5. Weird day

Standing in front of the mirror, I examined my look once before leaving my room. A pair of black pants with a cream shirt and a sleeveless blazer. My wavy hair was dried until I ate. I just comb them and tugged them into a messy ponytail. Lastly, I took my tablet, a book, and a pen and came out after putting on my formal shoes. I locked the door of my house and inhaled a deep breath of free and fresh air.

"I like the outside world," I said. "Huh." My eyes widened at the thought. 'As long as you have money.' The voice in my head spoke up. "My wallet!" I rushed back into the house to get it. It was placed on the bedside table for two days. Full of cards and cash. I turned it upside down on the bed. All the cash and cards fell on the bed. I picked up one card and placed it back in the wallet. My gaze then fell on the little photograph of my mother and father. I slowed down for a while and carefully picked up the picture. My mum and dad were standing side by side, dressed all fancy, mum in gown and dad in a suit. A sad smile formed on my lips. It was the picture before I was born. I inherited the features of my father, the wavy hair, long face, sharp features, except for the body type. My father being in the army was a bulky man while my mum was a timid slim lady even after I was born, on top of that silky soft hair. Lucky dad. With one last look at the picture, I kept the picture back in the wallet and came out.

This time I locked the door without forgetting anything and then made my way to the college. The morning air felt soothing. A long walk in the calm air feels like heaven. The weather where I live is good most of the time. Neither too hot nor too cold. Great for a good walk. I walked past by the same neighborhood, a barking dog behind the gate. Everything was normal until the horn of a car echoed through my earphones. I quickly pulled out my earphones and turned around. A white car moved in speed approaching me. I swiftly stepped aside and jumped to the other end of the footpath. The car passed by, too close that one step to the side, it would climb on the footpath. I waited there for the car to pass by.

"What a reckless driver," I murmured then continued on my path. Soon I was in front of my college. The way doesn't seem long even if I walk. Stacy and Max would die halfway if they walk to the college. Though the distance of their houses is almost as far as mine. I stretched my hands above and relaxed my body and then entered.

"A good morning walk will wake you up completely. Ah, I love to.." before I could complete my murmuring, I bumped into a person while walking. That's usual. I normally don't bump into anyone. Looks like someone intentionally bumped into me. I drop my hands down and raised my eyes at the person in front of me. I then knitted my brows at him, why would he encounter me? I thought. It was the same person, Mr popular who saved Stacy. He stared at me until I opened my mouth to question.

"What do you want?" I asked a direct question to him. A smile crept on his face at my question.

"Didn't you bumped at me?" He questioned more like a statement.

"No," I said with a straight face. I know I don't hit anything while I walk, nor any person.

"Are you confident?" He asked again. This time there was suspicion in his voice.

"Yes," I said and turned to the side to walk away. I don't like arguing with people. It just irritates me to answer their unnecessary questions. The moment I turned around, his hand came to me from the back. I quickly jerked to the side before his hand could touch me and turned to face him.

My knitted brows came further close in anger. I didn't say anything. I waited for him to explain his actions.

"Quick response you have got." He said and placed his hands in his pant pockets.

"What?" I said nonchalantly. "That's usual." I then added.

"No." He said and took a step towards me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. 'What's he talking about?' I thought.

"Yesterday." He said then paused. "You held the whole weight of your friend with just one hand." He then added.

I then recalled the scene. Yeah, though I held her, she was on her feet. Anyone could do that.

"Though she was on her feet. Her body weight was completely dependent on your grip." He said.

"That's normal." I shrugged and again made my way towards my class. I could feel him approaching again towards me. This time his approach felt like an attack. But, you cannot just attack anyone as you please. So turned around to glance at him. But that idiot was serious about attacking me. He had a paper cutter in his hand.  I forwarded my free hand to stop him.

"What are you doing?" I said while he moved his hand forward and slashed the cutter on my palm. I looked at my hand and then at him. "Have you lost your mind?" I said out loud. Whilst his eyes were fixed on my new cut made by him.

"Your hand, it's bleeding." He said without moving his gaze from my injured palm.

"I know, thanks to you," I said and pulled out the handkerchief. I then tied it around my palm and hastened straight towards the restroom.  I was murmuring curses along the way. When I reached the restroom, I swiftly went into a toilet stall and locked the door from inside. I then unwrapped the handkerchief of my hand. The cut on my palm begins to fade. It was healing quicker than usual. I folded the handkerchief into a strap and tied it around my palm with a not. Making sure that the redness of blood was faintly visible from outside. The cut that he made was pretty deep. If there was a normal person instead of me, the whole piece of cloth would have turned red. When I was done with the tying, I took a calming breath and gave a thought to his actions.

'Did he suspected me?' I thought. 'Does he know about me?' 'What if he goes and announces it to everyone?' 'If he is sure about me he could use this incident as a prove. First, he would be blamed for attacking me. Wait, I could defend too.' I then looked at my palm. It almost felt healed. The mark will also disappear by the evening. I could say, he's lying. 'What if he tries to do it again in front of everyone?'

"Hello??" I murmured to myself. "You can not just let anyone hit you!" I laughed at my own words. "Exactly, I can't." As for now let's just not think of it. Keep on the cloth on your hand. He might keep an eye on you now so, it's better to keep it tied. And there are chances that any random people might have seen too. 'If he tries to expose me, those people can act as a witness.' "Ahh... Stop thinking Helene." I said to myself and agreed with a nod. Exhaling a deep breath, I came out and stood in front of the sink. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and washed my face with one hand. My hand automatically went to my pocket for the handkerchief. I then lethargically walked towards the drier and dried my hand. It was my right hand that got injured. Thanks to the technology and the generation in which we are living, taking notes digitally is much more easier than noting them down in the notebook, especially at a time like this.

"That stupid boy. I am going to pay you now." I said in a very low voice and came out of the restroom. The first bell of the class rang, making me ten minutes late for my first class of the day. I rushed upstairs to my class. The professors don't usually ask you where you were or why are you late. It's just a matter of self-discipline, which I prefer to be in. I hate being out of discipline. It made me unlike myself. Max gave me a glance as I walked to my chair and sat on it. I didn't dare to look at him. He already noticed the tied cloth on my hand. I rolled my eyes while sitting, he would now definitely throw questions at me. I should better make a story before his questions could hit me, I good fake story to convince a detective's mind.

...

H. LOCKHART.