Excerpt from All That is Left: Book Two
When Aaron walked out of the classroom, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about the one girl he knew he shouldn't be thinking of. He had come to the classroom, determined to consider her as just another student who was in the same room for the duration of the lecture.
He even avoided looking at the door, annoyed with himself for practically waiting for her to enter. There was nothing special about Rhea Darkin. She had silky red hair, almond shaped emerald eyes and a full pink mouth. Her skin was flawless and when she had run into his arms unexpectedly during the storm, he had briefly touched her skin and found it to be so soft.
Aaron didn't want to think about her, but each step that he took away from the classroom where she was, the more he couldn't stop thinking about how pretty she looked today. Her red sweatshirt clashed with her red hair, but he could barely see that. When she had sat down right next to the window, the sun had basked its glow on the strands of her hair and she had looked almost ethereal.
She had reached for her books then and he noticed how long and dark her lashes were as they swept across her cheek. Then she had done the most astounding thing;she had smiled. In the weeks since he had seen and known her, he had never seen her smile.
She had been strangely quiet, distant and apathetic towards what was going on around her. He had even mistaken her for being docile until he had seen her handle herself with 'Slimy'. Ever since she had beaten him up, 'Slimy' had not harassed any girls.
Although, he didn't think that people changed that easily and 'Slimy' was definitely one of those people who were incorrigible. He may have been scared a little after having his nose broken, but no doubt 'Slimy' would be back to his old tricks again.
Rhea on the other hand; he just couldn't figure out who she was. One minute she seemed timid, the next cold and beating perverts up. And then she was standing in the middle of the road, in the pouring rain and running into his arms. He remembered how she had looked up at him with large green eyes and then when she pulled back, there had been a hint of pink on her cheeks.
Aaron still couldn't come up with a reason of what had come over Rhea. What had she been doing so early in the morning, anyway?
And then today he had seen another side of Rhea. Yes, she had been smiling and he had felt a strange tug in his heart, but that smile hadn't reached her eyes. Like every student, she must have been eager and excited to be taught by the revered Professor Romandiano too, which was why she seemed happy? Except there was something in her eyes, something almost sinister...
He felt someone tap his shoulder and he whipped around, startled.
"Aaron?" Shanaya said, then gestured towards the classroom from which he had walked out. "I saw you walking out of class in a daze. Why are you so distracted? I called your name, like ten times."
Aaron felt his mouth go dry and he immediately felt guilty. He was thinking about another girl when he should be trying to strengthen his relationship with Shanaya. What was wrong with him?
"I was thinking about...something." Aaron ended lamely. He swallowed and then forced a smile. "Actually I was going through the lecture in my mind. Professor Romandiano took over the class for a bit."
"Oh." Shanaya didn't look convinced as she nodded. "So was it that good that you still can't step out of it?"
Aaron grinned. "It was edifying but I'll get over it. So what are you doing here?"
"I thought we could go for lunch,” Shanaya said. "You are free now, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then let's go. ” Shanaya walked towards the entrance. Aaron walked with her a few steps before he realized he was carrying a bundle of papers.
"Hey." He paused, putting a hand on her arm. "I forgot I had to submit the students’ assignments to Dr. Harman."
Shanaya looked down at the stack of papers in his hands. "You are being so forgetful." She pouted. "And too distracted to notice something else."
Aaron shrugged. "What else have I not noticed?"
Shanaya took a lock of hair and twirled it around her fingers. "You don't notice anything new?"
Aaron looked at her strappy brown sandals, her knee-length floral white dress and the red cardigan she had on. "Umm...no."
Shanaya rolled her eyes and then took a step back. "My hair,” she pointed out. "I curled them up and got golden highlights. On these few strands here...."
"Oh." Aaron tried to sound interested.
"I mean I'm just trying out the highlights and see if it works on me,” Shanaya said, waving it off. "Does it look good on me? I was going to do my whole hair tomorrow."
