The Whale - 14. Part II, chapter 6

- VI -

It was a Monday before Thanksgiving week, and I couldn't wait until Friday night. Faith and I planned a seriously wild weekend, which actually involved some feathers but no turkey. I was all but humming to myself when she walked into the classroom. I looked at her and frowned. She looked like she just found out something really bad.

"Hey, guys," she said gloomily and threw her bag on her desk.

What the hell? I tried figuring out if it had something to do with Williamson, when she turned away from the board and sighed.

"I have to leave for a couple of weeks," she announced, and I almost fell off my chair.

What?! Is this a joke? Then she said something about her Uncle getting really sick somewhere in Minnesota, and I almost groaned. I knew that she had an Uncle and that she was really close to him. Closer than to her parents, in fact. And I remembered how she said a while ago that he had heart problems. I realized that she probably got a phone call right before she left for school this morning, otherwise, she would've told me. And I guess he was in a pretty bad shape because she was leaving soon. By the way, when is she leaving? I looked at her and couldn't believe my ears. Tonight?! Oh my God... I felt like screaming.

I sat there, staring at my book and I couldn't even think. I won't see her for two weeks? This is not happening. Finally, she said that she was going to let everyone out ten minutes earlier, and I knew it was because she had to talk to me. I haven't moved a muscle until everyone left. I was about to say something when she muttered:

"Did you have a question, Luke?"

"Yeah," I breathed and raised my head, wondering why she sounded so uncomfortable.

And then I figured out why. Not everyone left the classroom. The whale was standing next to her desk, and she was openly gawking at me. Roxy Weiss was trying to pull her away, but Roxy was at least twice smaller than the whale, so of course, her efforts were futile. Jesus, why is she staring at me? What the hell is her problem? Can't she see that I am trying to discuss something with Faith?!

"Move it, fatso," I hissed at her and she looked like she was about to start wailing. "This is private!"

She finally shuffled towards the door, and I saw Roxy walk out into the hallway. I figured that the whale would get out as well and got up. I walked towards Faith's desk and shoved my hands into my pockets. She sat down on the top of her desk and looked at me miserably. God, all I wanted to do right now was to hold her close, but I knew that I couldn't.

"Luke, I..." and she suddenly stopped talking and bit her lower lip. She was staring at something behind my shoulder.

I turned my head and couldn't believe my eyes. The whale was standing in the doorway, clutching her book like it was a life vessel, and she was staring at us like she just saw a ghost or two. I almost exploded right then and there. What the hell?! I thought she left! I almost ran to her and pushed her out into the hallway. I slammed the door so hard that I thought it would break. It didn't. I leaned on it and tried to calm down. Faith came close to me and pressed her face against my chest. I buried my face in her hair and sighed.

"He's in a bad condition, isn't he?" I asked softly and she nodded silently. "Damn..."

She looked up at me.

"I got a phone call from my cousin right before I was out of the door," she muttered.

Yup, I was right.

"God, Luke... I have to leave tonight..."

"I'll go with you," I said quickly, and she immediately shook her head.

"No," she said firmly. "You are not missing a whole week of school, Russell. I need you to freaking graduate, so I don't have to look around every time I am about to kiss you in public... And if you miss this week, you'll flunk something for sure."

Ah, goddammit... She was right. I gritted my teeth and pulled her closer. I didn't care if someone tried to get into the room right now. My back was against the door, and I wouldn't move even if the Pope himself decided to march through it. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my throat.

"I have to go home and pack," she muttered guiltily.

"I am going with you," I said firmly. "Just today, Faith... I promise, I won't skip too much school, okay? I'll graduate, I swear..."

I meant it. She looked into my eyes and sighed in defeat.

"Okay," she said in a small voice. "Meet you at my house then?"

"Uh huh," I said and kissed her mouth. Seriously, I couldn't care less about anyone on the face of the damn planet right now. They could all drop dead.

She said that her plane was leaving at 7:30, and I just closed my eyes. She threw some clothes and books into her bag and zipped it up.

"Done," she said. "I am not wasting my time on packing right now..."

I felt like crying.

"When are you coming back?" I murmured when she pushed me down on the bed.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Depends on his condition... I will have to be back before the school starts up again, but I don't know if I'll be able to get here before that..."

"Ahhhhhhh!!" I growled in frustration and rolled on top of her. "I hate this, Faith! Jesus, I just wanna be with you, that's all..." I buried my face in her chest and she sighed.

"I know," she murmured. "Me too, Luke..."

And then we stopped talking, and the next thing I knew when I could think again, was the fact that it was six o'clock and that she had to get going.

"I'll drive you to the airport," I sighed and pulled on my jeans.

"Okay," she nodded miserably.

"Call me when you know anything... Hell, call me every five minutes, will you?"

"Okay," she smiled.

****

It was the hardest thing for me to do in my entire life to let her go through those metal detectors. I was literally unable to unlock my arms. Finally, she kissed the hollow of my throat and murmured:

"Luke, I'll miss my plane... I wouldn't go anywhere if he wasn't in such bad condition..."

"I know," I sighed. "I am just selfish..."

"Yeah, you are," she managed to snort, and I finally let her go. "I'll call you when I get there, okay?"