Chapter 3: False Alarm

I parked my car in my usual unusual spot, and had just locked the car, when I saw Nessa, Brea and Flora heading towards me.

"Hi girls" I greeted, and gave a warm smile. Looking at bree, nessa, and flora, as they walked towards me.

"Hi Lila" they chorused.

"Why are you always late Lila? Don't you think sleeping early should be added as a part of your daily agenda?" Brae asked.

"If i do that, how then will I 'always be late, and make you proud?" I replied.

Hahahhahahahahaha....

One day, you will back at this day and smile.

"Though not today" flora interrupted.

"Yes!!!!!! Today is the day of the presentation Mr. Tide asked us to make" I remembered.

"Wow!! your memory must be really sharp" brae reacted sarcastically.

"Can we stop these savage responses and try to remember the topic of the presentation, and how to present it?" Nessa voiced out, hoping that her reaction will make them stop.

"Ok....., chill girl!" brae responded.

(We waited for a little while, to reduce the tension between us).

"I dont think the presentation will be difficult. After all, we are just going to be talking about ourselves, right?" Flora broke the silence with her question.

"I agree" nessa said.

"Ok, so I guess I would need support from you guys, because I am scared of entering into that classroom alone, especially with Mr. Tides desk positioned directly in front of the class" i shook lightly with fear.

"I sometimes feel like he's looking at me but as usual, everyone will say it's all in my head" I said to myself.

I suddenly saw a pair of shadow hands steadily rising and spreading apart, compelling me to look up.

It was nessa's hands.

Nessa was trying to initiate a hug, compelling all four of us to accept her gesture of love and hug each other in a circle of love.

I could feel all my anxiety sink into the bosom of those three amazing girls, until I couldn't remember ever being anxious.

"Remember we still have that school thing to do today?" Brae's words vibrated through our hugging bodies.

We giggled and untangled ourselves from the hug lock we made, and headed to class.

"Good day Ms. Sparks" Mr. Tide greeted.

"How are you today?" he continued as I walked into the classroom.

"I'm fine, Mr. Tide" I answered, trembling under my skin, locating where to sit.

"Ok! Who is happy to be in class today?" Mr Tides voice resounded from the front of the class.

"Well, I am" - he answered with a sense of sarcasm and unpleasant laughter

"Its time for the descriptive presentation."

"Arghhhhhhhhhh" - The whole class growled with displease for the announced presentation.

"Yeah, I know how excited you are. And guess what is even more exciting?... it takes twenty percent of your total score this year"

"yay!!!!!"

Mr. Tide is one of the teachers in Mini-high that you'll wish you never met. Everything to him is a reason for difficulty and pains. I think he doesn't experience joy until he preys on poor students like us by taking away our excitement for school, taking away our reason to smile, and helped us develop mild anxiety attacks through the outcome of his unpredictable actions.

Every past student of Mini-high, has their fair share of Mr. Tide's strangeness with a legendary story to prove it, and I think he's on to me now.

He has always been a man full of sarcasm and unpredictable behavior (except from he's sarcasm, which I think we all have gotten used to, and expect anytime we meet him). He has always loved things beyond what is generally accepted by normal people, that's why everyone knows him as the...

You know what?

I rather not mention what he's known as. Just to keep my home training intact.

In conclusion, Mr. Tide is a very unique man, and I show a reserved expression to that statement.

"Who would love to go first" his loud voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Let's start from the least participating three" - he mocked.

"Fred!!!"

"Stewart!!!"

"Tina!" he called, while sitting on his desk.

"Why don't you three come out here, and give us a reason to smile this morning."

It was so intense how they all looked at Mr Tide, like they were about to shove his own head down his throat. Even Mr. Tide reciprocated the look and in less than a second, they chorused

Yes sir! and rushed out.

Trust me, if I was to choose between listening to these presentations or drinking my own sweat, I might have just tried the unique taste of human salt. Who knows, it might not be as bad as it seems if we gulp it at once. After all, we unintentionally taste our tears.

Besides, it won't take three hundred years like these presentations are taking. The last thing I remember that was said was 'Yes sir!'

But i am too scared to complain about it, because I keep getting the feeling that I might be next.

"Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!" Mr. Tide loudly interrupted.

"Oh God, Please save me!" I cried to myself.

I can feel my heart beat out of my chest. I'm so scared. Is he perhaps about to call me out? Oh Lila, you need to breathe.

"Mr. Tide continued, why do i keep hearing the same sad lines in every single presentation? I can't even feel the life in any of your words" he sounded disappointed and gave a look to prove it.

"Ok, do you all prefer we spice things up a little?" I guess that was a rhetorical question, because he didnt give us a chance to decline.

"And that will be surprise to you all. I will keep my eyes on everyone for the rest of today, and at the last period, we all assemble here, in this classroom like happy, enthusiastic people that we are supposed to be. Alright?

Hahahahahaha...

Class dismissed! Have a lovely day everyone.