Set Me Free

I frowned when Zander ripped his hand from my own upon coming to the room where they had turned it into our little lecturing room.

Zander slipped in the door with me right behind him. I skipped down the hall until we reached empty seats, there I took my place next to Zander with a grin.

He wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were trained on the window, staring outside at something, maybe it was the scenery? I wasn’t sure.

“Zander, stop ignoring me,” I whine, resting my head on his shoulder.

I could see him look at me from the corner of his eye. There was something, some type of emotion swirling within it, but he looked away fast. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew for sure that something was wrong and I was determined to find out and fix it.

“Good morning children!” A scary woman with bug eyes, classes, and fuzzy brown hair appeared at the front of the room. She had on a huge smile that made me squeak in fear.

Zander actually let me curl up to him this time, because he looked pretty frightened as well. With a groan, he asks, “Who is that?”

“A scary lady!”

“For once Ollie, I agree with you.”

Everyone had to sit there for what felt like forever and listen to the bug eyed lady talk about drugs. I didn’t really listen for reasons like, I don’t do them and I plan on never doing them. I just sat in my seat the entire time and played with Zander’s hair.

He’d occasionally hiss or growl at me, ordering for me to stop, but he never physically tried to stop me. I took that as a way of him saying that I can play with his hair.

Suddenly the silkiness moved! Why is it moving? No, I want it!

“W-Why are you leaving?”

Zander looked down at me from his standing position with a quirked eyebrow. “It’s over.”

“Oh, I see.” Hopping to my feet I grab Zander and hold him bridal style. He shouts angrily and begins wildly kicking his limbs in the air. I don’t dare to let go of him though. I mean why the hell would I?

Cori was walking beside me, eyeing the angry,pouting scowling Zander in my arms. “He’s going to kill you.”

“Slaughter is a more appropriate term,” Zander growls angrily, glaring at me.

I ignored both of them as I skipped up to our room. Cori said good bye and headed to her own once I reached ours. Opening the door, I somehow manage to keep Zander in my arms.

“You can put me down now,” he says, arms still crossed stubbornly.

He looked so cute! Ok, stop thinking about how cute he is. You are doing this for a reason Ollie, find out what’s wrong!

“No I can’t,” I answer. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Zander looked at me both shocked and slightly frightened. His eyes widened for only a second before they became normal again. A frown marred his face as he asked, “What?”

“Something’s wrong, I can tell. What is it?”

Zander rolled his eyes, but to me it was obvious he was hiding something. Silence followed after my question though and for a second I didn’t think he’d answer, but as the seconds turned to minutes he sighed, “I can’t tell you.”

Slowly, I sat him onto his bed because my arms were getting tired. I took a seat next to him and I was slightly surprised that he didn’t move, but it was nice to know he didn’t mind my presence.

“Why not?”

He stared at his feet and plucked at the hem of his shirt. He looked nervous as he chewed on his lip. With a frown he mumbles, “Long story, just forget about it. I’ll be good tomorrow.”

Something told me that no, he wouldn’t be good tomorrow, but it was obvious he wouldn’t tell me, at least not now. Maybe I can try tomorrow too? Hopefully I’ll find out what the problem is and fix it.

“Ok,” I sigh, pushing myself to stand up. By the look on Zander’s face I could tell he expected me to keep trying, but he seemed thankful that I didn’t keep asking about it. “It’s getting late. Lets go get some dinner then go to sleep k?”

Zander’s lips twitched up, but the soon to be smile disappeared before it formed. He nodded and stood up. I wrapped my hand around his own and began to lead the way to the cafeteria. The best thing was, just like last time, he didn’t try to pull his hand away.