It took him a while to realize what she had said.

-...Huh?

(Did I hear it right…?)

He had doubts. Since yesterday, even after investigating all the floors and hallways within the school, nobody was out of classes after it had begun. Now, the girl words were just against that fact.

(Is it a lie?)

It was something he was hoping to be, but Chris couldn’t deny the reality. The hand that holds his' was shaking without giving any signs of when it would stop, just like the rest of her owner’s body.

That was enough for him to believe.

(But…how?)

None of the other students or teachers showed any signals of being able to move when Chris was outside the class. Based on what the girl said, she saw it before arriving at class, so maybe it could have been another student since they didn’t test if the phenomenon happens if Chris was inside the class.

(If it were that, then she wouldn’t be like this.)

It couldn’t be something as simple as that. That came from someone who could easily pierce walls like it was paper; that was so quick he couldn’t see her moving, and that could take out a huge scythe out of the air.

(…Just what did you see?)

The more the thought about how unreal the girl was, the more dread he felt imagining what made her look like this. She didn’t say anything afterward, just kept trembling. If she wasn’t holding Chris, maybe she would drop to the ground by now.

-Hey, calm down.

Gently, he placed both his hands over her shoulders as he ended his phrase, causing her to flinch. Then, slowly, Chris could feel as the vibrations from her body started to stop, returning the girl to her normality again.

-Better?

After a moment of thought, she nodded with her head, confirming to him.

-Great, now…can you tell me what happened?

Without letting go of her shoulders, he asked as softly that he could while looking straight into her eyes. Her face also started to recover from the fear, coming back to the usual one he had seen over a week together.

-Uhm…

-Yes?

Timidly, she was hesitating before finally saying with a slight blush on her face:

-Can we sit down first?

Without him realizing, their faces were too close to each other. Perhaps she was feeling a bit embarrassed to talk while they were like this.

(Crap, now I’m starting to get red…)

[][][][][]

They returned to the table and sat down in front of each other. The food was still there but none of them wanted to continue eating.

-It appeared when I entered the school today. Just like the other students, I was making my way to the class…when I saw something. I couldn’t see it clearly, but it was moving, and fast, so fast. I tried to follow it, running in the hallways, but I was too slow to catch it up.

The events of earlier, Chris saw as the regret filled the girl’s face. Just by hearing that much from her, made him take this seriously.

-And then what happened?

-I lost it after it got out of my sight.

Whatever that was, it managed to leave the girl in the dust. It wasn’t something Chris thought it was possible, but lately, nothing seemed impossible anymore.

-What do you think it was?

-Don’t know. I really don’t know.

-A student?

-I wouldn’t bet on that.

If she, the only one who had saw it, couldn’t tell what it was, there was no use. Had it been a student, then there could be others in the same situation as Chris while the phenomenon happened, but her reaction strongly denied it.

-Ok, let’s search for it.

Something besides them could move while the class was in session. Whatever or whoever that was, it could be lead to have a better understanding of why those events were happening.

With that in his mind, Chris got up and went to the exit-

-No, we can’t go!

And once again was stopped by the girl.

-Why not tho? This can be our best chance of finding out what was causing all of this.

-We don't know either what that is or what is it after. How can you say something like that?

Trying to not let the boy go, she was appealing to how dangerous their current situation was, but to her fears, the boy didn’t change the look on his face.

-I know that.

-Why don’t you forget about it and just let it go, then? There is no need to take risks, especially you.

In some part of his heart, Chris knew the girl was right. He was suggesting for them to go to uncharted waters, not knowing what lied beyond or under them. On top of that, the girl, of all the people, was telling him to not go.

-Because nothing will change otherwise.

Still, this was the best clue they had.

Who would believe in the words of two teenagers telling that every person inside the school turns into statues after the class started? Nobody would help them. Wanting or not, they were on their own.

If they waited, who would solve all of the weird stuff happening lately? Maybe, in the future, someone else might come to the school and find out, and then maybe they would convince more people to help, and then maybe solve everything. But that was just a maybe.

As it was not, the only ones that know the truth are the two of them.

-Could you please help me with this?

