saw in the year.

When she crossed the door I'm sure everyone's heart skip a beat, mine was the only one that did it for a different reason. I breathe in trying to focus on whatever the test would ask.

"All right, take a seat. You know the rules, if I catch anyone cheating that someone would have a ‘extraordinary exam’" Everyone says that’s pretty much like dying.

I took red and blue ink out and on my desk, you could listen the sound of the papers being delivered. Mine arrived shortly and I started scribbling my name on it. The noise of the door opening distracted me and by the corner of my eye I saw the principal coming in and walked towards Professor Wright.

"Sorry professor, have you checked what I asked you earlier?"

"I was about to do it Sr, but I believe..." she was eyeing the grade’s list "...here, just one, Alexis Raley."

I raised my head immediately and the principal turned to look at me.

"She does?” he asked.

"Yes, her average grade is 9.5..."

By now I felt they knew something I didn't. Still they chatted as if I wasn't there.

"Then she has no need to do the exam" he said. I froze my pen.

Why not?

"Have you started?" asked the principal, finally turning to look at me.

"I did...yes"

"Well, don't continue" said professor Wright "you're exempt in this subject"

She approached my desk and I handed her my paper while the principal left. All my classmates were looking at me.

"The rest of you back to work” she said. I raised my hand.

"Yes?"

"Would it be all right if I took out a book and read? " I wasn't supposed to get anything out during an exam.

"It depends, which book is it?" I showed her the cover from my desk.

"The Nibelungs..." she nodded “It's ok”

I happily started with my reading before I could think for another second i the smile that I thought to notice when she saw the title. However my reading didn’t last long, 15 minutes later the principal came back to our room.

"I'll be watching this group during the exam professor, if you have anything else to do you can look forward to it. Ms. Raley since you're not working in the exam you can have some free time till your next one"

I understood grabbing my things and leaving behind professor Wright.

She stopped when we reached the teachers room and I was planning on just pass by but I stopped when she called me.

"Do you have anything else to do?" she wondered.

"Not really"

"Well... you wanna come in?"

I knew my answer. For a while now, I knew it didn’t matter the activity, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Evelyn. We had spent some time together a couple of evenings at the cafeteria when there was no one else around, we could talk about a million things and I've laughed with her in a way I'd never laughed. I felt I could trust her with anything...she started to knew about my ideas, goals in life, my everyday living...I trusted her many things, I just didn’t wanna thought about how I felt guilty sometimes by not telling her what where my feelings for her.

"Unless you prefer to keep on your reading…”

Her voice took me out of my thoughts and I denied moving the book in my hand.

“No, Ms. Wright I…”

“Please, there’s no one around, call me Evelyn” I took a deep breath and smiled shyly.

“...Evelyn...” her eyes wouldn't leave mine “...you know I love reading, but never when I can have good company around... like yours” she blushed a bit before smiling and opening the door.

Evelyn

I'm not sure why I asked her to come in but I was glad she did. I had nothing to do besides getting bored with myself. Work had tired me a bit and it was too early for conquering videogames, which was the latest nerd thing I've added to my activities. I noticed Alex's test was still in my hand. I took a seat.

“Where you nervous about the test?"

"Being honest? No, I wasn't"

“Really?" I teased rising a brow and crossing my arms. She laughed.

"Really, I knew everything in the first page at least. I’m kind of disappointed I did had to do it"

I smiled at her knowing she surely wanted to, after all I was certain she had studied and worked a lot to get a good grade.

"Would you like to know how you were doing so far?" I asked pretending it was a serious moment. She cleared her throat and played my game.

“Please, I die to know” I laughed at the dramatic tune in her voice and focused my attention in her paper. Her eyes were on me the entire time.

When I finished, I saw she was holding her breath and looked at me for a verdict.

"Well...I’m really sorry you didn’t get to finish it...it would have helped you” I said using a shocked expression and leaving the paper at the desk beside the computer. Her smile faded and changed with a worried look in her eyes.

“What? What do you mean?” I couldn’t resist my laugh after seeing her face, so I just tried to cover it with my hand. Right when she saw it Alex relaxed and laughed with me before getting a chair near my place.

"I hope my classmates won't fail it” she said. I nodded remembering they had improved since their first test, but some were still not doing the same.

“For their own good, I hope so” I said.

"How's football going?" I saw her smile faded away making me regret my comment. "What's wrong?"

"I'm no longer playing in the team. I couldn't afford it any more" her sight was down and you could listen sadness in her voice though she wanted to disguise it. I knew how much she loved to play.

"That´s the reason why you were down some days ago?" she only nodded. "I'm sorry" I squeezed her shoulder trying to comfort her.

"It's fine I..." she cleared her throat " I’ll try something else, not everything is lost. I still can try at university, I just need to keep training on my own, nothing I hadn’t done before… and keep my grades..." she was rambling, trying to convince herself perhaps, and not me.

