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❝4 O'Clock❞

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【Ash】

June 28, Friday.

Maigo's acting weird.

Call me overly perceptive, but I've got a keen eye for pretty much everything. I guess not really hearing the whole world has its own higher ups.

Throughout the whole first class at 3 PM, she hasn't bothered to say anything to me. Sure, we don't talk much at all, but today she's just more... off... than usual.

She's wearing a mask and a coat. Not even the stares from people bothers her. I can sense that.

Moreover, she's not wearing her glasses. She never not wears her glasses.

As soon as the clock strikes 3:50 PM, it rings for second period. Maigo quickly gathers her things, shoving her pencils and papers in her bag.

One pencil falls out from her grasp and she and I both reach for it at the same time.

She glances at me and for a second, I think her dark violet eyes looks slightly watery. She quickly reaches down for her pencil before I can and throws it in her bag.

Maigo. I tap her by the shoulder. What's wrong?

She frowns at me, a strand of her hair falling on her face. What do you mean?

I raise an eyebrow and she sighs, waving a hand up the air while the other holds her things. I forgot my glasses.

I point at her mask.

Allergies. She signs the word in a rusty manner. Can I go now? I'll be late for class, and you too.

I narrow my eyes. First off, you never forget anything. Second, you don't have allergies.

Things happen. She shrugs. Before I can reply, she turns around and dashes out of the classroom.

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Throughout the whole second period, I can't think of anything but Maigo.

I twirl my pencil endlessly on my fingers as thoughts gather in my mind. My leg moves about restlessly.

Why do I even care anyway? It's not like we're close friends.

It's not like we talk about anything other than school. 

We only lounge about because her friends are friends of Cole.

We're neighbors but...

Neighbors...

It doesn't matter to me how close I am to a person. If something bothers them, I can immediately sense it, no matter how good at hiding they are at it. 
And it makes me want to help them. 

I can't ignore someone who might be suffering.

I look at the clock.

4:00 PM.

I abruptly stand up from my seat, which must have been so loud since the few people sitting around me flinch. The teacher gives me a questioning look. 

I need to go to the bathroom. I sign. Then I remember not everyone in the world knows sign language. I ignore the stares I receive and quickly scribble down the word 'bathroom' on a paper, walk across the room and hand it to him.

He reads it and nods his head. 

I mouth, Thank you. And I leave the room.

I walk through the hallways, pass Maigo's classroom and peek over at the small door window. Just as I suspected, she's not there.

I bite my lip. Something's definitely going on.

If I'm right, she's there.

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Students aren't allowed to leave school premises during school hours without consent. So I wait until the coast is clear and dash out of the place, heading for the nearby park.

If a guard or staff did notice me and yelled, I wouldn't have heard it anyway.

After about ten minutes of running, I finally see the peak of a swing set.

It's the park.

As I walk closer towards the playground, I see the color of night black hair shining against the setting sun's small bit of rays. Maigo sits on the left side of one of the swings.

A small smile makes it way to my face. I quietly walk up behind her, bend down, and place a hand on her right shoulder.

Maigo doesn't flinch—much to my disappointment, but expected—and just looks up at me, her eyes a dull shade of violet. She has removed her coat hoodie, but her mask is still on. Our faces are so close to each other, I can feel her breath from behind her mask.

She has a blank expression on her face. To anyone, that would seem like her usual self. But I can tell just how really empty she feels just through her eyes.

Our eyes say a lot about us.

She frowns a tired frown. What are you doing here?

I sit on the swing beside her. I can ask you the same.

Maigo, known for not really answering people's questions, especially if they're about her business, just signs, You have class.

I passed by your classroom on the way to the bathroom. You weren't there. Something really is bothering you. We usually walk home together.

Right. She carefully chooses her words. I just... don't feel like going to class.

I raise an eyebrow.

She sighs, picking up on my suspicion. It's not your business.

I frown and glance at her mask. You don't have allergies. Why are you still wearing that?

I have... an ugly bruise. I tripped and scratched myself. She looks away.

I frown again. I can tell she's lying just by looking at her eyes and her body movement. Suddenly, something clicks in my head. I hope I'm wrong...

I stand up and go over to her. I kneel down so she's facing me. Judging by the look in her face, she seems to have figured out I figured something. I hesitate. Someone... hurt you.

No.

Let me see.

She places her hands over her mask. No.

Maigo. I give her a stern look, making her flinch. She looks like a deer in headlights. I inch closer to her and reach out for her mask. She doesn't resist and I carefully remove the mask. 

The tip of her nostril has a scratch, and her left cheek covered in bandages. On the edge of her jaw, she has a purple bruise.

After a moment, she seems to have realized the situation we are in. She snatches the mask from my hands and quickly stands up. Her eyes are full of hurt. Back. Off. 

Maigo takes her bag, turns around wiping her tears, and walks away.

I feel taken aback by how hurt she is. She looks like she's on the verge on tears.

I've never seen Maigo like that.

Maybe because we never really actually talk to each other. I don't know her that well at all.

Still.

As she walks away, I watch her back inch further and further and suddenly, for the first time in a long time, I feel a familiar stinging pain shoot up my chest.

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