A Way

The next day at school.

Gary arrived earlier than the usual time he does. He got down from his bike, one he hadn't used in awhile, in the parking lot and took off the helmet on his head. After putting it on the bike's handle, he adjusted his hair and the strapped bag on his back as he began heading for the school building.

On a closer look at his face, the bags under his eyelids wouldn't go unnoticed. This was due to the fact that he was sleep deprived. To the question on what he was doing up all night, well, teenagers never really have good reasons for not getting enough sleep most times.

Passing by some students, he entered through the lit hall which leads to the various classes. He made a brief stop at the lockers near the staircase leading to the top floor as he opened his personal locker and took out a book from it which he had forgotten to take the day before. He then initiated back his motion and went up the stairs.

On getting to the class which was presently occupied by few students, he went to his seat and dropped his bag on it before launching himself out of the class immediately, not sparing a glance at the other students. If Henry was there, he might have stayed but he knows for sure that Henry wouldn't be available just yet. But he had to leave nevertheless.

He needed some time alone to think, not a deep one though. He just needed to wrap his head around what's been kind of bothering him... the blue-eyed intern.

Every single detail of her structure, he could recollect due to the fixated stare he had on her throughout the music class yesterday. But, what about her name? It should be something simple to remember, shouldn't it? Just one word... just one word his mind couldn't wrap up and present to him like a gift. And he didn't want to ask from anyone in order not to arouse any suspicion.

But then, his mind presented a mini gift to him. There was a way he could get her name. How? The music room. Since it was a little early, there was a chance either her or Mr Robinson, the music tutor, wasn't around yet. He could quickly sneak in there and check if there was something like a script which had her name on it. That was it... And with that, he began picking up the pace to head down to the music room.

What should he call this feeling he has? Love? Infatuation? He didn't know the right thing to call it. Judging by the looks of the intern, she would be aged around twenty-two or three. He was past the legal age already, so it wasn't a crime to be harboring such feelings for someone older, was it? Even if he has to chase her, it wasn't a crime either.

"Hi Gary," A soft female voice came into hearing, halting his movement.

His eyes captured a familiar face in front of him, someone he still hasn't been able to relate with that well. Laura, dressed in a white shirt, blue jeans and a pair of white sneakers. And she wasn't alone though as she had two girls behind her.

"Hey, what's up?" he mumbled the words incoherently as he stared at her face which housed a black hair tied in a ponytail.

"You okay?" Laura had her brows wrinkled as she asked.

He looked at her portraying the behavior he actually had a distaste for. Must she always try to care about he feels?

"Yeah, I am," He told her then greeted her companions. "Hey guys."

Stephanie and Ashley both replied, "Hi Gary,"

"Heard you joined the music class yesterday," Laura stated, curiosity obvious in her eyes.

"Hmph." He nodded his head in response. But deep down, he had the urge to shush her and head straight to the music room. Why now of all times must she ask him silly questions?

"Can I ask why?"

He stared at her for almost two seconds before uttering something. "No precise reason. Actually decided to try out something different."

"Okay, if you say so," she shrugged her shoulders. "So, where you heading to?"

"Just walking. I need a lone time before class starts," Indirectly, he was telling her to leave him alone. Thankfully, she got the message.

"I'll be seeing you in class then. Let's go girls," She told the others and they all left together.

As she left with her friends, he brought out his phone from his pants pocket and checked the time. F*ck! He cursed. His time has been wasted. There was no way he could get to the music room anymore. Laura, why you!?

Left with no other choice, he dragged himself back to the class.

...

Later;

"You still haven't told me why you needed that intern's name..."

In between munches of the hamburger wrapped in a tissue in his hand, Henry spoke. Seated in one of the stands in the basketball court, he took another bite from the hamburger as he waited for a reply from the person sitting beside him.

Gary was fiddling with the lid of the bottle of water on his lap when he heard Henry speak. He froze for a bit before continuing with his hand movement. What was he going to say now? He truthfully hadn't prepared for what he was going to tell Henry and right now, his mind hadn't told him what to say.

"What do you need that for?" He told Henry while cooking up something in his mind.

Henry was just about to take another bite but stopped when he heard him. Turning his head, he faced him and replied, "Does that mean I was right when I said you might be having feelings for her?"

Bam! An idea came to his mind. Just the right excuse he needs to turn around the situation.

He sneered at Henry, "Who says I have feelings for her. I only came across a picture of someone who looks like her but the person's name was written 'Lia' and that's why I needed a confirmation,"

"Lia? Is that the name of a p*rn star? Don't tell me you've been snooping around some sites lately..." Henry laughed out in mockery.

He face palmed himself real hard before looking around the court, hoping no one was in there to hear what Henry blurted out. Realizing no one was here except them, he adjusted his head to face the idiot. P*rn...? Like seriously, p*rn? Was that the only thing the idiot could think of? Come to think of it...

"If you could think of such, does that mean you visit those sites at times?" He suddenly asked Henry.

Henry stopped laughing and directed his gaze at him. With arched brows, he replied, "Don't you?"

"Hell No, I don't. It's gross," He protested with a hand up.

"Your choice," Henry picked up the bottle of soft drink on the floor, opened the lid and gulped down half the content.

"You still haven't answered my question, you know?" He reminded.

Henry gave him a look of disdain. "What am I supposed to be doing in there?"

"I don't know, maybe pleasure yourself." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Thank you, but no."

"Then why did you mention it to me?"

Henry thought for a while before revealing a wide grin. "I just thought you'd like it,"

"You moron!"