by Shaine Lake
I obeyed her orders without a word.
“It’s bad enough that you’ve no social etiquette. And now, you’re making a mickey out of the school’s good intentions to educate you on this. How can you improve with that attitude? Are you fit to be a student of my school?”
As she continued on the barrage of insults aimed at me, I focused on staring at my shoes, as I felt too ashamed to look at anyone. Why me? All of them had laughed. It was Angela who had started it. Why didn’t the hag confront her about it? Oh, Angela was the top student; the principal couldn’t bear the thoughts of losing her. Mrs. Olsen always wanted to kick me out of Lawson anyway.
I hated that old witch. She should get out of my life. It was impossible for me to stay on with her around. She needs to be gone. Yes, she needs to be gone. Be banished to hell or somewhere far, I don’t care.
That rhythmic tune of wood creaking assaulted my ears.
Still keeping my head down, I rolled my eyes to see a figure in white clothes standing beside Mrs. Olsen. When the one in white lifted up her hand and reached for the principal’s left hand, the painful croaking of the wood was amplified. As the girl closed her right hand around the wrinkly wrist, her ghostly fingers sank into the flesh. With that hand curled into a fist, the apparition made a tugging motion with her right arm. Taut, blood-coated tendons were jerked out of the principal’s forearm.
Another violent tug, and the tendons were tore out. Like the rubber bands being stretched until they broke, the snapping sounds slapped at my eardrums.
Horrified, I glanced up to see Mrs. Olsen still scolding me and looking perfectly fine. The corner girl moved her hand towards her victim’s neck as the ends of her delicate lips twisted up to form an eerie smile.
I didn’t want to cause any death. Not that. She needs to stop. No.
I closed my eyes, afraid to witness what would happen next.
The principal then berated, “What’s this? I’m teaching you the right attitude to adopt, and you do this. You’ve no respect for authority! I’m going to give you a warn—”
Mrs. Olsen’s sharp scream sliced through the tense atmosphere. My eyelids flew open, and I realized that the ghost was gone. The principal was clutching her limp left arm and shrieking at the top of her voice.
My ears hurt. My limbs felt detached from my body. I was shaken to the core. A ball of nausea shot up to my throat. I had an urge to run away … to absolve myself of any connection to the mishap.
I didn’t mean to do it. It was that corner girl. Did she know what I wanted, thus trying to fulfil my wish? So I was the mastermind instead? I didn’t want to be locked up for the crime. But I was a huge suspect since it happened when Mrs. Olsen was reprimanding me.
I was going to lose everything. My life was ruined.
Most of the teachers and some students rushed up to the principal and attended to her: cradling her injured arm, asking questions, saying reassuring words and calling the ambulance. The scenario was surreal.… I was glad that everyone’s attention was on the one who needed it the most. At the same time, the worry of being pinpointed as the culprit had never left me.
I didn’t stop ruminating on the incident when the rest of the teachers instructed us to file out of the lecture theatre in an orderly manner and go back to our respective classrooms. For the whole day, I ignored everyone and obsessed over the possibility of being arrested.
Would they suspect me? Would they?
Mandy had tried to talk to me, but I either brushed her off with excuses or pretended that I didn’t hear her. What was the point in talking about me if it would spoil her good mood? Besides, meaningless chatting did nothing to make me feel better. Furthermore, I had more than enough problems to deal with, so I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to eagerly listen to her delving into those gory details on her love life. Any sign of bliss would just make me plunged deeper into depression.
I didn’t tell my parents anything when I got home. Why should I drag them into my terrible mess? And they might be disappointed that I had landed myself in hot soup just weeks after starting school.
Insomnia struck me that night. I spent the whole night surfing the web to find out what penalties I might face if found guilty. There would be no jail term for someone of my age. However, the thought of being booted out of school and staying in a home meant for those wayward girls was dismaying also.
I sank back into my plastic chair, feeling defeated. Then I took note of the thin, neat stack of blue papers that were held together by a flip clip attached to the left side.
Oh yes, Jareth.… I needed to pass that to him soon. If I didn’t, then I had no more chance to do so since I would soon be locked up or placed under probation.
***
Pacing around the exterior of St. Andrew gymnasium near the entrance, I was trying to figure out a way to get Jareth to come out, without actually entering the place to call for him. The doors were left wide open, but I didn’t have the guts to strut in by myself. What would they think of a lone girl going there to look for a guy? That would be so embarrassing. If there were other ways to pass the gift to him, I wouldn’t be showing up at a boys’ school.
Being clueless about his schedule, the boys’ gymnastics practice on Thursday was my only chance to get a hold on him. Luckily, he was there in spite of the injuries he had gotten the previous week … or earlier, I wasn’t sure. He was wearing his school uniform instead of the usual gymnastics gear.
A glance at my watch, and I realized that only ten minutes left before Mandy and the gymnastics team came for training. I must act fast, or else the efforts of rushing down to St. Andrew’s school compound would be wasted. I disliked sneaking around like a rat though. If only I could join Mandy to boldly step into the gymnasium.…
When I had finally calmed down after the “showdown” with the principal, I found it scary and difficult to approach Mandy after avoiding her for days. Would she be put off by my erratic temper and mean ways towards her? Didn’t help that she appeared to be distracted and downcast. All those piled up onto my apprehension of being snubbed by her. With each day passed, I was drifting away from the only friend I had in high school.
