Missing student?

Vi leaves first, kissing Erik on the lips as he half opens his eyes in sleepy exhaustion, “Where are you going? It’s so early.”

Vi presses her forehad to his, “Just for a run babe. I want to **** the habit on to myself so I don’t sleep in.”

“Hmm. So…. Brave.” Erik says slowly, his eyelids growing heavy.

“I’ll see you in class, love. I’ll go shower at my place when I’m done, bye.”

“Byeeee.”

Erik’s alarm goes off some time later. The rising sun from earlier now fully hanging in the sky, it’s bright beams supporting Erik’s phone in it’s efforts to awaken Erik. He drags himself around his dorm room, the cold shower not doing much to wake him, Erik suspects it’s less that he’s sleepy, but more that he jut doesn’t want to go to class. Erik eventually manages to drag himself into the elevator and down to the lobby of the building.

“Erik! Morning!”

His head turns to the sound of the the woman’s voice, a voice that he now realises was missed almost the entirty of the summer, “Oh, Heidi. Morning.” He smiles tiredly, walking slowly to the receptionst desk.

Heidi beams up at him from her seat, her blonde hair framed around her face, one side longer than the other, her hair resting on her shoulder, she tilts her head, “Not a good sleep?”

He shakes his head, “I think more I hate studying.”

She giggles softly, “That makes sense!”

“Oh, you were gone for a bit, right?” Erik asks, “I feel like I said hi to you one week and then didn’t see you again.”

Her face drops for a moment before flashing a pained smile, “Yeah… I had to go between here and back home for a bit,” She waves her hand dismissively, “It was annoying. But everyhting is sorted.”

Erik puts a hand on the reception desk, “Oh shit. Everything okay?”

Heidi’s face reddens, her eyes moving down, the tineist hint of a smile on her face, “Yeah… Thanks for asking.” She glances at the time, “You need to head off?”

Erik checks his phone and sighs, “Yeah. Good to see you again, Heidi! See you!” With that, Erik turns around, leaving Heidi blushing and smiling as she returns to her work.

——

Erik checks his phone, the lecturer — Mr Juan Ramirez — droning on about the finances of a business and the importance of attention to detail and…. Who cares.

‘Where is Vi?’

Erik checks his phone again, glancing at the last text from her.

“Home! Just showering and I’ll meet you there, hope you’re up sleepyhead!”

So she got home fine, but since that she’s not sent another message or anything. He took a peek at her location through messenger and she’s been in her dorm since the message.

‘Did she fall asleep?’ He asks himself.

Ari and Sai were together on campus, the group of four friends having shared their location with each-other a long time ago now. Erik typically forgets to check her location, or anyones really.

Erik sighs and leans back in his chair, there’s no use texting her if she’s just fallen asleep, he puts his phone face down on the table next to him, forcing his attention back the lecturer. If he’s going to be alone he may aswell actually get a leg up on his studying and pay attention to the class in front of him.

Instead of course, Erik’s eyes fall away from the laptop monitor, and his notes as he looks across the lecture hall, taking in the fact that no one else is taking notes or really paying attention, Erik can’t help but wonder if Mr Ramirez — hell — any professor knows when students are paying attention or not.

One guy is watching the soccer game on his screen, another playing a random flash game, some girl is scrolling on a fashion webiste. Erik glances behind him to the back corner at a red head girl sitting next to her boyfriend, he’s not sure if he’s even in this class, but he seems to like to….

Erik looks away. Head snapping back to his screen.

‘That’s not her boyfriend.’

Her boyfriend is a brown curly haired guy, nice looking, smiley and seems easygoing. In his usual place is a black, straight haired European guy. His arm had been around the girl, leaning close to her and whispering, she had a hand over her mouth, leaning into him and trying her best to stifle her giggles.

‘Did they break up? Maybe? It’s more-likely than her cheating on him, this public? Some people in this class know them, I’ve seen them hang out and walk out with other people in this class. Oh shit. What if they’re like Vi and me? That would be crazy though, what are teh chances that there’s another couple like us and Ari and Sai. Nah they must’ve brok-‘

His train of thought comes screeching to a halt.

Erik’s fingertips go cold, his chest squeezing his heart with a mix of nerves and excitement.

He reaches for his phone, his fingers cold against the glass.

“Is Max back?”

….

His phone vibrates in his hand, the notification appearing at the top of his screen.

“;)”