The day was just another Wednesday. The same group sat around the same table they've sat at since the beginning of the year. The same table in the library every morning, the one between the comics and the reference books. Everything was the same, but something was different.
"Oi, Arthur?" one of them called across the table. "Have you seen Alfred anywhere lately?"
The one called Arthur looked up from his book, curiously glancing around. His green eyes fell on the seat across from him. The seat that was usually filled by Alfred, the always happy, ever-so-loud, ever-so-proud American. The one that's been empty for a while now.
"I haven't seen him since last Thursday. I wonder if he's okay?"
"I bet he's sick. Or maybe he's just been playing hooky." the third of the group laughed.
"Why would he be gone a whole week if he was playing hooky, Gil?"
"What else would he be doing, Math? I bet he's out on a joyride while we're stuck here!" he laughed again.
The three at the table, Arthur, Gilbert, and Mathias, went back to their usual conversations. Soon, then, the bell rang for yet another day of classes.
The next day, the chair was filled again. They talked as normal, while reading or eating or playing with their cell phones as usual. The day was just as normal. Alfred was as cheery as ever, exitedly chattering about a game due to come out. He carried with him a small paper journal, with his name and various drawings scrawled across the cover. Gilbert grinned at him, asking the question that was on their minds the day before.
"Where've you been? You should've been here Monday, Elizabeta beat Draco up with Roddy's music binder."
"Aw, really? I wish I could've seen that!" Alfred laughed, same as always. "I was in the hospital for a bit, but the psyciatrist let me go yesterday.
"Psychiatrist? What exactly happened, Alfred?" Arthur suddenly glanced up worriedly.
Alfred just laughed and moved the paper journal around the table.
"I guess I got a bit too paranoid, but it's ok now. I just thought something was gonna happen, that's all."
The other three shared a worried glance. Arthur picked up the journal that was now to his side of the table and glanced through it. It consisted mostly of run on sentences, the colourful marker and childish writing giving no clue to the actual content. He glanced up again.
"Don't worry about anything, Al! If anything happens call us and we'll scare away the whatever it is with our awesomeness!" Gilbert laughed and punched Alfred's shoulder.
"Yeah!" Mathias agreed, pumping his fist in the air. "We could out-awesome anything out there!"
Arthur read over the page again before handing the journal back to Alfred. They all resumed their normal conversations, and all appeared just the same as a week before. Arthur wondered what Alfred was thinking last week, if he was quite so depressed then, and pondered what they could do. There wasn't much a few teenagers could do, but he was determined to do all he could.
And with that, Arthur joined back in the conversation with a small smile.
The day was just another Thursday. The same group sat around the same table they've sat at since the beginning of the year. The same table in the library every morning, the one between the comics and the reference books. Everything was the same, but something was different.
Hello, anyone there. This is my first story, as I've only recently written anything somewhat decent. I would love to hear if anything about my writing could improve.
I hope anyone reading has a good day, then!