Hardening my resolve and sticking my head out from side of the entrance, I waved dramatically before shrinking back to my hiding place behind the walls. Jareth was facing away from me when I made my split-second appearance. Ugh, he didn’t see me, but I really couldn’t do it again. Perhaps I should just give up. Anyway, Jareth wouldn’t give a hoot about the gratitude I felt towards him.
Okay, time to scram.
Then I heard quick soft footsteps. Was it Jareth?
“Yes? Anything I can help you with?” asked the guy in a polite manner.
Turning my head slightly, I saw Brian and then instinctively looked away. Strange that he was the one who came out … my initial presumption was that he was keeping a distance away from girls after his breakup. While I felt absolutely neutral about him, I was hit by the nervousness from standing in close proximity to such a gorgeous guy. Why was he the one who came up to me? I wouldn’t be in a jittery if it was Jareth instead.
“Looking for captain,” I could barely articulate the words properly.
After hearing my reply, he let out a chuckle, then spun around to face his team mates. “Jareth. The gal is looking for you,” Brian shouted at the top of his voice.
The next moment, the boys inside the gymnasium were making a din. I didn’t dare to query on what was the fuss about. When Jareth had gotten to the entrance, Brian patted his captain’s shoulder and took off.
While running towards the centre of the gymnasium, the vice-captain punched the air in an upward motion. “I got it correct!”
Jareth threw a glance of disapproval at Brian before turning to me and smiled broadly. “Hi … didn’t expect that you’ll be here. So what’s up?”
Loosening my grip on the black lever arch file that I had been holding to my chest, I went on to pull out the gift stuffed between the stack of
notes. Then I shoved it to him. “For you”—I swallowed a big gulp of air—“to thank you for that day.”
I was contemplating whether to stay put to see his reactions or run off to avoid facing the harsh truth that he hated the present. The dude’s eyes widened as he skimmed through the contents of the homemade magazine.
A minute had passed before he regained his composure and looked up at me. “Food for Muscle Regeneration and Healing? You’d shifted your interest to Nutrition? But I’m not taking this course. So these are not needed.”
Somehow, he managed to make me smile with his absurd assumption. I shook my head. “It gives pointers on faster recovery from muscle damages. The last few pages are on foods that make your body more robust … but still … being careful goes a long way.”
He stared at me in confounded silence. Perhaps the boy wasn’t used to getting advices from a girl, who was hailed as a loser.
In order to cut short that awkward situation, I decided to make a move. “Well, gonna go now.”
“Wait.” Jareth rubbed his temple and then straightened his back while looking at me in the eyes—it was just as bad as scrutinizing my face, he needed to stop that.
He held up the gift. “Thanks for this.”
I smiled slightly in response.
He used his fingers to give his hair a brief comb from the fringe to the back. “Uh … are you free to wait for me? For around half an hour. We can go down to Queen’s Street to get a cup of coffee. And have a chat. My treat.”
He wanted me, a girl, to hang around a boy’s school for reasons unrelated to academics and ECAs? That would set tongues wagging. And it just sounded so wrong. Besides, I had more important matters to settle, example: schoolwork.
Thus I just told him as a matter of fact, “I’m not free today.”
“Oh … how about tomorrow? When will your classes end?”
“Two o’clock. But—”
He didn’t wait for me to finish and replied in an excited voice, “Mine ends at half past one. I can wait for you at your school gates.”
I frowned. “I don’t like coffee …”
Why did people like to chat over a cup of coffee? Chatting was chatting. Drinking was drinking. Was there a need to mix the two together? Plus, I would feel out of place in those posh, trendy cafes.
“I see.” The lustre in his eyes began to fade. He did look disappointed.
While I thought that it was unnecessary for him to go all out to reciprocate my gesture of giving the special manual to him, I couldn’t bear to turn down his offer anymore when he looked quite enthusiastic about it.
So I suggested, “How about taking a bus with me to the bus stop near my home? We can chat during the trip.”
It was the best plan I could come out with. The time spent would be limited by the duration of the journey. He could save on the money, and I could get home on time.
He immediately cheered up. “Great. So—”
“Ah, let’s meet up at the bus stop outside St. Andrew instead. At two fifteen.” I didn’t want to be seen going out with Jareth, especially by my schoolmates.
“Sure. I’m not going to lose to you again on those history quizzes.”
I almost laughed. It wasn’t possible for him to digest all the historic details in a short span of time. “We shall see. Anyway, I really have to go.” I waved my hand.
Jareth relaxed and leaned against the wall. “Cya tomorrow.”
Then I turned my back to him, ready to get a move on. After three seconds, I sensed eyes on me. The steadfast gaze was unnerving me. Clutching my file tightly and trying to steady my breath, I looked back to see … Jareth still standing by the door, staring at me. Shouldn’t he go back to his team mates already? What was so interesting about my back? Was my uniform dirty at there?
“Bye,” I said, expecting him to catch my hint to stop hanging around there.
