3 More Than Meets The Eye

Having someone trail behind you is quite unnerving, especially if that somone is a new student, who relies solely on you to be the guide in a maze filled with pubescent teenagers and unpredictable corridors, all the while acting like you know exactly what you are doing even when you don't. On top of that, all eyes are on you, well not exactly on you, but you definitely draw attention to your little tour, attention I hate.

"Ugh, I hate this."

I can see everyone giving me double takes and judgemental stares, whispering to their friends, gossping. I can only imagine what they would be saying.

Su's words forcefully enter my mind, "If you really do hate it, you can just leave me, I'll be fine on my own."

Then why did you follow me?

I assumed Su would be somewhat shy with the number of people looking at her, dulling her stoicism to an extent, but I guess her boldness and directness are quite forefront.

I stop and turn to face her.

"Well I wish you had told me that earlier, because we're already here" I point my thumb towards the classroom sign:

'Class 11C'

"I see, then I have nothing to worry about."

I give out an exasperated sigh.

Why did she have to come meet me of all people?

Oh right, it was mother.

A hand grabs down on my shoulder, the force from it almost causes my body to buckle under itself.

"Nysa! Thank God you're here!"

However, it is a hand I recognise, a hand that belongs only to the person who keeps grabbing my shoulder so aggressively every day.

Throwing his hand off my shoulder, I regretfully turn around, "What do you want, Joey? Also, stop grabbing my shoulder, I hate it."

"Ah, sorry about that! It's just, you're such a grabbable person!" He beams a bright smile.

...huh? Grabbable? Never thought I'd be getting that as a description to my name.

"Well anyways, I need your help man! I barely studied for our maths quiz and you're the only person who I know has!" This time he grabs me on both shoulders, shaking me violently, "I'm screwed man!"

I'm not your toy!

"Agh! I get it!" Breaking free from his double handed vice grip, I pull myself together and whip out my notebook.

What kind of guy does that to a girl? But then again I'm not your average girl.

Flipping my notebook open, I point to two pages that will cover majority of the test, "Alright, what here do you not know?"

Joey stares blankly at my notebook.

Noticing his confused expression I hesitantly ask, "Please don't say everything..."

Joey slowly looks away from the notebook "Uhhh...."

Ugh, this guy...

I push the notebook back into his line of sight, "You know at least something here..." Taking a step forward I can feel his confidence slowly dwindling, "Right!?"

"Ummm... well..." I could feel Joey slowly shrinking away every time he glanced back at the notebook, as if it was some power draining entity.

"You don't remember a thing we learnt in class, do you? Did you even study for it?!"

I do not break eye contact with him, in fact, if I tried a little harder maybe I could transmit some equations into his head.

Slapping the notebook away, Joey shouts, "I did study! But I can't remember anything man! It's like I'm looking at some ancient language that only the god's speak!"

Realising that this will only cause him to suffer, I let out a long and exasperated sigh, shutting my notebook and placing it back into my satchel, saving him from any further brain damage.

This morning just keeps getting better, doesn't it...

"Alright, listen up!" I raise up my index finger and look him dead in the eyes, "you at least remember how to do basic algebra right?"

Joey manages to muster up an, "uh huh".

"Then, just treat each part of the equation the same as the other, since there'll be two for each type of question. Whatever you do to one, you do to the other, got it?"

Joey somehow finds an ounce of courage for the upcoming battle and stands up straight with his hands by his side, "Yes ma'am!"

Although that was very generalised advice, you can't teach someone to run if they don't know how to walk.

Joey breaks out of his soldier like form and tilts his head to one side, "Who's that?"

"Oh..." I had completely forgotten Su was here.

"Um... this is Susu, a new student here..." I'm surprised that she was standing there so silently this whole time.

"Pleasure to meet you Susu! My name is Joey, if you couldn't already tell, sorry you had to see us argue like that!" Joey thrusts his hand in front of her.

It wasn't an argument, you just didn't study properly!

Before Su can say anything, our home room teacher slams open the door to our classroom, "Alright everyone! Get into your seats!"

---

After we had all settled into our seats, our teacher shuts the doors of the classroom, the abruptness causes everyone to cease their actions and pay attention to her. Acknowledging the silence, she walks over to her desk, the clacks of her heels echoing throughout the classroom, each step signifying the absolute superiority she has over the tension in the room and begins marking attendance.

