The challenge with going back to school on that day was clear from the moment he woke up: pretending that everything was normal. Every yeah, just tired, in response to every hey, you okay? would remind him of the situation at hand. Of course, he hadn't even been asked if he was okay the moment he woke up. No one had been there to ask. Dirk was asleep, and Dave had refrained from scribbling a note saying to call if he needed anything. It should go without saying. Either way, Dave would be surprised if he got a call. No one asked about what was wrong until he was actually in class, when Aradia commented in history. He accounted this to most of his closer crowd already having noticed that something was off about him.
"Are you alright?" she asked, turning around in her seat. "You look… No offense, but… You look dead. And believe me, I know how that feels."
"You know what dead feels like," he repeated with a soft scoff.
Aradia nodded earnestly staying quiet for a moment as another student rose their hand to answer a question.
"…I'm fine, Megido. Just tired."
"Mmhmm."
"What."
"If you're fine, why are you dead?"
"What are you even talking about."
"There's a difference between tired and dead. And you, Dave, are deeeaaaddd."
"That's just about the weirdest diagnosis I've ever received. Thanks."
"You don't know me, so you aren't going to tell me what killed you and that's fine. But tell someone. If you don't, you'll feel worse. It doesn't feel like it to you, but you're still alive, I promise!"
"Uh…"
"Aradia, am I boring you?"
"No sir, she replied simply, returning her attention to the front of the room. Dave propped up his head with one hand and continued taking his half-assed notes, which were mostly doodles anyway. What was she getting at? Telling him he was dead? He was alive. Duh. Maybe he was upset about everything going on, but who wouldn't be? It hadn't killed him. Not yet at least.
"I take it back," the Japanese girl said when the bell rang, turning around again to look at the blond. "You aren't dead. You're dying. But then I can promise you that there's hope."
Dave barely had time for a quiet and awkward 'um' before she was out the door, which made him think about what she said harder than he perhaps would have if she had waited for his response. Every time he had something to say today, the other person was gone before he had a chance to say it. Maybe he was slowing down. Maybe the rest of the world was speeding up and leaving him in the dust. Maybe he was dying. Maybe he was already dead.
He shook his head roughly, trying to expel the thoughts. No way was he about to let some lame death mumbo jumbo get to him.
Short chapter because my patron needed some love. I don't think I wrote her particularly well but I'll get better. I'll also have another chapter with Dirk in it for you guys soon!