Down System

Chapter 8

"Aleera, you should make it faster, or you'll be late for school!"

I was still combing my hair when the school bus stopped in the house. I thought I would make it without the assistance of Mommy, but crap, I moved as slow as the turtle.

The summer days were already done, yet I could still feel the heat. A cold air breeze was continuously caressing my skin, but I was still sweating terribly. I couldn't even brush my hair well because it was coarse and clustering.

"Just a minute, Mommy, I'm coming!" I shouted, still fixing my hair.

"Should I do that for you?" Namika, who was sitting in my bed and holding my backpack, asked.

I put down the hairbrush and let out a sigh. "Okay, well."

The old woman walked towards me and combed my hair as favored. Her hands traveled slowly and smoothly through the long brown bristles of my hair. In just seconds, she had fixed my problem.

I ran outside my room and immediately kissed my parents when the bus beeped.

"Good luck on your first day, my dear," Mommy beamed at me. "Just enjoy, okay?"

"I think she should be going now," my father interfered after I expressed my gratitude to Mommy. "The bus is waiting."

"Okay, go ahead now," Mommy mouthed. "Namika, take good care of our daughter, please."

"I will, Madam," the old woman smiled.

Daddy Perseus escorted me as well going on the bus. He kissed me on the forehead and wished me luck before I could leave.

There were already pupils occupying the seats; however, some were still vacant. So, I thought we would still be fetching the others.

As the vehicle moved from its place, I gazed at my wristwatch; a wrinkle creased my brow because it was only six in the morning and I was far from being late for that. As far as I knew, my first class was seven.

"Namika," I called out to the old woman who was just sitting beside me, "why are we so early? I haven't yet groomed myself the way I wanted."

"Young girl, you should know it's your first day in school," Namika said, "and it's not only you who's riding this bus. Look at those unoccupied chairs-"

"Okay, I knew it," I said, cutting off the old woman's word. "Will you still be staying with me in the room?"

Namika let out a soft chuckle. "Of course, no. I'll just be waiting for you in the guardian corner until you're dismissed. Don't you worry, I'm not gonna mess with your whole day in the house."

"Oh, okay, I thought. But anyway, are you gonna accompany me going to my room?"

"I'd be pleasured if you'd like."

"Uhm..."

"But you can't do anything other than concurring with my duty," the old woman smirked. "Whether you like it or not, I'll be ushering you."

"Okay, but, why did it sound like you're making me choose in the first place?"

Namika giggled. "Just testing if you'd repudiate my job as your guide, and it seemed like I wasn't wrong with my intuition after all. You don't like me, do you?" she asked, looking directly at me with her eyes speaking.

I was trying to avoid the old woman's gaze, but it looked like she had attached something to make me stuck on her as well. I couldn't perceive the bus moving because I was seemed hallucinated by her.

Namika's eyes were untold. Really, those brown eyes of her were the first thing that made me impress differently for her. She might be a danger or merit to my family, but one thing I knew— I should be mindful of her.

The world appeared to be moving slowly as my eyes contacted hers. I didn't see anything around, just this old woman, at this point.

"Of course, I like you," I told Namika, showing a bright smirk. "Who would not?"

The old woman wasn't able to answer when her head hit the metal holder of the next seat because of the sudden halt of the bus.

"Are you okay?" I asked, worriedly touching her head.

Namika nodded. "It's all fine, nothing's to worry," she replied, massaging the part that was affected as the vehicle went on.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's nothing. I appreciate your concern, young girl. Forget it."

Trying to unfold my brow, I turned my glance to the window and watch the dancing trees outside. The ambiance was cozy greenish. Trees, plants, and flowers started to bloom again. The season of new beginnings had already come, indeed.

My tawny hair glistened in the sun. The daylight was cheery as well as the wind. I certainly loved this vernal time as much as the people on the roadside do. Seeing them enjoying the season, especially the farmers and gardeners who were gaily planting their seeds had given my eyes a glimmer of delight.

Minutes after traveling, we finally headed to the school. While getting down the bus, my heart hit with heavy blows knowing that it was the first day of school and my first day going to school.

"Are you ready?" Namika asked, walking her way with me through the first gate.

