5 A CLEAR VIEW

And the final lecture was over.

“So students I hope you all know that tomorrow is your class test. Be prepared for the test.” Mr. Colin was yelling from his desk as the students were busy in packing their bags.

“Miss Licia. I hope your friend will be here tomorrow.” I smiled at him and nodded in a yes and he left the class.

I sighed and packed my bag. All other students were still marching out of the room. Everyone was so loud, talking to each other, inviting for dates, night outs, drinks and other stuff. I was barely hearing anything else. Girls were kissing their boyfriends like they will not meet again.

“Ahhh...disgusting...! Don’t they have any shame left?” I said to myself as I moved toward my locker in the main lobby of ground floor. I shack my stuff in and got of the school building to catch fresh air.

Me and Zoe always make fun of these school couples and give our random guess about who’s going to breakup now? Who’s going to patch up now? It’s fun with her but today was a really gloomy day without her.

“Hey Licia! Going home.” I heard a voice coming behind.

It was Riza, the science topper. She was running toward me when I turn toward her.

“Yaa.”

“I-I...can I come with you...?” catching her breath she asked.

“Ya. Sure.” I replied offering my water bottle to her.

“Thanks.” She replied catching her breath again and taking the bottle out of my hand.

Carrot shaped body with a round face, pursed lip smile and cooing voice makes her more attractive. But what I found attractive toward her was her hazel green eyes. Whenever I look toward those almond shaped eyes I found something very unusual. They were so deep just like a dark forest in which you just want to lose yourself.

Besides that She was “the topper of the school” not only science, but she was crazy about science. She remembers every word from science book. She can tell you what line is written, where, on which pare with count of the line.

“Shall we get going...?” She asked me holding bottle back to me.

“Ya, sure.” And I moved my gaze away from her hazel eyes.

And we both started to move toward out destinations.

“Why didn’t Zoe came today...? Did she tell you anything...?”

“Ya. She got some emergency at home so she have to go back home from halfway.”

“Oh. I hope everything will be ok.”

“Ya. Me too.” And I smiled at her. And we were at the square from where we parted to our own ways.

“Thanks for the company.” She said with her pursed lip smile and wave goodbye.

“No problem. See you tomorrow at school.” I waved back and move ahead.

It was July. Weather was so humid and sun was at its highest. I was sweating badly. The streets were totally empty. Not a single soul was visible till next corner.

“Jumper was a really bad idea.” I said to myself gulping the remaining water from my water bottle. I lastly look at the bare street and start to rumble toward my domicile.

I was about to turn for my street that when I feel like someone was staring at me. It was a very dark feeling. And suddenly my feet stopped. I was trembling as I turned to see if someone was behind me. And that’s when a cat meowed out of the nearby garden. I jumper with fear and clenched my bad hardly. The cat stair at me for a minute and ran away. I let out a sigh of relief. I turn again and started again.

I was counting on the works that mother have listed before my school in the morning. I have so much to do and test is also tomorrow it thought to myself. Again I feel like someone was following me. I feel a shadow behind me...like it wants to reach me, take a hold on me.

“You are hallucinating Licia. There is nothing behind. This hundred degree temperature of sun has taken your senses.” I said to myself pulling myself. And finally I was standing beside the door.

“I’m back from school.” I yelled after closing the door behind me. And step toward my room upstairs. Slothfully I toss my bag on the desk and flung myself on the bed. I was so tired and in pain due to all those injuries.

“Come on Licia. Get up. You have so much to do.”

And I forced myself out of bed. As I move toward my desk to put the bag properly...I saw him again...through my window.

Yes! It was him. Again. He was really there beside the front wall off the building. I was standing there...stunned. I don’t know how many minutes I lost when I was looking at him through that glass window. I wanted to see him...it was him yes. A felling of tension started to fill my surroundings again. I was feeling haunted and puzzled about what to do. My body was covered with sweat and my throat was as dry as desert sand.

I was still on him with all those stormy thoughts.

“Who is he...?”

“Why is he her...?”

“Why is he here...?”

“Was he the one behind me throughout the whole way home...?” as this thought came to my mind, I backed away from my window.

I was about to cry. What if mother got to know about it...? What she will do...? She will kill me if she came to know about it. No this can’t be true. I have to resolve this by my own. I’m a grown up girl now. I have to face this by my own now. But what should I do...?

I pulled myself back from the jolt and moved back toward the window again. He was still standing there, with his gaze fixed on me. I took a deep breath and get more close to the window. I pushed the lock and opened the window. He was still there. Fixed...like a statue.

I gathered all my courage and cleared my thought before saying anything to him.

“Who are you...? Why are you following me...?” I yelled at him from window of my room. But he didn’t answer.

Again I asked him “what do you want...?”

“You...!”