Fuck B block.

My world religions class was across the campus from the arts center. The teacher, a small man with an affliction for funeral attire, hated me anyways. He wouldn't miss me.

Instead of suffering through Jewish traditions, I figured I'd spend my time doing something vaguely more productive - wandering.

I call this practice "productive" not because it does anything, but because it pulled a lot of foreign thoughts forward. Wandering was like taking a rake to your mind, and pulling all the old shit stuck in corners up front to the light.

My feet stepped where they may. I let them move on their own.

For a moment, I sank into myself. I thought of all the things I'd hidden.

Mom. Her yelling, her fists and claws. The closet, under the bed.

I blinked and the internal scene changed.

Dad. The orange suit, the sick grin. His laugh that rang when I let myself go. Those cold, stone walls.

Another blink.

I was sinking.

Arms fell around me. Strong, safe arms. A soft, white shirt pressed against my nose as I hid my face in the muscular chest of my safety. The sweet scent of a dewy forest filled my lungs.

A soft weight pressed down on my back. Full, beautiful wings. I didn't even need to see them to know that they were gorgeous.

I looked up.

Alex smiled back down at me.

I shuddered and stopped my walking. Looking nervously around as if anyone else could see my deranged daydream, I noted where I had ended up - the history hall. Lockers and world maps plastered the walls.

I shoved my back into a locker. Shoving my hands into the pockets of my leather jacket, I found what I was searching for - a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

With another glance around, I lit the cig and shoved it between my lips. That musky smell of Alex dissipated as smoke momentarily filled my lungs.

All those hidden things scurried back to their dark corners.

Goddamn, speak of the Devil and He shall appear.

Alex stood, talking to Gracie in front of a classroom door. Neither of them noticed me, so I listened.

Gracie was alluding to a good fucking after school. Alex declined. Gracie grabbed his face. She hadn't asked for him to come over at all.

He reluctantly accepted his fate.

I looked over again. He was pulled into the classroom by Gracie. He stared at me as he disappeared through the doorway.

I sighed.