It was the first time Chris had ever asked something to the girl with a resolution on both his words and eyes. This was something he wouldn’t back off no matter what.

-*Sight*…do you really want to do this?

He saw that she was still reluctant about his choices, but it was less than her reactions from before. Looking straight into her eyes, he nodded to confirm.

-Seriously…when you make a face like that, how could I say no?

It was unreasonable, he knew that, yet the girl accepted it. Knowing that she was in with him filled Chris with happiness.

-Thank you so much! Let’s go right-

-But! There are three conditions.

Holding up three fingers in his front, the girl announced with a solemn voice. That ended the boy momentum. If it her demands were complicated, then even Chris would give up the search…for now, that is.

-First: we start after school, got it?

-…Yep.

(I wanted now though…)

Still, it was a simple request.

-Second: you can’t be away from me at any moment, ok?

-Ok, go on.

All he needed to do was walk beside her and it was done. Not like he was also planning in working separated from her anyway.

-Now, for the third…

It’s never good when people take time to think of something. Either they were planning on what to say or evaluating other options. It was something Chris read somewhere online a long time ago.

And then, she said:

-You need to call me by my name from now on.

With a smile on her face, the girl ended her demands.

(…Wait, that is all?)

Not believing, Chris was lingering to see if she would continue but she was just looking at him innocently. It was true that she didn’t have anything else to say, with all the demands being easy.

-Ok, Midnight Pump-

-Call me by my name.

-…

Something went wrong but Chris repeated to make sure.

-Midnight-

-By my name.

-…

It happened again.

-Midnig-

-By. My. Name.

(Yep, it’s the same…)

The third time’s a charm. It was evident what she was doing, but Chris couldn’t know why she was acting like this. Ever since the day after his friends visited him, Chris couldn’t call the girl by her name or she would throw a tantrum for some reason.

He thought it was because she was embarrassed to be called like that, so he was in trouble as to what to call her. The reason for it was that-

-Then…Midna?

That was a name he came up at the moment. To not waste much time, Chris picked the first name the girl had, “Midnight”, and replaced the “-ight” with an “a” to sound more feminine. It worked for that day, but it was too shameful for her to be called something that was created so light-heartily.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say that to her. With her blooming one smile so beautiful right at his face, showing how happy she was being called by that name, she didn’t leave him an option to say the truth.

-Let’s go then.

If she liked that much, then there was no arguing back. Without a waste, the boy walked to the canteen’s doors.

There were just two more periods before the school day ended; just two more hours before they would start the search. It was not a long time but it was enough for them to be prepared for whatever they would face there.

With both of his hands, he pushed the crashing bar and went ahead-

Just to hit his head at the door.

(…)

Another thing went wrong. He tried pushing the bar again.

The door remained shut at his face.

-*Sigh*…

Not wanting to back down, the boy tried one more time, one more time, one more time, raising the speed on each try until it looked like he was bullying the metal bar by repeatedly slamming it against the door as he started to get more desperate after seeing the same result no matter how hard he tried.

Eventually, he used all of his energy and became tired from his unnecessary actions, but the frustration he had after many fails had now turned itself into anger.

(What now, damn it!?)

Since he heard the bell before, the classes had started. There was no doubt now in his mind, the weird phenomenon happened again. Ever since he enrolled this year, never had his school closed the canteen while it was still working.

(Of all the times, it needed to be now?!)

There was no use. It was the same as the other classrooms during those times. Even if they tried with all the ways they could, they wouldn’t be able to leave this room until the next break time. Waiting was all he could do.

-Hesh, wart re ‘ou do’ng?

Coming from his back, a shout that asked him what he was doing with inexplicable words. Turning around, he saw Midna on a table eating the food from lunch.

-I’m trying to open the door!

He shouted back, still annoyed for being stuck in there. Also, it was not like anyone besides her would hear it anyway.

-Why are you over there? The food will go cold, you know?

He saw her hand going back and forward, a gesture for him to come closer. Since it was better than standing by the door, Chris sat down as well with her.

Unwilling, he brought a fork filled with pasta to his mouth. It was already cold and the noodles were stuck together, leaving him with a bad taste on his tongue.