End of 8th Grade, End of an Era

Days passed, and exams arrived. Derek's hand had healed well. Taaliyah's parents got back home, but grandparents left to uncle and aunt's place, where they took the chance to badmouth her mother.

Since it's the finals, everyone was preparing well and writing the exams well, having no intentions to fail a whole year. Education takes crucial paths from 9th grade onwards and teachers gave enough training for all to concentrate on lesson which will be useful in higher classes and for higher education in college since they will begin to learn the basics of all subjects. Derek did not put in much effort since he knows the lessons and revised then while Taaliyah had to put in some effort to maintain her ranks.

She learned staying up and made sure her grand father's condition do not affect her.

"Did you study well?" Derek asked before Min Ah came to pick him.

"Yes," Taaliyah said.

"Okay, good," he said and packed his bag. "See you, my guitar classes begins next week, I will be busy this vacations," he said excitedly.

"Min Ah's home right?" Taaliyah asked him.

"Yes, it's convenient, the library is close to her place, so I can go to class and go to library together and come back home later in the evening," he said.

"Take care, travel carefully, carry water," she said to him.

"Hmm yes," he said and smiled. "See you tomorrow, good studies,"

"Good studies," she wished him back and watched him leave. She walked behind him and saw him get into the car. She then walked to the gates. Her father had not come. She wondered how long she will have to wait. And she stood there alone for half an hour. Everybody had left by that fine and only the security guard stood there.

When she got back home, she found that her mother is ill and tired. Yet she had prepared evening snack for Taaliyah. She felt bad for her mother but did not say anything to her. She missed Nara badly. She tried to study for the next day's examination. She looked at the phone and found no one online. Not even Derek. She ringed him and it said he is busy with some other call. She understood that he must be on call with Min Ah doing combine study. She let it go.

It was the final day of 8tu grade. Everyone gathered in their classroom after the exam and teacher Daliya walked in.

"My dear children, I hope you all did well in the exam, the results with ranklist will soon be published, so don't forget to come and check them the first of next month okay?" she said.

"Yes Ma'am," everyone said together.

"I guess it's over, our year went fast, so children, no matter what, keep going forward, do good things to people, be disciplined, respect everyone and study well. Don't let yourself distracted and go behind love and complications, hormones will try to control you but you should have a self control over yourself, okay? don't forget that, don't run wild, don't cross your limits, don't get into trouble, achieve higher and dream big, remember to dream big and win them. Make the stars yours," she advised.

"Thank you, ma'am,"

"Thank you everyone, farewell, I might not be your teacher next year, but I will try to come teach my subject if an allowed," everyone stood and bowed at her, thanking her. Daliya left the classroom. Everyone rushed out of the class as the bell rang screaming happy holidays.

Taaliyah and the girls left the class in the end. Derek said goodbye to everyone. And looked for Taaliyah, he still had the gift he meant to give her in his bag itself, carrying then around everyday. But he never got a right moment to give he that.

"Come Taaliyah, let's take a photo," he said.

"Sure," she said and smiled. He took his phone out and captured few selfies. Then he called the others to join him. They spent sometime together and went to canteen to get some snack. It was crowded. So they decided to wait a few minutes and sat under the tree opposite the canteen.

"What will you do during this holidays?" Derek asked Taaliyah.

"I don't know, maybe go to meet Nara, or sit at home, uppa won't be free to travel around," she said. She was gloomy. He understood that from her tone. She never got that spirit back after they had the fight.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her.

"Yes,"

"What about us?"

"What about us?" she looked at him. She looked away immediately unable to meet his eyes. "What about us?" she chuckled. "We are fine, are we not?" she asked him back.

"I guess," he kept watching her. He smiled. He turned his head away. He felt a tiny spark inside him. "Let's go," he said extending his arms to her stand up. She took them and looked away.

"Everything fine at home?" they asked together. Taaliyah and Derek looked at each other and laughed.

"Yes it fine," they said together again. She hit his arms lightly and kept walking. The girls stood at the canteen waiting while Derek and Taaliyah forgot about them and left.

"Let's go," Min Ah showed up got in their middle. Taaliyah looked Derek who stopped smiling immediately. She dragged Derek holding his hand and ran.

"Take care," Derek shouted to Taaliyah and left. The girls came for Taaliyah with two chicken puff for her and Derek. She ended having them both and waited for her father to come pick her. But her heart kept pounding loud. And suddenly someone pulled bag as she walked and she fell. But one who pulled her, held her in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she got furious and saw it's Danny And suddenly, someone walked in and hit Danny and punched his face. Taaliyah was shocked. The girls stood surprised and looked at Taaliyah.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know," she said and dropped her bag.