Something

“Akatsuki…” I whispered, my words trembling. He turned to face me, his shocking mane of hair concealing his eyes. “Don’t go…please, don’t go.” Akatsuki took one deep breath and swallowed before slowly shaking his head, just once. And then…he walked away into the night. I watched him go, seemingly glowing in the pale light of the moon, and allowed myself one solitary tear as he vanished into the gloom.

“Why are you sitting on the floor?” The voice made me jump, and I bounced to my feet. “Zero, that’s not very nice! You oughtn’t creep up on people, especially not while it’s dark!” I scolded. But rather than apologising politely as most others would, Zero simply laughed it off, flicking his platinum hair back. “And you oughtn’t be out so late,” he teased me, “As a prefect, I ought to tell you to go back. But…I won’t.” I rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

Zero stepped forwards, so I had to crane my neck to look up at him. He slowly raised his hand and brushed at my tear track. “Kain is…not worth your tears.” I shrugged uncomfortably. “Tear,” I corrected him. He laughed quietly. “Okay then…he isn’t worth even a tear from you.” My eyes fixed themselves on the floor, unwilling to drag up to Zero’s face. He pressed his fingers to my chin, forcing me to look at him. “He really isn’t…there’s something he should have told you if he was planning to make you cry.” And with those confusing words he was gone, stalking away over the grass.

What was that supposed to mean? I wondered angrily as I forced myself back to the dorms. Why couldn’t stupid Zero just tell me what stupid ‘something’ he was stupidly talking about? “Hey, are you alright?” I stopped fuming for a minute to see my roommate peering at me with concern plain on her face. I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry…” She tilted her head to one side. “Weren’t you just with Akatsuki Kain?” I shook my head furiously, thinking quickly. Had I ever said that?

“No, erm, I couldn’t find him.” Yuri nodded, unconvinced, and clambered back into bed. I pulled my school uniform off and did the same, but I couldn’t sleep. My head was busy buzzing with painful thoughts of Akatsuki and his unfortunately tortured expression. But I must have drifted in and out of consciousness, because the next time I looked out of the window the sun was high in the sky. I jumped out of bed and ran across the room but sure enough it was definitely past midday. I sighed…I had missed school for today, but there was a way to make sure that this day wasn’t completely wasted.