30 Days Together

Chapter 3

Akina’s week had not started off on a great note but she hoped to change that. Firstly, she planned to never have to see Kyle again but as the thought crossed her mind, she laughed. There was no way she wouldn’t be seeing him, it came with the known fact that he was one of the school’s most popular and hot guys. Or more accurately, he was the golden boy. Secondly, she was going to ace her AP Physics quiz.

She opened her locker and rummaged around her bag for her journal which she had decided to bring with her at school. It wasn’t the best idea she had had, but there was no way she would leave it home when her mum planned on staying in for her meeting. Akina took out her journal and shoved it at the back of her locker and placed some books on top of it so it wasn’t easy to spot. She took out the books she needed and closed it.

Akina was in such a hurry to get to the library for her morning study session when she bumped into someone and her books were knocked out of her hands. She held her breathe as she watched her papers scatter everywhere.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologised as she knelt down to pick them up. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

Akina hadn’t even looked at who she had bumped into but she knew they were no doubt glaring at her. She held her breath as she waited for the person to yell and insult her, but the insults never came. Instead, the person knelt down and helped her pick up her books and papers.

“It’s all good,” the person replied coolly.

Akina remembered that voice all too way, she stood up and the person followed suit. “I’m really sorry,” she said as she stared into Kyle’s brown eyes.

There was a lazy smile toying on Kyle’s lips as Akina felt more than embarrassed. It hadn’t even been more than ten minutes that she had told herself that she would avoid him at all costs and here he was standing right in front of her and even smiling at her.

“It’s cool,” Kyle said still smiling. “I’m Kyle by the way and you are?”

As if he needed an introduction. Akina knew exactly who he was and it made sense that he didn’t know who she was. They didn’t have any classes together nor were on the same social rank. “Akina,” she replied as she tucked a stray lock behind her ear.

Kyle stared at her for a second too long and Akina became to feel uncomfortable under his scrutinising gaze. Why was he staring at her? Did she have something on her face? The thoughts began to cloud her head and her palms got sweaty and clammy. She wanted to leave but it was as if something was holding her in place, keeping her in a frozen state.

“Where were you headed to this early in the morning?” Kyle asked as the lazy and playful smile returned to his face.

Akina finally snapped out of whatever trance she had been under. “The library,” she replied sceptically. She still had no idea why Kyle of all people was talking to her in the first place. “Can I have my papers back?”

Kyle stopped staring at her long enough to hand the papers back. “Sorry,” he said and rubbed the back of his neck in what she figured was him being embarrassed.

Akina took the papers back and resumed her walk to the library. She had to ace her quiz, it’s the best she could do considering she couldn’t avoid Kyle.

“So Akina, how come I’ve never seen you around school before yesterday?” Kyle asked as he casually fell into step with her. “Because you seem like those people who are hard to forget,” he went on as he walked casually beside her like they were friends.

Akina threw a subtle glance in Kyle’s direction and he seemed to not get the message that she wanted to be left alone. “I don’t know,” she replied curtly. She was trying really hard not to say anything that may sound rude and standoffish.

Kyle seemed to not get the cue that it was time for him to leave and Akina wasn’t about to tell him otherwise. She also didn’t want to admit that it felt nice to talk to someone who wasn’t her journal or her subconscious. An unconscious smile tagged at her lips.

“You should smile more,” Kyle said as they reached the library and they stood outside, “you look beautiful when you smile.”

Akina was taken aback by his words, she hadn’t realised she was smiling. “I…. I,” she stammered.

“You have a beautiful smile and it makes your eyes look more green than blue,” he admitted with a genuine smile on his face that made his left dimple appear.

Akina couldn’t help but stare at him dumbfounded and the look he was giving her didn’t make things any easier. He looked so carefree and happy that she wondered if she would ever feel like that again. “Thank you,” she said in a whisper still not able to fully digest his words.

“You are welcome love,” Kyle said with a wink. “Anyway, I’ll be seeing you around Akina,” and then he was gone.

Akina was left standing there replaying their entire interaction. She also couldn’t help but think of how her name had rolled off his tongue so smoothly. She began to wonder if he had done it deliberately. Or maybe it was just her brain playing tricks on her. Yeah, it was definitely her brain playing tricks on her and nothing else. He couldn’t be interested in her and she wondered why he had talked to her.

She entered the library and checked the time on the huge grandfather clock that school had put in the library. It read 7:50am, she only had ten minutes to make it to class before the tardy bell sounded. Akina turned on her heels and made her way to her class before she had to risk doing the walk of shame for being late for the first time in her entire school lifetime.

