The Feeling - Chapter Four: Odd Behavior
The week dragged by for Tino, since it was weighed down by the heavy thoughts in his mind. But after an eternity or two had passed, Friday was upon him and the bell rang to start the weekend. Normally, this was Tino's favorite time of the week, but not now. Little made him happy with his feelings gnawing at his soul. As he walked out of school he spied Tish and Carver by the street so he went to meet up with them.
"Hey Tino," both Tish and Carver said as he approached.
Tino answered with a mute, half-hearted nod.
"Man, what is it these days? Why is everyone in such a bad mood?" Carver burst out.
"What do you mean?" Tino asked his voice full of melancholy.
"Well, this whole week I haven't been able to talk to Lor at all. Anytime I see her in school she walks away from me, and she won't answer her phone either. And whenever I do see her she looks like she is in some type of depression. Then you walk around all week lookin' and soundin' like you're carrying the world on your shoulders. Why can't you guys just cheer up?" Carver said.
"Yeah, you two have been in terrible shape lately it seems. Especially Lor, at least you talk to us. I also haven't been able to contact her. I wonder what's wrong?" Tish added.
"Have you talked to her, T?"
The last thing Tino wanted to be asked about was talking with Lor, but he managed to shake his head no.
"Well that's odd. None of us have been able to reach her something must have happened to her, but what could it be?" Tish wondered aloud.
"Who knows? And its not like we can find out either since she won't talk to us. It must have been something terrible if she is avoiding us for all this time, " Carver added.
Tino became lost in thought as he also began to wonder what might be the cause of Lor's odd behavior. What would she have to be depressed about? He felt he had just cause for depression, but not her. If anything she should be bursting for joy since she was coming off the weekend of her big date with Thomson.
"Well anyway, I suggest that we all go home and try to get in touch with Lor to find out what is going on and to plan something for tomorrow," Tish said.
"Alright sounds like a plan to me. So I will see you guys tomorrow then," Carver said as he left.
"You gonna be alright, Tino? Do you understand the plan?" Tish asked.
"Yeah I got it. I'll be sure to get on it," Tino replied though he was pretty certain he wouldn't call Lor in fear of hearing her voice.
"Alright, then I will start work on my end. See you tomorrow and get well, Tino"
Tino sat in his room the first time he weeks he didn't feel like collapsing in tears while in his room. Now he had even more on his mind except now it wasn't all thoughts that ripped through his heart. His curiosity had been piqued by Lor's self-alienation. What was the terrible secret she was harboring all of a sudden? It didn't make sense to Tino. Not only was it weird to him that she would act in such a way, he was expecting her to come to school full of life. If he just had a weekend where he got to go out with the person he loved, then he would be walking on air and kicking up his heels. Instead, Lor seemed to be doing the opposite, dragging herself down into a mire.
"Hmmmm...... this is a most interesting development. Her depression is coming out of left field. It makes absolutely no sense. She avoided talking to all of us, maybe it's my worst fear, she is ditching us in favor of Thomson. However, Carver said that she looked very depressed. That could mean that something so horrible happened that she can't even bring herself to talk about it. Ahhhhh, it feels good to do some paranoid speculation that isn't horribly depressing."
Tino sat there and continued his wondering. He questioned every possible reason why Lor would avoid them and not speak to anyone. After several hours of pondering Tino could only come to the conclusion that he had no idea what to think. Then the thought crossed his mind to try and call Lor to talk to her.
"No, I can't call her. I don't know if I could take it. After last weekend, my nerves are shot as far as calling her goes. On the other hand, her behavior is worth investigating as a friend."
Tino reached for the phone, but he stopped short of picking it up and pulled his hand away. He couldn't bring himself to phone her. The depression came rushing over him, and he shivered as he felt a chill run through himself. Here was the person he loved, possibly in pain, and he couldn't call her. Tino wanted to be the one to reach out and hold her hand and say everything will be all right, but he didn't think he would be able to hold himself together when talking with the person he could never have.
"Depression is a real bitch. This isn't like me at all. I am still her friend, I think, so I have the right to call her and know what is wrong. At the same time, though, I know her voice will be tying my stomach in knots."
Once again, Tino started his internal battle and reached for the phone, his hand shaking the entire time. His hand hovered over the phone as a million thoughts representing all the pros and cons of the situation whizzed through his mind. Just as he was about to make his decision the phone rang. The ringing startled Tino who had been in a complete daze. After regaining himself and realizing the phone was indeed ringing, he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Tino?" the voice said weakly
. Tino knew that voice. It was Lor.
"Yeah, it's me," came his response after finding his voice again.
"Um, could you do me a big favor?" Lor asked sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"Sure, anything," Tino responded a bit shaken by her tone of voice.
"Could you meet me by the beach?" she asked.
"Yeah, no problem," Tino replied full of curiosity.
"Thanks. Bye," Lor said and hung up the phone.
Tino held the phone for a moment or two wondering if that really had just happened. He hung the phone up slowly, and got up to meet Lor. As he left he felt his entire world resting on his shoulders, but now he was determined to keep his courage and help his friend.
End of Chapter Four
Yeah I know this chapter is short, but it's only because I wanted the next chapter to be on it's own. And I wrote the second half of this chapter while very tired and fighting off writer's block and I am too lazy to rewrite it so if it sucks sorry it won't happen again. At least I hope it doesn't. Keep readin' and reviewin'.
