Chapter 3: Crystal Clear

Loud chattering was heard as soon as our teacher left our classroom. It was already near lunchtime, and I have introduced myself today for 3 times now. It was a good thing that the two other teachers didn’t let my classmates ask me questions, or else I’ll really choke that bitch from my first class without any hesitation.

“Our next teacher wouldn’t be attending, so we have more free time. Enjoy.” Normally, in my old school, if there’s more free time, the one who announced it would be very happy and would even scream that news in the top of his or her lungs. But something about my new school and their students just screams that they’re different from other students outside Whistler High.

I looked at the girl with glasses, her hair was in a neat ponytail and wasn’t showing any playfulness. She was serious and after saying that in front, she just left our classroom, just carrying her bag and her books. So, I just shrugged my shoulders as I realized that it would be kind of hard for me to befriend more girls here, knowing that some of them might be really cold or just didn’t like having someone who would talk to them.

It was crystal clear that indeed they are different. Maybe it was also because of how some of them were raised here in this school. Some parents in our country would often send their kids at a young age to boarding schools, because that’s just our culture.

So most of these girls would really be having different opinions and have their actions way different from us who grew up in a house where we have much more freedom than them.

As I was about to leave our classroom, I saw Eun outside our classroom, and when our eyes met, she immediately waved at me with a bright smile on her face. Her pink hair was so pretty, it makes me question how these girls didn’t conform to what the school taught them.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her as soon as I got near her. I didn’t even have the time to look at Amelia, because I was immediately dragged by Eun to god knows where. But, instead of telling her to stop dragging me, I just let her do it. I have no one to talk to anyway, so why not hang out with her, right?

“Where are you taking me?” I still asked her, because if she plans to escape, I wouldn’t agree. It’s my first day here, I’ll do the escaping next month. I can’t have my ass getting kicked out on my first week here. I am planning on making my parents proud, and in order for that to happen I have to at least stay here longer. It’s a way of showing them that at least I tried to be nice.

“Narnia,” she jokingly answered me, making me shake my head at her answer. But hey, Narnia would’ve been a better place than this. This school makes me feel suffocated, I just couldn’t stand not being able to be with my friends back at our school. It also sucks that I haven’t talked to them yet.

I can’t talk shit about our school with them on the phone, especially if I have the school’s student council president as my roommate. I wouldn’t even doubt if Amelia decides to snitch on me if she ever hears my not so nice thoughts about this school.

I don’t even know how my mum was able to finish her studies here ever since she was a young girl. I wouldn’t last a year here! I would go berserk!

I was interrupted from my train of thoughts when Eun finally stopped walking. I looked at our surroundings and instantly felt relieved when I saw that we were in some kind of garden inside the campus. Now this place is a breath of fresh air. I liked this place more than inside of this castle like school.

“Surprise! I decided to eat outside. I even prepared some food. I hope you don’t mind since I’ve always wanted to go on a picnic, but of course, we really can’t go outside of our school. So, here’s an alternative.” Eun sat down on the blanket laid on the grass, and she even patted the place next to hers, as if telling me to sit there, so I gladly did. All the walking made my legs tired so this would at least regain their strength.

“This is wonderful, Eun. Thank you for all the food,” I told her, a smile on my face because I never experienced this. Ever. It was kind of hard for our family to go on picnics, because if there would be important events in our lives, it would always be celebrated in a grand party. It was like a tradition for our family to do it, and also, it is what most rich families do.

So, this picnic made by Eun made my heart melt. I only met her a few hours ago, but I can already feel that I will be great friends with her.

“Don’t eat without us!”

And that’s when I heard Zoe and the other two girls coming near us. The sun hit Lily’s tan skin, and it made me admire her, because of how beautiful her skin was under the sunlight. It made me sort of want to have tan skin too.

“You cooked all these?” Lily asked Eun who was now busy eating the food she prepared for us. Eun gave her a thumbs up, because she wasn’t able to talk for her mouth was full of the food she was eating. Jada lets out a chuckle, before wiping away some sauce on Eun’s face.

I smiled at their cute relationship. It made me want to have someone beside me too who would just be there to love, support and grow with me.

“Anyway, how was your class? Were your classmates nice to you?” Lily asked me, making me focus on her. She’s wearing her glasses and she has a book in hand, and I smiled when I saw what she was reading.

