ignore this book please

Maths class was over and break time was here. Visakha and I parted ways, for now. She's going to buy chocolate muffins and ice lemon tea. At first, I thought about wanting to buy something from the cafeteria so that my stomach would stop growling but there was my empty pocket money. The place was just jam packed with so many people anyways. Plus waiting in line is the WORST but what's even worse is that there's never been a line especially in the pastry section. It's a first come and first serve thing as they say.

While Visakha was getting her mid-day snack, my legs took me to the one and only sacred place in this school. The air was filled with fresh nutmeg that's been added into coffee. Subtle whispering so soft that you could even hear a pin needle drop. Just finished reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Is it possible for enemies to fall in love? As they say, a good story never starts at the right place. "Teacher," I found the book that I'll be reading in 3 days. "Please have this check out for me?"

"Sure," the librarian, Ms. Katherine Brown, scanned every book. "This again?"

Preah Atity Thmei Reah Leu Phendei Chas was one of the Khmer's classics, "It's my comfort book."

"It's rare for a lot of students in this school to be reading as many Khmer classics as you," Ms. Brown smiled. "What's so special about it anyways?"

"Well-"

"Ary!" Looking back, the wavy hair girl had her ice lemon tea and it seems like she's done with her muffin. "What? This book again?"

"It's my comfort book," I reminded her like a million times. I picked up this novel during the first year in middle school. "The title is translated as 'A New Sun Rises On the Earth.' It's a story about a poor man's hardships and perseverance in the capital during the French Protectorate or Colonisation era."

"Interesting," Ms. Brown finally checks out the book. "What kind of hardships did he face?"

"Miss," Visakha knows the story just as well as I do since the classics are in our curriculum. "This story is just so sad and almost hard to believe. His father was captured by the French and then he became the suspect and target of the Khmer Independent Movement for colluding with the enemy. His mother died and he along with his wife had to move to the capital. But living in the capital sucks because he was often looked down on by his employers and colleagues. The couple suffers from huge heavy debts but they stay true to each until the end and-"

"Okay," Ms. Brown sighed. "I can see why this novel is one of Cambodia's classics. I wished it could be translated and thank you for the debrief. Study hall is about to start, you should head back to class."

"Thank you," Ms. Brown handed me all the books I'll be reading for the whole week.

Visakha sipped her drink as we made our way to English class. The elementary kids were playing jump ropes, hopscotch and chasing each other like cheetahs. Everyone, especially the jocks, were playing either football, volleyball or basketball. We stopped at the football field for one bit, Visakha's face turned red as Huang landed a goal.

It's been one week since the First Semester's Exam. As per usual, after the exam week was over, the teacher would go through the test answer.

"I just hope those guys aren't going to make another big fuss with the teacher just to give them a high score," Last period during maths, everyone in class was frowning over the fact that they didn't score high in the test. Visakha told me she spotted a few cheatsheets under the table during the exam but I was in the flow to not notice. They looked for all sorts of excuses to prove the teacher wrong then it finally got out of hand, the teacher scolded us for not paying attention in class. To be honest, she wasn't wrong. If you were the so-called "good student," you wouldn't want to stick with them anyways. "I mean just how do they have the guts to do that? I mean it's only a test, right?"

"Earning a high score in the exam is like shooting a ball into the goal," I answered. "No, it's like earning a salary for your job. If you're underpaid, wouldn't it make sense that you walk straight up to your boss to ask for better income?"

"I know but we're not even there yet."

"True but at least it's good to have these sorts of skills. It's annoying but it's useful and very admirable."

We grabbed our textbooks from our lockers then headed straight to our homeroom. Mr. Thomas Ryan was checking our papers. People were either chit-chatting or staring down at their screens. The two of us took our seats in the front row, it's just much easier to see the board and catch the lecture. We have five minutes left before class begins so Visakha tunes in her favourite idol talk show. I stuffed my books away and started reading 'Commander Yot.' The play starts with the powerful lord of Kampong Svay, Meas and his protege, Yot. The master and student were fighting off the army led by Lord Samre…

Ring.

