The Impossible Belt

The Impossible Belt

“Congratulations Ms. Adler, keep this up and you just might up getting Excellence this March.” Spoke the middle-aged teacher as he handed his student a test paper, unsurprised at her feat. “Some of you need to follow Ms. Adler’s example in my subject, no one wants to end up repeating their senior year.” As she sat back down, the students next to her peered at her paper, wondering how she was able to ace Physics, balancing her studies and her social life. Said student merely glanced down at her paper, not bothering to take note of where she went wrong.

“Now, we discuss the results…what is it, Ms. Gomez, do you have a question?”

From the corner of her eye, Arizona Adler spotted Chloe Vanto give her a thumbs up and a grin. The girl only nodded briefly, looking back at her paper and saying nothing more. Smirking, the curly-haired Chloe could only chuckle and lean back on her own chair, not caring about the 89 she had just received in the subject. If anything, Arizona had made wonders yet again – and despite all of that, she had no reaction.

Many called her snobbish and arrogant, but Chloe knew otherwise. Beside her, Davi groaned and glared at her own paper.

“This is a disaster,” she groaned. Chloe merely smiled.

“Ask Arizona to tutor you.”

“That might work, but she’s so…” Davi frowned. “…distant.”

“Oh, she’s not always like that! Arizona’s just pretty busy these days. I’m sure you can squeeze into her schedule, yeah?”

“Well, we’ll try. Or something.”

At the end of the lesson, the bell rang, signaling lunch. Immediately Arizona walked out of the classroom, attracting attention from some of her classmates in IV-4, including Chloe and Davi, who exchanged looks.

“You sure she’s okay?”

“She was as light as rain this morning.” Davi sighed and raked her long hair back, frowning a little. “Let’s just go. The others might be waiting for us.”

Downstairs, Arizona was quickly moving to her table, balancing a plate of pasta and a bottle of juice. The other students moved aside, letting her pass, some looking with excitement and others with slight fear in their eyes. But the long-haired senior didn’t notice, sitting down away from the others and with her books in hand as well as highlighters.

From a distance, Keiko Umai wiped the sweat from her brow, volleyball in hand and gym bag slung over her shoulder. Other students greeted her, she grinning and greeting before hopping up the stairs. On her way up, Chloe and Davi wrinkled their noses as she passed, Davi commenting on the varsities of their level.

“Definitely wonder why those players are recognized,” grumbled Dani. “Her and Grace Erudit.” Chloe patted her shoulder with sympathy.

“That’s just the way things work,” she sang, walking over to Arizona’s table and setting down their things. “Yo, Arizona! What’s up with all those books?”

Brown eyes flickered upwards, meeting Chloe’s just briefly.

“Trigonometry.” She answered flatly. “Quiz next period.”

From behind, Davi cursed. “Shit.” Both Chloe and Arizona cringed at this.

“Stop that. Swearing – that’s mainstream.”

“Yeesh, fine, fine. We’ll just grab some lunch.” Blankly nodding, Arizona let them go, wrinkling her nose at the computations she just wrote down.

“See? She’s not so bad.”

* * * * * * * * *

“Arizona, do you have any plans for this year’s grad party?” the girl merely shook her head, the other girls visibly upset at this. Margaret Clarico rolled her eyes, leaning back on her chair and eyeing the other girl as she closed her thick book. “Did you ask yet? We know you’re busy with academics and your position on the org, but we need a date already.”

“Leave her be.” Margaret stood up. “Ms. Adler’s a busy student, you don’t want to be the cause of her downfall, do you?” immediately the other girls shook their head, apologizing to the silent Arizona who took this as nothing. “Let her think. She’ll just tell you if there’s something planned in the future.” As the girls scattered away, Margaret looked at the girl across her. “You do have something planned, do you?”

“Of course.” She tied her hair in a single ponytail. “I just don’t want to spill.”

A weary smile appeared on Margaret’s face.

“Alright, whatever you say.”

“Did you see Chloe and Davi around?” the smile disappeared, and Margaret shook her head.

“Why’re you looking for those two?”

“Davi asked me to tutor her for Physics.” She sent the other a look. “Nothing wrong with that, I assume?” Margaret cringed at the coldness of Arizona’s voice.

“Calm down, I have nothing against it.”

“Good.”

And with that, she left. A defeated sigh left her lips.

“She’s such a damn mystery sometimes –”

“Look out, Clarico!”

Said student looked up to see a volleyball swiftly dodge her, and she growled angrily at the sight. Keiko was laughing and Grace could only chuckle, both of them back in their uniforms. “You think that’s funny, Umai?”

“Aw, calm down little popu,” Keiko teased. “Hand me the ball, will you?”

“Oh, go grab it yourself.” She snapped. “I’ll be going now.” As she left, Grace shook her head and ran for the ball, Keiko following as she protested that it was her turn to throw. Little did they know that there was someone else watching from afar, a horrified look on her face.

“This is another belt,” she whispered. The taller being next to her nodded.

“A rather reverse one at that. Did you see?”

                                                                                                                    

“I did.” She tore her gaze away, looking up at the being’s dark green eyes. “I don’t want to see any more of this. Take me back, Eri. Back to where I belong.” Smiling faintly, Eri could only nod, Arzen turning away from the seemingly impossible reality that she had just witnessed unfold.