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The morning flew by with Akina paying less attention in each class she had. Her mind kept reliving her interaction with Kyle and how she almost felt half comfortable talking to him even though she hardly uttered more than thirty words to him.

“Akina!” her human biology teacher, Ms. Watson called her.

Akina was startled out of her thoughts. “Yes ma’am,” she responded.

Francesca Watson, or more accurately, Ms. Watson was a tall slender woman who was in her late twenties. Akina always wondered why she had decided to be a high school biology teacher; she just didn’t have the temperament to deal with teenagers or any form of living thing for that matter.

“What is the answer?” she asked as she stared at Akina coldly. For some reason, Akina always felt as though Ms. Watson didn’t like her. She always went out of her way to make Akina’s time in her class miserable.

Akina swallowed hard, “Could you repeat the question?” she asked sheepishly. It wasn’t like her to not pay attention in her classes but she had been doing it ever since Kyle decided to talk to her.

Ms. Watson rolled her eyes and threw a glare in her direction before she turned back to address the entire class of twenty or so students. “Ms. Matthews I expect all my students to pay attention in my class and not day-dream about boys and what is the latest fashion,” she said and the class burst into laughter.

Akina prayed the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She was embarrassed because part of what Ms. Watson had said was true but the other part wasn’t. It pissed her off at how Ms. Watson had called her out like that in front of the entire class. The other students were passing notes among each other and talking during her class but she hadn’t once called them out for it.

“I’m sorry ma’am, it won’t happen again,” Akina apologised but deep down she just wanted Ms. Watson to get a life and stop bothering her.

“It better be the last time this behaviour is exhibited by you young lady,” she said coldly and then resumed class as though she just hadn’t made Akina feel bad about not paying attention.

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During lunch break, Akina decided to head to the canteen to buy some food. She hadn’t eaten for almost 24hours and she knew she couldn’t take her drugs without having some type of food in her system.

She sighed as she entered the canteen and everyone turned to stare at her. It was one of the main reasons that she always brought food from home. Some of the students had a combination of surprised and shocked expressions while others held disgust. She stood in line and took out some money from her savings to pay for her food. She really didn’t want to have to use her money but she had no other choice.

Akina bought some chips, a vegan sandwich and a bottle of water, paid and quickly tried to hurry out of the canteen before she gained more attention than she had already. She really hated the attention they had given her.

“Akina wait!” she heard someone call after her before she even made it to the canteen’s big double doors. She didn’t have to turn to know that it was Kyle.

Instead of waiting, she sped up out of the canteen and dashed in the hallways before she pushed the school’s front doors open. The afternoon sun burned her eyes but they soon adjusted and she ran. Fast.

Akina could hear heavy steps somewhere behind her. She really didn’t want to cause a scene but Kyle had no right to call her like that, especially in front of everyone. Now they all had more questions which she wouldn’t be answering anytime soon.

“Wait up!” Kyle shouted once more and she could hear he wasn’t that far behind. “Damn girl, you can run,” him cursed.

Her legs began to feel weak and the lack of food in her system was not helping the situation. It made her sway from side to side and she had to stop running in order to regain her balance. But that was a mistake as Kyle finally caught up to her.

“Jee-zus Akina!” he said almost out of breath. “For such a frail looking girl, you sure can run like hell.”

Akina stood there still swaying from side-to-side as her vision became cloudy and blurred. Kyle finally seemed to notice her struggling to keep her balance.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he moved closer and held her by the elbow.

She didn’t say anything, just stood there as her vision and consciousness faded in-and-out. “I think I’m going to pass out,” she finally admitted and then her body was in free-fall.

She felt Kyle catch her before she fell and he sat her on the nearest bench. He began to panic as he didn’t know what to do. Akina could hear his voice move further and further away as her consciousness was slowly fading. She didn’t want to pass out in front of anyone, more especially in front of him but it seemed like her body and mind had other plans.

“Oh f**k, f**k, f**k,” Kyle cursed profusely. “This cannot be happening.”

Akina didn’t know who Kyle was talking too, but she hoped it wasn’t anyone she knew who wasn’t the school nurse. “I…. medication…. bag…. now,” she managed to croak from her dry chapped lips.

Kyle hurriedly got her bag and searched for her medication which she always kept with her for situations like this. “This one?” he asked showing the yellow bottle of pills to her.

She nodded her head slowly. It took a lot of effort for her to even move any part of her body.

“How many?”

She slowly raised four of her fingers and Kyle popped the lid open and took out the pills before he pushed them in her hand and quickly opened the bottle of water she had just bought.

Kyle helped her take her pills before everything went dark.