The Transfer Student.

Have you heard?

There will be a transfer student coming to our class. Strangely, I haven't heard anything about it except that the transfer student will be coming today. There is no clarity about where they are from, which school they are transferring from, or even their gender.

At first, I thought it was because I didn't care. Why should I bother looking up about the new student? But now, for some reason, I feel uncomfortable. A strange feeling that tells me something wrong is going to happen.

My teacher, Mr. Johnson, looks at his watch. That's the third time this morning. It's already thirty minutes late and the new student still hasn't shown up.

I'm bored, looking out the window half listening to my teacher's explanation about numbers--which I think are useless. That's when I hear the sound of the door opening.

Mr. Johnson stops and looks at the door. Reflexively, I also look at the same direction. There is no one there, but strangely, I see Mr. Johnson mumbling as if he is talking to someone.

There is no one there, I'm sure of it, but my friends seem to be looking at something moving from the door into the room. Before I can finish my confusion, I am shocked again by Mr. Johnson's words.

"This is Alex. From today, he will be your new friend. Please introduce yourself."

All eyes look towards the empty space next to Mr. Johnson. They all look like they are listening to something.

I furrow my brow. What's going on here?

"Alright, do you see that empty seat over there?" Mr. Johnson pointed towards the seat behind me. "Starting today, that's your seat."

Our teacher smiled. His eyes seemed to be following the movements of someone walking. And it wasn't just him, my friends were doing the same thing.

I didn't understand, there was no one there. Just an empty spot that they were looking at, but they acted as if they were seeing something passing by me and sitting behind me.

I looked at them one by one, full of questions. Are they playing a prank on me?

The lesson continued. Mr. Johnson opened his book and began explaining about the Fibonacci numbers, but not a single word entered my head. My concentration was broken. My head couldn't stop thinking about something behind me.

I glanced back. It was still the same, no matter how many times I did it, there was no one there. Just an empty, dusty seat.

My back suddenly felt cold.

They couldn't be playing a prank on me like this, could they? Besides, it's not my birthday or April Fool's Day. There's no reason for them to do this.

I swallowed.

So, is there someone behind me? That can't be. If that were the case... why can't I see them?

***

The bell rang four times, and my classmates immediately tidied up their books on their desks.

I did the same. With feeling uneasy I stuffed those thick, unpleasant books back into my bag.

In front of the class, I saw Mr. Johnson stand up, he smiled at me--no, he smiled at the empty seat behind me, and walked behind the door.

As soon as our teacher left, my classmates immediately surrounded the empty seat behind me. Just like ants finding sugar.

I gulped as I saw them--most women, immediately swarmed the empty seat with questions.

"Lex, where are you from?"

"Why did you move here?"

"Your hair looks great, did you dye it?"

"What are your hobbies?"

"Your name is cool, huh."

I shuddered seeing them like that. I quickly walked away towards the door. Before I could completely leave, I quickly glanced towards the group around the empty seat.

Their behavior seemed too natural to be called acting. Besides, if they were really just acting, then why? Is this some kind of Candid Camera show?

I shook my head, this is ridiculous. It looks like I need a little refreshment. A bottle of cola should clear my mind.

Throwing the thought of the new student far away, I walked quickly down the corridor towards the cafeteria.

"As usual?" the cafeteria auntie asked as I stood in front of her.

I nodded.

I was calm again because I wasn't thinking about the new student anymore. But that didn't last long because I heard it.

Two students standing next to me were chatting, waiting for their orders too. I didn't know them, so they were clearly from another class.

"The new student's name is probably Alex," said one of them. I looked at him immediately.

"So he's a guy?" said the other. "Boring."

As soon as they received their orders, they went to the nearest empty bench, still talking about the new student. I was stuck there, watching them until the cafeteria aunt called me.

After receiving my order, I sat in the corner of the room. Silent, staring at the bottle of drink in my hand. No longer have the will to drink it.

If the other class also know about the new student... Isn't that means...

No. I grip the bottle harder. Impossible--

"Hey!" Someone tapped my shoulder, making me jump.

I glared at him. It turned out to be just my classmate Salmon--yes, that's his name. In his hand he held a bundle of bread.

