Rename the White and Black

CHAPTER XXIII - EXPELLED

I woke up with a headache and I felt like having panda eyes today. I was right, I was having eyebags. I put my specialized make up again on my face and my body. It was really hard for me to be like this for the first time.

“Are you trying to move forward, Sae?” I asked myself on a mirror and I smiled widely. I would try my best to make myself better.

Kai went early for school. I ignored the thoughts of him. It would make me pissed if I continue thinking about him. I walked to the gate of the school and there I saw Kai with Tamara from a distance. It seemed like they were talking but I know that he would not talk to her.

“Sae!” Haji called me at my back. I saw him smiling at me and he patted my head once. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay!” I grinned. I heard the students around us. They were talking behind us so badly.

“She’s just a b***h!” I heard from a girl behind us.

“She’s a two timer. Look, she’s with Haji instead of Kai.” They agreed.

“She was hurting Kai.” I heard from a guy.

Hurting Kai? Did I hurt him? No, just ignore them. It would not be good for me to entertain those nonsense comments. I was not hurting anyone. They were trying to bring me down.

“Don’t mind them. I’m here to protect you,” he whispered. I looked at his eyes and I noticed how sincere he was. I pinched his right cheek and I ran. He chased after me and we were laughing to go to the classroom.

“Look, who’s flirting with other guy?” our classmate said with an annoying tone of voice. They looked at us with a questioning look.

“She’s my childhood best friend,” he said with a grin.

“Oh, my! His killer smile!” I heard the girl flirtatious voice. See, who was flirt then?

“I have no girlfriend but I think it’s not fine if I find one,” he seriously said. The girl’s jaw dropped. It seemed like she was having a crush on Haji and I laughed a little.

“He’s not interested with other girls out there,” I frankly said. “So, better if you wait until we graduate.” I smiled at her.

“Yes, I’m not interested.” He agreed.

The girl’s face went sad while she sat on her chair. I looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders. I put my hands together shaping it into a heart and I made it apart. I pouted at him and I looked away.

“I didn’t do anything,” he whispered. I smiled wryly at him and the teacher went in. The class started like the other day.

Lunch time. Haji gave me the fried chicken with fries and a pineapple juice. He smiled while he was eating his beef steak.

“Let’s have fun later,” he said happily.

“Where?” I asked curiously.

“It’s Friday today. Let me treat you at a new Japanese restaurant.” He looked happy. “I want to taste ramen and sushi.”

“Okay, see you later.” I chuckled. I saw Kai with Tamara entering the cafeteria. My smile disappeared as he walked away when he saw me. He grabbed her arm and I watched them from afar until they vanished.

“It’s okay, Sae. Don’t worry about your man.” Haji whispered.

“Did you see that?” I heard from a girl near us.

“Yes. I think that they were dating officially. I saw them early in the morning. They were talking about something,” the other girl said.

“Tamara was clingy to him. She already knew that Kai had his fiancee.” The three girls agreed. I sighed with disbelief. I finished my food quickly and I pulled Haji to go to the school’s garden.

“How do you feel?” He began.

“I think I was having a heart attack yesterday. He did not save me,” I said seriously; looking at the sky. “May be, Tamara was right. Kai wouldn’t fall in love with an ugly girl like me.”

“Don’t say things like that. You’re just hurting yourself.” He looked directly in my eyes. “Because you know the truth that you’re beautiful inside and out.”

“I know. That would be the last thing he would know about me.” I looked away at him and I pointed at the sky.

“I’m like the sky.” I put down my hand and I added, “However, sometimes, sky is calm and at peace, there will be times that drops of rain will fall from it. There will be thunder and lightning that represent my worst and there was a storm unleashing an anger.”

“It was good to hear.” He smiled.

“But do you know why I was like the sky?” I looked at him and he shook his head. “It is because there is still goodness after the rain. There will be things blooming and growing in me. There is hope and strength after the storm, thunder and lightning.”

