Thea stood in front of a dirty bathroom mirror. It was after lunch, and mostly everybody had headed back to class. She was just standing there, alone, hands supporting her small weight over the frame of the sink. Her dark wavering eyes frantically viewed her reflection. She breathed quick, shallow breaths.
"You can do this," she whispered, trying to enlighten her spirits. "Just do it."
With a brush of confidence, she recomposed herself and exited the bathroom, where she ventured down the hallway. Feeling a bit self conscious, she passed the class she was supposed to be in, and instead turned a corner, going straight into school's empty theater. Skipping class for the first time ever to meet her friend.
"Anna?" Thea called as she slipped into the theater, closing the door behind her. She blinked her eyes, but it was too dark to see anything.
As her eyes adjusted to the dark, empty space, she saw Anna's figure lounging on the stage across the room.
"Hey, you," Anna replied, somewhat raising her voice. She was smiling; her smile was so bright it shone through the dark. "Come on. Have a seat."
Thea felt a splurge of happiness rise in her chest. She ran down the aisle and hopped up on stage, right next to Anna.
"I thought you'd get cold feet," Anna laughed. She wrapped her arm around Thea's shoulder, squeezing the girl's shoulder with her fingers.
"I almost did," Thea admitted. "I've never skipped class before."
"Well, now you can mark that off your bucket list," Anna said. "I'm really proud of you for doing this." Still looking at her, and still smiling, she leaned forward and kissed Thea's cheek.
Thea blushed a deep shade of red as Anna pulled away from the small kiss. To her, it felt like there was a spark of intense emotion as Anna had leaned in and innocently kissed her; she didn't want it to stop. She didn't want the kiss too only be for her cheek. Her lips were cold.
"W-what was that for?" Thea stammered, still blushing. She looked past Anna, not able to look directly in her overbearing green eyes.
Anna smiled teasingly. "I'm not sure. I just felt like doing it."
There was a long, awkward pause.
"Thea?"
Thea jumped a little, then glance briefly into Anna's staring eyes. "... Yeah?"
Anna, for the first time in conversation, was beginning to appear nervous.
"Oh, nothing. Nevermind." She quickly forced a smile, and then gave another reassuring squeeze on Thea's shoulder. "I'm just so happy you're here with me."
Melchior sat his tray at his unusually empty lunch table.
"Where is everyone?" he asked Moritz. Looking around, he could see the cafeteria was nearly a wasteland. Only a few unassuming freshman, and the entire soccer team, were eating lunch.
"Beats me," Moritz shrugged.
There was a beat, and then Moritz's head shot up. "Oh, I remember. Everyone went to the chapel to pray for Ilse."
Melchior raised an eyebrow and stuck a straw in his strawberry milk. "They're praying for Ilse?"
Moritz nodded, looking down at his food.
"What happened to her?"
Moritz shrugged once again. "Beats me."
Melchior rolled his eyes. He glanced briefly around the room, and then noticed Hanschen talking with Ernst by the lunch line. He summoned the blonde jock with the wave of a hand. Hanschen took notice of this, muttered something to Ernst, and then went on over to Melchior.
"Sup, Melchie?" Hanscen asked, coming over and glancing behind himself.
"Hey Hanschen," Melchior nodded. "What's wrong with Ilse? I heard everybody went to the chapel to pray for her."
"Oh, she's in the emergency room," Hanschen replied. He stuck his hand behind his head. "They found her passed out last night at some public school party. It was bad."
"Shit," Melchior muttered. He looked over at Moritz and noticed the soulful sleepyhead boy had frozen up, his eyes blinking nervously under long wisps of bedhead hair.
"Really, Melchie, we don't have to do this," Moritz whispered urgently as the two entered the school's chapel.
Melchior seemed proud as dozens of heads turned to view the boys.
"Melchior, we saved you a seat," Martha, one of his best friends, whispered from the front pew, patting the space beside her. He nodded gratefully at her, and then nudged Moritz in the ribs.
The two boys walked past the long rows of pews; as Melchior went past the freshman section, he felt something stir in his chest. It was as if his heart skipped a few beats. He felt a distinct pair of eyes watching him closely with doses of passion and emotion. With a small breathe, he glanced over at the eyes and looked directly into Wendla Bergman's frightful face. As soon as he saw her, she made an inaudible gasp and looked straight forward, her praying hands trembling slightly.
He summoned enough strength to look forward and keep himself calm. But for the rest of the prayer service, rather than pretend to pray, being the atheist he was, he thought of Wendla, how she must have been staring at the back of his head. And also, he thought of Moritz, who seemed to pray harder than he'd ever prayed before.
"Poor Ilse."
Melchior and his group of friends stood together outside the chapel: Moritz, Martha, Otto, George, and Hanschen. School was out now, and the air outside was beginning to have faint hints of autumn, although it was still early in the school year.
"Yeah, I can't believe she's spiraled downhill like this," George said, taking a drag on a cigarette.
"Maybe her parents will have an intervention with her," Otto said. He seemed hurt when the others frowned at this suggestion. "What? It's just a suggestion!"
Martha snorted in disgust, hatred gleaming in her eyes. "Her parents won't do shit with her. She's their only daughter, but they won't do shit."
Without warning, Moritz turned from the group and began stomping away, his fists crammed in his uniform jacket.
"Moritz?" Melchior called, coming after him. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing," Moritz yelled from over his shoulder. "I've got a shitload of homework. Equations, an essay. Leave me alone for once."