Between Him and Her

Silent Reverie

Walking on the first floor of the building, she slid open the door to the teacher’s room. It was an ample and spacious room housing all of the teachers of the school.

She called “Ohayo gozaimasu!” in a moderate voice, and there were scattered response as teachers were getting settled into their chairs. Soon the staff meeting would start with the announcements for the day. She didn’t have to participate in such meetings due to her lack of Japanese skills. If anything was needed of her, her supervisor would advise her of it.

Her immediate supervisor or tannin was a short Japanese female teacher, Iwata sensei, who also taught English. Sometimes, Iwata sensei would ask her to accompany her to class to act as her stereo. Liya found it funny that her five year Education program had come down to her being a voice recorder for high school students to repeat after her. But she knew better than to complain. So Liya followed and had fun with the students.

Her desk was at the back where she wasn’t in anyone’s way and was easily ignored. Again, Liya didn’t have a problem. It gave her the opportunity to be on her laptop and read her books and listen to music. She wasn’t connected to the internet, so she couldn’t watch movies or anything.

"You know it's going to be lonely there, right?" Stella said as she helped Liya pack her bags in her room.

"I know. But how different would it be being here or there? I am alone anywhere I go." Liya replied. Stella rolled her eyes at that. "When are you going to come back to New York?"

Stella stopped for a while and sat on the bed that was spread with various clothing items.

"I am leaving him and coming back." Stella stared at her hands holding a shawl twisting and untwisting it.

"You are going to leave Elvis in Texas? Does he... Do papa and amma...?" Liya couldn't finish her questions.

Stella shook her head and looked out the window. There was a view of this sad looking coniferous tree, maybe someone's leftover Christmas tree, marking the center point of the cul-de-sac. There were neighbors kids playing outside with Liya's nephew and niece.

Her sister's marriage to Elvis was an arranged affair between the two families. But Stella only got married to him out of spite against her parent's wishes. Sometimes it had even confused Liya so much what their parents wanted about this arranged marriage they all seemed to want for her siblings and herself. She didn't see anything good come out of it other than her sweet nephew. If and when she arrived in Japan, the only being she would genuinely miss would be her sweet and cute nephew and her sister.

The first warning bell rang, and the school principal and vice principal came and sat in front of the staff room with the other department chairs for the morning meeting. Liya stood up with everyone else to do the massive greeting. "Ohayo gozaimasu!"