“I wish I could be just like the sky but I would never be.” I looked at my hands on my skirt and when I looked at him, he smiled while looking at the sky. I chuckled and I punched his arm.

“We look like crazy.”

“Well, it’s okay. We’re getting matured.” He laughed.

Director Lee went to our room to see me and to invite me to his office. I know what was the matter. It was between me and Tamara again. I should be careful this time before I reach my end.

“What will be your decision?” he asked seriously.

“I think it depends on the school board.” I answered.

“Well, let’s see if I can do something to keep you safe.” He took a sip on his coffee and a knock on the door made me looked at it.

“I’m here,” Tamara said without emotions.

“Please, sit down,” he requested. She sat down opposite to me while she was chewing a gum. I think she was really a rude girl facing the school director like this. “Do you know why your attention was called?”

She was silent and it looked like she was teary – eyed. He leaned closer to Director Lee and she was about to burst but she held it back, “Please, give me another chance.”

“There’s nothing I can do for you. You ruined my trust and the school board have talked about this matter. They wanted to expel you before Ms. Sae’s life would be in danger,” he sincerely said. I know that this was all her fault but she begged again.

“Please, I wanted to be with my love,” she cried.

“They are getting married soon,” he calmly said. “There’s nothing you can do about it. It is not your fate to be with him forever.”

“But – I love him!” she exclaimed.

I realized that we were on the same page. I was liking someone who did not like me back and I was getting married to him.

“Please, give him to me.” She begged me like a child.

“Ms. Tamara, please calm down. He was not a thing that you can easily give to others,” he said with an appealing voice. “You cannot control others to get what you want. I know that it will be difficult but try your best to accept the truth.”

“I’m begging you. Please, make him mine.” She cried in front of me with a pitiful voice. I felt sad for her. May be, it was time for her to unveil the truth.

“He will never be yours, Ms. Tamara,” he said calmly.

“He’s mine!” she exclaimed. Was it really difficult to let go of your love?

Someone knocked on the door and Director Lee let him in. If she made a deal with me awhile ago, let me give her my deal too.

“It’s Kai’s decision whether he chooses you or me,” I said with a smile and I added, “I’ll accept the truth no matter what.” I looked at his emotionless face and I saw him walking near Tamara. She grabbed his hand with a smile.

“You know how much I like you. Please, choose me.” She begged. “I’ll die if you don’t.” He removed her hand and he looked at her.

“Too childish,” he fiercely said. “You don’t know how much you humiliated me at my back and how much I suffer seeing Sae like this.”

“But I just did it because I’m afraid of losing you.” She defended.

“She’s not a threat. We’re getting married soon.” He held his anger with clenching his teeth.

“You’re important to me.” she whimpered. She grabbed his hand and she begged once more. “Don’t leave me alone.”

“Don’t leave you alone? It is only in your head that you liked me and stop spreading rumors about us – no, there is no us.” He emphasized the ‘no us’ and he began to remove her hand. “Please, stop this.”

“You don’t know what can I do.” she threatened. Her eyes looked furious; looking at Kai’s eyes.

“I don’t care. I’ll live on my own,” he seriously said. “Don’t ever touch my fiancée.” He looked away to her and he said good – bye to them.

“It’s clear, Ms. Tamara.” Director Lee said. She cried so hard and Kai grabbed my hand. I heard her screaming when Kai locked the door behind us.

“Did you really choose me over her?” I asked curiously. He looked at me closely.

“Yes, why?” he stared at my eyes.

“Nothing,” I answered shyly. He started to walk away from me and I chased him and said, “Thank you.” He looked at me and patted my head twice. I grinned at him and he was seriously walking away.

Was it difficult to you? You were humiliated by Tamara while she was happy pestering around you. What if I did not go here? She would stay by your side doing things that you did not like. May be, there was a reason why we met by chance and it was our destiny.