Whistle in the Woods | Teen Fic ✔️

9 : Gift

A day later, Nika showed up to class wearing an oversized puffer jacket. But then her face turned red. Meldei touched her forehead and packed her things right away.

"We should probably stay indoors from now," Meldei said as they left school. She felt guilty seeing Nika's lightness. "At lunch I mean."

"Everyone gets sick in this season." Nika huddled her arms tighter around herself. "It's cold this year."

As soon as they crossed the intersection, Nika's house came into view. It was a simplistic two-level building with open corridors. Numerous rooms had signs indicating they were available for rent. The girls headed upward to the second floor.

Nika had been going in and out of that one-room house before she started high school. Meldei loved her individualism. Nika's parents put in a lot of trust and lessons for her to survive in the city without relatives.

It took her some time to see the value of her frugal, secured life. Yet it was all it took to end the reckless, delinquent Nika who hardly went to school for class. That was way before Meldei transferred and only what she could get out from the girl.

After tending to her, Meldei left a basin of lukewarm water by her side. Nika was laying underneath some blankets, no longer shaking.

"Do you want me to stay?" Meldei asked.

Nika coughed, shaking her head. "Our attendance."

Of course. If attendance mattered more than any day, it was cleaning-Thursday. Absent without permission caused thirty marks off your monthly exams. Meldei unrolled her sleeves. "I'll buy some medicines during lunch."

"It'll go away on its own."

"Medicines exist for a reason. Don't be so stubborn." She stepped out. "Okay, I'm going. Don't fall asleep. The stove is on."

_____._____

Having your attendance checked was an important aspect of studying in Issara High. Whether you were committed to remaining in that class or session, however, didn't matter.

After Meldei got hers and Nika's checked, she headed toward a fenced area in front of the sophomore building. The girls were already there, tending to the herbs they grew last year.

Malis was scowling at a bed of yellowing green onions when Meldei crouched beside her.

"She's doing a bit better," Meldei said. Her hands moved ahead of her mind, plucking away weeds.

"At least one of us is." Malis grabbed a styrofoam box nearby. "They told me to transfer the onions in here. But there's no shovel!"

"I'll do it."

"With your bare hands?" Malis looked aghast.

Meldei nodded. "I used to help my parents garden. There were hardly any tools. Give me."

Malis handed her the box. Meldei folded her skirt and rolled back the sleeves. Then she sank her hands into the porous soil, scooping handfuls into the container. Malis watched from behind, so she thought to humor her.

"You know, this type of soil also helps vegetables grow best," she remarked.

"Does it? I don't garden."

"Yeah. It's mostly just dehydrated cow poop."

"It's dirt," Malis insisted.

"No, it's what we're smelling now." She turned and saw Malis gagged. The girl pinched her nose, turning a bit green.

"I'm going out," she said. Meldei hid her laugh.

"How are we doing?" asked an adult voice. The Principal emerged from the entrance. He dressed so pristinely that the surrounding seemed out of context. "Meldei, why aren't you wearing gloves?" he said, coming toward them.

"It's done, sir." She urged the box onto the walkway, now loaded with green onions. "Where should we put it?"

"Let the boys carry it—"

"I can carry it." She hefted it up, careful not to stain her shirt. "Show me where."

The Principal looked taken by her action but wasted no time to lead her across the terrace. Along the way, she barely saw any boys—from her class or others. They were supposed to get water from the well.

"That reminds me, Meldei," said the Principal, indicating at a spot. "I meant to ask you about what you wrote. Dance class, was it?"

Meldei set the box down with a thump.

"I was hoping to talk to you about it," she said, straightening. They were well away from earshot now. "Is it possible if we use the building at the back, sir? The one with the piano."

"You want to play the instruments?"

Her cheeks warmed. "No—no, I can't play," she quickly said, but he shook his head.

"The reason I ban students is that the instruments all belong to the Founders. I hold full responsibility."

"We won't touch them I promise. We'll—only use the space."

"I know you're a responsible girl," he said kindly. "But if I let you in, others will follow." Meldei wrung her dirty hands. "The building is too isolated. Join a reading class if you like to stay in silence." He patted her shoulder. "They'll itch. Put some gloves on."

"But—" Meldei said, but he was already walking toward a group of boys leveling buckets of water.

At least the good news was he didn't seem to know that she already had access to it. It was only a matter of time before the Director remembered.