"Uh...yeah, it looks fine,” Aaron replied. The last thing he wanted to talk about was fashion--a subject he wasn't quite well versed with. The only few things he had caught on was because of Shanaya who couldn't stop talking about the subject. Sometimes, Aaron wished she had more girlfriends she could talk these things with.
Shanaya shook her head sadly. "You're distracted again,” she complained. "Is it about your dad? Did he call again?"
"No,” Aaron said, lowering his gaze. "I think he's mad at me. And I'm conflicted. I don't know if he's being unreasonable or if he actually needs my help with something."
Shanaya stood before him and put her hand on his arm. "You should try speaking to him again. Or you know what? Next weekend, just go see him. You can go visit him and find out for yourself what is going on."
"I'll try,” Aaron replied. "I have work and my own papers to write . It's going to be hard to just drop everything to go see him. He just wants me to do what he says and refuses to acknowledge the fact that I am an adult who has his own life."
"I really wish you and your father would get along,” she said, leaning against the wall.
"Me too.” Aaron sighed, though inwardly he wondered if he would ever forgive his father for not being there for him. When Misha had disappeared and the whole city had looked at him accusatorially, his father had just disappeared, citing that work was keeping him away.
Aaron didn't want to remember all the times he had walked out of the house to find people silently judging him. It hadn't been easy going through with his life knowing that he had dumped Misha on the same day she had been kidnapped. Visiting her parents had been the worst. They had refused to open the door for him and a month later, when he had seen them in the supermarket, Misha's mother too, had accused him for contributing to the tragic event in their lives.
Aaron had just stood there, while everyone in the supermarket had stared at him. If only Shanaya's friends hadn't told the entire school that he had dumped Misha. After that, Aaron couldn't stay in River Canton City for another minute. He had to get out, even if it meant going to his father for help and recommendations to get to a good college and then a job.
"Hey,” Shanaya said. "You look haunted, Aaron. Trust me, you will feel a lot better once you talk to your dad."
"I'll.."
The door behind him opened then and he turned his head to see Professor Romandiano come out looking deeply disturbed and then walk the other direction. Rhea followed a few seconds later, coming towards him.
"I'll see what I can do,” Aaron said, turning back to Shanaya and keeping his focus on his girlfriend. Something about Rhea, quickened his heartbeat. She walked past him and he caught a glimpse of the anger in her eyes, even though her facial expression belied that. She appeared cool and in control and her walk displayed confidence.
He watched her leave the building and then turned back to Shanaya only to see her gazing after Rhea. Aaron swallowed and hoped she hadn't seen him look at another girl.
"What's wrong?" he asked when Shanaya still kept watching Rhea.
"Who is that?" she asked, pointing a thumb at her.
"One of the students,” he said, casually. "Rhea. I...we talked about her the other day."
Shanaya turned to face him with a frown on her face. "That...fragrance....it's like I've smelled it before."
Aaron felt his throat tighten. Of course he had caught Rhea's fragrance multiple times. Even when it had been raining and she had hugged him, he had still caught a whiff of her perfume.
"It was peachy and vanilla and..." Shanaya shrugged. "There was something familiar about that." She laughed then when she saw the expression on his face. "I know...it's probably an olfactory memory. I just can't place where I've, you now, smelled that perfume before."
"Well, unfortunately I'm not quite knowledgeable about ladies' fragrances,” Aaron joked and then showed her the papers in his hands. "I have to submit these and then we can go to lunch." He didn't think he could stand talking about Rhea anymore. Everything about her was confusing him.
"Okay,” Shanaya said and Aaron pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll come soon. Why don't you wait outside?" he said, as he turned to leave.
"Alright."
Aaron walked as fast as he could to the offices. He knew how much Shanaya hated being kept waiting and if he had to be honest with himself, he wanted to be with her and be distracted from his wandering thoughts.
As much as he wanted to, he was finding it impossible not to think of Rhea and he imagined it had something to do with the fact that he couldn't get a read on her. She was so many things at once. Just when he thought he knew what kind of person she was, she would surprise him by changing into someone else, right before his eyes.
