E4 - Before the Storm Begins
1424 Words
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Andrew woke up earlier than usual.
He glanced at the clock beside his bed.
5:00 A.M.
For the first time in days, Andrew woke before his alarm.
He rubbed his eyes before looking out the window.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The barking dog was gone.
The mysterious man was nowhere in sight.
Andrew let out a quiet sigh and climbed out of bed.
He carefully opened his bedroom door.
The house was still silent, everyone else fast asleep.
After glancing around to make sure he wouldn't wake anyone, Andrew quietly began his usual morning chores.
Manila slowly came to life.
Jeepneys rolled onto the streets as vendors opened their stalls, preparing for another busy morning.
Meanwhile, Andrew made his way to school.
When he arrived, only a handful of students had gotten there before him.
Teachers chatted near the parking lot while others unlocked classrooms and prepared for the day's lessons.
Andrew headed toward the Science classroom.
As soon as he stepped inside, he froze.
Mina was already there.
She sat quietly at her desk, completely absorbed in her sketchbook.
Andrew blinked in surprise.
No way... She's already here?
He walked over and took the seat beside her.
"Good morning, Mina," he said softly.
Mina glanced at him for a moment.
"Good morning."
Then she returned to her sketching.
Andrew smiled.
"You're here pretty early."
"It's part of my routine," Mina replied without looking up.
Andrew smiled.
"Okay, then."
Mina quietly continued sketching.
For a few moments, Andrew leaned back in his chair, watching the classroom slowly fill with the sounds of another school day.
After a brief silence, he sat up again.
"Mina... why do you wear glasses now?" he asked cautiously. "I don't remember you wearing them when we were little."
Mina didn't answer.
The silence stretched between them.
Andrew took a quiet breath.
Maybe I shouldn't have asked...
Finally, Mina spoke.
"I was in an accident when I was younger."
Andrew's expression fell.
"I'm... sorry to hear that, Mina."
Mina quietly returned her attention to her sketchbook, signaling that she didn't want to talk about it any further.
Andrew didn't ask another question.
The two sat quietly beside each other as more students arrived, and the school gradually came to life.
Andrew didn't ask another question.
The two sat quietly beside each other as more students arrived, and the school gradually came to life.
After class, Andrew went looking for Mina.
His first stop was the library.
This time, however, she wasn't there.
Huh...?
He paused to think.
She likes quiet places...
His eyes drifted toward the back of the school.
The backyard.
It was the quietest place he could think of.
When Andrew arrived, he found Mina sitting alone on a wooden bench beneath the shade of a tree. Earphones rested in her ears as she quietly sketched in her notebook.
He walked over and sat beside her.
This time, she noticed him immediately.
Without a word, she removed one of her earphones but continued drawing.
Andrew smiled before glancing at her sketch.
It was another white wolf.
This time, the wolf stood beside a river with a fish in its mouth, illuminated by the pale glow of the moon.
"Wow... you're really good at drawing, Mina," he said sincerely.
Mina continued sketching.
Andrew let out a soft chuckle.
Neither of them spoke.
He simply sat there, quietly watching her draw as the afternoon sun slowly sank lower in the sky.
After several peaceful minutes, Andrew finally stood up.
"Mina..."
She looked up at him.
"I'd like you to meet my other friends."
Mina looked at him silently for a moment.
Andrew rubbed the back of his neck.
"Um... it's completely your choice. You don't have to if you don't want to."
Mina remained silent, thoughtfully considering his invitation.
"I'll let you think about it."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Mina continued sketching quietly, though she gave a small nod in response.
Andrew picked up his backpack and made his wayck toward the school building early.
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Andrew overslept.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
His alarm clock blared.
8:00 A.M.
His eyes flew open.
"What?!"
He shot upright and jumped out of bed.
Still wearing his socks, he sprinted across the smooth marble floor and rushed toward the stairs.
His foot slipped.
"Oh-!"
