Back to campus

For the rest of the week, things were fairly chill, the boys got along really well together after the girls headed back to campus. It surprised Mark to see just how well Macca and Daniel ended up getting along.

From both perspectives, he was surprised. Initially he thought Macca would never have the time of day for someone less popular and less cool as Daniel but after getting to know him better, he actually enjoyed his company. The same with Daniel, he may have been furious at the start of the week and the Aussie may have given him a near heart-attack but he too, managed to see that loveable larrikin aspect that everyone else admired him for.

The day they returned to campus, Mark headed straight to the library. The week away, he had chosen not to do any studying which meant he was a little behind where he should be.

Walking around the library corridors, he saw the back of a head he knew well. Blonde hair up in a bun, the short girl was busy writing notes by herself.

“Maple,” he said, pulling up to the table, “How have you been?”

The blonde looked up in front of her and politely smiled with her lips shut.

“Been okay thanks Mark, how was Daniel’s for the week?” she asked him.

He took a seat opposite to her and began studying her body language. Maple was very pre-occupied with the textbook in front of her, seemingly not too interested in a long discussion.

“Good, yeah good, you should have come.”

She didn’t look up that time, still writing notes, “I uh… I couldn’t really… been busy preparing for exam time.”

That bubbly happy personality had been replaced by a more quiet demure one. He knew Maple well enough to know that studying wasn’t that much of a clear priority for the blonde. Maybe things had changed in that aspect for the better but her mental health was the big concern for Mark.

“You don’t mind if I join you do you?” he asked, opening up his laptop at the table.

“No, go right ahead,” she replied.

The two studied quietly for the next hour, without a single word said. Mark wanted to make conversation with her but he also didn’t want to distract her from her own studying.

He was waiting for the moment she would pack up her stuff and they could have a chance to talk on the way back to their dorms. That didn’t seem to happen as Mark finished for the day while Maple continued to keep her head down, working hard.

“Will you be here much longer?” he asked her, shutting his own laptop.

She shrugged, tapping the end of her pen on the paper, “Not sure, maybe.”

Maple was giving off the vibe that she didn’t want to have any conversation.

Packing up his belongings, Mark just couldn’t leave without saying something.

"Maple," he said in a more serious tone.

She didn't look up from her book so Mark had to get her attention by other means, he reached over and shut the book in front of her, forcing the blonde to look up at him.

"I know you're not okay right now... I don't want to **** you into talking if you don't want to or doing really anything but I really hope you'll speak to me about anything that will help you out mentally, physically, whatever it may be," he explained to her.

He could see her hands trembling on the table. So much so that she removed them, keeping them hidden under the table so he wouldn’t be able to see it.

Mark stood up from his chair, “We’re all thinking about you.”

As he turned around, about to exit, Maple finally replied, “Mark, wait!”

He was glad to hear her voice, he turned back around and stood behind his chair.

“Daniel told me about the group,” she said, forcing herself to give him a half-smile, “I really appreciate it all… I mean that.”

“Well we all love you,” he said honestly.

Maple looked almost as if she was about to tear up and after the amount of tears she had shed this year, she didn’t want to be doing it again in the very public library.

Seeing that look in her eye, Mark came to a similar conclusion. He smiled back at her, “See you around.”

Mark left her alone to study, hoping she had passed a turning point while still in the back of his mind, hoping she would consider speaking to the authorities.