Chapter 10

2016.01.05

School started and as usual, I and few classmates were present. None of my friends had come today. I was sitting by the window. I always choose a seat by the window or last row. I was bored to death. Some of my classmates were in a circle gossiping. I wanted to join but was a bit reluctant. I didn't know why. After a while they broke into groups. One group was busy with checking out the new books that just arrived. We are given free textbooks. I had my copy and checked the rest and put them in the cupboard. I have to distribute it tomorrow to the rest of the class.

One of the group girls sat in front of me and said me to join them. I went to them willingly. I wanted to kill this boredom. And I killed it. We talked about creepy stories, stories we have heard about people around our neighbor and ghost stories. It was really fun. I love horror theme. I told about the weird interaction I had during the holidays. Our talks then shifted to our holiday days. "We went to a beach with our family only. We stayed at a hotel that had access to the beach like the beach was its backyard. We watched the night sky. It was totally different than what you see here in the city." My friend was talking about her holiday and another classmate acknowledged saying "Yeah, I love the beach nights. They are the best." "Not really." I cut in. "I am more into the under tree night sky." "I wanted to ask. Did you really make bow and arrows?" My classmate was excited about my holiday. "Exactly, I saw your stories. I was jealous." My classmate who loved the beach night sky wanted to know every detail leaned in. I told about our holiday from bus ride, barbeque nights, wild squirrel to our dinner in a family restaurant. They asked me more details about the camp and how we booked it and how much was our finances. I said what I knew and I promised to send them details about the camp.

It was fun talking to them. I started to break my shell bit by bit. I started to look at people in a different way. Like how my literature teacher Mrs. Marina told me to. I imagined them having a story about themselves that no one dares to search for because they are hooked up with their own messes. I wasn't living in a mess. At least that what I thought.

2016.01.06

My seating changed. My friends were bargaining to get my seat and I gave it up. Not in a rude bargain but in a cute bargaining. I handed the new textbooks to the ones who were absent yesterday. There were more left and it was not safe to keep in the cupboard so I handed to their close friends to hand them over. "Did you hand over the books and have you completed the list and the record book I have asked for?" Mrs. Beth asked me. She gave me class president job yesterday. She wanted to keep me for the entire 1 ¾ year as the class president because it was tiresome to work with other kids and I was already used to the job. (I know it is not a job. It was pure torture somedays.) "Done madam." I handed over the works she had assigned me.

The drama started again today too. She was struggling but she didn't want Mrs. Beth to call her mother. She sleep the whole day and no one wanted her to be awake except for some her friends. There is that one girl in the group that whenever she starts her drama she would turn away from her and sits in her chair and opens a textbook and does her homework. She was tired of her reasons. Also Lily has stopped winking and flirting with me. It was sort of a relief to be honest.

Hopefully we are opening our own shop in one of the busiest streets. It was a dream come true for my dad. He was excited. He had the joy of a little kid who got a toffee in his eyes. It was happy to see him that way. I had never seen him like this before. I forgot he was never there to know what he felt all those years. I am getting to see him every day now onwards. There was happiness and regret. Because he is very strict and he doesn't let to do many stuff. He is a good man.

2025.05.17

My dad had texted me to call me. I now I know he knew the situation. I really desperately want to forget about the text. But he is my dad I have to call him. I can't ignore him. He will get hurt. The sweet man within the layers of hard cover, that man will get hurt.

I called him. I am going a get a lecture. Fingers crossed!

2016.03.01

The sports meet finished. We came in second after a long time. The red house beat us up this time. We are getting ready for the first term exams. There isn't much we have covered for the first term but we have to study the grade 10 syllabus too. So it is not going to be easy. I even missed some of the lessons because I had to go and help practice the juniors with the instruments in the band. I don't know how to read music scores but I was in the band playing trumpet. One was my classmate was the band captain, another was playing trumpet with me and Masha was playing side drum. Our captain suddenly got sick physically and mental. She claimed that it was because of Masha. I kind of think so but not sure of what happened between them, they had long chats in private, spend time together and stuff. I couldn't jump to a conclusion at that time. One day Masha and I were talking. In a flow of talk she said to me "Madam was trying to give the captainship to you" and quickly changed the subject and said that she later didn't because I was a freshman. I already was in school for a year and half, and in band for almost 6 months. I even donated a pair of symbol to the band. May be Masha was lying. Because suddenly she put curtains for the music room, always came to the music room alone and chatted with the teacher, in conclusion she acted odd before she received the band captain. Her actions made sense after what the old captain; my classmate told me. But then again it might not be true right? I don't know mate. It is all grey.