Attack on Titan.

I remembered my friend back home. She is also a manga reader ever since she watched anime with her older sister who passed away. It was like the only thing left about her sister, so even though she wasn’t a reader when she was younger, she eventually became one.

“They were nice. Although there’s this girl who was being irritating.” She lets out a chuckle after hearing what I said, making me raise an eyebrow, an action as if asking her what’s so funny about it.

“Was it the Spanish girl?” she asked, and I gave her a nod. This time, I also let out a chuckle, because I feel like we do really have the same person in mind.

“Goddamn! That girl really hates us Asians. She bullied me when she was still new here, but good thing Jada was there to stop her from inflicting more harm,” she told me before staring at the couple in front of us. Jada and Eun didn’t even notice that we were staring at them, because they were so busy staring at each other and were even teasing each other about something I really can’t understand. They were like in their own world, and interrupting them would feel like a crime. So, instead I just called for Zoe who was busy placing food on plates that she eventually gave to us.

“You didn’t have to, but thank you so much.” Zoe gave me a smile before she started to hand out the other plates with food to the other girls. And at last, Jada and Eun stopped playing with each other, and just ate their food.

“So, since we’re the only ones here. Can I ask you guys a question about the group thingy?” I asked them, and all their attention focused on me. I gulped, because the playful atmosphere was gone, this time they were all serious. At least they are serious about this plan.

Lily encouraged me to speak, so I let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“Why are you guys trusting me about this so easily? You do know that I’m just a new girl, right? I can tell the principal about this and have you guys expelled.” I told them, and they all looked at each other, as if they were talking to one another just through their eyes.

After all that, Zoe came to me and she even caressed my cheeks. Like how a mum does to her child whenever her child is having problems.

“Dear, we trust you. The reason why we were so eager to tell you about this was because we don’t have much time to change what’s happening. If you happen to snitch on us, that won’t happen. We trust that you just wouldn’t do that,” Zoe said before giving me a smile. Okay, first of all I don’t have any plans of telling the teachers what their plan is. But I was glad that they trusted me.

I even remembered to ask my mum about this movement, she once was the leader, soon when I saw her again.

“Have you guys tried to tell the teachers about this issue?” I asked them, and Lily let out a soft chuckle, as if what I said was a joke.

“I tried. Ever since I was young I told them about their unfair treatment, but they never listened. They simply don’t care about us,” Lily whispered nonchalantly, before focusing on her book again.

I felt bad for them. They shouldn’t be treated differently. They should be treated like every other student. I don’t get why the school seems to not care about this type of issue, when it’s something very big. Once this is out for the world to know, the school’s reputation can easily be tarnished.

“Oh, and have I mentioned that some of them are really homophobic? Reminding me everyday that girls shouldn’t like girls. Like come on! Can’t they just be happy that I got myself this pretty and awesome girl as a girl friend?” Eun asked in a joking manner, making Jada smile at her girl friend’s silliness. We did too, because Eun just knows how to lighten up the atmosphere. It’s nice to have someone like her as a friend.

I already finished eating, so I just lay down on the blanket next to Zoe who looks like she’s in deep thought.

“I’ll send you a file later. It’s a list of students whom we’re targeting,” Jada told me as she was laying on top of Eun’s lap. I gave her a nod before watching the gloomy sky again.

We were engulfed in silence. It wasn’t awkward though, it was actually comforting. And I was happy, because these girls are really kind and awesome. I thought I would have a boring school year here, but I thought wrong.

We were all so different from one another, but it seems like we all just clicked well. Like it was fate for the five of us to be friends. I know I might be saying this so early, but I can see the four of them staying in my life for a long time.

They were the type of people whom you’ll just be so happy they’re in your life. They also remind me of my friends back home. These girls: Jada, Eun, Lily and Zoe feel like home.

And I’m so glad I met them.

“Oh crap! My next class is in ten minutes, I gotta go!” Lily exclaimed, and just waved at the four of us before dashing off to her classroom. I chuckled at her action, before staring at the sky again. I let out a deep sigh as I try to let all of these sink in. It was still all so new to me, and it makes me wonder when I’ll be able to accept that indeed, I’m far from home and I’ll be staying here.