The week dragged by for Tino, since it was weighed down by the heavy thoughts in his mind. But after an eternity or two had passed, Friday was upon him and the bell rang to start the weekend. Normally, this was Tino's favorite time of the week, but not now. Little made him happy with his feelings gnawing at his soul. As he walked out of school he spied Tish and Carver by the street so he went to meet up with them.
"Hey Tino," both Tish and Carver said as he approached.
Tino answered with a mute, half-hearted nod.
"Man, what is it these days? Why is everyone in such a bad mood?" Carver burst out.
"What do you mean?" Tino asked his voice full of melancholy.
"Well, this whole week I haven't been able to talk to Lor at all. Anytime I see her in school she walks away from me, and she won't answer her phone either. And whenever I do see her she looks like she is in some type of depression. Then you walk around all week lookin' and soundin' like you're carrying the world on your shoulders. Why can't you guys just cheer up?" Carver said.
"Yeah, you two have been in terrible shape lately it seems. Especially Lor, at least you talk to us. I also haven't been able to contact her. I wonder what's wrong?" Tish added.
"Have you talked to her, T?"
The last thing Tino wanted to be asked about was talking with Lor, but he managed to shake his head no.
"Well that's odd. None of us have been able to reach her something must have happened to her, but what could it be?" Tish wondered aloud.
"Who knows? And its not like we can find out either since she won't talk to us. It must have been something terrible if she is avoiding us for all this time, " Carver added.
Tino became lost in thought as he also began to wonder what might be the cause of Lor's odd behavior. What would she have to be depressed about? He felt he had just cause for depression, but not her. If anything she should be bursting for joy since she was coming off the weekend of her big date with Thomson.
"Well anyway, I suggest that we all go home and try to get in touch with Lor to find out what is going on and to plan something for tomorrow," Tish said.
"Alright sounds like a plan to me. So I will see you guys tomorrow then," Carver said as he left.
"You gonna be alright, Tino? Do you understand the plan?" Tish asked.
"Yeah I got it. I'll be sure to get on it," Tino replied though he was pretty certain he wouldn't call Lor in fear of hearing her voice.
"Alright, then I will start work on my end. See you tomorrow and get well, Tino"
Tino sat in his room the first time he weeks he didn't feel like collapsing in tears while in his room. Now he had even more on his mind except now it wasn't all thoughts that ripped through his heart. His curiosity had been piqued by Lor's self-alienation. What was the terrible secret she was harboring all of a sudden? It didn't make sense to Tino. Not only was it weird to him that she would act in such a way, he was expecting her to come to school full of life. If he just had a weekend where he got to go out with the person he loved, then he would be walking on air and kicking up his heels. Instead, Lor seemed to be doing the opposite, dragging herself down into a mire.
"Hmmmm...... this is a most interesting development. Her depression is coming out of left field. It makes absolutely no sense. She avoided talking to all of us, maybe it's my worst fear, she is ditching us in favor of Thomson. However, Carver said that she looked very depressed. That could mean that something so horrible happened that she can't even bring herself to talk about it. Ahhhhh, it feels good to do some paranoid speculation that isn't horribly depressing."
Tino sat there and continued his wondering. He questioned every possible reason why Lor would avoid them and not speak to anyone. After several hours of pondering Tino could only come to the conclusion that he had no idea what to think. Then the thought crossed his mind to try and call Lor to talk to her.
"No, I can't call her. I don't know if I could take it. After last weekend, my nerves are shot as far as calling her goes. On the other hand, her behavior is worth investigating as a friend."
Tino reached for the phone, but he stopped short of picking it up and pulled his hand away. He couldn't bring himself to phone her. The depression came rushing over him, and he shivered as he felt a chill run through himself. Here was the person he loved, possibly in pain, and he couldn't call her. Tino wanted to be the one to reach out and hold her hand and say everything will be all right, but he didn't think he would be able to hold himself together when talking with the person he could never have.
"Depression is a real bitch. This isn't like me at all. I am still her friend, I think, so I have the right to call her and know what is wrong. At the same time, though, I know her voice will be tying my stomach in knots."
Once again, Tino started his internal battle and reached for the phone, his hand shaking the entire time. His hand hovered over the phone as a million thoughts representing all the pros and cons of the situation whizzed through his mind. Just as he was about to make his decision the phone rang. The ringing startled Tino who had been in a complete daze. After regaining himself and realizing the phone was indeed ringing, he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Tino?" the voice said weakly
. Tino knew that voice. It was Lor.
"Yeah, it's me," came his response after finding his voice again.
"Um, could you do me a big favor?" Lor asked sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"Sure, anything," Tino responded a bit shaken by her tone of voice.
"Could you meet me by the beach?" she asked.
"Yeah, no problem," Tino replied full of curiosity.
"Thanks. Bye," Lor said and hung up the phone.
Tino held the phone for a moment or two wondering if that really had just happened. He hung the phone up slowly, and got up to meet Lor. As he left he felt his entire world resting on his shoulders, but now he was determined to keep his courage and help his friend.
End of Chapter Four
Yeah I know this chapter is short, but it's only because I wanted the next chapter to be on it's own. And I wrote the second half of this chapter while very tired and fighting off writer's block and I am too lazy to rewrite it so if it sucks sorry it won't happen again. At least I hope it doesn't. Keep readin' and reviewin'.