Chapter 19

I didn't know how much longer I could take this! My hair was basically on fire just trying to contain my rage! How the hell could they all be so bad!? It's not like they're a bunch of grade schoolers but they're just spouting a bunch of word vomit. They just don't have the skills that I wanted. Or maybe I'm just placing my expectations a little bit too high for a literature club. These kids are just kind of naïve... I think...

After some money opened ears, they're all preparing for the inter school short story contest. Primarily they want to face off against the most prestigious high school in Hojo which ultimately is actually just called Hojo High. A public school that only the top most students go to because they offer free tuition with high ceiling education. It's basically a school for the hardworking. From what I've heard, not even connections can get anyone in. Each spot is earned! Which leads me to my obvious concern…

Mako: This all fucking sucks! Don't you all have an idea on how to write a short story!? Did Morris' teach you all anything!? I don't understand, a short story composed by high schoolers could be so bad.

Eve: It's not that bad… Right, Iris?

Iris: No comment… I mean... It's not exactly my grandest creation...

I glared back at the twins but they didn't have a response either. These punks… They're probably the ones that slacked off while most of the real members are hauling ass or something. My stomach was burning from just reading the manuscript all over again just to make sure I didn't miss a thing.

Eve: But it's not that bad. I mean it's a freestyle competition after all. We can make it as creative and free flowing as we want.

Mako: I understand that but the main fucking problem would be that there's nothing coherent about this at all! It's almost like… Wait a minute…

Shiro: Trouble…

Mako: Y'all just made an amalgamation didn't you?

Kuro: Is that bad?

Mako: You're all a bunch of idiots!

At this point, my head was going to explode. I needed to vent out my frustration or I was going to get some extra gray hairs early in my youth. I shouldn't give the satisfaction of giving a shit to any of these punks. To think, they looked down on or something and this is what they had in store for me. Without even realizing it, I started ripping the manuscript that they gave me. Eve definitely looked a lot more embarrassed than the others. Her ears were bright red, so she's just like me huh.

Iris: Guess… It could've been worked better…

Mako: You guess? That thing was dog shit.

Eve: We worked pretty hard on it. Sir Morris' just said that it needed work.

Mako: Please tell me that you're joking. He dumped me in here just so that he didn't have the trouble of telling you it's terrible. What a fucking joke.

Iris: Geez! You're so picky! It's not that bad.

Mako: It's my job goddamn it! Of course I have to be picky! I have no time to spare people's fucking feelings about their shitty work. First of all, you guys made it seem like you were preparing for an all out novel. The first few paragraphs don't even progress anything! It's just pure world building! That's not how a short story should fucking be! You introduced the characters late, in return this made the development rushed and uninteresting. Then whoever wrote the pacing should just go into the trash bin and die! It's so monotone that I could hear it! It feels unenthusiastic as if you're just saying the events. Nothing about the story is dynamic! Some parts of the story weren't coherent either. None of you seemed interested in editing to make sure the syntax was correct for some of the sentences. Holy shit!

By the time I finished, everyone had already been torn apart. Their faces planted on the desk deflated. Guess they weren't ready for the power of an editor. I could go for a smoke right now… As I lifted the torn up manuscript, there was only one redeeming factor that I liked. At this point I was already standing up in rage, but looking at a certain part I've noticed a redeeming factor.

Mako: Well, it's not entirely bad. The one thing that one of y'all got right was the atmosphere. Somehow one of you managed to write it well enough that I knew how to balance it midway. If it weren't for that, this would've been garbaged on the spot by the judges! So? Who was it?

The room went silent for a bit there. Did I strike a nerve or something? No one seems to be answering me anymore. None but one person raised their hands, no surprise. It was Eve.

Eve: That would be me…

Mako: Why is everyone quiet this time?

Eve: It's just that everyone worked really hard on this. It is just a first draft after all. It's not entirely hopeless.

Mako: You see that's the problem. You're all too biased with what you're writing. The reason why some of you think it's good is because you all can see the ending, the build up, the nuances. Well news flash, the audience can't see it. They don't see this massive plan that you all fooled yourselves in believing the audience can see. Whatever it is you wrote in the script is what the audience will see and understand. So if you can't get it right, then you failed already.

Eve: I see…

Mako: This all too much for me right now. Man, literature club huh? Here I thought that it was something.

As I felt the room wallow in their self pity, Iris slammed her hand on the table. Her ferocity built up once again from my words. It wasn't something that was going to catch me off guard twice, so go ahead and try! However, instead of another barrage of comments. Her mouth was trembling like nothing I've ever seen before. Tears started to pour down her eyes.

Iris: Well… Show you… Damn it!

Eve: Iris… It'll be okay. Calm down.

Mako: Looks like I've made my point clear. Well that's it for today. I'm out of here.

Iris: I'll get back at you someday bitch!

Eve: Iris please!

Mako: I'm looking forward to it. Here's my card. Call me anything business.

I tossed a card right on the center of the table with my business information. So this was the limit to their passion. Without a deterrent to move, people will stay in their place. It goes for me as well, without any reason, I'll have to move. These guys have some ways to go before they could even hope to achieve the awards like their predecessors on the walls.

Though I could see it in all of their eyes. They won't give up. I know they won't. That's why I'll be hard on them. In fact, I even admire them. These guys have already done something far greater than the best thing I've ever achieved. Taking a step to do what they love…

Kuro: Woah, a card even at her age…

Shiro: Crazy…

Without anything else to say, I took my leave. They have it in them to move forward. I wonder, if maybe in some other world it would've been different. Maybe in an alternate timeline, when I stepped through that door and I would be greeted by them as an official member. In that timeline, they were my friends that would write to expand our potential. To expose ourselves to each other, so that we could grow. But that's just wishful thinking.

The sun started setting, it's orange glow enveloped the halls. This sense of peacefulness reminded how much I loved the quiet. Hearing all of the sports team practice from up here was an aesthetic at this point. Winds that carried my hair and thoughts. I liked these moments. I wonder if they're still waiting for me.

Before I could make it back to Morris' office, he was standing by the railings of the bridge that connected this building and the other. He patiently waited for me to come by. His expression clearly showed that he got his intended outcome.

Morris: You were kidding about the money right?

Mako: No.

Morris: Of course…

Mako: Why did you send me there in the first place? You clearly fucking know that I don't get along with people.

Morris: First of all, language. Second, you're still my student, Mako. I have to make sure that you have to interact with other students. It's to teach you how to adjust. Though you're probably more mature than the people in the faculty room.

Mako: They seemed-

Morris: Naïve? Well of course. Most of them don't even know what they want to do with writing unlike you. You've already grown to know what you want. Though you'd never reveal it, even to me.

Mako: What I do with my spare time is up to me.

Morris: I know. That's why I don't pester you about it. However, you have the foresight in the way you edit pages. The way you do it, I know you can write Mako. You just need to give yourself a chance.

Mako: I don't know what you're talking about sir Morris. I'm just an editor after all.

Morris: Still so stubborn…

I just kept clutching my fists together. I wanted nothing more than to scream in his face what I had in my head. But I knew that was just going to be a bad idea. It was just going to give him the satisfaction that he's right. That was the first time that I saw Morris' face genuinely annoyed. Something that I will definitely remember.

Morris: Which one has it? Be honest.

I just continued to walk over, not stopping a single step. The worst part about him is that he already knew that answer to that. Playing around the emotions of children like that. Despicable.

Mako: Eve.

Morris: Surprised, but a welcome one. I wonder why though.

Mako: She's an interesting one.

Morris: She's teased to be the worst one y'know.

Mako: Then she's the biggest liar of them all.