I close my book, Visakha puts her phone away while everyone goes back to their seats. Mr. Ryan gave the answers sheet first before handing out the test results. Everyone scanned their papers and checked their answers with each other. "Ary, just how do you do it?" Visakha looked at my test as it turns out I've got 48/50.

"Vocabulary and grammar are easy to ace but the hardest part is the essay," It feels like I'm bragging about it but it's a fact.

"That's what I'm talking about," she took my papers and pointed it out. "See here, everything looks perfect. Your grammar, vocabs and paragraph structure plus you know what ideas to put in. Is that why you read a lot?"

"Knowledge comes from different places, not just books. The only reason why I started reading was because my brother wanted me to start building 'good habits.' I start small and then work my way up. The more I want to know, the more I seek."

"With this skill you could become the next best selling author," Visakha smirked at me.

"Maybe… but no thanks," I sighed and brushed it off. "Jobs like this aren't appreciated here much. Language is important but trying to make a job out of it… is useless."

"Don't say that," she gave me a light punch. "I'm sure you'll be great when you go abroad."

"I fear that I'll get homesick. I'm happy with everything I have now and-"

"Heyyy…," the moment Visakha heard that voice, she lowered her head. A tall and well builded taper-hair boy was in front of us. "So what you got?"

"Why… Why you ask?" It seems like Visakha is trying too hard there. "Tell us yours first."

"Didn't do well," Huang smiled and showed us his papers. "At least it's a passing score."

I fixed my glasses as Visakha pulled back her wavy hair to ask, "Where's Hugo by the way?"

"You should know that he never likes coming on this kind of week?" he shrugged. "He said this, 'if there's nothing to new to learn why bother?'"

"He's always like this," I murmured. "The guy may be a genius but he's a lazy butt."

"I never asked you this but what is between you and Hugo?"

Just next to me, a lover of juicy gossip grasped, "Right… what is it between you two?"

"Wait," Haung looked at Visakha. "You don't know, too?"

"I… wasn't in the same class as her that year. So what is it? Were you two-"

"NO! It's not that important… But… It's just that he slacked off for our biology assignment at the time. I… nearly failed because of him." If you see someone walking down the halls, all eyes are on him. Shaggy bowl cut, physique of that typical idol star and blue eyes that can strike everyone's heart. That's your Sak Hugo. He's normally at a distance, just minding his own business but when he's speaking, the whole room is silent.

"Well, he wants me to tell you his score by the way," I said to him." He got 49/50 in the exam."

"Okay?" I nodded and yawned. "So you find any mistake the teacher made?"

"No! I don't even want to bother making a fuss out of him. Whatever I get, I'll make use of it. Let's give him back our papers."

"Take mine too," Huang gave us his paper before he went back to his seat at the back.

4 o'clock and school was over and the heat was at its peak. Luckily, ma came just right on time. A lot of people say I look like ma when she was young then ma say that I look more like pa as I grow up. "What are we going to eat tonight?" I asked.

"There's nothing much," Ma replied. "You have a tutor session?"

"Yes and if there's leftovers, it should be fine," I looked down. "Is pa coming home?"

"I don't know," Ma sighed. "Called him so many times now but he ain't answering."

On our way home, the street was like a racing competition between cars and motors. The lights weren't much help either. Shortcuts are the most preferable way to get past the crowds.

Our home was close to the flea market. It was a five story house, not too big or too small. Ma and brother prefer to keep things clean and tidy. Tutor session for maths starts at around 7 o'clock in the evening.

My regular after-school schedule looks like this…

1. Clean lunch box.

2. Schoolwork in 3 forms…

- Leftover assignments

- Review all lessons of the day

- More studying.

3. Read.

4. Dinner before 7 o'clock.

5. Tutor for 2 hours.

6. New episodes of K-dramas airing on TV.

7. Journal my day.

8. Sleep at 10:30 pm.

Most of my private tutoring classes are done online. Ma is a chemistry teacher so she has many connections but a huge discount wasn't in the bag. After class, I have a look through my journal and… my debts are over three months now.