Chapter 44

2018.11.07

We had chemistry class today. I was fiddling with my sleeves. Zarina was talking about Daniel and Mathew. I did not show any interest as before. I was ignoring and said okay for everything she was telling me. Sally finally came to the class. Zarina insisted Sally to sit in between both of us and I moved. I was relieved that I did not need to listen to her stories anymore. She always had something to say every day. Zarina was murmuring something to Sally. I was not bothered because I know that Sally will eventually tell me everything.

Zarina stood up when Mathew was leaving the class and she followed him. Zarina called out for Sally and she said her to go first. Sally turned towards me and placed her hand on my arm. "What is wrong? You are avoiding Zarina now? And she said that you are not in love with Daniel anymore" It was not that I had no sparks for Daniel, I lost the sparks for Zarina. "I am tired of her. Can you remember that day you both were teasing Daniel and his best friend?" "Yeah, what about it?" "Later she told that Daniel and his BFF frowned at Zarina the next day because both if you teased." She nodded. I continued, "She told me to tell him sorry. And like an idiot I believed her again and asked forgiveness from him. He was like what are you talking about? I was embarrassed to the core. I do not have any crush on him anymore (I was lying I still have a little spark left for him). It is exhausting listening to her stories." Sally sighed heavily. "And also last Friday she told us that Daniel's BFF messaged her saying that they both are in trouble for having two love birds next to them." Sally frowned and moved in to hear them out clearly. "She lied about it. I logged in to her account and there was no such chat and later that day she changed her password and I did to" I finished my reasoning. "What is the big deal of lying so much? I do not understand. She is not gaining anything out of it, is she?" She was watching the door to see if she was coming in. "I think it is a daily routine of hers." "Maybe I know why she is hanging with you out of the blue moon." I straightened up. "My friends told me…" I frowned. "FRIENDS NOT BEST FRIEND" I laughed and she nudged me. "Anyways…" "Anyways?" "Anna!" "Continue, continue." I smiled at her getting mad at me. "So my classmates told me that day that she was talking to guys and she usually talked you at the start of a conversation." "I am a ticket for her to get to the attention of the boys…" I finished her sentence and she nodded in return. "I know that." I told her with my head down. I could already tell that because whenever I talked to a guy she somehow befriended that guy. She started to give out rotten smells. Zarina came in following Mathew and sat down. I saw a guy spying at us, it was a friend of Mathew. We thought he was watching Zarina and Sally started teasing her and pretended as if we did not talk anything. And there is me, I could not pretend that I was not upset. It is hard for me to be two faced. I just cannot.

Later that night I went to the eye doctor with my parents because my eyes were getting worse. There was no problem with the eye sight but my eyes started kind of bulging. My eyes watered whenever I stared at the screen for more than fifteen minutes. Sometimes eyes went red. My parents were slightly alarmed about it although I did not care and I kept saying I was okay. I used ice cubes to get rid of the puffiness and the redness sometimes. Two days back they became worse and I decided to meet the doctor finally.

I thought that the doctor was insane, even before I explained what was wrong with my eyes, he prescribed me a spectacles. I doubted that I needed a spectacles. Anyways he was the doctor.

2018.11.20

I got my spectacles last week and I started wearing them when I was watching a screen or sometimes even books. It was weird for me to wear them. Sally was the happiest person and the next was Daniel. Both of them wore spectacles and it was nice to see someone joining their club. I saw many hands pointing and eyes watching me when I wore the spectacles for the first time. I kept asking Sally if the spectacles looked weird. I should stop worrying about how I look. I should take care of my eyes. I straightened up and was acting cool.

2018.11.27

The Science day competitions finally arrived. We were all thrilled. This was the day that we all waited for. I asked School captain and some of my classmates to help me out. I do know I will not be able to do all by myself even though I wanted to. I got some prefects on board to help and they were all my close friends. Many of my classmates were not happy that they did not involve in the preparation of the competition. It is funny that they do not get it that this is exactly what they did to us. Looked down on us.

I was waiting by the gate for the other schools to arrive. At least I was expecting ten schools out of sixteen of them. I waited and waited. Slowly one by one arrived. I had appointed the committee some duties and they were doing them. They were happy to be a part of it. Only seven schools arrived. I knew Mathew's school would not come because in one of the inter-school competition their school behaved in an inappropriate way so the school had suspended any inter school activities. Daniel's school did not come because the guy I gave had forgot to hand over them. Then the school's my mother went to personally did not arrive because I do not know why. May be they thought that we are useless or what?

