It was just half past seven when Micheal walked into Midtown High after being away for two weeks. Nothing at changed yet it felt like he had been gone for a lifetime. He noticed other students sneaking glances at him when they thought he wasn't looking like he was someone who came back from the dead.
"BRO"
Samson was walking up to him from behind. He was still some way back but his loud voice made it seem like he was right next to Micheal and was shouting in his ear.
Micheal stooped in his tracks and turned around with a slight smile. "What's up Sam"
"I'm good, looks like you are finally back on your feet", Samson said with a laugh. "What does it feel like to be out of the hospital and back in school".
"In one word, great, in two extremely great. Staying in the hospital for almost two weeks was a daunting experience", Micheal replied with a laugh as they walked towards class.
As they got to the door of their homeroom, Samson walked Into the class with that carefree manner that characterized him while Micheal stood rooted at the door staring at his seat or actually the seat next to his where Teema sat her head and half of her shoulder hunched over the next desk where a short haired guys sat. It looked like she was teaching or showing him something but the way she smiled and laughed freely in a way she had only done with him before made his chest tighten. It felt like someone was ripping out something that belonged to him. As he walked slowly into the class his leg felt like lead, he wanted to tell himself that it meant nothing, that she was just helping because Mrs Adams asked her to but when he thought about the fact that the last time she visited about a week before he was discharged. He didn't expect her to visit every time but he told her that he was being discharged yesterday and she didn't even reply his text or check on him.
"Micheal",at some point Teema had looked up and saw Micheal walking in.
"Hi",Micheal said cooley and walked to his seat and sat down.
"How's your health", she asked as she turned to him.
" Fine thank you",he replied and turned to open his backpack to bring out a book.
Teema was stunned by Michael's coldness. She couldn't fathom if it was caused by his illness or if it was something else entirely cause she just couldn't seem to think how she had offended him.
"Micheal",She called out as she tapped Micheal who was looking intently at a page in his book.
"Yeah?",Micheal replied slowly as he turned to her.
"Are you angry with me" .
"Why do you say that",Micheal asked emphatically.
"Why do I say that, take a look at how you are behaving. You've been colder since you arrived, I wanted to believe that it might be as a result of you just recovering but I remembered that even when you were still sick, you weren't this cold towards me",Teema said with a frown.
"I don't know what you are talking about", Micheal said as he turned another page In the book he was reading.
" Fine then, if that's how it is I'll leave you alone", Teema said slowly and turned back to the person she was talking to.
As time passed, Micheal found his self sneaking glances at Teema and the other guy.
"That should be Daniel",he mused. "They look cozy already. It's been just two weeks and they are already this close, I wonder what will happen in a few months".
" Hey bro, what are you thinking about", Samson leaned over and asked in a tone that seemed like it was meant for conspiratorial whispers.
"Nothing", Micheal said with a shake of his head.
"Are you sure it isn't about Teema cause I can see how you have been sneaking looks at her",Samson said with a smirk.
"I said it's nothing",Micheal snapped.
Samson smirk became wider "hey it's not my fault that you've been replaced with a new guy".
" What do you mean replaced, it's not like I had anything to do with her, we were just friends so she has the right to make new friends if she pleases",Micheal said with a calm visage which hid the turbulence deep in his eyes.
"Hm, okay , then will you stop sneaking glances at her every five minutes", Samson replied.
"I wasn't sneaking glances",Micheal said.
Samson gave Micheal a long drawn out look before sighing" alright. Are you coming to practice later today?".
" Yeah, it's been a while since I practiced and I've missed most of the term starting matches",Micheal said with a smile that seem to show his passion for the sport.
" Alright. So did you... ", Samson trailed off as Mrs Adams walked in for their morning revision.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Later that day during lunch Micheal decided to hand back in class to do some revision as he wasn't feeling hungry.
Teema and Daniel stood up, apparently about to leave for the cafeteria while Samson sat in his seat working hard on a maths project with the look of someone who was racing against time for his life and he probably was, thinking of the fact that it was due immediately after lunch and Mr Hyde could be a beast if you didn't submit a project.
"Micheal aren't you coming along", Teema asked as she stood up.
"No thanks, you go on I'm fine", Micheal replied with a smile.
"Hey bro, I didn't get to introduce myself earlier, I'm Daniel... Daniel fairburn and I e heard a lot about you",Daniel said as he stretched his hand out for a handshake.
Micheal looked at him for a few seconds before stretching out his hand, "Micheal".
"Why don't you join us for lunch, my treat",Daniel proposed.
"I'm fine, if I really wanted lunch, I know where to go",Micheal replied and turned back to his book.
Daniel stood there for a few minutes looking quite stunned at Michael's attitude.
"Let's go", Teema said after taking one last look at Micheal.
A few minutes later, Teema walked back into the class alone to meet Micheal seating by the window looking over the basketball court.
"Hey Mich",she said slowly with a smile that didn't seem to reach her eyes.
He turned back slowly like he knew she was already there before she spoke.
He looked at her intently like there was something he was seeing that she wasn't before he spoke slowly like he was counting his words "where is he".
"Who" Teema asked with a confused expression on her face.
"You should know", Micheal said with a chuckle. "You guys are always together after all doing stuff and whatnot".
"Micheal where is all this coming from" Teema asked as she stood next to him.
"Where? You visited me just once in the hospital. I was there for two weeks and you came just once. Hell, Samson came almost once every two days, not counting the times he'd drop by for a few minutes during errands and stuff but you were too busy with the handsome and cute Daniel fairburn", Micheal said sarcastically.
"Seriously Micheal! Yeah I know it's my fault that I didn't visit but stop making it seem like I abandoned you for Daniel, it's not his fault that I couldn't visit".
" Oh I know ', Micheal said with a shrug. " it's probably my fault for falling sick in the first place and inconveniencing you".
"Micheal you know I don't mean it like that",Teema replied with a look that seemed to border on tears.
Micheal looked at her face and somehow it hurt him to see her looking like this.
"You know what, it's fine, maybe I overreacted, you must have had some difficulties that's why you couldn't show up",Micheal said with a smile.
" Listen Micheal, I'm sorry I didn't visit. I have no excuse. I'm also sorry if I made you feel like you didn't matter because you do matter to me , more than you can imagine",Teema said putting her hand on his.
Somehow he seemed to feel much calmer like his only other anchor in this turbulent ocean of a world hadn't just sank.
" It's fine alright. I understand", Micheal said slowly as he continued to watch the field like he could see something else beyond it.