CLIMBING UP HIGH SCHOOL RANKS

CHAPTER 3 — A HAIR'S BREADTH

Tokyo was a very big as well as busy city. Even walking by the pedestrian sidewalk proved a difficult task. Nagira kept dodging people on the road, trying to avoid bumping into them. His eyes caught every high monumental buildings in the street. Factories, Sky scrapers, companies and even large marts. He also saw so many different types of people on the streets. Business men with briefcases, students with school bags, workers with sling bags, regulars with suitcases, and even beautiful women. Speaking of beautiful women, one was walking towards him at that point In time, or so he thought. She bumped into him without even realizing he was there. She was probably late for work. She turned back and clapped her hands together,

"So sorry dear"

"No no it's okay" Nagira smirked it off.

Looking at her, Nagira had observed that she wore an apron that read, "Juliana" by the top right corner.

Following which, Nagira got to the station and entered a train. He was gonna enter a total of 5 trains today to JD High School. Nagira shoved his hand into his shirt pocket to verify if his transport fare was still intact. "Oh s**t" he whispered. His ten 10 yen note was gone. He couldn't believe this, he looked at the ground, but he didn't sight it. Nagira shoved his hands into his pocket again, but it was the same outcome. Nagira had budgeted all his money on him for transportation and now that the 10 yen was gone, he was going to be unable to enter all 5 trains needed to get to school. He could have withdrawn using his Debit card, but it had expired and he needed time to renew it. And time was exactly what he didn't have. Then it dawned on Nagira, he remembered when that lady bumped into him.

"She's definitely the one". Nagira whispered.

The exam was supposed to start by 9:00 AM, and this was already 6:09 AM. The remaining 40 yen in his pockets wasn't enough to travel the rest of the way. He promised he'd get back at Juliana if he missed this exam because of her. By 6:45 AM, the train had halted. He paid for the train and immediately dashed out of it, on his way to the next one. Time wasn't on his side.

After entering the next 3 trains, he was completely out of money. The next train was supposed to take 15 minutes on the railway before landing at the destination. Nagira looked at his digital wristwatch and realized he had only 30 minutes more. The time was 8:30 AM. Nagira began running. He ran and ran and ran, he ran along the highway, he ran along the expressways, he ran along avenues, he ran through traffic jams, he even ran through school zones, stopping every now and then to catch his breath.

Nagira stopped again, gasping, coughing and spitting out mucus. He was also sweating. He took off his jacket and shoved it in his bag. He checked the map on his phone and saw that he was just 2 blocks away from JD High, but the time now was 8:54 AM. Nagira was on a time deficit, so he resumed sprinting. After 2 minutes of sprinting, Nagira stopped, he couldn't do it any longer. He had lost all hope of getting there before 9:00 AM.

Just then, he saw a car pass by. The principal of JD High was in the car, at the back seat. He quickly ran and stopped them. The principal was startled,

What is this guy? Why is he gasping and sweating? Why did he stop her car? Just then, Nagira spoke up.

"Good....mor.... morning ma,........ I'm a candidate applying for JD High entrance exam,.......can you....lift me please?"