Kimbell's P.O.V.

The rest of our lunch was reasonably silent as Mako wasn’t much of a talker, and after we parted ways, I felt guilty. I wanted to comfort Mako, but I felt like I was too much of an outsider to the whole thing.

That my opinion in the matter wasn’t relevant. Mr. Quin’s opinion did, as he was Mako’s teacher, but I wasn’t anything to Mako right now. At most, an acquaintance he had just taught parts of speech to at lunch today.

But there was a part of me that wanted to help him. And maybe that part of me was what little I had gotten from Mom, that one kind spot that had somehow snuck its way into my DNA, fighting long and hard against my despicable sperm donor’s.

So when AP Biology rolled around, I was determined to talk with Mako a bit more after school ended. I spotted Mako attempting to pay attention but still nodding off anyway. I couldn’t help but question this. Why was Mako constantly tired?

Our Marine biology unit distracted me; however, my excitement may be a little obvious at the subject. I already knew where I was going to college, the University of Hawaii at Hilo. I knew that there were better schools, but this was in the top ten, and I could never see myself leaving the warmth of the west coast. Besides, it was Hawaii. Who wouldn’t want to go to a tropical island?

Suddenly the bell rang to signal the end of class, bringing me out of my thoughts. I snapped my head over to Mako, who was once again hurriedly packing up his things. I tried to match his pace, but he was out of the door before I could rise from my seat.

“Mako! Wait up!” I called after him as I scrambled out of my seat, nearly tripping at the door as I threw my bag over my shoulder and took off after the retreating Mako.

“Mr. Hart not you too!” Mrs. Winicker yelped at me.

“Sorry!” I called back as I whipped around a corner and hurtled down the stairs after Mako, who was surprisingly outpacing me for being shorter than me.

I quickly stopped at my locker and snatched my skateboard, losing precious seconds.

I made it to the front of the school to see a sprinting Mako in the distance, running down the sidewalk that led from our school to the California coast. I groaned as I rolled down my skateboard and jumped on, pursuing the escaping boy.

“Mako!” I yelled at him, and Mako glanced back at me and ran even faster with a slightly surprised look on his face. I had no idea how my skateboard wasn’t catching up to Mako, but it wasn’t long before we hit the sand, and I had to scoop up my ride.

“Mako! For the love of God, where are you going!? Get back here!” I shouted as I chased him across the sand, onlookers giving the two of us weird glances, but I paid them no mind.

Mako refused to slow down, but luckily a barbed wire fence was coming up in front of us, and I thought this was my chance. But, just as I was getting my demands ready for him, Mako surprised me once again today.

Mako hopped on top of a rock conveniently in front of that fence and, with minimal effort, soared over the barrier. I skidded to a stop to gape at his audacity of trespassing before I felt myself get mad enough that I didn’t care about joining him in his crime. So, I tossed my skateboard into my backpack before backing up. I rolled up the sleeves of my blazer before I took a running leap onto the rock and, with a lot of faith in my athletics, jumped again.

As I breached the barbed wire fence and tumbled down into the sands, I heard a splash of water. I took off again, and I nearly ran right past a small alcove hidden by rather tall rocks on either side. I stopped right in my tracks as I spotted Mako’s clothes and belongings strewn across the ground, but the man himself was nowhere to be found.

What the ever-loving fuck, Mako?