This last update in 2016, can you believe that? Sorry about that, I promise it won't take another 3 years to add on more chapters. I hope this one is worth the wait, there are more that I wrote in 2016 that need to be put up, so I'll be doing that periodically. Thanks for all the support!
The following Monday Rei walked to school alone in a depressed state. He hadn't wanted to call Nagisa in fear that his calls would be rejected, and Nagisa hadn't bothered to call him either. He had texted Makoto but their conversations were polite and normal. He didn't bother talking to his other friends as he put his books in his locker. Rei sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Today was going to be a lot harder on him than the last Friday. Rearranging his books one last time before the bell rang; Rei shut his locker and gathered his bag. He tried to smile and be polite to people he passed but he found it harder and harder to do. As he entered his classroom, he found Makoto, Haru, and Nagisa chatting comfortably near his desk, as per usual. Rei gathered all his mental strength and walked up to them, greeting them as a group. Nagisa didn't acknowledge him until Makoto nudged him under the table, and even then it was a feeble hello while he stared down. Makoto looked at Rei quizzically "Rei, are you okay? You remember we have that swim competition this coming Friday, right? I know I shouldn't be telling you, but I wanted to before sensei did. She doesn't want you to miss any more practices; she said she would write notes to all your other clubs if you needed her to." Makoto was looking out for Rei, as always, and Rei was thankful. Makoto was a great friend with an even greater heart. The warning bell rang and Makoto and Haru started to gather their things to leave for their respective classes. Rei gave a feeble wave and sat down in his desk hoping Nagisa would talk to him. Nagisa had busied himself with something in his bag so as not to have to look at Rei. Defeated, at least for now, Rei pulled out his incomplete homework and set to it, hoping as the day went on Nagisa's cold demeanor would thaw out.
School and swim practice went on almost as usual for Rei, just quieter without Nagisa's laugh in his head. He felt like he couldn't concentrate on his lessons, forcing him to study during lunch or his swimming. His strokes were sloppy and his times were up by several seconds. Sensei pulled him aside after one particularly bad lap and told him that if he didn't get his times back down to at least to what they were before, she would be forced to take him out of the competition. Rei apologized and promised to work harder. As he entered the locker room with slumped shoulders, Nagisa and Makoto stopped their conversation and looked at him. Nagisa turned away quickly to put on his normal clothes and Makoto gave him a helpless look as if to say "I'm sorry, I'm trying". Rei ignored them and the pain in his chest. This situation he had gotten himself into was taking a toll on his grades and his club performance. While walking home alone again he resolved to focus on getting his marks back up and his times back down. If Nagisa wanted to ignore him, it wasn't his problem. If only he could convince his heart of that.