This is Miss Ortiz, she's quite the stern and strict teacher, no one would dare to challenge her in anything she said or did. Why? Well, there were a few students who were quite loud in one of her classes, instead of giving them a warning, she forced them to run laps around the entire school. She would even lock students in rooms so they can't escape when giving them supplementary lessons. Whenever she makes an example of students, she does it in plain view of other students, to not only crush their spirits, but to also let us know that she isn't messing around.

She is also very... intentional with her choice of words. On one occasion, she took a student aside who was being a nuisance to the whole school and he emerged shortly after, silent and in tears. Never again has he caused any sort of complaint. I'm almost amazed at her unique skill set... but mostly terrified.

Ticking off the last student, she looks up at us, sitting silently and awaiting instructions. Honestly, sometimes it get quite peaceful. Sometimes.

"Okay class, today we have a new student, although I'm sure many of you already know this."

Murmurs begin to spread throughout the room, like a ripple in a still lake. Although I can't hear what they're exactly saying, I'm sure it's along the lines of "Who is she?" and "What is she like?"

Unfortunately, I already know the answer to these questions, and I'm sure everyone will be either surprised or dumbfounded by the sort of person she is.

"Silence!" Miss Ortiz manages to reclaim her dominance over the classroom, I'm surprised they were let off with such a mild warning.

"Her name is Susu." She turns her head to the desk next to mine. Susu surprisingly is un-wavered by the number of eyes on her.

"Would you like to introduce yourself Susu?"

She nods and stands up from her chair, making her way to the front of the classroom. As she approaches the open space, I take a closer look at her...

She's... smiling? Well, it's not unusual for someone to smile, but for her to smile feels oddly strange, for the whole time I've met here, which isn't very long, she's only shown one cold and monotone expression and nothing else.

She stops with her back towards the class and then twirls around on one foot.

Her hair flails gently to one side with strands of her hair shining, reflecting the morning sun, seemingly silky and light. Her skirt rises and drops in one smooth motion almost as if they were like waves in a calm ocean, gently easing itself in and out of the sea. Slowly spinning to a standstill, everything comes to rest, but not gone, like a warm afterglow after a cool summer wind. For a moment she seemed weightless, elegant almost.

She steadies herself by taking a few little steps to the side and places her hands behind her back. It almost feels that the air around her has changed from a dense and restricting fog, to a clear and shining breeze.

Opening her dark yet smooth hazelnut eyes, she takes a quiet yet deep breath.

"Good morning everyone!"

A seemingly angelic voice fills the room, almost putting everyone in a trance.

...huh?

"As Miss Ortiz has said before, my name is Susu. I'm not exactly from around here as my mum and I have recently moved neighbourhoods, so I hope that I can get along with everyone here!"

She flashes a smile, a smile so bright that I almost instinctively cover my eyes. I'm sure everyone else in the room felt the same way.

"Oh, I do like to go out on walks and gaze at the night sky! It's very peaceful when you look up and see the enormous number of shining lights in the dark blue sky."

Susu smiles again, tilting her head to one side, entrancing everyone in the room.

As she walks back to her seat, I look at her, dumbfounded.

What the hell just happened!? This is not the Susu that I know, granted I haven't known her for long, but this is completely different! Where did the cold and monotone girl that creepily sent me a text message last night go!?

I guess I was right in thinking that everyone would be quite surprised in the person that they would see, just not in the way I was expecting.

---

After Susu had finished her introduction, she immediately became the center of attention. Her personality had completely flipped, she seemed so relatable and personable, connecting with everyone in the classroom.

And it's not that she was just social, she seemed very kind and considerate, someone you could get along with really well. Many of the students seemed at ease when around her, even Mrs Ortiz didn't seem to mind, which is very unusual sight.

What actually happened there? How can a person change their personality so quickly? What happened to the other Susu I had met before, couldn't she have done the same to me? What kind of person do you have to be in order to make such a switch?

But most importantly, why?

"Ah! I completely forgot about our test!" Putting his hands to his head, Joey begins to crumble into a nervous wreck, all his confidence quickly turning to anxiousness and an unhealthy amount of doubt, "I'll be fine right?" Joey stares at me.

What am I? Your saviour?

Sighing, I turn to him, "If you just remember what I told you, you'll be fine."

I can only say that with the little confidence I have in him. But right now, I have a math test to focus on. Still, seeing Susu like that is one of the most strangest things I've seen a person do.