A few days passed, Alec wasn’t able to come in contact with Mel in any way, not at the entrance to the architecture block, or in the hallway, or at the convenient store or any weird places like that to make random encounters, and surprisingly Alec found himself missing him and wanting to see him, but he didn’t feel like making the first move, he thought, “he’s definitely gonna think I’m weird” but he couldn’t let himself get drowned in thoughts of Mel; things at school just got even more busier for him, especially at the architecture block, and MR. Sidney Whales was not making it any easier for them at his classes.
Andrew was even busier because he had both school work and club activities to participate in and since Andrew can only do so much, he asked Alec to help him with some of his work,
This also meant that Alec was spending more time alone, but that didn’t really affect him, all because he was too busy to think about it, but now, Andrew was spending more time with his team, than with Alec.
It got so bad that whenever Andrew came back home from school at late night hours, he was always so tired to joke around with Alec, and Alec was usually soaked in all the projects and assignments he had to complete for both himself and Andrew,
And when morning time came, Andrew had to leave earlier than usual all for the sake of team practice, that’s because his team had less time to practice, with all that school work loaded on them; and at that time Alec would still be fast asleep because of the all-nighter he pulled the previous night, so even at mornings, there was no time to talk.
So, today started like any other day, it started with Alec waking up a little late, then hastening off to school, but before that, stopping by at the “Pleasure is Pretty” café to seek out coffee, finding out he might be late and running off to school, but this time, there was no Mel at the block’s entrance for him to bump into,
Just as he got to class before the lecturer would enter, almost at the same time, he and Andrew will get to the lecture room door, panting, they would look at each other and smile, then walk into the lecture room together,
This time they had mathematic class and it was thought by Mrs. Haley Haffley, who was like a mother to her student and most especially, she was the only one who knew Alec’s and Andrew’s story so she was always looking out for the boys,
Alec didn’t really let it show, but a part of him didn’t really feel comfortable about receiving another person’s pity, “Andrew’s family is already doing enough for me
” Alec thought.
So, Mrs. Haley Haffley came into the class to all the students’ greeting, and she started the class as usual, with introduction and then moved on to the topics for the day, after 3 hours, the class ended, but it ended with an assignment, and the whole student including Andrew, let out a loud groan, “even with the mountain of work and club activities we already have” they all lamented, “come on Mrs. Haffley, you can’t be serious” a student added,
“I’m really sorry kids, but its part of curriculum for this year, and they have marks attached to it, you just have to suck up to it dear” Mrs. Haffley said, while she was glancing at Alec who was just being quiet and composed, but was just hiding the fact that he was stressed as hell.
So, Mrs. Haffley finally ended the class and left the lecture room, then the students started rushing out in clusters, heading to their next class, but Andrew and Alec stayed back a little to talk, though the still has some classes waiting for them,
“Lec, how you doing, its strange we live in the same house, but these days, we hardly talk, man I’m tired as f**k” Andrew started, Alec looked at him and smiled, then said, “I’m okay just a little more work to do that’s all” but Andrew wasn’t convinced, he paused for 2 seconds and took a long glance at Alec and knew he was stressed out big time, he could tell because he knew Alec’s body was the skinny type and if he was stressed or not eating well, it would show greatly on his body, and these past few days were starting to take a toll on him,
“Alec, if you are not fine, if you are stressed out, you can tell me okay, we’re best buds, I’m not my mom or dad, you don’t have to feel so indebted to me as well okay, we are supposed to help each other out okay, and beside, you’re like another son to them okay” Andrew said so as he petted Alec on the head.
Alec raised his head to look at Andrew and gave a warm smile and said “thank you, I know…… I missed you drew”, as Andrew heard this, he felt flattered as he replied him saying “well that’s the cute softness of Alec you don’t get to see every day”, “I missed you too Lec” he added with his bright smile.
