I barely slept throughout the weekend. Being at school provided a well-needed distraction, but that was no longer the case at home. Falling asleep led me to the same moment repeatedly: Rowan on the floor, with his skull cracked open and surrounded by thugs. Mum's tea helped a bit, but far from putting me in a much-needed place of deep rest. As far as she knows, I had a very stressful week at school, as far as I know... I still don't know anything about Rowan.
That morning, I chose to wear my old middle-school oversized t-shirt and a pair of loose jeans; both very old. Both very comfy. I slung my bag over the shoulder, groaning at the weight. If every Monday was going to be like that, by the end of the school year, I was going to either need a chiropractor or a monthly to a massage parlour.
Locking the door, I came face to face with Adam's red Fiesta, and a very impatient looking Adam.
"Hey, why are you here?" I thread carefully.
"Get in," he ordered. "Or..." he looked me up and down. "You want to change out of pyjamas first?"
"This is how I'm going." I said, confused by his presence there.
"I'm not taking you to school dressed like that."
"Okay... I don't need you to drive me. I can walk."
"Whatever. Get in." he argued. "I think it's going to rain."
I looked at the clear sky, but got in anyway.
"So... what's up?" he tried to make conversation.
"Nothing much."
"I've heard a strange rumour."
"Well, you know the school is full of them." I said, looking out the window, leaning more on the door than towards Adam.
"This one doesn't put you in a favourable light," he moved his hand from the gearstick onto my thigh, moving higher.
I dropped the schoolbag onto his hand and said, "You know better than to listen to such things. Oh, sorry." I dragged the word longer than I should have. Didn't see your hand there. Sowrry."
He pulled back and didn't say a single word for the rest of the ride.
Mara was already waiting for me in the classroom, and she was talking at the back of the class with ... Rowan. I almost skipped the remaining distance.
"Hey." I said sweetly.
"Hey." he answered back, smiling shyly.
"How you doing?"
"I ... I got stitches," and pointed at his head, his smile wavering, and colour draining a bit from his cheeks, which looked rather pale already.
"Hey, bestie!" Mara said loudly, annoyed at being ignored. "You got here early."
"Adam picked me up for some reason." I tilted my head, just as confused by the occurrence as this morning.
"Huh..."
"Yeah..."
"Who's Adam?" asked Rowan.
"Rya's soon-to-be ex-boyfriend."
"Mara!"
"Look, I'm forever grateful for introducing me and Ben, but his face pisses me off."
The bell rang, and with it, punctuality sensei walked in.
I waved to Rowan and went back to my seat, right behind him, from where I texted Mara who was seated in front of him.
What were you two talking about?
Nothing much. Just wanted to check something.
Right... Oh, and before I forget.
I ripped a piece of paper from my notebook, and quickly scribbled: You need to give me your phone number. Then poked Rowan with my pen.
"Psstt... here," I passed him the note, but the teacher walked straight to us, dissipating the slim impression of subtility that I had.
"Pass it over," he told Rowan. And opening it slowly and unnecessarily theatrical, said, "Miss Reyna, I advise you leave the flirting for after class." and returned to his desk; however, without the note. Not that it mattered, I was already bright red.
A few classes passed before I had a second alone with Rowan, and not because he helped, but because I found him during lunch, behind the gym.
"Hey,"
"Rayna, why are you here?" he jumped to his feet.
"I thought we should have lunch together."
"I'm not really hungry," he said, although the size of that sandwich bite said otherwise. "I... I think I'll head back." he tried to pass by me with his head down.
"Are you seriously avoiding me right now? Considering what I've seen and know. Do you think that's wise?"
Rowan froze in place.
"I thought you saw me as your friend; I know I've been worried sick in the past couple of days not knowing anything of you, given what happened, and now you avoid me?"
He turned on his heels and grabbing my wrist, brought it up to eye level where, under a large band-aid were hidden his teeth marks.
"Do you truly believe I'd risk a next time?" he was angry.
"Then talk to me." I refused to look at what he wanted to show me, but I looked straight at him.
"I can't."
"Where were you in these past few days?"
"Making sure I didn't draw attention I don't need."
"Rowan..." I murmured. "If you don't want to share, there's nothing I can do about it; but what you said just now doesn't make more sense than anything that happened in the past week, so I don't know what to do."
"Rayna!" he barked. "You should be afraid! So afraid that you'd never approach me again."
"But I'm not," I raised my tone above his. "I'm here."
"Why?..." he paced back a fourth, before stopping again in front of me. "Hate me. Please hate me." He shouted, tears gathering in his eyes. "Hate me."
"I. Am. Not. Afraid. Of. You."