• Chapter 3- Weird

    Friday, the last school day of the week. At last, I can finally get some decent sleep. By decent, it doesn’t include any weird or…weird dreams.
    Since I’m excited about the fact that it’s finally the last day of the school for the week, I woke up early and prepared for school faster that usual. I wore my usual uniform; a white blouse with black jacket and a short black skirt. Combing my hair is not one of my favorite daily routine, but brushing my teeth is one favorite of mine. I like it when I can taste the minty flavor of my toothpaste.
    I waited for five more minutes then grabbed my bag and walked slowly to school. Take note, I’m walking slower than usual today. I mean, what’s the hurry? And while I’m walking I’m trying to remember if I forgot something, something…important. There’s this feeling inside of me, telling me that I forgot something really important, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. When I realized it, I was already in front of the school gate, and as I’ve guessed, some of my classmates aren’t in here yet.
    The hallway was still empty; some of the teachers aren’t here yet. My classroom is on the 2nd room 3rd floor. I noticed that there are something new posted at the announcement board.
    It’s about the camping next weekend. It seems fun, but…I don’t want to come. All of my friends except Haru will come to that camp, in fact almost the whole class is going. They’ve been talking about that camp thing for a month now, so the fact that they’re excited is really obvious. And besides Aya’s group is already full, so if I come, I’ll have to join with the other student’s team.
    “Good Morning Fuka!” someone shouted all of a sudden
    I looked back to see who was calling me.
    “Oh, Toshiue, you’re already here?”
    “Of course, I always come to school this early.” She said as she stated the obvious. Toshiue here is the complete opposite of me when it comes to things like this. Her house is just as near as mine, but still, she always comes to school early.
    “What are you looking at?” she asked
    “Oh, this.” I said as I pointed out the paper posted at the board.
    She looked at where I’m pointing to and said, “Oh, it’s the camp. Are you sure you won’t come?”
    “Yup.” I said as I started walking again towards our classroom.
    “But it will be fun, there will be games and food and food, Fuka!”
    “Sorry Toshiue, that’s my final answer. And it will be too late if I said yes.”
    She sighed, “Fine, fine. But we’ll miss you.”
    I chuckled, “You’re talking like you’ll never see me after that camp of yours.”
    She laughed, “But it’s true, it’s true.”
    “Ok, ok. Whatever you say Tosh-“ I was shocked when I entered our room.
    “Hey Fuka, what’s wrong?” she said as she looked at me
    There he was, sitting at his chair; he looked at me then looked back at the window next to him. All of a sudden, the events of yesterday came back in my head. Especially his weird reactions.
    “Fuka?” Toshiue asked
    “I-I’m fine. It’s just…I thought I forgot something.”
    “You sure, it’s just that?”
    “Yeah, I’m sure.” I lied.
    Toshiue is still bewildered by my reaction, so I tried to act normal. I walked to my sit and place my bag at my side. Shake it off, shake those bad things off. It’s going to ruin my day, and I can’t let that happen.
    Soon, students came in one after the other, until all of them are in here. It’s pretty unusual to see that no one is absent in our class. Girls from the other class are in here to snoop on the new guy and it’s strange to see that some of the guys are even in here. I have no idea what’s so interesting about this guy, so what if he’s like this and like that? I mean, it’s no big deal. Sometimes I don’t know who’s weird, me or them.
    “Hey,” someone pulled my hair from behind.
    I quickly turned around, “Hey!”
    “Oh, sorry.”
    I was surprised to see Isamu was the one who pulled my hair.
    “Oh, Isamu.”
    “So, how are you sticking up with your new seatmate?” he said as his eyes moved in Akazu’s direction.
    “I don’t know, he’s fine…I think.”
    He chuckled, “So, you don’t like him like the other girls?”
    “No…Of course not.”
    “Yeah, right.” He said in a tone that says I don’t believe you
    “How about you guys?”
    “Hmmm….He’s ok. He’s pretty quiet and keeps to himself.”
    “Well, that’s pretty obvious.” I said
    “But so far, when we ask him stuff about him, he answers them.”
    “What kind of questions?”
