I did sometimes wonder where he went, especially since it was such a common occurence.

Maybe he’s going to go change-. 

Yet another stab of guilt caught me off-guard before I could finish my thought. 

Change… 

I remembered the spots on the shirt under his hoodie earlier, and the faint smell around him. Had he tried washing something off of him?

I could only assume it was Kel’s doing, whatever it was. It also bothered me how it felt like I should’ve recognized the smell. 

I needed to figure out how to get them to switch their focus back onto me.

As I dug into my backpack, trying to find my stash of snacks, my mind kept wandering back to Ansel. 

What had Kel done to him? How on earth did I plan on getting them to focus on me when this was clearly bothering me - exactly what they were trying to achieve. 

That’s literally their goal, to get into my head. I mean obviously I could hide how it makes me feel, but then that would mean not acknowledging it.

Would that mean I can’t apologize to Ansel? 

I guess it’s not like I’d need to do that when Kel’s there to witness it, right? Right. 

As I was trying to reassure myself, I managed to find a protein bar from the completely opposite side of the backpack I was so sure I had thrown it into. 

I started tearing the packaging open, and wondered why Ansel had seemed so… neutral?

I mean it was clear something had happened to him and yet he never showed it on his face. I suppose I shouldn’t be the one to talk with the acting skills I had developed, though.

But it wasn’t like he had a perfect poker-face either.

He had looked dumbfounded and incredibly confused throughout the day, courtesy of yours truly.

Maybe that’s why I found his overall neutrality so perplexing, it’s not like he doesn’t emote at all. He almost seemed… dejected. Like he truly didn’t care.

I finally took a bite out of my protein bar and brushed away a budding thought about how as Ansel fixed his hair, it looked as if there was a bit of a flush on the tips of his ears.

Must’ve been my imagination.

-End of Chapter 2-