Chapter 6 Lost again

        ARIANA'S POINT OF VIEW

I remained standing at the front of the classroom while more than thirty pairs of curious eyes continued to study me.

It was strange how quickly silence could become suffocating. 

Only a few seconds had passed since Mr. Carter announced that I had solved the calculus problem correctly, yet it felt as though everyone had silently agreed to memorize my face.

Don't overthink it, I reminded myself. You're here for Gerald. Nothing else matters

Mr. Carter glanced around the room before picking up the marker again.

"Now that we've all recovered from the shock of seeing someone other than Xander solve a difficult question," he said with a chuckle, 

"let's continue."A few boys laughed quietly.

I slipped back into my seat, relieved that everyone's attention had finally shifted away from me.

Well... almost everyone.I could still feel the occasional glance landing on me before quickly disappearing whenever I looked up.

Beside me, Damon Reed rested one elbow on the desk, lazily twirling a pen between his fingers.

I quietly opened my notebook again while Mr. Carter continued the lesson.

"As we discussed yesterday," he said, writing another equation across the whiteboard, 

"integration becomes much easier once you recognize the pattern before trying to solve it."The scratching of pens quickly filled the classroom.

I copied the notes carefully, occasionally 

glancing toward the board while trying to ignore the strange feeling of being watched.

After a few minutes, Mr. Carter turned around.

"Mr. Reed."For the first time since I'd sat down, Damon looked up.

"Can you tell us what the next step should be?"Without even glancing at his notebook, he answered smoothly.

"We separate the function before integrating."

"Correct."His answer came so effortlessly that I found myself stealing a glance at him.

He looked bored.

Mr. Carter nodded approvingly before continuing.

"And what theorem allows us to do that?"This time another student answered.

The lesson flowed naturally after that, with different students responding whenever Mr. Carter called on them. 

Occasionally he cracked a joke that earned a few laughs from the class, and although the atmosphere remained relaxed, it was obvious everyone respected him.I found myself relaxing too.

Maybe I'd expected an all-boys boarding school to feel loud and chaotic every second of the day.Instead, once class began, everyone seemed surprisingly focused.

Well...Almost everyone.The boy sitting two rows in front of me had somehow managed to fall asleep without Mr. Carter noticing.

I almost smiled.

At least some things are universalNearly forty minutes passed before the bell finally rang.

The sharp sound echoed through the hallway, instantly bringing conversations back to life.Mr. Carter raised his voice before anyone could leave.

"Hold on."The classroom quieted again.

He reached for a stack of worksheets on his desk.

"Before lunch, I have an assignment for all of you."A collective groan spread across the room.Someone muttered dramatically,

"You hate us."Mr. Carter laughed.

"I prefer the term 'I care about your future.'"

More laughter followed.He began handing the papers to the students in the front row.

"Pass them back."The worksheets made their way through the classroom until one finally reached me.I glanced down....Calculus.Of course.

"You'll submit this tomorrow morning before class," Mr. Carter continued. 

"And unless every single one of you has suddenly developed a perfect memory overnight, don't forget there's a quiz tomorrow."The groans this time were even louder.

"I just remembered I have a doctor's appointment," someone called from the back.Another student sighed dramatically.

"I think I'm coming down with something."Mr. Carter folded his arms.

"How unfortunate."The class laughed.

"But somehow," he continued with a grin,

"I have complete confidence you'll all recover before eight o'clock tomorrow morning."More laughter.I couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at my lips.

For the first time all day, the tension inside my chest eased ever so slightly.Maybe this place wasn't as intimidating as I'd imagined.

"You're dismissed," Mr. Carter finally said.

The room exploded into movement,Chairs scraped across the floor,Bags were slung over shoulders.

Groups immediately formed as students began discussing lunch, homework, tomorrow's quiz, and anything else that had absolutely nothing to do with calculus.

I stayed where I was.There was no point rushing.Unlike everyone else, I had absolutely no idea where I was going.

I quietly slipped my notebook into my backpack before reaching for my pen.The moment my fingers touched it, it rolled off the edge of the desk.

"Oh."It bounced once against the floor before stopping beside Damon's shoe.

Perfect.I leaned down to pick it up but at that exact moment, Damon stood.

The sole of his shoe came down directly on my pen with a sharp crack.Both of us looked at it.For a brief second, I honestly thought he was going to apologize.

Instead, he simply lifted his foot, glanced at the broken pen lying on the floor, picked up his backpack, and walked away without saying a single word.

I stared after him in shock.Seriously?Not even a "sorry"?Nothing?

I bent down, picked up the cracked pen, and turned it over in my hand.The plastic casing had split clean down the middle.

Well...That pen wasn't writing anything ever again.I let out a slow breath before dropping it into the nearest trash bin.

Forget himI wasn't here to make friends.

I certainly wasn't here to waste energy getting annoyed over one rude boy.

Focus, Ariana.....You're here because you need to find out what happened to Gerald

The reminder settled my thoughts almost instantly.Somewhere inside this school were the answers I'm searching for.....I just had to find them.

I zipped up my backpack and reached inside for the folded campus map Principal Harrison had given me.I carefully unfolded it across my desk.