He missed a step.
Then another.
Before he could catch himself-
THUD!
Andrew tumbled all the way down the staircase, landing on the floor with a heavy crash.
He let out a painful groan and slowly pushed himself to his feet.
"...Ow."
He quickly brushed himself off, too focused on being late to think much about the fall.
What he didn't notice was something strange.
He wasn't hurt.
Not a single scratch.
Not a bruise.
Not even the slightest ache remained.
It was as if the fall had never happened.
Completely unaware of the impossibility of it, Andrew hurried into the bathroom, still rushing to get ready for school.
___________________________________________
Andrew finally arrived at History class.
Slightly out of breath, he dropped into his seat with an exhausted sigh.
Kevin and Julia sat behind him, while Mina sat beside him as usual.
Kevin leaned forward with a grin.
"Looks like someone overslept today."
Andrew glanced back at him.
"Shush, Kevin. I'm not late all the time."
Kevin leaned back in his chair.
A laugh escaped him.
Andrew turned around again.
"What?" he asked, clearly annoyed.
Kevin held up his hands in surrender as his laughter faded.
"Nothing."
Andrew narrowed his eyes at him for a moment before facing the front of the classroom again.
Julia leaned closer to Kevin.
"Why are you laughing?"
Kevin lowered his voice.
"Maybe he was dreaming about Mina."
He quietly laughed to himself.
Julia pinched his arm.
"Cut it out already."
Kevin winced.
"Okay, okay."
Then the classroom door swung open.
Imelda Domingo entered.
She was known throughout the school for her strict, arrogant demeanor. Her blonde hair was neatly tied into a sharp ponytail, and she carried herself with an air of authority.
Without saying another word, she walked to the front of the room and placed her books on the desk.
"Homework. On my desk. Now."
A wave of nervousness swept through the classroom.
Students hurried to hand in their assignments, afraid of testing her patience.
Andrew, however, remained calm.
He simply stood up, placed his homework on her desk, and returned to his seat.
The student sitting across the aisle leaned toward him.
"Hey... aren't you scared of her?"
Andrew shook his head.
"Not really."
The student looked surprised.
Andrew lowered his voice.
"She likes threatening students, but she rarely follows through with serious punishment."
He gave a small shrug.
"So... I don't let it bother me."
The student considered his words for a moment.
"I guess you've got a point."
He leaned back in his chair as the lesson was about to begin.
__________________________________________
Ten minutes later, Imelda's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen before answering.
"Yes?... Fine. I'm on my way."
She ended the call and turned to the class.
"I'll be gone for a few minutes."
Her expression hardened.
"I don't want any trouble while I'm away."
She swept her gaze across the room.
"If I come back to chaos, you'll regret it."
The students nodded nervously.
Everyone...
Except Andrew and Mina.
Andrew remained relaxed in his seat, while Mina quietly continued reading her book.
Once Imelda left the classroom, the room filled with chatter.
Emma Domingo, Imelda's daughter, slowly stood up.
Like her mother, she carried herself with obvious pride. Her blonde hair was neatly styled, and she wore a smug smile.
She crossed her arms.
"So..." she said loudly, making sure everyone could hear.
"We all agree I'm the smartest student here, right?"
Several classmates immediately nodded.
"Of course!"
"You're always at the top of the class."
"No one's even close."
Emma smiled with satisfaction.
Then her eyes wandered across the room.
Everyone was paying attention to her...
Except Andrew.
And Mina.
Andrew was casually leaning back in his chair.
Mina remained focused on her book, as though Emma didn't exist.
Emma frowned.
She marched over to their desks.
SLAM!
Her hands struck both desks.
Andrew calmly looked up.
Mina instinctively covered her ears for a moment, startled by the sudden noise.
Emma glared at them.
"Are you two ignoring me?"
Andrew slowly sat up straight.
He met her eyes without a hint of fear.
"Are you someone I should be paying attention to?"
- Writer