"I'm ready but, I wish the school is as well ready for me," I said as I took a deep breath.

The old woman laughed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," I responded, "just don't mind me."

Namika ushered me going to my room and left me eventually; but before she departed her way to me, she handed me first a sandwich she made by herself.

I smiled as I accept the food.

The old woman was somehow kindhearted if not only with her eyes that sometimes sharply staring at me.

As I entered the room, the other pupils steered their sight at me, but I didn't mind them anyway. At the vacant seat from the back, I took my position; there was also an empty chair in the front, but I didn't have it because the focus of everyone was there.

While waiting for the teacher to arrive, I glance for a moment at the view outside through the arched window. I was on the second floor of the building, and that was why I could see a wide range of the area.

The place I was in was the most expensive school in the whole land of Hades. Back when I was still living my first life, I had always dreamed of admitting here. Aside from its lofty structures, the school had also eminent educators; unfortunately, they were all men, but this year was different because it was not King Ferno who was sitting on the throne.

I turned my gaze at the entrance when a loud trample had reached my ears; someone had just come into the classroom, holding an attache to his left hand and a lunch box to the right.

"You?" I whispered, realizing it was the boy I punched in the bookstore.

I abruptly covered my face with my hands and turned on the left side as the boy walked towards my spot. There was an empty chair beside me and all I thought he would be sitting there, not until someone from the front had called out his name, telling him to sit beside him.

Seeing the boy moved backward and had his seat next to that kid who called him had soothed my nerves; perhaps that was his friend, and all my gratitude was now into him.

I was breathing safely not until I realized that the boy would be with me in the same room for almost a year; he was my classmate, and I could not imagine myself dealing with him! What should I do?

"Wow, seems like you're all nice here," a voice from the threshold said, prompting me to pause thinking about the boy.

I looked at the woman who just stood in front and acquainted the children herself as the class adviser; even though she conversed, at any rate, I was still fretted. I couldn't refrain from keeking to the boy, contemplating the things that would likely happen the moment he would see me.

An hour had passed when the teacher told us that we would be having our groupings for our first activity. While she was announcing the members of every team, my heart throbbed hotfoot.

"Leader of group number five would be Keevan Andre," the teacher announced that made the boy grin. "Your members are Mahmo Hans, Aleera Ver- oops, I'm sorry."

My hands shook in tension when the teacher uttered my name, but when she didn't keep going, I had a peep of hope somehow.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Aleera is the leader of group number six," the teacher continued.

Since nobody in the class knew the name Aleera, no eye had a glimpse of me; it was a good thing so that the boy named Keevan would not be able to discover me.

Right after the groupings, the whole class proceeded to the activity. Everyone was quiet; even when talking, they had to whisper. When moving the chairs, they would make sure to lift them to not create any form of sound that would probably give them embarrassment.

As I was explaining the task to my members, I observed them secretly. It was a stroke of luck for me to have such good companions. I might be infallible, but this scintillating behavior of the pupils mayhap would last for just weeks. People would talk gently with others only when they were strangers but would become extremely loquacious eventually. It wasn't new, was it?

While accomplishing the act, I was still hiding from Keevan; I knew it wouldn't last, but as long as I could lurk, I would. I had auspicious secrecy until the short hand of the clock crossed the figure twelve. I even arrived at the cafeteria without him noticing me.

I bought a drink and already exited the place when a familiar voice had spoken out my name, so I turned around to confirm who was it.

"Do you think I didn't notice you?" Keevan, who stood in the doorway of the cafeteria, asked. "Nice hide, by the way."

My widened eyes were still stuck on him. I shamefaced hearing him shouted through the crowd; people were looking at him but he didn't care. So, after all, he had seen me?

Holding my lunchbox, I stepped my foot forward. I tried escaping from this trouble, but the boy yelled at me once again.

"Face me!" Keevan shouted. "We're not done yet, you braggy sis!"

"Such a violent," I whispered.

"Uh-huh, I knew it. You're afraid of me, aren't you?" he chuckled. "Now, you can't fight with me because of the crowd, eh?"

I didn't speak, thus, continued walking. But as soon as I stepped forward, someone from my back had spoken.

"Don't you ever touch your dirty hand on this girl," the voice said.