2016.03.06

He sat as usual in front of me. I am starting to have feelings for Samuel. He started to become adorable, sweet, courageous and intelligent to me. (I didn't know what I was thinking. Him being adorable. Heavens protect me.) "Anna! Answer?" my sir called me in the middle of confessing my feelings in the silent and I didn't even know what was the question. "I don't know." I replied looking into his eyes. Everyone was quite shocked. Because no one dares to say 'I don't know' because he teases and kind of humiliate you in front of the whole class and same goes to if you get it wrong. From behind my friend nudged me. Sir took a short leave from the class after assigning a work. My friends and classmates were like; "Why did you say directly you didn't know?" "I said I didn't know because I didn't know. Why beat around the bush." The girls were smiling at me and some of the guys turned behind to take a look at me. It isn't a deal of getting scared right? He is my teacher and he has to teach if I didn't know the answer.

We said my byes and left home. Today I had to walk home because my three-wheeler couldn't make it. I was walking behind Samuel. He looked behind thrice. His home was just in front. His home is near our school, his mom; our school teacher comes to school just 5 minutes before the school bell rings. She is very nice and friendly. She loves each and every children she meets. She saw both of us that day. She saw her son was flirting with me on the road.

2016.03.07

I am starting to get used to the gazes that fan boy giving me. It was like a daily Sunday route. The fan boy's friend's birthday was today, so he gave us chocolates. He gave me and my friend (Her name is Rihanna) two. Sir noticed and he knows from the beginning that he has been flirting me. He saw me and smiled like an idiot, sir who was watching the whole drama gave a slap on his head with the textbook. Another classmate was also attending, she was watching. She has a habit of suddenly turning at take a glance of me and go back to her work. I was startled the first time and now it is also a daily Sunday routing. I was slightly afraid that she would tell others in the class. It wasn't my fault but then again would they believe me if I told them that I wasn't doing anything. Rihanna never teases me about him. She hides me from him during classes. She is a wonderful friend but no one acknowledges her in class. Even I did. She was nobody until I met her in science class. I never talked to her much even in school but she never took it to her heart. Now I take my chances to talk to her, even talk to her in private.

And someone joined the class today. It was that dinosaur boy. We don't know his name but we know that his father is a policeman. It was a flex but he kind of didn't show off. Rihanna noted him and suddenly nudged me. I asked her 'what?' with a head tilt. She signed to look to the right. I turned right casually. The dinosaur boy was watching me for a while and turned away as if nothing. I nudged my friend back and mouthed 'Are you crazy?' "Yellow scarf no talking!" Sir called out for me. I smiled back apologetically.

It was lunch time. Dinosaur boy laid his head on the table and was napping. "He was seeing you. I am sure." Rihanna was arguing and hinting. "Because I asked him exam papers last year thrice and he never gave me and kept saying next week. Maybe he is feeling guilty or is unable to talk to girls." "When this happened. You didn't tell me." I smiled widely, "He is cute though. Also than Samuel." Rihanna nodded with agreement. Rihanna didn't have crush on anyone because she was already booked. She was in love for like 3 years now. She says about him and also complained that I kissed her before he kissed her (Disclaimer! on cheek!). And he was boiling with anger. I kiss and say 'I Love You' to people who I adore. It is just a habit.

2016.03.15

I stopped talking with Masha, Kate and half of my team except for Amy and my math class desk mate. Reason was that they started doing it again. Talking behind my back, cutting me off in their conversations, talk in corridors and when they see me they go another place. In summary they are avoiding me in public. I think I am being too sensitive but my ego was bigger.

2016.03.28

Exam time! I memorized hard. I want to get good grades and prepare for the final national exam. We now don't have exams in the classroom anymore. We sit in a stretch of columns in the auditorium. The teachers sit on the stage and behind us and observe if anyone of us are cheating. My seat was near Amy, one of my friend and the rest was my classmates and other class girls. Amy would turn and talk in signs with Kate, Masha and the rest. Rarely with me. It started to eat me up. I don't need them. They are not only the girls in my class. There are 37 others without Lily. I built even stronger bond with my friends now. I was feeling contentment in my heart for the first time.

The exam hall became noisy all of a sudden. It was from behind. I turned my head my head. It was Lily. She was struggling with breathing. It seemed real. The school took her directly to the hospital that is what the girls said. To be honest it was scary.