My heart sunk. I sat on the bench next to my mother and Engel. They came to help. And my mother got sponsorship from a huge company that specialized in crayons and pencil colors. "Anna, you should stop worrying about the other schools. You have to take care of the schools that had arrived." I came to the hall with a slight heaviness. . I saw my committee members smiling and then when they saw me, they knew something was wrong. "Hey! Cheer up, at least this lot has come. Do not compare to other competitions. This is the first time anyone held a science day" the vice president pointed out the fact. I counted the people in the hall, there was over three hundred people. This was the first time ever that people had come to a science day in our school or may be any school. No one usually keep any science day competition. This was the first time ever in any school. Only Science day was held. Then I saw Mr. J. J. Fortune approaching me said, "Awesome songs." I smiled. Fifty percent were Kpop songs.

I should cheer up. I took a deep breath and started with the competitions. When I was about to go to the next building a hand touched my arm. I turned right and looked down to a little boy was around eight to ten years old. "Sister, you are the president right?" I nodded and asked, "How can I help you?" "I am doing oratory and there were only three of us. Will I get a place?" I could not help but smile by his eagerness to get a prize. May be this day was for us, people like us. "Yes, you will get." He jogged away and joined his senior brothers.

I went to check every competition. I met two guys who were my age, roaming in tension. I approached the judges before asking them. "Dear, can you get the two boys who are out? They have to perform next and they asked for five minutes time." I nodded and went to fetch them. "Hey! I think you should perform now." They turned towards me after hearing my voice. I could tell they did not want to go in yet. "Is there any problem?" I talked in my native language. They flustered and one of them answered me, "We are scared. What if we do not do any good?" "Do you not want free medals? Do not worry much, do what you can. You are the only ones in your age category." "Are you sure?" they were doubting me. I nodded and said, "Pretty sure. Just go in." After a minute they left.

I went to check on Sally and the editor of the committee. They were in-charge of the quiz competition. I saw Zarina lingering around the corridor. I knew at an instant they were boys of our age and they probably were in our tuition class. I went in and saw Italian boy and some members' from annoying team. I asked Sally how it was going on. She was bit flustered. Then I noticed the school captain and her friend were present too. The editor pointed her eyes towards a guy. I looked at him and it was none other than school captain's cousin. I called out Sally. I leaned on the corridor wall and asked what is wrong, "I am staying because you asked me to and (school captain's name) was sarcastically saying that I was sitting there to flirt with her cousin brother." She started sobbing. It was hard to see her crying but I cannot now question her or the school captain. We already know that her cousin had a crush on Sally. "Stop crying now. It will not solve anything. Do you want to go to another place?" "I did not do anything so I will stay here." I smiled at her silliness. "Fine, then. She will have to leave." I went towards the school captain and told her to leave and go to the auditorium and please check if all had got milk packets as refreshment. Zarina sponsored milk packets today.

I lastly went to check the art competition section. I was not worried about it because of my mother and Engel was there to help mother. "How is it going?" I asked my mother. "You are coming now after it was almost over." I smiled in guilty and hugged her. "Sorry, I was going to other sections to see if they were doing okay and I know you will not have a problem." "Mr. Fortune came along. I am sure he was shocked how we were doing." She nudged me with proud. We laughed and she continued, "That by over the corner is drawing for a long time and he does not know to draw either. I feel bad. And also he is to showing his drawing to anyone. I think the teachers had forced someone to come for the competitions." "Is not the time limit over?" I asked her. She said that there is more five minutes left. I went in and announced that they had only five minutes left. I noticed the guy mother was talking about, I did not peep so that he will become nervous. Then two guys approached me. "Sister…" My mother approached us and he quickly talked with my mother, "Madam, the corner of our got torn." My mother said it was okay and I went to fetch an envelope and put the small fragment with the rest of the art. I told my mother to go that boy who sat on the corner and ask him for the art, because I thought I will embarrass him. Guilt filled me up, when I saw his drawing. It was worse than an eight year old kid. I was holding the drawing for about a minute or two. "I think I am going to give everyone certificates for participating in art contest. They deserve it." My mother nodded and Engel said, "Yeah!"