Just You and I, Your Starless Eyes Remain

We never got that far

Frank’s P.O.V.

11:40

It had been three periods since Alice left me in art. The worrying got the best of me. I couldn’t explain why, but I just felt as if something was up. I was now sitting in English, next to Alice’s empty desk. I couldn’t bare it any longer. Of course, I wasn’t paying attention in class, so my wandering mind got the best of me. What if Alice wasn’t okay?

Alice’s P.O.V.

9:30

It had been ten minutes since they had pulled me from art class, and still, no explanation as to why I was here.

Finally, the principal opened his office door and beckoned me to come inside. When I walked in, I was offered a spot on one side of a big wooden desk; it looked as if it was just cut down from a big, dark tree. The edges were uneven and no polishing was done. It was a very rugged piece of a tree. I began to wonder, again, as to why I was here. They wouldn’t care this much because I was late. There had to be another reason. I looked around to see who I was surrounded by. Next to me, sitting was the school psychologist. But she wasn’t the only one there. From behind me I heard the pacing steps of the dean. Slightly over from her, by the window, was an unrecognizable woman. I could place neither the name nor face and I could barely understand how I was connected to her.

No one spoke, and the principal shuffled uneasily around in his chair. The only sound to be heard was the pacing foot steps of the dean and the whistling of the distant winter wind. Yes, it was just nearing the end of November, but the winter wasn’t far off and the snow couldn’t hide itself forever. I began drifting off in my thoughts when finally something interrupted the silence.

The principal cleared his throat, “Now Alice I bet you’re wondering why we called you down here.”

Frank’s P.O.V

12:05

The bell rang and I walked the halls alone to lunch. I could hardly imagine what was taking Alice so long. I didn’t feel the need to eat at the moment so I decided to skip the cafeteria. I headed over to the art studio to work on my painting assignment. I knew that if Alice came to lunch and didn’t see me, she’d know I was here.

I walked into the empty studio and turned on the lights. Ms. Barbara, our studio teacher, allowed me and Alice to come in and work in the studio when ever we wished. She even made us a copy of the room key. I pulled a stool over to the table where Alice and I worked every day. I got up and grabbed my canvas, which was over by the window, and dragged the easel over to my stool. As I set the easel up, I saw that it caught on a piece of paper under my stool. I bent down and unwrinkled the paper. I placed it on the table and looked at it.

There I was faced with a tree.

Alice’s P.O.V.

10:03

“Alice, there is no easy way to say this.”

“Wh-what’s wrong. I don’t understand this,” I tripped over my words.

“The adoption agency has noted us and they recently became aware that you are living with out an adult present.”

“Well, yes; I mean, my parents,” The principal nodded, he knew. “Well, they didn’t leave me to any one. I didn’t need any one. I’m fine living on my own. I’m going to be eighteen next year, well-I mean-not even next year. I mean, my birthday is in the beginning of October so it’s not like a full year.” My voice began to rise in hysteria, this meeting was all too similar to the one that was held when I was being told the news of my parents.

“Well,” the stranger began. “What Mr. Harrison means to say is that you need to be brought up by a foster family. Now.”

“Wha-“

“Actually they’re hear, you’ll be leaving right now.”

“What!” I cried in hysteria. I turned to walk out of the room, half dazed, half infuriated. I began to protest and the stranger took my arm and dragged me out the doorway. I wanted to leave the room, but not this way. The next thing I knew, I was being driven away in an unfamiliar car, with a stranger.

With no Frank.

No Frank.

Frank.

I Needed Frank! What could I do with out him? How could he ever possibly find out what happened to me.

With out him the tree came back. The stranger’s branches wrapping around me, making me cold. The light meadow I was in was being drained away. All the color sucked out, first, like a black and white drawing. The branches wrapped tighter around me, like a cobra squeezing the life out of me. The sun was gone; it was extinguished by the tight branches, manipulating me like ugly ivy or a bunch of weeds. The branches were too thick to see the sun through it.

Frank’s P.O.V.

12:07
This tree was strangely familiar. Of course it was; this was what Alice was drawing in class before.

Alice.

At that moment I knew something was wrong.

I raced down the halls

12:10

“Hello, can I help you?” One of the secretaries asked as I entered the office.

I proceeded forward with a blank stare and a worried mind.

“Hello?” She pressed on, rather annoyed this time.

I banged on the principal’s wooden door and I heard him quietly grant me permission to come in.

“Where is Alice?” I nearly screamed as I threw the door open.

“Why don’t you sit down.”

I found my self sitting at a rugged desk. The desk almost looked as if it were a cut tree and just placed upon a stand to make a desk.