Sighing, she was about to follow the boys when a voice called her name.

"Lea," she said, turning. "Where are you going?"

"Home. Teacher's absent," Noleak said, shirt untucked. She raised a brow at Meldei's hands. "Someone's having fun."

"You're more than welcome to help."

"I've got mine tomorrow." Noleak didn't sound enthused. "Do you need to go now?" she said, looking past her. Meldei turned and saw Malis watching them curiously from across.

"What is it?" she asked Lea.

After a considerable moment, Noleak unzipped her backpack. She drew out a colorful bag, bound by a black satin ribbon. The wrinkled edges told Meldei Lea must be keeping it for a while.

"A gift?" she said, puzzled.

"I've been carrying it for days," Noleak said, gently smoothing the edges. "I don't know what to do with it. Maybe it's more natural if you give it to him—since you're in the same group. Can you?"

She forgot about Youhei's birthday. He talked about a celebration dinner next week and asked if she could go.

"Did he invite you?" Meldei asked.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Noleak said. Meldei long expected the answer on her face. "I bought this long ago. Was supposed to be for our anniversary."

Meldei would've liked to prompt her to give him herself. But their conversation at the lake became a wall in the endeavor, and she was no longer sure which way to go. "Are you sure?"

Noleak half shrugged. "Just say it's from you."

"That's weird. I'm not going to lie about it." She flinched as she said it. She'd already kept so much from her and Nika.

"He can't know it's from me." Noleak relented. "Just—just say it's from Caspian or someone if you don't want your name on it."

"It's all in your head." Meldei took the bag between her armpit. Her hands were starting to itch. "Why not send him a happy birthday text and see how he replies?"

"He won't reply."

"Sometimes," she said, "you just need to believe."

_____._____

Meldei was determined to get some salted duck eggs when school finished. Seeing Nika swallow congee with fermented r****h made her mouth sour.

When class ended she saw a few missed calls from her mother. Tevi rarely called her during school. Meldei hoped it had nothing to do with her grandmother falling sick.

She redialed the number, getting to her feet. "Mak, did you need something?"

She did. For the next few minutes, Tevi briefed through a few items that were out of stock from their local market. "Can you remember them all?" her mother asked.

"Five things—I got it."

"Ask pu Li to go with you, dear. Be careful."

She hung up, sighing. She was quite capable of buying a few things without an adult's supervision.

She reached for the gift under her desk. But when she turned she was the only one standing in the cold room.

_____._____

Nika was well enough to show up to class the next day, much to their classmates' surprise. It was also the last day before their holiday started, so Meldei had been waiting for the bell to toll at exactly 3:30 pm.

"Guys, make sure you hand your projects in before the end of the month," Mr. Foster announced. "Enjoy your holiday."

Meldei caught Youhei mid-sentence. "Don't go yet," she told him.

She took her time until everyone left. Noleak knew about the plan, so her shadow fled with her before Meldei could say goodbye.

Now, only her, Youhei, and Caspian were left in the class.

"What is it?" Youhei finally said. He wore only a white shirt that clung to his body after lunchtime basketball.

Meldei handed him Lea's gift. Caspian looked up from his phone, making a noise. She ignored him.

"You know who it's from," she said to Youhei, who only stared at it.

"I don't think—"

"There's no other meaning. She bought it before you two broke up. It's yours anyway." She prompted. Youhei slowly reached for it.

"Thanks," he said.

"Tell her yourself." Meldei hoped he would tell her.

"What's in it?" Caspian asked. He made a move to take it, but Youhei swiped it away before he got a chance.

"You really can't come on Wednesday?" Youhei said to her. "I can take you home."

"My grandmother might disown me if I go out partying at night. And my mother will disown me if I come back with a boy."

"You're joking," said Youhei.

"I'm not laughing," she said while Caspian snorted.

"Three years back, she asked me what people did in a nightclub. I bet she still doesn't know," Caspian said. Meldei whipped her bag at him, embarrassed.

She did know what people did in clubs. She just never been to one.

"Well, there's always the window of your house if you're ever too curious," Youhei said amusedly.

"I don't want my name in the police station." She reached for her textbooks. "See you next Friday," she said, heading out. "Caspian, if you lose your paper I'll never team with you again."

Youhei stepped in front of her at the threshold. "Thanks for the delivery," he said, lifting the present.

Meldei returned his smile. "Thanks for making the job easy."