Over the next few weeks, Ann tried to visit Van as often as she could. She noticed him missing a number of classes, which did not bother her much because Van was brilliant. He was one of those students who could be absent for fifty percent of the semester, yet come out as the overall best performer.
Her visits became less frequent when Van grew a little more aggressive toward her. Not in a harmful way, but he was either busy with things she did not know about, or, if he was not, he would say he wanted to be alone. If that was not the case, he was so drunk that she would find him lying on the floor in the living room, soaked with sweat, wine, or vomit.
