Chapter 3 Rhea Genova McMillian

Two weeks later- Day before school resumption

It has been two weeks since the kiss, and since then, Rhea had completely gone missing. Well, I wouldn't know for certain since she stopped replying to my messages, stopped picking my calls and even stopped jogging. I would know that for a fact because for the past week or so, I have been jogging every day, hoping to bump into her.

Earlier, I had gone to the gym to try and get my thoughts off Rhea, but that was unhelpful because she was always on my mind. Whether I liked it or not. She was living there rents free.

I have never been one to complain about solitude, but right now, the solitude I felt was horrible. And in all honesty, I feel pathetic because I allowed someone I've known for a short period to alter the course of my days.

But at the same time, it wasn't really up to me.

Had I read the signs wrongly that night? Because I wasn't sure if what happened was my fault. I was clueless about her being married. She leaned in for the kiss, she wanted it to happen. So ghosting me all of a sudden hurt.

Well, maybe it was my fault. If I hadn't prepared the little dinner, with wine and snacks, planning on getting to know her, maybe the kiss wouldn't have happened and we would still be talking.

Or maybe, if she had straight up told me she was married, I would never have kissed her. Or better still, if she hadn't shown up to my invites, not replied to any of my messages and calls, I wouldn't have gotten attached and craved getting to know her.

Maybe it was both our fault.

But ghosting me, for something that was partially her fault, was not in the least bit fair.

Right now, I was in my room, getting ready for school tomorrow. After a series of talks with my dad, which mainly consists of him yelling, trying to sway me into getting into Yale, and me standing my ground, denying, resulting in a downpour of words, and my mom trying to calm the storm. I knew all these endless fights with my dad was getting to her, but I couldn't help it.

I love my dad. But he's an arse.

So, after a series of fights, he enrolled me back into Etherial High school. To be frank, I wasn't exultant about going back to the same school where I swore I would never step foot in, but I'd rather go back there, than study medicine.

I didn't know what outfit to pick up. Usually, on the first day back, people would overdress and I wasn't in for that. I love comfy clothes, so no matter the occasion, I always dress comfy. So after hours of contemplating which comfy clothes to wear, I for white sweatpants, a black pullover and some black Nike Air Jordan Retro, and of course a black beanie hat.

I put my camera in my backpack, headphones, ear pods.

After doing a double-take to ensure I haven't forgotten anything, I pick up my phone and fall into my bed. I type in the nth message to Rhea, of which I'm certain she won't reply.

***********************

I woke up with a gasp the following morning. Not from a nightmare, but for the fact that I had slept last night without setting an alarm. The time on my phone read 7:30 am, and I was late. There was no way I was going to make it to school before 8:10 am. I quickly brush up, showered, considering how late I was, I didn't wash my hair. Brushing up taking a bath and dressing up took me ten minutes in total because when I looked at my phone, it was 7:40 am.

Talent baby.

I quickly grab my backpack and rush down the stairs for breakfast. My mom was already in the kitchen, my dad too.

Now, no way I was having breakfast, being in the same room as my dad will only result in a fight, and it was too early for that. So I open the fridge and grabbed an apple, kissed my mom goodbye, walked out the door and the next minute, I was driving out the gate, to a place I swore I would never step foot in.

It was 8:00 am on the dot when I turned off the ignition of my car and finding a parking spot at this hour was extremely difficult, the only available space to pack was in the section reserved for teachers. I looked around and the school guards were nowhere in sight, so I packed my car in the space reserved for teachers.

I had gotten on time but parking took up much of my time. I got out of the car, biting on my apple and slowly making my way to the front desk to get my schedule. I was already late so it was useless rushing.

"Devon, first day and your late" the front desk lady says.

"You noticed, Wanda" I replied with an annoyed look.

"Don't call me that?" she says handing over my schedule to me and I rolled my eyes. This school year, I took up a very odd combination of subjects.

Arts. Entrepreneurship. English. French and Chemistry.

Yes, chemistry. That was the deal with my dad if I wanted to enrol back in high school.

My first class of the day was French, then Arts second period. Luckily the hall for French wasn't far, so I quickly made it to the classroom, and I usual, I took my seat in the back. Everyone stared at me like I was an alien.

Calm down, I just failed an exam. I didn't kill anyone.

Jesus!

The class was extremely boring, nothing interesting going on, asides from getting to know ourselves, then the teacher gave out the scheme of work for the subject and that was it. The school bell rang, signalling the end of the first period and I was the first to leave the classroom, heading straight for the restroom. I stayed there for a good ten minutes, and when I walked out, the hallway was already empty and I knew I was late for the second period.

Great.

I adjust my backpack, looking at my schedule for the location of the second period and it was in the other building. I fasten up my steps to the classroom. When I got there, the door to the classroom was closed. I knocked, waiting for permission to enter.

After a while of standing out there, I heard "come in" and that was my sign to walk in. I open the door and walked in, all eyes on me.

But my gaze was, however, fixated on the one person who ghosted me for two weeks.

Rhea Genova McMillian.