Desolation

I pushed the door open, revealing my other classmates, who were, as usual, chatting and joking with each other. I walked to the last row and plopped myself on my seat. Again. No stretching sound of the chair made next to me today, causing me to realize a thing.

I turned my head to the right side, where a seat left empty. It had been a week since the owner occupied the seat. The weird feeling in my heart from the first day she left me still there.

I crossed my arms on the table and dropped my chin on them, staring at the back of David's head, the boy who sit in front of me. It felt odd without the voice of my seatmate singing on her place.

"Alice, are you okay?" Emma, the girl who sits beside David turned to me, blinking her eyes behind her spectacles.

I nodded, still in the same position. I caught her almond eyes moving to the empty seat before they stared at me again.

"Where is Diana? I haven't seen her since last week. Is she absent again?"

At the mention of Diana's name, my shoulder dropped. It had been like this throughout this week. It like have of my soul being taken away from me.

I glanced at the empty chair for a while before responding to Emma's question. "Yes, she absent. She has a family problem."

Family problem. It's what I answered if they ask me about Diana. I refused to reveal the truth to them.

"What wrong with her family?" Her tone sound concern.

My mouth apart, but no voice coming out from it. I pressed my lip into a line. Should I say it to her? But, Diana told me to keep it as a secret.

"You can tell me if you want." Emma gave me an assuring smile.

"Better if she tells you herself." It the best. I promised her anyway.

Before Emma could say anything, the teacher came, causing Emma to turn her head to the front. The lesson started and soon the conversation between us forgotten.

~*~

It break time, when Diana and I usually spent our rest time behind the school, where the garden is. But, today, my mood gone, so I used my break to finish my math homework. Since math had been my favorite subject, I enjoyed solving the questions.

After I checked my answer for the last time, I closed it and shoved the book into my bag. now I had nothing to do, despite the 15 minutes left for break. I observed my surrounding, a habit I do every time I boring.

The class was half full, as some of my classmates ate in the cafe. I looked at the middle front seat, propping my arm on the table and rested my chin on it. A group of fives boys laughed over something, and I assumed it was random stuffs.

They so lucky, to have many friends to talk and laugh with. Unlike me, I have only one close friend, while the others, they were all just my classmate. I talked a lot with Diana but since she not here, I kept my mouth shut. It's not like I couldn't chat with my other classmate, but I felt awkward around them. Thus, it will not be the same.

~*~

Krriingg

The bell rang, a signal that school was over and students could go home. I packed my bag and sling it on my shoulder. I bid goodbye to Mrs, lee before I stepped out from the class and walked straight to the gate.

When I stride outside the school, A feeling rushed into my heart. I listened to my own steps walking on the hard ground. The wind passed me and the tiny sound of it whooshing caught by my ears.

It silent. Too silent for me. Something was missing. Or rather someone was not here.

I not used to walking home without Diana. It always she and me going home together. Thinking of her, how she doing now? She better be alright, or I be sure to nag to her for an hour nonstop.

I pulled out my phone, putting a number that I always remember. Diana's number.

Beep..beep..beep..

"Hello." There. The voice I didn't listen for today. She sounds tired, but her tone telling me that she was pleasant of something.

"Diana, are you okay?"

"H-huh? Oh, of course I am, why shouldn't I?" I smiled. My first smile for today.

"So I guess you're doing fine there?"

"Alice, why shouldn't I? I can breathe perfectly here. Don't worry." She laughed.

"How about your mom?" I asked with a careful tone.

"She is getting better by day and she can even walk now." I knew she was smiling there. Her cheerful voice told me.

"Really? Glad to hear that. It's a good progress. Your mom is healing quite fast, I see."

"Yes, she is. And Alice, I would like to chat more with you, but I need to go now or my mom will be searching for me if she awake." My smile faded. The feeling came again.

"I understand." I lied.

"And I am skipping school for tomorrow too. Is that okay?" It grew stronger.

"Okay, I will inform our teacher." No, it not okay at all.

"Thank, Alice. you're the best."

"Hmm."

Click. The feeling came. It haunted me. The emptiness. The empty hole grew bigger.

Author's Note

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