“People just don’t get it, do they?”
I was sitting up on my bed, with the phrase running through my mind. I’m just so pissed off at how other people are so ignorant about other people’s feelings. My feelings, particularly.
I just want them to understand----
“Aera, breakfast, now!”
I broke off mid-thought.
“Yeah, mom, I’ll be there in a minute.”
My mom is somehow an O.C., which means obsessive compulsive. She makes sure everything is in place. If not, she goes berserk and mutters about life and the problems it gives her. I don’t really mind. But I have to admit, it has its liabilities.
I put on my favorite T-shirt, with a broken heart and line that says, “Love sucks”. I put on denim jeans and Chuck Taylor sneakers. Perfect outfit, if you were a Goth.
I went downstairs and smelled the all-too-fragrant air whooshing about. It was the smell of pancakes and maple syrup. Not again, I said to myself. We always had pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast.
“Good morning, pigheaded sis.” Charles teased. Charles is my 11-year old, all-too-willing brother who devotes all his stupid time studying or teasing me.
“Good morning, four-eyed freak.” I said, rolling my eyes and referring to his enormous eyeglasses. He didn’t really have an eye condition of any sort but he just wears those stupid eyeglasses to make him look more “genius”.
“Stop fighting you two. You’re getting into my nerves.” My mom said, not really in an angry tone but more of irritated.
I kicked him on the knee under the table, telling him to back off. But instead of backing off, he kicked my knee back again and again.
“Knock it off!” I hissed, annoyed now. I didn’t expect me voice to be that loud, it was meant to be a whisper but it was more like a shout.
“You started it.” He fired back. He looked younger when he made a face, reminding me that he was still a kid, and not some guy that I was supposed to fight with.
“Alright, fine. You win.” I ceased. He looked shocked, but somehow glorious and full of power. He was always the one who lost in these fights, but not this time.
I ate the last piece of pancake on my plate. I didn’t even know I was eating, much less finishing. I was sort of numb, never feeling anything, not having any care whatsoever to the world around me. It was like everything moved so quickly, but I was just there, on one spot, thinking.
But I wasn’t even thinking straight. My thoughts were blank. Nothing, like total darkness. Like I was stuck, and I couldn’t find my way out of it.
“Wake up, daydreamer.” I was startled by Charles. For once in his and my life, he actually saved me. Saved me from something I couldn’t get myself out of.
I stared at him with thought that spun around me. It was like everything I think about, I overthink. I thought about him when he was the most annoying person in the whole entire world. And then I was thinking about him being my savior.
“Stop looking at me like that. It’s weird. And it’s creeping me out.” He said, with disgust written all over his face.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Um, what?” I finally responded after the thought was processing through my mind after what seemed like hours.
“What the heck is wrong with you? It’s like somebody rewired your brain or something. We gotta go to school.” He sounded like he was saying all this at once, but maybe it was just my imagination.
“Nothing. Let’s go.” I said, pretending to be alert now.
I slid down the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine roared to life, and the car sped off. I checked my wallet for my driver’s license and there it was. I got it last summer, which was a month ago.
I stopped at my brother’s school. It was my former school when I was elementary. But now, I’m entering a whole different world, namely High School. I had no friends, no one I could talk to. And I’m not that of a fan of finding them.
I gave Charles his lunch money, and then forward I went to a new world, where I was alone.
I stopped at a supposedly vacant parking space. But out of nowhere, a speeding car overtook me, and took the parking space. She got out of her convertible and looked at me. Her face was somehow mocking as she rolled her eyes to the other direction.
I moved on, going faster. And luckily found a comfortable spot for my car. It was near the gate, but you had to walk to get to the buildings.
I went inside the Registrar’s Office to claim everything I needed. It was a small office with tons of papers on the front desk. There were plants on pots on every corner of the room.
I rang the bell beside the stack of papers. I rang it once, then twice. Then rang it many times until the Registrar showed up.
“May I help you?” She said. She sounded annoyed, but her face kept a calm posture.
“Oh, sorry. I was just--- I’m Aera Kessler. I was wondering if I could---“
“Yes, everything you’ll need is on my desk. Just get one copy.” She instructed.
I turned to her desk and took one copy, as she directed. It was my biodata, well, copies of it. At the back was my schedules and map.
“Thanks, Mrs. ---“I turned to her desk. Looking at the name placed on it. “I mean, Ms. Hamilton.” I rushed to the door without turning back.
I might have offended her, I thought to myself. I thought women her age would be married. I was shocked to see she was still a “miss”.
But I had no time to think about that. I had to get to class. I peeped into my schedule which said, ENGLISH WITH MS. CAMBRIDGE. It was in Building 4 Room 14. Good thing it was a few blocks away from the Registrar’s office.
I checked my wristwatch. It was 7:50, only 10 minutes before class starts. I hurried my pace as I went closer. I opened the door and peeked inside. There were almost 20 people inside.
I decided to get in and settle. I looked at the vacant seats. One was at the front, but beside it was a really creepy girl with chains and hair like a Rottweiler’s. Another was the seat at the middle of the room which was good, for me. I didn’t care who was beside me, all I wanted was to get that seat.
After I got settled in, I checked the “area”. On my left was a girl, who was undeniably pretty, with perfect blonde curls and a pink dress, and pink…everything. Sheesh, I wouldn’t want to hang out with Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes over here, I thought to myself.
I turned to see who was at my right. And then I felt butterflies in my stomach. It was a guy. And not just any guy. He was totally HOT! He had straight black hair, fair skin, perfect face plus dimples! My heart was beating so fast it would probably explode|!
Only I didn’t know how to talk to a guy. The only guy I talk to is Charles. I never hang out with guys and I had no plans to. But this guy sitting right next to me was going to change everything.
My romantically ridiculous thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door and the tip tapping of heels. Ms. Cambridge was here. She was a 30-something woman, who looked petite and really cute.
“Good morning class. As you all know my name is Anna Cambridge and I will be handling your English for the entire school year.” She said, with her high-pitched voice.
Ms. Cambridge was talking about the topics and stuff but I wasn’t really taking notes nor paying any attention. I was drawing doodles on my notebook. Well, mostly hearts and stuff.
“Well, since I don’t know you I’d have you introduce yourselves in front. Let’s start with---you, young man.” She pointed at HIM, the hot seatmate.
He stood up. He was like 5’8 or something. I was 5’4. He walked towards the front with perfect posture.
“I’m Drew Allen. I’m 15 years old
and I originally live in Phoenix but now I’m residing
in Spring Maid Village,
“Thank you, Drew. Next, please.” She gestured for me to come forward.
“Hello, I’m Aera Kessler. I’m 14
years old and I live in Sunnyside
Village,
“Thank you, Aera. Next.” She said.
I sat down. Then looked at the girl who was introducing herself in front. I wasn’t really listening to her. I was there looking at my doodles, thinking. He was sort of a silent guy and the type that doesn’t go around, flirting with, well, flirty girls.
And he was really careful. Careful in terms of his words and his actions. He was really witty, I can tell. I would want to know him better. Know what he liked and didn’t like, his---EVERYTHING.
