Reason 1: I Was Fascinated With Her Tantalizing Smiles (4)

"Rae! Let's hit the newly opened bookstore in the mall!" As I heard the term 'bookstore', my ears immediately perked.

I looked for the person who said that and found Joana and friends walking towards me.

I immediately fixed my things and packed my bags. I said my goodbye to Gelu and walked towards them.

"Do we need to buy new supplies for ma'am ## ######'s subject, Marie? I think I still have some left over materials at home," Marie is talking to another transferee in our class, Faye. She's super white, has a chubby face that makes her look adorable, and she's super hard working. I feel like she's a model girl, or student.

In our class, there are eleven transferees, a third of the whole class. This year's batch had the most number of transferees as the old students from Junior High School transferred out when they completed Junior High. The other three classes have their own share of transferees.

"Marie is really a very hard working student, right? Joana, was Marie just like that back in your old school?" Kaye asked Joana as we were staring at Marie and Faye discussing their group activity.

"Yup. But she seems more relaxed here. Anyway, our First Grading Examinations are next week, right? Have you all reviewed? The teachers dumped a lot of work for us, even in the middle of our preparations for the exams," Joana shifted the topic.

Maybe their past academic achievements in their old school is a sensitive topic?

"Ah! Before the examination date is your birthday, right? And after is Jean's birthday! The both of you were born days apart. Hais, I wish I was born earlier," I said with a wishing tone. If only my parents created me earlier! I would already have a work now and earn money for the family!

"Don't you like being the youngest, Rae? You're being doted on by the whole class. Our adorable little baby," Lisa didn't miss this chance to baby me. She's now trying to pinch my cheeks as I hid myself in Jean's back.

~~~

Time flew by. Tomorrow would be the First Grading Examinations of my new school! How exciting is that! And today is Joana's 16th birthday.

We greeted her and reviewed with each other.

Uggh~ I'm feeling sick.

*kring*

My phone rang, so I answered it. Father was calling me. He said that the family would be in the Provincial Hospital by lunch to have a check up. They will pick me up, as we have no classes for the next half of the day. The teachers gave us the time to review.

They picked me up and I bid my goodbye to my classmates after I gave my last greeting to Joana for her birthday.

We reached the hospital and I read my notes while waiting for Father's turn to be checked. There are a lot of patients waiting at the hospital.

I ignored them as Mother talked to one patient and discussed about my new school.

I'm wearing our PE uniform, so obviously, a lot of the patients recognized my school. Add that to the fact that I'm still studying while waiting gave more proof.

While I was trying to contain as much information as I can to my brain for tomorrow's exams, the characters I'm reading suddenly became gibberish.

"Huh?" I muttered, and I suddenly vomited my snacks.

My head ached so much, and I'm feeling really tired.

The events happening around me became fast-forward. I don't know how I even reached our vehicle with a change of jogging pants.

My mother assisted me as I weakly laid down on a chair of our trike.

"What happened, Rae? Why did you suddenly get sick? Did you eat something bad earlier?" Mother softly asked as she wiped my forehead with a wet wipe given by a kind patient.

I think Mother was talking about the contents of my vomit. I told her about what I ate for snack time and she concluded that I should lessen the oily foods I consume.

I got a very bad fever. It reached to the point where I'm already hallucinating and I fear that death is imminent.

My parents sent out an excuse letter to the school that I got sick and can't take the exams on time.

I laid in my bed for three days. I always get dizzy when I try to stand up. I always got the chills if I ever try to get out of the reaches of my blanket. But my hallucinations are really getting into my head. My temperature was so high.

Finally, I survived. I was considering writing my will in case something bad happened to me, but I guess those thoughts only entered my head because of my helplessness in the situation.

After I recovered, I went back to school.

"Rae, sir Andrew is calling for you. He said that you would take your special exams in Earth and Life Science at the Junior High School computer laboratory" Nicole, the school's Supreme Student Government's Secretary and our classmates, said.

"Alright, Nics. Thanks," I said as made my way to the said computer laboratory.

Hais, it's really unfortunate of me to be sick during the exams. This is the first time I'm taking a special exam, so I'm white nervous about it.

The computer laboratory of the Junior High School department is the mini teacher's office. All the other teachers are here. So while I'm taking the exam, I can't even look around or stretch my back. The atmosphere is full of tension. I felt like the teachers were poking holes out of my body. It's creepy!

After taking the special exams, I felt like I can finally breath well. I stretched my hands and walked back to the room, where I saw a new seating arrangement.

W-where would I sit?

"Rae! Sir Ian said that you would be sitting next to Blessie. <sniff sniff> I wanted to sit next to you, but Blessie beat me to it!" Ana, a chubby but lovable fella who loves me~, reported as she had her fake tears rolling down her cheeks.

I was supposed to believe her but her hands are fast approaching my cheeks so I have to dodge.

"It's fine, Ana. I can manage," I said to comfort her 'wounded' soul, but in my head, I was thinking of who the hell Blessie is. I'm a transferee! How the hell am I supposed to know that person?!

"So, uhmm, where are my bags?" I asked. Of course, it's only an excuse. I have absolutely no idea who this Blessie is, and I'm not that familiar with the layout of our room.

"Oh, we already put your bags next to Blessie. Over there," Marie was kind enough to point at my bags. And there they are, in the front most row. I'll be having a hard time hiding from our teachers in there.

I slowly walked towards my bag and even heard Marie say something.

"We are rowmates, Rae! Although I'm at the complete opposite side from you," she muttered.

I arrived at the chair where my bags are and found a girl. So she's Blessie?

I found myself staring at her until she looked back at me with a menacing expression. Creepy!

"What are you looking at?" she scowled. Chills run up my back so I immediately retrieved my gaze.

Why is she my seatmate?! So scary.