Chapter 45 Home alone
NANCY'S POV
"Um...excuse me," Someone said from the back. I turned around to see a ginger-haired boy who had his hands raised.
The teacher on the podium paused, glanced briefly at him, then set his books down before gesturing for the boy to speak.
"Where's Mr Landon? We were kind of expecting him."
I glanced at Diana, just in time to see her gently lower her arms, an indication that she would have asked the same question if the boy hadn't asked.
The man, however, didn't look pleased that he was being asked that question, but despite that, he answered.
"I'm Mr Phineas. Mr Landon isn't available to take your class at the moment, and during the time that he's gone, I'll be taking your class, temporarily."
If he hadn't added that last word, I felt Luke the entire class would have gone up in an uproar, but since he did, nothing happened, save for quiet murmurs and low discussion.
"What's going on?" Chloe, who had crept into the seat behind Diana just before the bell rang, asked, as if Diana had all the answers.
I couldn't blame her, though; if I weren't living with her, I would have asked too.
But she'd already asked me this morning if I knew where he went, so I knew that Diana was as confused as we all were right now.
As expected, Diana shook her head, and Chloe settled back into her seat as Mr Phineas dived into his lecture.
For the first quarter of the class, I wasn't really listening. It felt really odd to see someone else standing up there, especially in a class that Mr Landon was supposed to teach, and at that moment, I realized I had grown quite used to watching him.
Even on the days when I was supposedly avoiding him, I still secretly watched him.
Now, as class went on, I struggled to get myself to focus.
All I could think of was why Mr Landon had left without saying a word, not just to me but also to Diana.
Didn't he think that she would be worried?
Had something bad happened that caused him to leave urgently? Wait, what if something bad had happened to him as well?
I shoved that thought out of my mind the instant it surfaced.
It was unlikely that Mr Landon had gotten into an accident, considering that he had been able to get another teacher to substitute for him, and just in time for our lecture too.
However, despite knowing that, I couldn't get my mind off of him, and it took a lot for me to accept that I was worried about him.
'You're not wrong to be worried,' I thought to myself, trying to help myself feel better.
'Anyone would be if the man they just had sex with the night before packed up and left?'
'But he didn't actually pack up, so maybe I'm just overreacting.'
I could swear, from the beginning of class, up until the end, I was acting out a play in my head, one that consisted of just me. I was all of the characters, playing out each scene to perfection.
Eventually, it dawned on me how crazy I was acting, and I snapped myself out of it. The upside was that it was all in my head, so none of my friends could tell what I was doing.
It would have been so embarrassing if that weren't the case.
I didn't immediately realize that class had ended until Diana waved her hands in front of my face to grab my attention.
"Earth to Nancy," she said when my focus returned to her. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," I was quick to answer.
She cocked her head at an angle, "That's even more suspicious."
"No, it isn't," I replied, then looked away before she could point out something else that I didn't need to have pointed out.
"You were zoned out the entire lecture."
I didn't realise Mason was actively listening to my conversation with Diana until he said that, and as though she'd found someone to share her sentiments with, Diana nodded quickly, "Exactly my point."
Mason leaned forward. He brought his elbow to rest on the desk, then lowered his head into it, staring curiously at me, "You're acting kind of creepy."
"I agree," Diana hummed right after.
I looked between them both, then rolled my eyes, "Stop being dramatic, guys, I'm just tired."
"Enough," Diana held up a palm to stop me, but I'd already said what I said.
Mason glanced at her, questioning with his eyes, and Diana dragged a long sigh of frustration through her nostrils, explaining, "She keeps repeating that like a mantra; I'm sick and tired of hearing it."
Her words were amusing because Mason chuckled, and even Chloe's laughter rang from the seat behind us.
I was the only one who didn't find it funny, though, because they were all laughing at my expense.
Later, as we were walking through the hallways, on our way home, Diana pulled out her phone.
"I think I'll just call my Dad and ask where he is."
Mason gave her a look that lacked interest, while mine was the opposite, although I tried to hide it.
"You should, I've been wondering too," Chloe suggested, urging Diana.
We all waited and watched as she dialled the number and for the phone to ring.
It rang a couple of times before the dial beeped. Her call had been rejected.
Diana's face changed, and her lips parted, but before she could get her words out, her phone buzzed.
"I think that's from your Dad." Chloe was the closest to her and had a vintage view of her screen, and as soon as she said that, Diana's gaze dropped to her screen.
She shared a surprised glance with Chloe, then hastily tapped on her screen to open the message I presumed.
My brows rose when her entire face lit up like stars in the night sky.
"Oh my God," She squealed a second later, clamping her hand over her mouth to suppress her excitement.
My face furrowed in confusion.
Why was she so happy?
I found out why soon enough, when she announced with a face that was practically glowing, "My Dad won't be home tonight."
I don't know why, but the first emotion I felt was disappointment, which didn't make any sense because his actual daughter was more elated than someone who had been handed a treasure chest.
"Why are you so happy?" I couldn't help asking.
Daina looked at me as if she couldn't believe I was asking and then clicked her tongue, "Duh, it means we have the house all to ourselves, and it could be for days!"
She continued with a wide grin plastered on her face, "We can do whatever the fuck we want."
Right as her voice dropped, Mason clapped his hands once, then snapped his fingers, "Now, this is perfect timing."
"Perfect timing? For what?" I looked at him.
"For a party," Mason announced with a grin that matched Diana's.