"Okay," I whispered to myself.

"First mission..."I scanned the tiny labels printed across the paper.

"...figure out where on earth everything is."

I stared at the map for a few more seconds, hoping it would somehow become easier to understand if I looked at it long enough.

It didn't,Instead, it somehow became even more confusing.

The school was enormous. Every building had been labeled with tiny letters, and colorful lines connected one place to another like some impossible maze.

There was the administration building, the senior academic wing, the science block, the gymnasium, the library, three different dormitories, the cafeteria, the auditorium, the football field, and several places I couldn't even pronounce.

"Who designed this place?" I muttered under my breath. 

"An architect or a psychopath?"I folded the map halfway before stopping myself.No.....I needed this.

For now, this little piece of paper was probably the only thing standing between me and getting hopelessly lost every five minutes.

I slipped it back open and took one last glance around the classroom.Almost everyone had already left.

The boy who had been sleeping through half the lesson was now sprinting toward the hallway as if lunch were a life-or-death emergency, and within seconds the classroom that had been filled with voices was almost empty.

I slung my backpack over one shoulder and headed for the door.The moment I stepped into the hallway, the noise doubled.

Students flooded the corridors, laughing, talking and weaving around one another with practiced ease. Some leaned against lockers chatting with friends while others hurried toward the staircase.

Everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going.Everyone except me.

I unfolded the map again.

"Cafeteria..."My eyes searched the tiny print until I finally found it.

"There you are."I traced the route with my finger.

Down the hallway... left... another right... then...I frowned.

Wait... is that right?

Trying to memorize the directions, I began walking without taking my eyes off the map.

Maybe if I reached the cafeteria first, I could observe everyone who could start giving me answers bit by bit.......Gerald had spent almost three years here.

Someone had to know him closely and if I wanted answers.....I had to start talking to people. Too bad the only person he's ever told me about was Andrew, his best friend and he transferred after Gerald died. He would have been a big help.

The thought alone made my stomach tighten.I wasn't exactly good at walking up to strangers and starting conversations.

Especially not teenage boys.Still...I didn't come all this way to back out now.

Lost in thought, I rounded a corner....Thud.I walked straight into someone.

The impact wasn't hard, but it was enough to send the folded map slipping from my hands.

"Oh!"Before I could bend down, another hand reached it first.

Long fingers picked up the paper with effortless ease.

"I'm sorry," I said automatically, rubbing my shoulder.The boy didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he glanced at the map before lifting his eyes to me.For a second...I completely forgot what I was about to say.

He was tall,Dark brown hair fell carelessly across his forehead, and although his blazer was slightly untidy compared to everyone else's, somehow it suited him. 

There was something effortlessly composed about him, the kind of confidence that didn't need to announce itself. His sharp gray eyes rested on me with quiet curiosity, making it strangely difficult to look away.

Then his gaze dropped back to the map.

"It's upside down."His voice was calm.

"Huh?"He turned the map around before handing it back to me.

"You'll have better luck reading it like this."Heat rushed into my face and I looked down.

He was right....I'd been holding it upside down the entire time.Please let the floor open up and swallow me.

"Th-thanks," I muttered, quickly remembering to deepen my voice.

"Thanks."He gave a small nod as if the conversation had already ended.

As he turned to leave, my eyes caught the embroidered name stitched neatly onto his blazer.

XANDER WINSTONMy eyebrows lifted.

So... He's the Xander Winston.

The name immediately brought Mr. Carter's words back to me.

"Looks like Xander Winston finally has some competition."

I watched him walk away, hands tucked casually into his pockets.

Wait... wasn't he in the class?, I frowned.Then why was he coming from the opposite direction?....I don't think I saw him in class.

Before I could think about it any longer, he disappeared around the corner without looking back.

I sighed.

"Seriously..."I glanced around the hallway.

"Does nobody in this school know how to have a normal conversation?"

I shook my head.

"Great."Just.....Another cold guy.

Determined not to embarrass myself again, I stared carefully at the map—this time the right way up—and continued walking.

Two minutes later......I found myself standing in front of a building with large glass windows.Above the entrance hung a silver sign.

SCIENCE BUILDING

I blinked and looked down at the map then back at the building,then back at the map again.

"...How?"I was absolutely certain I had followed the directions correctly.

"This school is a maze," I groaned.

"No..."A quiet voice came from behind me.

"You're heading toward the science building."I turned around.

Standing a few feet away was the quiet boy from earlier.....Ethan.

As usual, he had that particular thick novel tucked beneath one arm.I couldn't help smiling in relief.

"Oh... thank goodness."He looked from me to the map in my hand.

"You got lost again"I gave an awkward laugh.

"Is it that obvious?"A tiny smile appeared on his face.

"I've seen you looking at that map three times today."I chuckled despite myself.

"Okay... maybe I'm a little lost."

"A little?"His eyebrow lifted.

"I'd say completely."I sighed dramatically.

"Fine. Completely."He closed his novel with one hand.

"What are you looking for?"

"The cafeteria."He nodded once before pointing down another hallway.

"It's that way."Then, just like before......He turned and started walking.