He entered the long corridor that would lead him to the offices and thumbed through the assignments, trying to distract his thoughts from wandering back to Rhea. She had been smiling when he had left her in class. She looked so eager to speak with the professor that she hadn't even looked at him. Then when she had left, she had looked furious, but also calm...
Aaron groaned. Why couldn't he figure her out? Was he reading too much into her expressions?
He stopped then as he recalled the moment he had caught her looking out the window during the lecture. She must have noticed that the eggs had hatched and there were now nestlings up on the branch. For a moment, he was sure her eyes had softened just a bit and there had been a ghost of a smile. Then it was all gone as she turned and he had looked away as well. The last thing he wanted was for her to see him staring at her all the time.
He found Dr. Harman's office and knocked.
"Come in,” he heard him say. Aaron entered and found himself in a small office. The window was covered with blinds that were half open, letting very little sunlight into the room. The tube lights overhead were bright but not needed considering Dr. Harman had only to open the blinds. There was a filing cabinet in one corner on which there was a dying potted plant, a large wooden desk in the middle where the professor sat and two brown armchairs, one which was occupied by Professor Romandiano who was still wearing a deep grimace.
Aaron wondered what exactly must have happened between the professor and Rhea. Had she said something rude to piss him off?
"The assignments,” Aaron said and indicated the stack of papers in his hands.
Dr. Harman had his desktop computer on and an assignment in front of him which he was furiously circling and crossing on with his red pen. There were files and papers strewn all across the desk and Aaron looked for any space where he could put down the papers.
Dr. Harman, distractedly, pushed a few files off the table where it fell with a thump on the floor and then gestured for him to keep the papers in the newly vacated spot. Aaron put the papers down and was about to leave when Dr. Harman stopped him.
"Stay here a minute,” he said.
Aaron glanced at Professor Romandiano who was silently staring out the window and took a seat next to him.
"Yes?" he asked.
Dr. Harman collected the papers in front of him and shook his head in disappointment. "I was just going through Rhea Darkin's assignment." At the mention of her name, Professor Romandiano looked at his colleague in curiosity. Dr. Harman leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his balding head. "I'm afraid she hasn't done well at all. She's blatantly copied articles from the internet."
Dr. Harman pushed the assignment in front of him and flipped through the pages. The first paragraph had been circled in red and the words 'copied from encyclopedia' was written in bold. "And here." Dr. Harman pointed at the last paragraph on the second page. "She copied that, verbatim from one of my own articles. She didn't even bother rephrasing it. I'm afraid I'll have to fail her."
Aaron frowned and when he glanced at Professor Romandiano, he saw him rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe she was pressed for time or didn't understand the assignment,” Aaron said, surprised that he found the need to defend her, but from what he had seen in the past few days, he knew something was going on with Rhea. The image of her standing in the rain, quivering with fear, wouldn't leave his mind. Of course he could tell none of that to the professor.
"Then she should have asked to clarify her doubts.” Dr. Harman looked peeved. "This is going to be the first time in my career that a student is going to fail my class miserably. I'm a good teacher, Aaron and my reputation is going to be tarnished by one student who is too lazy to study."
Aaron started to get angry but he didn't know what he could possibly say that wouldn't display his little obsession with Rhea. Yes, he was obsessed and he would have to find a way to stop himself from thinking about her.
"There must be something we can do,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. "Besides, this is just one assignment. Maybe she'll do better in her exams."
"One can hope,” Dr. Harman said cynically. "But I don't see any scope of improvement from her. She doesn't attend lectures regularly and even when she does, she's distracted. And now she plagiarised her assignment!" He pushed the paper away and rubbed his forehead.
Aaron started to speak when his phone buzzed. He removed it and saw Shanaya's name flash on the screen. From the corner of his eye, he saw Professor Romandiano lean forward and look at the picture on his phone as Shanaya's name continued to flash.
