Sneaky
A lazy summer breeze rippled the tree-tops growing on the school grounds of Kamakura-Kita-High. The afternoon sky was a crisp blue full of promises. Even though most of the students were still engaged in class and club activities, day-dreaming about what they would do this upcoming weekend, a second-year girl stood hidden behind a locker in the otherwise deserted school hallway.
Waiting.
Due to her coach and teacher’s sudden indisposition, the girl’s final class and the track practice that followed it had been cancelled for today. She wasn’t actually skipping any classes, but the teachers who may catch her wouldn’t know that (and her father, upon hearing about it, would be furious). She did not want to take time to concoct an excuse as to why she was tip-toeing through the school and not heading home early like a normal teen. And time was what she just couldn’t seem to afford recently.
It had been three and a half weeks since her last visit to Gaia. Nearly a month! Even though she had tried really hard to not let it go longer than two weeks between visits, she just hadn’t managed lately. School stuff, family engagements, and daily life had just seemed to add up and engulf her more and more of her time recently. Knowing that Van was patiently waiting for her next visit made her feel even more guilty.
Oh, right. He was certainly waiting now.
Concentrating once more on her quest lying ahead, she adjusted her hearing and decided that the teacher’s trip to the toilet would take much longer than she had anticipated. It should be safe to take a chance getting to the staircase that led straight to the school’s roof without being seen or heard. She stepped as quietly as possibly past the closed bathroom door and started up the stairs. She had just reached the top when said door suddenly burst open again. The fair-haired girl flinched, but pressed on. With a victorious smile, she silently opened the door outside. Not a minute later, embraced by the pillar of light like by an old friend, Hitomi vanished from the roof and reappeared right in front of the Fanelian king.