“I hate to break this moment but, Lec, I know this might be a little too much for you but, you think you could handle my maths assignment as well” he said so with a pleading face, but Alec snapped and said in a slightly aggravated tone with his soft voice “Drew, I missed you, I like you, you’re my best friend and all, and I wanna help you, but there’s only so much I can take you know, and you for one, know how much toll this is taking on me”
Andrew saw how agitated Alec was and thought about it for a few seconds and finally came to understand that Alec had a point, then he apologized and explained that the club activities as well as the basketball team’s up coming game were really eating him up, but Alec scolded him instead for being so hyper active and joining so many clubs,
Then Andrew remembered that Alec was part of the music club and he knew they had on going activities for the sake of the university’s up coming festival and wondered why he wasn’t engaging himself in it, and decided to ask him,
“Lec, why aren’t you participating in you club’s activities, or you don’t wanna be part of the festival, you know you have a really good voice, use this opportunity to stand out more and win the girls’ hearts” Andrew question him
But the Alec gave a reluctant reply, he said “unlike everyone here, I just know how to prioritize what needs to be prioritize”, Andrew heard this and was convinced, he just tilted his head and said “well that sounds a lot like you, and anyway, I don’t want you getting any skinnier than you already are kid”, “don’t call me kid drew, your only one year older than me” Alec replied impulsively while Andrew left while laughing.
Now Alec was alone in the lecture room, then he thought about the statement Andrew made before leaving the room, which was “use this opportunity to stand out more and win the girls’ hearts” then he mumbled to himself, “girls’ Hearts, Mel’s Heart”, then he got a text message from Mrs. Haffley, saying she wanted to see him, as soon as Alec rad this this text, he felt suffocated, but still he gathered his stuff and headed to the lecturer’s lounge.
At the Lecturers’ lounge Mel was already there, he was chilling out with Sidney, and as usually some of their female colleagues were admiring their duo, and they were very fond of Mel considering he was a student at the same university and he was the smart type, though he wasn’t really any lecturer’s boy;
Mel came there 30 minutes ago, he came in to talk to Sidney about the message he received from Annabelle,
The lecturer’s lounge was shaped like a realy large square and could contain as much as 24 lecturers’ desk and chair each and the desk and chair were arranged so that the center was left free: twelve of the pair of desk and chair for each teach were set at the edges of this large square shaped room, with another 12 arranged 2meters diagonally Infront of the pair behind it forming a slanting line of four rows, two columns at each of the three edges of this square, leaving the fourth and last edge which contained the entrance to the lounge, by it left side it contained the lockers that were needed and used by the lecturers.
Now in this room, Sidney Whales’ pair of desk and chair was close to the left wall by the angle formed between the left wall and the middle wall, while Mrs. Haffley’s, was at the right side of the room also close to the room.
At this point, Mel who has already been there having his conversation with Sidney, of which the conversation stated with Mel telling Sidney, he got a message from Anne, telling him that the divorce papers were ready and she gave him two options; which were if she should send it or if would go get them, and not from her, but from the attorney’s office,
“can you believe that, she doesn’t even wanna see me, I feel like I’m being hated Sid” as Sidney heard this he let out a little laughter that made the whole turn to their direction, then Sidney gave an embarrassed look and lifted his hands half way and join them as if to say sorry, even though the lecturers’ lounge wasn’t even that noisy; Mel heard this and felt a little pissed at how Sidney reacted after hearing what he had to say, and then said “really Sid, don’t you think you should be apologizing to me too?” Sidney looked at him and jokingly chuckled then said, “hey, I just reacted to how she gave you rules and how the almighty Mel is gonna just blindly follow them even if you don’t want to {laughter}”, “really anyway, I just came to ask you if what I should choose, and if it would be okay to ask her to meet up, seeing as she doesn’t wanna see me even though we clearly need to talk”
”Hmmm” was the only thing could say, then Mel broke the silence and between them by saying, “you wanted to co e to you sooner, she had already sent that message to me a few days ago, its over a week now too, but you know how things are with school these days, even though I’m a lecturer now it’s almost as hectic as when I was a student”.