Aaron looked up to see Dr. Harman frowning. He cancelled the call and put it back in his pocket. Dr. Harman picked up the stack of assignments and picked up the first one. "See how this one student has bound her assignment so it looks like a book? Why can't they all be that respectful towards their work?"
"This is a little off topic,” Professor Romandiano interrupted and pushed himself over the edge of his seat. "But that picture that was on your phone..."
"That's my girlfriend Shanaya,” Aaron said.
Professor Romandiano narrowed his eyes. "That river in the background, I have seen it somewhere."
"That's in River Canton City." Aaron said, wondering what the professor was getting it. One minute Dr. Harman was complaining about Rhea and the next Professor Romandiano was talking about his girlfriend instead of contributing his insights into how to deal with students.
Professor Romandiano smiled suddenly. "You're Aaron, from River Canton City?”
"Yes, why?" Aaron said, mystified by the professor's reaction.
"Nothing,” he said. "I thought I had heard about you. In fact I believe I have read about you in some news article."
Dr. Harman looked up from correcting the assignments. "Where have you read about him?" He asked. "Aaron isn't nearly as well-known as his father is."
Aaron glared at Dr. Harman who ignored him and turned to his colleague.
"I don't know." Professor Romandiano turned to Aaron. "Where would I have read about you, Aaron?"
Aaron felt his face getting warmer. Of course they would have read his name in articles following Misha's kidnapping. He had been interviewed plenty of times and it was because of one of the reporters who had spoken to Shanaya’s, friends, that news had spread all over town that he had dumped Misha, the very day she had disappeared .
"There was a case in the city." Aaron hesitated. "My high school girlfriend was kidnapped. I was interviewed. That was where you must have read about me."
Professor Romandiano leaned back, apparently relieved to have his curiosity sated. Dr. Harman gaped at him. "I am sorry about that Aaron. Your father never mentioned that whenever he talked about you."
"Of course he didn't,” Aaron muttered.
"Did they find her?" Dr. Harman asked.
"No,” Aaron said, feeling that raw pinch in his chest. His throat tightened when he thought about Misha and how sweet and happy she had been. Then he had hurt her in the worst possible way. He would never be able to forget the hurt and betrayal in her eyes when he had told her he was dumping her. "A few months ago, the police reported that they have to presume that she died and closed the case."
"That is terrible,” Dr. Harman said.
Aaron looked away, surprised by the amount of pain he felt ripping through him. If only he could turn back the time and change every single thing he had done on that fateful day.
"It is good that you have this work to distract you from your problems,” Professor Romandiano said.
Aaron cringed at his rude tone but said nothing.
"Yes, indeed it is good that you are getting a fresh start and moving away from that unpleasant business in your home town,” Dr. Harman said, sounding a little sympathetic.
"Going back to your problem with this student,” Professor Romandiano interjected. "Some students have problems coping in large classrooms. Perhaps she would respond better to a little personal tutoring."
Dr. Harman entwined his fingers and nodded. "I suppose so. I am willing to give her a chance to improve. Aaron?"
"Yes,” he said, sitting up straight and ignoring the guilt that engulfed him every time he thought of Misha.
"I want you to tutor Rhea,” he said. "See when both of you have some free time, and help her out, okay?"
Aaron swallowed. Just when he was thinking of staying away from her, he was being pulled right back towards her. He opened his mouth to say it was a bad idea, but how could he possibly explain himself? What excuse could he give?
"That's a wonderful idea,” Professor Romandiano said. "I'm sure, Rhea would appreciate your help, Aaron."
Aaron looked at the professor and wondered why he looked so pleased with himself.
"Okay,” he replied reluctantly and then got up. "If there isn't anything else..."
"You can leave,” Dr. Harman said, dismissively. "I'll correct a few of these assignments until my break is over and then leave some for you to grade."
"I'll be back after lunch,” Aaron replied and then walked out the door before he was pulled into doing something else he didn't want.
He walked as fast as he could towards the exit, wondering exactly how he was going to tell Rhea that he was going to be tutoring her.
The worst part was, what if she declined his offer?
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