Stranded Pixels of Us

Stuck in the Now

It was a Tuesday morning and Drake was still in bed. He was in an awkward position, with one hand on his head and the other leg almost down to the floor of the bed. He woke up slowly, realizing that he was going to be late for school.

    "Shit! I really did sleep well last night", he said as he yawned and stood on his feet. He turned to the table where he had his phone and checked the time was 7:35. He waited by the side of the table for a while, just glancing into open space cluelessly.

    After almost a minute of this awkwardness, he hurried into the bathroom where he started his routine as he opened the shower to run its course above his head. In the bathroom, he felt something different, he always felt peace before, but now, he felt excited about today, maybe it had something to do with his APP class or maybe with the new girl.

    He came out of the bathroom wrapped in his towel from his waist to his legs as he picked out his clothes for today. He turned to look at the table beside him and saw that the time was still 7:35. He was shocked, to say the very least. Was he dreaming? Did his nightmares mature into that of broad daylight?

    A thousand questions roamed his mind as he stood there until every last drop of water was off his body. He couldn't come to a reasonable conclusion until he saw the time change to 7:36. After seconds of unnecessary thinking, he finally agreed that he must have read the time wrongly given that he had just woken up then.

    Drake got dressed, pairing a blue long-sleeved shirt with a black skinny jean that seemed to fit just perfectly. He carried his bag in his hand and took his phone and his earpiece too as he left his room and headed downstairs. Gerard and Suzanne weren't downstairs today, so he opened the fridge, brought out an orange juice and poured some in a cup for breakfast.

    He finished drinking it and went towards the door with his earpiece in his ear now as he contemplated what to listen to as he walked to school. He decided to click on a playlist containing emotional instrumentals. The acoustic strings and warm piano really gave him what he needed to start his day.

    He trekked quite fast as each leg was raised in confidence of meeting the other in the journey to school. When he got to school, he saw many children either coming down from the cars of their parents or even from theirs. He continued walking when he saw what looked like a heated argument.

    "I regret having you here. Mum should never have died, it should have been you", a girl said as she cried by the side of her dad's black jeep. Her dad simply stayed mute and couldn't utter a word as the girl ran into her class knowing her ruckus didn't go unnoticed by the students. Drake said nothing and headed to class walking through the hallway.

    After the third period that day, there was something written on Drake's face, something that has been written even hours earlier. It was anxiety and it was getting the better of Drake. Drake hadn't been able to come up with a project for his Advanced Practical Physics and wondered what it was going to be. He had just less than an hour to think about it and was totally not getting any far on that road. He put his two elbows on his desk as he slowly rubbed both his hands in his hair.

    "Zzzr", the school alarm rung into all ears but to Drake who still couldn't come up with anything, it sounded like a doom bell. He packed his bag, probably a little less worried this time and left the class for the next one. He entered the small office that was converted into this APP class where he happened to be the only student since the previous year. 

    Mr Mount Talbot was seated, wearing a coloured shirt with a coat right over it.

    "Good day, Drake"

    "A good day it is, Mr Mount", Drake replied as he chuckled awkwardly and sat down on a stool. He noticed a difference in the seats and wondered what was going on. There were two stools and not one, so he wore a confused look and turned to the door. Before he could undress that facial expression he wore, a girl walked in.

    "Hi sir, is this the APP class?", this girl with a voice so sweet it could penetrate walls of steel said.

    "Yes, it is. Do have a seat please", Mr Mount replied.

    All this while, Drake had been processing too much and it felt like his head was going to explode. He not only saw the stellar beauty that she was, but he heard a voice like none other, one that could be his favourite playlist for weeks.

    "Hi, I'm Alessia", Alessia said to Drake with a lethal smile that could make any human pass out.

    "Hi… I'm Drake", Drake answered nervously like there was a volcano erupting in his mouth.

    Too much had already happened today and Drake was surprised he had handled it all quite well as he now looked towards Mr Mount.