3 Little splash of color in Her Life

Inside the classroom, amidst all the noises and laughs, one girl was impatiently tapping her watch while keeping a lookout at the door. Ellie looked at her watch when the hand struck nine am and sighed.

"Late again"

As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she heard a screech near the door making her close her eyes in defeat.

Ellie looked up anxiously and saw Skyla holding the door while panting heavily.

"Phew! I almost made it" Skyla panted as she held her chest while taking deep breaths. Exhaling heavily, she proceeded to enter the class quickly before the professor came.

As she neared her chair, one of her classmates teased, "The Princess has finally graced us with her presence" adding to the classroom's clamour.

Skyla rolled her eyes as she waved her hand off at him. She smiled at Ellie, oblivious to her anxiety and moved past her to place her bag on the last row. But she froze, when she saw a figure laying on her table and what seemed like to be sleeping.

Scrunching her eyebrows, she used her bag to push his arm annoyedly.

"Hey! This is my seat."

Seeing that the person in question remained unmoved, she gritted her teeth and continued, "Hurry up and move before Monster Theo enters."

Ellie clasped Skyla's hand and shook her head vigorously making Skyla frown as she finally noticed her anxiousness. Her eyes moved from her towards the quiet classroom, finally noticing something amiss in everyone's expression.

Before she could ask her, she heard a gravelly calm voice, "I didn't know I had such a wonderful nickname, Skyla"

Her eyes widened as she turned her head in a jiffy to see Professor Theo leaning back on her chair. His hair fell on his forehead carelessly as he just woke up from his nap but his eyes looked right at her making her stutter unconsciously.

"P-Professor T-Theo" making his lips curve.

Standing up from her seat, Skyla looked at the six feet tall man and heard, "Well, you know the drill"

Skyla sucked in her lips and closed her eyes in defeat.

She mumbled under her breath, "I cleaned the classroom for the past two weeks. Why can't you just excuse me for once?"

Professor Theo heard her mumbling and chuckled. He leaned forward making Skyla lean back unconsciously.

"I will think about it if you are on time for class next time"

Walking past her, he addressed the entire classroom and said, "Now, let's get down to business. Open your books"

Skyla groaned as she slumped on her chair while glaring at the Professor. Ellie turned around and said, "I'm sorry, I should have warned you beforehand"

She sighed as she shook her head. Thinking about the cleaning, her head hurt making her frown visibly.

Ellie bit her lips and said, "I can help you with the cleaning Skyla"

Skyla smiled at her friend and waved her hand, "Thanks Ellie but no need. I don't want him to punish you for helping me"

Even though Professor Theo looked gentle and playful, he was a devil in disguise who likes to torture his students.

Skyla slammed her book angrily and turned her head away from the devil. He has been punishing her continuously throughout the last two weeks for being late.

'Sigh! These nightmares are messing her life even more now'

…

As soon as the bell rang indicating the end of the long three hour class, the students slammed their books shut and stood up enthusiastically. Ellie yawned as she stretched her hands before turning around to Skyla.

A laugh escaped her lips when she saw her friend sleeping on the desk. Shaking her head, she shook Skyla awake.

"Sky, come on, get up or we will be late"

Skyla blinked as she straightened up and looked at her friend confusedly.

'Did I fall asleep?'

Skyla closed her eyes and massaged her forehead.

Ellie tilted her head and asked, "Are you okay, Sky?"

Skyla withdrew her hands and smiled at her lovely friend. Nodding her head, her eyes wandered to the almost empty classroom and asked weirdly.

"Where did everyone go?"

Ellie looked at her puzzled face and knew that she forgot about today. Slapping her forehead, she said, "I can't believe that you forgot even when I reminded you yesterday."

Skyla squeezed her eyebrows as she tried to remember the conversation they had yesterday. After some minutes, her eyes widened as she stood up excitedly and said, "The match… isn't it today?"

Ellie rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Was it? Thank you for reminding me, Sky"

Skyla folded her hands together and pleaded mercy, "Sorry, My mind is a little messed up since morning."

She shoved her bag underneath her table and continued, "Well, lets go before the seats are filled in"

Ellie smiled and nodded as she stood up and followed her out.

"Right, let's grab something before he head towards the court"

Ellie chuckled helplessly, agreeing to her whims.

This was how it always has been, right from their junior school days. Skyla was whimsical while Ellie fell under the studious category. One would wonder how they became best friends but for Ellie, Skyla was her life-saver.

Before Skyla entered her life, all Ellie did or knew was to study. But after knowing her, she discovered a new Ellie within herself. A person who liked to become unruly and do random things for the joy of it. She could say that Skyla made her life enjoyable and more fun.

When both of them reached the canteen, Skyla groaned at the long queue before her.

"It would take forever to reach the front and by that time all the good ones would be over"

Ellie bit her lips and patted her in silence. She wanted to say that it was because of her sleeping in class but decided against it.

Skyla quickly scanned the queue, trying to find a person she knew to buy for her. She froze when she heard a voice call out to her, "Skyla!!"

Skyla blinked as her heart paced in her chest, thinking- 'It can't be him'.

Biting her lips, her eyes moved away from the queue to a guy who was walking towards her killing all her thoughts.

It was him.