"What's up?" he said. "You looked stressed."

"It's nothing," I said. "It's just..."

"Yes?"

Should I talk to him about it? If all of this was just a lie, wouldn't he also be involved?

Then I imagined Salmon's laughing and saying, "Ha ha, you're such a fool. It was so easy to trick you."

"No." I snorted. "No, forget it."

Salmon furrowed his brow.

"Okay... Oh, by the way," he opened his bread bundle, "I heard there's a new, cool movie out now. What if we watch it after school?"

"No," I said.

On a normal day I'm already lazy to do that, let alone in this condition.

"Come on, it'll be fun. It's a movie that's adapted from a best-selling novel—"

"No," I said.

"But—"

"No."

"This—"

"No."

Salmon snorted. "You're boring."

It has nothing to do with that.

We were silent. Salmon seemed to know that I wasn't in the mood for a chat, so he ate his sandwich in silence. Until... Salmon pointed to my drink, "You're not drinking that?"

I sighed and handed it to him.

As the bell rang, I just hoped that everything about the new student was just a stupid joke that wasn't funny. Something that I could eventually laugh at. I would laugh out loud when one of my friends said, "Fooled you!" when I returned to class. But unfortunately I had to be disappointed.

In the classroom, Rhino was talking to himself in his seat. It's not really surprising to see someone talking to themselves anymore, now that there are phones. But with one look, I could tell that Rhino wasn't holding a phone. He wasn't wearing a handsfree either, so...

I tried to ignore him and sit in my own seat. Two more classes left.

As soon as the teacher came in, I tried hard to focus on the lesson. But no matter how hard I tried, my mind kept fixated on the unseen creature behind me.

"Hey," Salmon, who sat next to me, whispered. "Stop daydreaming. The new student is asking if you have an eraser."

I was stunned. What did he say?

"So?" Salmon said, his voice sounding slightly annoyed. "Do you have one?"

"No," I said without looking at the empty seat.

"Hey..." Salmon lowered his voice.

"What is it now?" I said.

"What's wrong with you? Is there a problem between you and the new student? You've been ignoring him all this time, even though he's been trying to talk to you."

I stared at Salmon without blinking. Is that true?

Salmon looks very serious. His eyes are staring at me sharply, asking for an explanation. He's not joking around, I know that. But this situation is really strange. How could I say I can't see the new student?

"I'll tell you the reason later," I said, trying to brush off the subject.

"When?" Salmon pressed.

"Later, okay?" I repeated, hoping to put an end to the conversation.

Salmon didn't seem satisfied with my answer, but he didn't push any further. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rhino offering a white eraser to the empty seat behind me.

"Here, use mine," Rhino said, holding out the eraser.

I could only gulped.

***

I sat in front of the new student who wasn't visible for six hours of classes. My body feels stiff. It was the worst day I've ever experienced.

I don't know if it's real or not, but I feel like I'm being watched. Like after watching a horror movie, you often feel like someone or something is behind you, watching you. That kind of feeling, but this time it's much stronger.

Anxiously, I look at the wall clock next to the blackboard. The clock hands move slowly. Second by second, tick by tick. I hold my breath.

Come on... Fast.

Move.

Move.

Move.

And the bell rings.

Without thinking, I grab my bag and immediately rush out of the classroom and go home.

I enter my house with a feeling of relief. I don't know if the new student is really there or not, but as soon as I get home, I am completely free from school. Thoughts of the intangible creature won't haunt me anymore. At home, I'm safe.

Or so I believed until I met my mother in the kitchen.

"Lunch is almost ready," my mother said. "Wait a moment."

I nodded and turned, almost leave the room, but then my mother told me a story.

"By the way, on the way back from Jack's meat shop, I met a very good child. He helped me carry my shopping. He says he's in your class. His name is Alex."

I couldn't believe what my mother was saying. I slowly backed away, my hands sweaty. I ran up to my bedroom, slammed the door shut, and locked it.

My entire body was weak, as if my bones had turned to jelly. I sat down against the door, frustrated.

Why!? What was really happening? My mother couldn't be conspiring against me, could she? Why then?

***