    Isamu looked at me with an amused smile at his face
    I raised my eyebrow and looked at him, “What?”
    “I thought you don’t like him?”
    “I’m just interested. Look, if you don’t want to tell me then fine.”
    He chuckled, “No, that was only a joke.”
    “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get on with it.”
    “Well, he’s from Ireland I think. And apparently, he doesn’t have any living relative anymore in here except for his grandmother who’s always away for trips.”
    “So, he’s staying with his grandmother?”
    “Yeah, and he’s house is quite far from here.”
    Far? But…this morning, he was early for school. Maybe it’s just coincidence or something.
    “And, how about his parents?”
    “His parents? Apparently, they were killed just recently.”
    Suddenly, I felt bad for him. Now, I know the reason why he’s always like that. So rude and cold.
    “Why were they killed?”
    “Don’t know,”
    “Doesn’t he have any siblings?”
    “Hmmm….well, he told me he had a sister, but she got killed too.”
    “Oh…How sad…”
    “Yeah, I think that’s one of the reasons why he moved here.”
    Our conversation was interrupted when our English teacher, Ms. Hiroshi arrived in our classroom.
    Isamu went back to his chair; I looked around and noticed that everyone was reading their book. I wonder why.
    “Ok class, each student will 2 questions each.” Ms. Hiroshi announced
    “Huh? Two questions for what?”
    I wasn’t in the mood to go and ask question so I just raised my hand.
    “Yes, Ms. Youshi?”
    “Can I ask what is this about?”
    “Oh, Ms. Youshi. I forgot, you were absent last Wednesday.”
    “Am I excused from all this?”
    “Yes, but I have something else for you to do. I want you to read your book while the rest of the class is having their own work”
    “Yes ma’am,” well, so much for me thinking she was generous.
    There is no other option so I just grabbed my bag and looked for my book.
    “Huh? It’s not here?”
    There’s no way my book won’t be here, I’m sure, I placed it in my bag…wait, I didn’t I dropped it during that…night. I sighed and placed my bag at my side again, “Darn it,” I muttered.
    And at that time, I was still grieving about my abandoned book, when I realized that there was something hard that’s poking my head.
    It was annoying so it has to stop, “Stop it,” but the poking continues. I looked at my back and was startled at who was poking me with the book.
    “Hey,” it was Akasu
    “Hey, what do you want?”
    “You forgot your book right?”
    Speculating at what he’s getting at now and I answered, “Yeah, so? What does that have to do with you?”
    “Don’t you want it?”
    “Don’t I want what?”
    “This book, don’t you want to borrow it? Since I can see that you left you’re book somewhere.”
    “Uh…thanks? I guess,” I said as I grabbed the book and placed it at my table. “Don’t worry, I’m going to return it before the this period ends”
    “Sure, sure,” he said as he waved his hand lazily as if shoving me out.
    I get back to my own business and started to pretend like I’m reading this book. The activity in our room continues as I start to wonder about Akasu’s moods. I mean, one day he’s like cold and rude and the next day he’s nice, like nothing happened. I expected him to be ruder to me because of yesterday but I was wrong.
    After our English class I looked for Akasu but I can’t find him. And eventually, one of my classmates told me that he’s outside, being interviewed by some of girls from the other class. That’s what you call some people never change.
    Determined to return the book I walked through the girls surrounding him. I can hear murmurs from them, especially me being the one who ruins there so called chance.
    “Your book,” I said as I moved the book towards him.
    “It’s yours,”
    “What?” mine? How can this be mine? I just borrowed it from him.
    “Keep it I said, it’s your after all,” he said as he smiled and started to walk away from me and all those girls surrounding him.
    I still don’t get it. How did this book become mine? Didn’t I just borrowed it from him a second ago? Did he forgot all about it.
    Oh, I see. Maybe he’s getting back at me for yesterday. Well, so much for being nice and all today.
    My thought was disrupted when I noticed that all the girls we’re staring at me. I heard one say that he left because of me, while the other one said it’s all my fault and I ruined his mood. Sometimes I can never understand how their mind works. So I just ignored them and returned to my seat, placed my or rather his book at my table and stared at it, still bewildered by what he just said.