I grabbed her chin and made her turn to look at me.

"I know you'll make it" I assured her "I know how you ‘do’ things, nothing can stop you” she smiled and relaxed.

I wanted for her to remember those words the rest of her life.

There was a knock at the door, behind it appeared professor Jane Lewis, my friend, she teaches Spanish.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't knew you were inside Evelyn. Hi Alexis" she started. Immediately Alexis leaned against the back of her chair, getting some distance between us. Only then I noticed how close we were.

"Hi professor Lewis" she greeted.

"I thought you had to apply a test. What happened with it?" Jane asked me.

"Well I was but, the principal came and told me he wanted to supervise it by himself, therefor I had nothing to do, and..." I paused looking back at my student "Alex here exempted my subject so, we were both enjoying our free time" Jane's eyes were filled with surprise.

"You exempted?" she asked looking back at Alex, who nodded in response "Excellent, maybe that could bring your classmates to react and start doing better for next year"

Jane took her place by one of the remaining chairs at the table. We both used to hang around whenever we had to grade papers, she's truly a good friend.

Jane checked some papers and arranged them while mumbling things to herself. I think I do that too sometimes. I liked to spend time with Jane, but with her here the few intimacy the room allowed to Alex and I was gone, and seeing my colleague mumbling made me realize how I missed the moments alone with Alex, even though she was right here, she was hushed, not as comfortable as we were.

"Well Alex, I thought you'd have to go back to your classroom for my test, but now that I'm checking the list... it seems you saved yourself from this one too" Said Jane smiling a bit looking between me and Alex. "Congratulations girl. You don’t need to worry about anything else for what remains of the school year."

She smiled assimilating those words.

"Does any of you know if the field is empty right now?" Alex asked. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Perhaps you should go and find out. I bet you keep a ball at your locker for ocassions like this one” I adventured.

"If you'd frequently bet about it, professor Wright, I'm sure you'd be millionaire" I smiled. Ever since I knew she played I wished to see how good she was at it, unfortunately I had to give the last class of the day while she'd enjoy her free time at the field.

The bell rang, Jane kept her stuff in a bag and went out for her class. I got up and saw Alex doing the same behind me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Evelyn.” said Jane before turning to Alex “Good job ‘Sherlock’” and she disappeared from our gaze.

"I hope to see you later, Evelyn” she smiled, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Bye, 'Sherlock'" I said.

After class, I walked through the field but Alex was nowhere to be seen.

When next week arrived, everyone knew it was the last week of school. I had only seen Alex at the hallways, I still he a lot of work to do, all I wanted was to a have a brief time with her alone to wish her nice vacations.

I've been thinking about her a lot for the last days, our messaging exchange has helped to it I believe, mostly about things not related to school, but my mind wondered a lot about what she could do during vacations. I know all her likes by now, some are very similar to mine, still I can't refrain the thought forming in my mind… she’s a bit lonely to me. I wouldn’t like for her to be alone. I only wanna wish her to enjoy vacations.

As usual I was used to now, I was the last one remaining at school when I entered the teachers room Ito saw a medium box over the desk with a folded note.

As soon as I unfolded it I recognized the letter. It was Alex's.

I know it’s not the day yet but, with vacations in the way, perhaps I won't be able to see you then...

I wanted to give you this hopping you'd enjoy it. Happy birthday, Evelyn.

I couldn’t believe how happy I was for having this piece of paper with her birthday wishes for me. Unwrapping the box I wondered how she'd managed to get it here without no one noticing at the hallways…

God, she didn't have to buy me anything...Please tell me you didn't spend too much in this Alex.

The thought vanished from my mind when I saw a precious mug from the NASA. She knew me very well now. I’d just told her I'd lost my coffee mug a week and a half ago...

I couldn’t resist the urge to use it and after washing it I ran to the nearest coffee to fill it.

It was later that day and the sun had settled when I send her a message.

> - Evelyn

> - Alex

> - Evelyn

I waited a couple of minutes before sending another message.

> - Evelyn

> - Alex

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Facts about chapter:

In case anyone was wondering about my answer with mitosis phases:

'I Promise Myself A Tattoo' it's the base for an acronym-> Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, etc you know all that. And that indeed arrived to my usage and knowledge by 'Ms.Wright'.

1. My strange methods and study habits: TRUE I do know some sound foolish but at that time I liked to test my own will by doing stuff I knew would work but could bother a bit of my comfort.

2. The book and reading methods: also TRUE, I wasn't reading that title at the time, I just borrow it from a friend but I indeed was reading a book which title I don't remember now.

3. The exempt situation: TRUE, I believe you all know now how nerd I used to be, sometimes I wonder of I'm still.

4. Taking Kaisha's notes away: FALSE, it's true that I don't like to open a notebook before an exam but I ever avoided a classmate to do it for their own benefit, her frantic study was, nevertheless, a true scene.

Thank you for reading, please remember that comments and questions are always welcome.