The Air Out Of [Wattys2018 shortlist]

003 - leo

LEO'S ARMS WERE EXHAUSTED FROM THE EFFORT IT TOOK TO CONTINUALLY SLAP THE THIN WOODEN STICK AGAINST THE BOARD. Fifth time now, and yet these caustic teenagers were still staring at him, unimpressed. They came in a variety, the results of the 21st century acceptance amendment, if only he had a childhood like that. When he finally looked up from his desk to face his students and ask for a sufficient or even borderline decent answer, the wooden stick prepared in his left hand, he was met with twenty sets of blue, green, brown, and amber eyes.

And one set of silver eyes.

Then the memories came flooding back, and instead of using his advantage of vexatious litigation, his grip loosens, to which he subtly clears his throat and croaks a short statement of proceeding attempting to cover up the distraught expression written across his face. "Right. How long can an average person last in space without a spacesuit?" It was a trick question. Automatic thinkers would guess that they wouldn't last a millisecond, and although space was a vacuum, the person would certainly last a few moments, if not more, according to general laws in Physics. Now don't get mistaken, real life wasn't Hollywood, said person wouldn't survive a minute, either. Leo rose from his seat from the corner of the room and moved himself to the board, which stood at the center of the room.

He's quite aware that more than half of the people in this room are thinking about something else rather than Advanced Physics, as is he, apparently, and while he can't wait to get rid of them just as much as they can't wait to leave the room, he's finally earned himself a pretty stable job, and the steady income suffices for the attitude of these abrasive teenagers.

Two hands shoot up in the air, one of them is silver, who, in every way imaginable seems to be placed on the face of earth to give Leo a massive deja vu. Well, it works, and now, Jess is back in his mind, despite how much time and effort for him to finally accept that she had left. Hand number two belongs to a random kid sitting in the middle row of the room.

Leo's heart couldn't take another Jess. The new silver-eyed transfer student was going to be the end of him, and he had only just managed to push every single memory of Jess out of his heart. So, he played the discriminative.

Because he was hurting.

"Josiah."

Josiah's answer didn't matter. He didn't even bother listening, just like many other students, praying that the bell would ring. It rang creating an endless echo throughout the building. Some people jumped for joy, others did better in concealing their emotions engaging.

This his life now. He was no longer the student slithering out of school whenever he pleased, he had a job to maintain, a life to form. His dreams were still within reach, and this time, nothing would stop him.

Leo sighed in relief. He gave silver eye a week at most. He couldn't have any more pain in his life. For once, Leo was selfish. To stay afloat.

Promptly, the students filed out of the room one by one, others cutting through the line and slipping through the slight crack of the door. It was finally the weekend. The end of one of any other gruesome weeks that would eventually lead to the end of the month, and, year.

Life moved on. Life stopped for no one.

"Mr. Danster." a soft voice interrupted Leo's synchronized Friday schedule of, pack stuff, and then, get the hell out of there. He froze, no longer alone and surrounded by the comfort of peace and quiet.

He tried his best to mask the shock that had spread onto his face like a plague as soon as he recognized untimely voice. Silver-eye. "Yes-," he paused. He didn't know her name.

She read his mind, "Caëlys." her tone was smooth. Friendly. Inviting.

Trouble.

He nodded, "Can I help you with anything."

"I-" her French accent paused, unsure of how to phrase her words without offending the teacher, "I want to know why you hate me." The second half of her sentence came out in a rush, like she was trying to get it out of her system as fast as possible. She looked as if she regretted the words that had just fumbled out of her mouth, but nevertheless, she clamped her jaw shut anyway, and let her gaze move from Leo.

He was taken aback. If there was anything he actually expected, it certainly wasn't this. He felt his body stiffen, as his gaze flickered towards the ground. "I'll see you Monday, Caëlys." and with that, he roughly grabbed his leather bag and slipped out of the door without another word, leaving his brunette student speechless.

His student, however, was right for that matter. He was ignoring her for a non-existent reason - a really childish attempt with a one way ticket to losing his job. A slight buzz interrupted his thoughts as he dashed out of the building without so much as a glance backwards.

He reached into his back pocket hastily pulling out the tiny box-like device stashed between the remnants of the sour candy wrapper and a few loose pennies who somehow made their way without his knowledge. In the middle of his haste, he ignored the instant caller ID flashing incessantly on the screen and proceeded to swipe and answer the call. Slinging his leather bag to the side of his body, as the wind blew through his hair that made him reassess his life, a single voice made his body solidify, and his heart from beating.

One does not easily leave their first love behind.

He was at a crossroad when his mind swirled. Grabbing onto a brick wall for support, he pledged his full weight on it, and attempted at pacing his breathing. Key word: attempted.

They stay, occupying your thoughts, and squashing others that dare to grasp your attention

Her sickly sweet voice stuck on his mind like a bubonic plague repeating itself in mimicking actions. But her voice didn't sound happy or joyful, instead it was strained, restless. Dare he say depressed, even.

...until you finally put your foot down.

And all it took for him to remember the person he thought he had finally forgotten was a simple, simple word:

"Hey."

And you haven't.