Chapter 4:

Episode 1-3: To Be Understood

Soul Heretic - Promise Bound Souls Episode.1

The sound of the lunch bell echoes through the halls. Sitting at my desk and reading through the random book I’d picked out from the library while pretending to go to the bathroom earlier, I decide it’s probably time to leave before my teacher notices me still here and gets pissy.

Standing up and closing my book, I notice the sight of another person still sitting at their desk. The teacher seems up in their face, annoyed. No, actually, it’s hard not to notice the pleasure that seems at the corners of his tight lips and the folds of his squinting stare.

Mr. Mores - “What’s the matter, Yuta? I can’t help but notice you don’t seem to have much in the way of notes here. Is there a reason you seem to find my class so boring?”

Yuta - “No…”

Mr. Mores - “No what Yuta?”

Yuta - “No I don’t have a reason.”

Mr. Mores - “Interesting. I remember talking to Mr. Andrews about you. His worst student he called you. Do you agree, Yuta?”

Yuta- “Yes…”

Mr. Mores - “Good, I’m glad we can be honest.”

??? - “Yuta!!”

All three of us look to the door.

Yuta - “Sarah?”

Sarah - “Quit making me wait so long! I’m not gonna be so patient all the time like last year dork!”

Her gaze seems to move between the two, different emotions seeming to pass over her face.

Sarah - “I’m sorry sir, are you having an issue with him?”

Mr Mores - “I apologize, what are you doing in my class? Would you like me to have a discussion with your teacher about keeping their students in check?”

Sarah - “Mmm…”

She walks forward and grabs Yuta’s hand.

Mr. Mores - “And what exactly do you think you’re doing?

Sarah - “Taking my friend to lunch.”

Mr. Mores - “Does it look like he’s been excused?! Get out of my classroom!”

Sarah - “Ok.”

She does start to leave, dragging Yuta along behind her.

Mr. Mores - “You both can expect to see me later!”

Sarah - “If you wanna deal with his dad, sure.”

Mr. Mores - “Y-you…”

Seeming satisfied with her words, she turns back to the door and continues walking. Seeing Mores stewing, I slip away from my desk and through the opposite door.

I step out into the hall and give a relieved breath. Jeez, the fact there’s anyone my age willing to go blow for blow with that prick is…more entertaining than anything. You go girl. When I try to move from the door though, I end up bumping into someone.

Yuta - “It’s not worth you-wah! Sorry, sorry!”

The boy from before immediately panics, holding up his hands and offering all the condolences in the world.

Riley - “Uhm, it’s, it’s fine, it’s all good. Hehe…”

I chuckle nervously as he looks at me with a clear guilty conscience.

Sarah - “Did you get a good show?”

Riley - “Huh?”

Sarah cuts the pointless apology show short as she gives me a once over before looking rather entertained.

Sarah - “Sorry, I just saw you watching. You seemed very interested.”

Riley - “M-my bad…”

Sarah - “It’s fine it’s fine. My sympathies you both have to put up with him. Ugh, I was praying he’d get fired before classes started. My senior friend last year had him and he was always on her ass about everything!”

She pats Yuta on the back.

Yuta - “My English teacher was the same way last year. I’m used to it-”

Sarah - “I’m well aware, but you seriously shouldn’t be. How many times do I have to remind you of that?”

Yuta - “You probably won’t be satisfied till you’re suffocating.”

Sarah - “Who said you could be sassy?”

I watch as a swift chop is delivered to the boy’s shoulder. Not a hard one, it would seem. The little smile that appears on his face is infectious. I feel the corners of my mouth lift.

Sarah - “Oh right, I don’t believe I caught your name. I’m Sarah.”

Riley - “Uhm, cool. Yeah no I mean, I’m Riley.”

I give a stupid sounding chuckle that neither of them, thankfully, seem to register.

Sarah - “Well Riley, are you sitting with anybody today?”

Sophie - “Well Riley, I think it would be pretty sick if you sat with me at lunch today.”

I feel my heart stop.

Sarah - “Riley?”

Riley - “Sorry. I just have things to do. In the library.”

Yuta - “Oh…”

Riley - “W-what?”

Yuta - “No I was just, I uhm, I remembered why you seemed familiar. Back at our middle school. I always saw you in the library when I used to skip lunch.”

Riley - “That’s not surprising.”

Yuta - “Uhh…I don’t know what that means, sorry.”

Riley - “Don’t worry about it.”

Sarah - “It sounds like…”

I feel an arm wrap around my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, as Sarah seems to squish between me and the boy.

Sarah - “...you’re a serial skipper!”

Riley - “N-no! What’s that matter anyways?!”

Sarah - “Well, for one, it means your nutrition is definitely out of whack.”

Riley - “That really doesn’t sound like your buis-”

Sarah - “Also it means you probably don’t have anyone to hang out with.”

Riley - “H-how is that your business either-”

Sarah - “Most of all though, it makes me curious.”

Riley - “Do you think I’m a science project?!”

Sarah - “Ehehe, noooooooo.”

Yuta - “Definitely.”

Sarah - “Oi!”

I see. It seems I’ve gotten caught up in someone’s social project. That’s annoying. I try to escape her grasp, half heartedly though, so I don’t really succeed at much.

Sarah - “I just like people, can’t I find them interesting?!”

Yuta - “I apologize. I hope you don’t mind entertaining her for a little bit. She’s a good person, I promise.”

Sarah - “W-why do you have to promise that?! Am I not obviously good?”

Yuta - “I, wait, no, I didn’t mean it like that! I’m sorry!”

Sarah - “How many ways are there to mean that?! I’m not dumb! Or…that dumb!”

Her grip on my neck tightens.

Riley - “Perhaps this is hell…”

Sarah - “Anyways, please, just for today? I promise it won’t be awful!”

Riley - “I-I…mmmp.”

She looks so desperate. Ngh…will it be worse for me if I say no?

Riley - “I…should be able to do that…if it's just for a day.”

Sarah - “Hell yeahhh!”