Chapter 47 - Everyone Wants Water

With the end of Hallow's celebration, the classes had again started as usual, and it took quite some time for the students to return from the joyous time they had. When it was the time of recess, Julie and Melanie went to fill their water bottles. Julie caught sight of Roman, who stood next to Simon outside their class. 

There was a girl who stood in front of Simon, who was looking at Roman. Julie recognized that girl to be the cat woman she had seen with Roman on the dance floor. But Roman looked uninterested by the girl's presence as if his interest had lasted only for a short span. He was playing with a small stick in his mouth, biting on it.

"I forgot to ask you, how did the meeting go with the person whom you went to meet?" asked Melanie, stepping in front of the water can. Turning the cap, she started to fill the water bottle. 

"It was alright," replied Julie, not sure if she could tell Melanie that she had met Roman in the forest. "Though I had a very strange encounter in the forest. There was this guy, who wanted to cosplay with me." 

Melanie's eyebrows furrowed, and she questioned, "Did he want to be the Pharaoh? The king?" 

"Thankfully no," thought Jully with a chuckle because that would have been extremely strange. "He was this modern vampire with these fake teeth and contact lenses. For a moment I was worried about the way he was acting. I think some of the students took too many drugs," she whispered.

"People like to go high and mix things. It is never pleasant," replied Melanie, waiting for her bottle to fill, and she then moved from there. When she looked at the staircase, she said, "Oh, look. There's Dennis."

Julie turned her head and noticed Dennis climbing up the stairs, making his way towards the water cans. When he saw them, a friendly smile appeared on his lips. 

"I didn't expect to meet you at this time," confessed Dennis, and he seemed more relaxed compared to last night. "Good afternoon, Julianne and Melanie."

"Hello," Melanie greeted him. 

Julie asked Dennis, "Is it crowded near the water can that is on your floor?"

Dennis looked confused, and he said, "Yeah, how did you guess?"

"I usually come to the below one when that happens here," replied Julie, a smile on her lips. 

Dennis nodded his head, "You have come back to your usual attire."

Melanie intruded with, "We were waiting for you to join us after the dance. Did you find your friend later?" 

"I did," Dennis offered Melanie a smile. "Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to spend time with all of you, but maybe in the future. To the annual day celebration," he nodded his head while filling water in the bottle. "I will see you around," and he climbed the stairs. 

Melanie leaned forward and said to Julie, "I think watching your curves made Dennis uncomfortable in the mummy costume. Don't make him your boyfriend, Julie," she said in a slightly worried tone. 

Hearing this, Julie broke into laughter.

"I am serious!" whispered Melanie.

While Julie and Melanie were about to leave, Conner came up to their floor and caught sight of them. 

"Did you come here to drink water too? People seem to be thirsty today," commented Melanie as Conner's classes were two floors below their own classroom. 

"Oh, I am here because one of the teachers wants to talk to you, Julie," Conner informed her. 

"Me?" asked Julie, doubt raising in her mind if someone had seen her and Roman wandering in the forest. But then, if that was so, they would have called Roman too. She turned in the direction where Roman was standing. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and she looked back at Conner. 

Roman was listening to what the human girl was speaking when he felt eyes watching him. It wasn't uncommon to sense people watching him, but for a fleeting moment, his eyes moved and fell on Julie, who had a look of question in her eyes. 

He watched her talking to her friends until Julie handed her bottle to her friend and went down the stairs. 

Simon humoured the human, "It is only time now. With the probability of rain, you'll see fireflies in the forest at night. You should probably come with me," he smiled, and the human girl blushed. 

"I was hoping to go with Roman," the girl turned to look at him, subtly putting her thoughts out. Simon's lips twisted, knowing exactly what reply the girl was going to get. 

Both Simon, as well as the girl turned their heads to see where Roman was looking. 

Roman then said, "I don't like people sitting behind my motorcycle," and when his gaze shifted back to the people next to him, the girl laughed to cover her fallen face. 

"Does that mean you are the only one who has rode your bike?" she asked him. 

"Yes, it is. I ride solo," remarked Roman, biting the stick in his mouth. He then said to Simon, "I will be skipping the next class."

Simon gave a nod, not surprised by it as Roman barely stayed inside the classroom and preffered to stay outside. The girl, who had been standing then turned to look at Simon and asked, "When are you going to look at the fireflies?"

Simon offered the silly human a polite smile, "I forgot that I have Victoria who will be riding with me. Maybe some other time?" and he stepped inside the classroom.

Roman made his way to where Conner and Melanie stood, chatting with each other. They were startled at his presence as they hadn't expected to come and stand where they were. 

Roman questioned, "Do you know where Winters is?" 

"Julie?" asked Conner, not knowing what Roman wanted from his friend, "She went to the counsellor's office. Mr. Evans wanted to talk to her about something."

On the other hand, Julie had reached the ground floor, and she made her way towards the counsellor's office, wondering why Mr. Evans had called her to his office room.