Episode 6.
1582 Words
"You!" He pointed towards the far end and everyone turned to see who it was.
"That guy in a black hoodie....step forward and show us what you've got"
The supposed guy stood up with his paper and walked to the front. He looked really tall and had sandy brown hair.
He stood in front of the class for what seemed like thirty seconds without saying anything. Then suddenly, he began...
"I have a song for you..." The class started grumbling.
"With realities so strong and blue..." Someone chuckled because his voice sounded everything off point.
"For my monthly pay has been due". The class burst out into laughter this time.
"What are you doing, young man?!" the lecturer yelled in frustration.
"Just go sit down. That's enough."
The young man lit his head dazedly and returned to his seat.
"Who will do it for us? Anybody?"
Sally stood up and people started whispering among themselves.
"Well then, you may proceed, miss Sally."
She walked majestically to the front of the class and cleared her throat, and I saw how students looked dreamily at her.
"Sunshine has come to stay in my phase
In ways, I'd thought it wouldn't work anyway..."
I looked at my own copy of the pamphlet and noticed that she had made a mistake at a point when reading the notes. She wasn't using her paper.
"Time flies, but I wouldn't want this to fly.
Our love will soar and time will stay mine "
The class cheered in applause and I saw proud smiles on the lecturer's face.
"Sally, the queen. This is why your title suits you perfectly. You've delivered perfectly on this song.
Class, another applause"
The class cheered again and I followed the suite.
I seemed to be engrossed in trying to check if I was the one who was mistaken in reading my notes when I noticed that the lecturer had actually pointed out to me.
I stood up shyly and walked to the front of the class.
Some students were already laughing and some were murmuring among themselves.
"Present what you've been able to come up with, miss"
I tried to say something, but a sneeze came out instead and this threw the class into a fit of laughter.
"Excuse me"
"She obviously doesn't know how to sing. How would we expect any good things from this kind of person?"
Someone from the back said this a little too loudly, and I didn't see the lecturer react or anything.
It seemed like he actually believed them.
I was going to prove them wrong.
I cleared my throat and began.
"Subtle smiles beneath my eyes will never give the world a chance.
... To hold me tight and see my scars, they kept me bleeding so much and so deeply,
I stopped believing in what's big and kept my heart on what's for me,
I'll never talk about the things that are gone, and reach for what is up..."
I sang the short verse from my heart and opened my eyes once I was done.
The whole class was silent to a pin drop level.
"Wow" someone whispered from the class.
I saw how Sally and her team looked at me with disgust.
Someone had a pen in his hands and his hand looked stuck in the air midway.
I could literally pick some people's jaws up from the floor.
"That was, in fact... ethereal" our lecturer said at once while holding his paper to hs face.
"You even got the notes to perfection. Incredible!"
One person clapped, another joined and then the whole class was up on their feet clapping for me.
I bowed my head shyly and walked back to my seat with peering eyes following me all through.
"This is beautiful. In my fifteen years of teaching music, I've never seen anyone compose such beautiful lyrics and deliver them in the most beautiful way and in the shortest time duration.
Your voice is so heavenly, I must confess."
I quickly stood up and bowed my head.
"Thank you sir"
The rest of the classes were over, and other students couldn't stop talking about how good I was at singing.
Some of them actually dropped by to introduce themselves and hand me their contacts, but how would I tell them I had no phone?
After the lectures that day, I picked up my bag and headed home.
I was so grateful that Sally and her team completely avoided me throughout.
Once I got out the door, I bumped into someone again.
I looked up and recognized him as the guy from yesterday. The one who came down from his car to apologize when I fell down.
"We meet again" I looked down on my feet.
"Ohh, hi"
"I didn't get your call. "It's a good thing we meet again" he said and extended his right hand.
"I am Andre"
I bit my lip and prayed that this wasn't a prank to just humiliate me again.
"Ariel"
"Oh wow. Beautiful name. Just like the bearer"
I looked around to be sure I was the one he was talking to, and then I pinched myself.
Someone else who isn't my dad just complimented me for the first time in a long while.
But I wouldn't let it get to me, would I?
"Thank you.
He must have been joking or was just trying to make a mockery of me.
Or maybe he wasn't?
I looked at the other end and noticed Sally's gaze on me as like she would strangle me.
Was I afraid of her?
Definitely. So I did what I could on impulse.
I walked away, really fast.
"Hey! We aren't even done talking."
I walked really fast without looking back till I got to the gate where I would hire a taxi.
I didn't want to mingle with anyone. I came here to study.
JASON
I didn't want to believe that dad was serious about making me get a date as soon as possible.
I couldn't fathom why he was keen on stressing me and mom wouldn't even do anything about it.
"Hey man!"
I looked at Andre, who was seated in the driver's seat of the car and sighed.
"I'm not okay"
"Why huh?"
"Dad. He wants me to come with my date to the gala. Everyone thinks I am still with Sally - including him and he wants me to come with her"
"Which day is the gala going to be held?"
"Saturday. Today is Tuesday. How am I supposed to work with that?"
"Hmm."
"Any progress with finding me a girlfriend or something?"
"You don't want Sally?" I shot him a glare, and he raised his hands up in surrender.
"I think I found someone. You'll see her on D-Day."
"Were you able to get an ID or something? I'd also have you know that I cannot be found with someone who doesn't look good?"
"Let's say, you can leave that to me as well."
"I hope you aren't up to something creepy"
"Are you going to let me work on this man, or will you keep ranting and have me take my hands off?"
I raised my arms up, and he started the gear when I remembered that I didn't have my bracelets on.
Mom gave me those bracelets, and she would almost kill me if she didn't see them on my wrists.
I palmed myself, "My goodness!!"
"What man?"
"I can't find my bracelets. Can't even believe that I didn't notice up until now."
"Ohh. What do we do now? I know how much your mum wants to see it on you almost every time."
"I don't know, man. I'm cooked"
"We could tell her something. Fabricate anything...you know."
"Like what? You know, my mum has six senses. She's definitely going to find out that I lost it"
"Relax, we'll cook up something to tell her, then get a similar one much later. Have you got any samples?"
"I've got pictures"
"Cool. Once we get home, we'll ask Jayden to go purchase a similar bracelet.
Even if it means traveling outside the country. Cool?"
"That makes sense"
Once we got home, my mum was already outside the mansion to welcome us.
Since my dad stripped me of all my bodyguards following my refusal to attend Tonny College, she had been really worried about my safety.
The only time I was accustomed to them was just outside the school premises.
Once I was in, I became like every other student.
She had personally convinced Andre's father to release him so he could come pick me up from school instead of my driver.
I felt she trusted him more than she did for me sometimes.
"Ohh, my boy Andre" I rolled my eyes and flung my jacket across my shoulders.
Andre enjoyed her company as well, so I ignored them as they both shared pleasantries again as though he didn't just leave the house.
The way she ignored me whenever Andre was around was ridiculous, not like I cared anyway.
"Jason darling, how are you?..." she said, coming close to touching my face.
I tried shifting and she grabbed my neck playfully.
And I couldn't help but frown.
"You look so pale. "Are you sick?" She asked, checking all the parts of my body, and suddenly her hands got to my wrist.
"Jason. Where's your bracelet?"
I looked at Andre and he looked away.
I am so screwed.
- Writer
