It was another day like any other. I had an early morning, long day, and detention with Don. The only difference that day was our not being alone. As usual, Henry left the room shortly after giving the rules, but Don and I weren't the only students confined to Room D19.  

I never bothered to learn their names, but they didn't talk to me, so what would have been the use? There were four of them, not including Don. Two guys, one of which looked strong enough to lift a fridge, and Two girls who made my ears ring during the split seconds when they stopped talking. The five of them must have been friends, or maybe Don was friendly with them to pass the time. Either way, while they made their detention time seem like a mixer, I was on the other side of the room, watching silently.  

It shouldn't have surprised me when they all got up to leave the room together. Their personalities were too big for a space so small. But it took me off guard when Don turned back to ask me, "You coming?"  

Everyone else had already made their exits, but he took the time to touch base, if only for a moment before I told him no.  "Suit yourself," he said, and like that, I was alone.  

An hour wasn't a long period of time, but under the right or wrong circumstances, it could feel like an eternity. Minutes took forever to pass. Seconds were like concrete walls I tried to phase through but always got caught in between.  

The air had a powdery taste like mushrooms and talcum powder. The floors squeaked and creaked as I shifted the weight in my feet. Florescent lights were beginning to give me a headache, and all I could wonder was, where had they gone?  

I didn't know anyone yet. I didn't have friends yet. Was it stupid of me to turn down a guy who offered to date me? He wasn't right in the head, that much I could tell from our first five minutes together, but Don was at least interested. Was that enough to date someone? Was that enough to ignore how uncomfortable he made me at times?  

It felt stupid even considering Don as anything, but maybe I was too critical. My experience with people my own age was limited at best. What if Don was better than I gave him credit for?  

Fuck!  

I was actually considering it. I was actually considering him. Being alone in that room, it made me tense and lonely. It made me needy.  

I checked the time on my phone, and 20 minutes hadn't passed yet.  

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!  

I got up from my seat to peek my head out of the classroom door. How long would they stay gone? What wonderful place had Don led his merry band of delinquents to? Why hadn't I gone with them? 

By the time everyone made it back, I might as well have been beating my head against a wall. The way time moved in that room defied all matter of reason and seemed to act as a weapon to drive anyone caught in its snare to go completely mad.  

As Don and his friends took their seats, I returned to my own and attempted to pretend the last hour hadn't happened. With only five minutes remaining, Henry was sure to be back any moment. While we all waited, Don crossed the room to get to me. 

He sat a bag in front of me on my desk. 

"What's this," I asked. 

"A burger," he said before starting back on his way to his friends.