Chase and Cheese

Erick approached the boy with a friendly smile. Neo averted his gaze and pretended not to notice him. Quickly, he got up from the bench and walked in the opposite direction, looking for an escape route.

The bell rang, and several students began heading to their classes. Neo darted into the hallways, catching Erick off guard as he tried to keep up with the boy.

"Neo! Wait!" Erick shouted several times, his voice getting lost in the crowd of students separating them.

Neo, being smaller than Erick, easily weaved through the throng without stopping, while Erick bumped into people and apologized with every step, eventually losing sight of Neo.

With no other options, Neo headed to his classroom. He arrived just as the teacher, a kind blonde woman, walked in. It was geography class.

He sat in his chair, his face serious as he thought about the chase. He didn’t want to talk to Erick because of what had happened during the fainting incident. Avoiding that man seemed like the best option.

A smile crept onto his face as he thought of Saya. He looked around but noticed she wasn’t anywhere to be seen, which left him feeling disheartened.

Deciding to focus on the lesson, Neo paid attention. It was only the second time he’d learned something at this school, yet it didn’t feel like the second. Maybe he was a genius, or maybe the teacher was just that good at explaining. Either way, it felt nice not to feel lost.

After a few classes and a couple of bells, it was time for the break.

Many students rushed out of the room, heading downstairs, leaving Neo alone and with a small sense of emptiness.

He had seen so many form groups, yet he had no one to keep him company.

“What about that boy who left me a letter? Leo?”

He wandered through the hallways toward the entrance, hoping to find some clue that might reveal more about the mysterious figure who had helped him the day before.

Outside, he looked at the clock and then at the staircase. A shiver ran down his spine as he imagined what he had done. It was raining and windy; he could have fallen.

A chill coursed through his body, and he was sure that if he were in cat form, his fur would have been standing on end.

Once he calmed down, he noticed everything seemed normal. There were no signs of anyone—no Leo, either.

“Did I end up taking someone else’s place? Lancaster, right? I like that name.”

His eyes locked onto a black car near the entrance. Beside it stood a large man in a suit, seemingly watching the school.

Neo tried to focus on the man’s face, but the figure noticed and hurriedly got into the car, its windows tinted dark.

“Weird.”

Neo’s stomach growled. Maybe heading to the cafeteria wasn’t such a bad idea. Perhaps the smell of food would ease his hunger.

Terrible idea.

The cafeteria had a bakery with all sorts of bread. Neo’s hunger only grew as he smelled the freshly baked goods.

One particular bread caught his eye—small cheese rolls, bite-sized, with a golden, crispy crust.

Nearby, some people were eating them, and when they bit into the rolls, the inside looked soft. Judging by the smell and their expressions, they were delicious.

“If I could turn into a cat, I could steal a few. But as a human, I’d face consequences.”

As he grumbled to himself, his senses alerted him to a nearby danger. Neo saw Erick entering the cafeteria at that moment. Their eyes met, and Erick immediately sprinted toward him.

Once again, Neo panicked and bolted.

“Why is he so persistent?”

Neo ran through the hallways. This time, there was no crowd to slow Erick down.

Both were fast, but Erick was faster. Neo’s advantage was his agility. Instead of running straight, he turned sharply and darted up the stairs as quickly as he could, leaving Erick struggling to navigate the corner.

Neo gained some distance but not enough, as Erick was soon back on his trail.

Then Neo turned to go down the stairs and took a huge leap. The impact made him stumble and nearly faceplant, but as his legs regained strength, he dashed toward the school’s central garden.

Erick stood there, stunned for a moment, but he quickly descended the stairs and continued the chase.

"Hey! No running in the hallways!" a boy with light brown hair and a pompadour yelled.

Neo stuck out his tongue, winked, and kept running. "Sorry!"

After circling the classrooms around the garden, Neo came up with another bold move to lose Erick. He entered a room with an open door and saw an open window. Using a nearby desk as a springboard, he launched himself out feet first, followed by the rest of his body.

On the other side of the garden, another window was open. This time, he dove in headfirst and dashed away, smiling as he saw Erick’s defeated expression from the first room.

The bell rang, and Neo climbed the stairs back to his classroom, keeping an eye on his surroundings.

He was drenched in sweat, exhausted, and starving. His mind felt numb, and his eyes were heavy.

During class, he rested his head on the desk, deep in thought.

“Where’s Saya?”

Without realizing it, the classes ended, and he was alone.

A tranquil silence surrounded him.

He began thinking about how he would have to find a way to sleep again, just like the previous night.

His peace was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

“Did someone forget something?”

He raised his head and looked toward the sound, only to see none other than Erick.