Four: The Hallway

                                    

                                          
Katia ran into her homeroom just in time as the bell sounded. Out of breath, she made her way to where Aleks was sitting and sat on a stool, but not before she got a dirty look from Mrs. Clark. That woman was just waiting to get Katia in trouble. One step out of line and she'd have a month's detention. Katia smiled sweetly at her teacher whose face was hard as stone.
                          
"Probably a bad idea coming in late," Aleks commented. Katia spun to her to tell her off, but caught Taj's eye across the room and stood, rooted to the spot as he smiled in her direction. She found an irresistible urge to smile back, but instead threw a scowl his way before turning to Aleks whose eyebrow was raised.
                          
"Romantic tension..." she let the words hang before her shoulders drooped and her smirk faltered, "Taj? Seriously?" She gestured with her hands as if asking Katia to explain what was going through her mind.
                          
"Look, I'm sorry, I don't know what you want to hear."
                          
"I'll tell you what I don't want to hear, some bullshit about you liking Taj, that's what."
                          
As soon as Aleks stopped screaming, Katia became aware of the silence that had settled on the room. She looked around, awkward and blushing and tried desperately to avoid Mrs. Clark's gaze as she apologized for her friend's behaviour.
                          
When she turned back to Aleks, she hissed, "You didn't have to talk that loud."
                          
Aleks grumbled in response and the first bell announcing the beginning of class rang.
                          
Katia rushed out of homeroom, desperate to be away from Aleks. She felt the weight of Donovan's secret pressing down on her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe normally. She yelled to Aleks over her shoulder as she hurried away:
                          
"See you at lunch!"
                          
She rushed to English as fast as she could. When she reached the door, she caught her breath, letting the other students file in before her. She felt her head start to spin like the night of the party and closed her eyes.
                          
"Hi there, are you doing okay?"
                          
Katia opened her eyes.
                          
"Yes, I'm fine, sir, my bad. I just walked here too fast."
                          
"Rough weekend?" Mr. O'Sullivan asked, opening the door to the classroom.
                          
"You could say that." Katia smiled at the teacher and headed inside to take her seat. As she settled down next to Daniel, his worried eyes met hers. She gave him a faint smile, which wavered and fell.
                          
His look turned questioning and she whispered to him, "Tell you later."
                          
"Tell me now," he said, frowning, at the same time as the bell sounded.
                          
"Good morning everyone," the Irish teacher called out to his class, "Today, we're going to start reading Call of the Wild. Sherry, why don't you start us off?"
                          
~~~
                          
Katia picked up her books and binder, and walked out of the room, Daniel at her side. He waited till they were out of anyone's sight before pushing her into an empty hallway. He leaned her against a wall and she breathed deeply as he inclined his head closer to hers.
                          
"What is it, Katia?" His tone was serious, troubled, and Katia couldn't help the goose bumps from spreading up her arms. She shivered and Daniel shrugged off his jacket, slinging it across her shoulders. She smiled gratefully and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent coming from the jacket.
                          
"It's Aleks," she whispered. Daniel nodded, waiting for her to go on.
                          
"I caught Donovan-" she stopped and cleared her throat, "Donovan was... he- he was..."