He replied, “Yeah, bye.”
I didn’t respond while waiting for him to move it. The bloke then finally got it, flashed a sheepish grin and took two steps back. With an unnatural smile plastered on my face, I stood there like a statue until he headed back into the gymnasium.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I hurried down a small trail that snaked through the lush carpet grass patch besides the gymnasium building, routing to a back gate. The probability of encountering Mandy should be low since she would likely be using the main pathway in front of the gymnasium entrance. After a quick look at the broad path whose surface was lined with red bricks, I made my way down the one made with plain old cement.
When I got to the corner of the building, the hairs on every part of my skin stood up due to a wave of cold air brushing against my back. How was it possible for it to run directly over my skin when I was wearing a blazer over my uniform?
Gritting my teeth, I whirled around to see what the cause was. The corner girl was standing in the middle of the dusty red pathway, about twenty metres away from me. Why was she there after disappearing for almost a week?
But I was more concerned about another matter: Anton was walking up that main path. He was getting closer to her by every second. Knowing what she was capable of, I went into panic.
Didn’t want to face him, but … couldn’t let her hurt him.
I released the hold on my bulky folder. Whether it was on purpose or due to fear, I didn’t have a clear mind to ponder over it. The file laden with sheets of paper dropped onto the floor with a loud thud. The mild breeze sent my notes flying in all directions.
Anton glanced at me and then checked his watch before stepping onto the lawn—away from the waiting ghost—to gather my scattered belongings that landed onto the grass. Feeling touched, I sprang into action to do my part by picking up as many pieces of paper as possible.
While I was cramming the retrieved notes back into my file, Anton came up and passed to me the last batch of runaway stationaries. “Here.”
Bowing my head to keep my blushing face out of sight, I grabbed the pile from his outstretched hand. The insides of my stomach was boggling like mad. “Thanks. Sorry for taking up your time …”
He smiled. “Helping a friend in need is not a waste of time.”
My eyes were getting misty when I heard his reply. He regarded me as his friend … what more could I ask for? That was enough to make me felt very blessed.
Giving me a quick pat on the head, Anton continued, “An important person in my life had said this: when you feel that the burdens are too much to be carried by yourself …”
As he paused, I wondered if he was going to tell me to count on my friends. Or him … nope, fat hopes.
The moment of truth then came. “Search for that strength hidden within you. It’s always there, and it’ll help you through.”
Lifting up my head slightly to peek at Anton, I felt puzzled. Why did he say that to me? Who was the important person in his life? Could I really find that strength I needed?
As if he had read my mind, he shrugged and said, “Just hoping that this advice can help another besides me.”
I could only smile and nod. Gratitude had drowned out any coherent thoughts of mine.
The next moment, from the corner of my eyes, I saw a group of girls trekking up the brick pathway. With great foreboding, I looked up to realize that the apparition was gone, and in its place were the first year members of Lawson Gymnastics team.
They continued to walk towards the gymnasium, but the focal point of their accusing glare was always on me. Hurt and confusion were apparent on Mandy’s visage. They must be thinking that I was there to hook up boys. Would they spread rumours to our schoolmates?
My fears had become reality. It was far more terrifying than facing the corner girl.
Chapter 16 Why?
How was I going to face Mandy? Would she confront me? Should I just tell her the truth regarding the ghost and how Jareth saved me? Would she believe me? How about the meet-up with Jareth later? How did I cancel it? Should have gotten his phone number in the f
irst place.
The string of questions never stopped twirling around my brain as I made my way to the school. The twirling increased in ferocity when I was walking through the school gates.
“That’s the one. Joining the gymnastics team to know the boys in St. Andrew,” someone behind me whispered.
Was she talking about me? There were many girls around me, so it might not be me. But I didn’t see any member of the gymnastics team.…
Another exclaimed, “This kind of frail girl? You got to be kidding me! Obviously, she’s there for the boys only.”
Hastening my pace, I sought to get away from them.
“Shhh.”
The student with the loud voice refused to comply with her friend’s request, “What? Why should I keep it down? If she dared to do it, then be prepared to face the consequences. If it’s not true, she can jolly well confront me on it.”
Tightening my grip on my file and dragging my nails across its plastic surface, I tried to summon the strength to tell that girl off for her false allegations.
Would everyone think that I was bitchy? Would I sound convincing? Would anyone believe me? Would I be blacklisted by the teachers for causing a scene in school?
I lacked the guts to even clarify my own name. What a loser. The boy-crazy girl—that was going to be my nickname for the rest of my high school life. All would despise me more than ever. Shouldn’t have gotten involved with Anton and Jareth initially.…
Boys are bad news.
Things didn’t get any better when I reached the assembly area in the car park. Mandy, who was already standing in the line, kept on staring at me. I deliberately avoided eye contact with her. The rumours had dragged my mood down to the pit bottom already; I really didn’t have the energy to sort it out with her. Also, I had zero idea on how to answer her questions regarding the boys.
After the bell rang to indicate the start of school, all of us stood in attention and sang the national anthem while two school councillors pulled up the national flag of Accastle and the school’s flag to the top of the flag poles.