After a few minutes of thought Sidney said, “right now, I’ve got to use, whatever thinking capacity I have now to prepare materials for my next class, which is in close to 45 minutes from now so Mel my dear man, I’m gonna get back to you”, “and why don’t you go to your brother when your troubled like this?” Sidney question Mel, but then Mel replied saying, “hmm, I wonder too, I guess maybe cause you closer to me, and he’s quite far” Mel said with a sad expression on his face almost so obvious it was unlike him, as soon as Sidney saw this, he knew that statement meant a lot more that the way it was stated.
A few minutes into the conversation Mel and Sidney, Alec walked into the lecturer’s lounge, and headed straight to Mrs. Haffley’s desk in response to the text message she sent him earlier; unknow to him that the Mel Mavis he so wanted to see was in the same room with him.
As he got there, he bowed in other to Mrs. Haffley with a slight nod, in order to greet her with as much respect as possible, then upon sighting him, Mrs. Haffley, smiled and said “oh, young Alec you are here, you pretty boy, sometimes I wonder if you are male or female, I wish my daughter was as beautiful as you are” then she laughed, but Alec said with a smile, “I’m a man, ma’am” but then she chuckled and moved on to the main reason why she called him, she started, “Dear Alec, how are you fairing these days hm? You look skinnier than normal honey, she said with her face full of concern, concern for Alec, but Alec didn’t see it like this, just as immediately as she stated to utter those words, Alec’s felt uncomfortable and unluckily for him, he has a face that is completely bad at hiding expressions, his face completely sold him out’ but then he told her he was fine, he didn’t feel like indulging in her pity which was how he saw her concern for him;
As Mrs. Haffley saw this, she tried not to show, but she was really disappointed and she felt bad, but then, she tried to explain to Alec for he to truly understand her feelings,
“you see, my dear boy, I’m 53 years old and mt first child, my daughter is 31 years old, she has a boy just as old as you are, what I’m trying to say is, I’m a mother of a mother, and whenever I see you, I’m reminded of my grandson, and the, I remember your situation and it just makes me want to take care of you, my intentions for you are sincere” she said in an affectionate but serious manner
“but I don’t like it, I feel less comfortable when you act like this, treating me differently from how you treat the rest of the class just because you know a little bit of my situation, it makes me feel like I’m a handicap or one of those guys who have mental disorder or something, it make me feel incomplete, it makes me feel incapable, it make me feel sick” Alec started in a rather melancholy tone, at this point people in the lecturers’ lounge started to pay more attention to what was going on at Mrs. Haffley’s desk, including Mel and Sidney and they were very surprised, especially Sidney who knew him as a really quite and polite kid who only talked when necessary, “isn’t that Alec”, Sidney spoke to Mel; “ALEC?” Mel responded, as he was even more shocked.
“I HATE TO BE PITIED, DON’T PITY ME, DON’T DO THINGS FOR ME BECAUSE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE, I DON’T WANNA BE INDEPTED TO…………”Alec yelled, but just as Alec was about to complete what he wanted to say, he felt someone grab him by the hand and pulled him out of the lecturers’ lounge;
As soon as Mrs. Haffley saw Alec being dragged off, she was in a blank shock after hearing all that, the only thing that lingered in her mind was the face of Alec who looked as depressed and as saddened as ever as tears were rushed down his face, “he was crying, Alec” she thought this as she began to feel guilty for some reason she was yet to notice. But as Mrs. Haffley sat on her chair drowning herself in her thoughts, her fellow colleagues started to gossip among themselves,
“I knew he wasn’t mentally stable; I knew he wasn’t a normal kid, he was always just so quiet, even during interactive classes”;
“he was always alone and always looked so depressed”
“what if he’s a mad kid, for him to yell at a professor like that”
“but he’s such a bright student, what’s wrong with that kid”
While all the gossip was still flying around, the noise created from it all was just too annoying for Sidney to bare, so he stood up, banged his table and yelled “WOULD YOU ALL KEEP QUIET”, “I have a class soon and I still need to prepare” he added,
After hearing that the whole room became quiet and then he said “thank you”