Reality

A sharp intake of breath escaped his lips as he pressed a trembling hand to his forehead, a sheen of sweat lingering on his skin.

His gaze dropped to his moist palm, the evidence of his tears glistening in the dim light.

Confusion clouded his eyes as he surveyed his surroundings.

The stillness of the fan above and the closed window reminded him that he had never left the confines of his room.

"Why... why did I feel such an intense pull, as if it was calling out to me, urging me to come closer?" he questioned, his voice a mixture of bewilderment and melancholy.

His brows furrowed, etching lines of contemplation on his face, as he wrestled with the enigmatic connection he had sensed with the monkey.

The depth of sorrow and unfulfilled longing in its eyes haunted him, an unspoken plea for him to fulfill some unknown purpose.

It was a weighty burden, one that left him feeling as though he had failed himself, his expression a canvas of confusion and sorrow.

"It was the first time I've ever seen eyes like that—red with a glimmer of gold, reminiscent of the sun," he murmured, his mind grasping at elusive memories.

The image of those unique eyes lingered in his thoughts, fragments of meaning dancing just out of reach.

He strained to recall the words the monkey had tried to convey, an unyielding determination etched upon his face.

Lost in the depths of his thoughts for a while, he suddenly jolted back to reality, a surge of realization sweeping over him like a gust of wind.

The weight of unfinished homework pressed upon him, a nagging reminder of responsibilities left unattended.

His gaze shifted to the somber presence of the black clock on his bedside table, its hands ticking away the precious moments he had squandered.

With a determined resolve, he threw off the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his feet meeting the cool floor beneath.

Time was slipping away, urging him to hasten his preparations.

He moved with hurried purpose, swiftly making his way to the bathroom to freshen up, his mind already racing ahead to the tasks that awaited him.

Having completed his ablutions, he sat down at the kitchen table, his dinner before him.

With each bite, he savored the flavors mingling on his palate, fueling him for the day ahead.

He glanced at the small sum of money set aside for his school lunch.

Arriving at the school, he strode through the familiar corridors, his footsteps echoing against the polished linoleum floors.

Purposefully, he navigated the maze of desks and chairs in his classroom, each step bringing him closer to his designated spot.

Settling into the last bench, he sought solace in the subtle seclusion it offered, a place where he could observe and absorb without drawing unnecessary attention.

Time seemed to stretch in the hushed anticipation of the arrival of the teacher.

The room held an air of quiet expectancy, punctuated only by the soft rustle of textbooks and the occasional whisper of conversation.

Every passing second seemed to amplify the mounting anticipation, until at last, the door swung open and the teacher stepped in, casting a commanding presence upon the room.

The teacher diligently proceeded with attendance, their voice echoing through the classroom.

Lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts, his mind wandered back to the enigmatic dream, replaying the elusive encounter with the monkey.

He puzzled over the cryptic message that never reached his ears, the monkey's eyes holding secrets he yearned to comprehend.

Absorbed in contemplation, he absentmindedly scratched his head, a gesture betraying his inner perplexity.

Unbeknownst to him, the teacher called out his roll number repeatedly, each time met with his oblivious silence.

Frowning with concern, the teacher's gaze fixated on him, attempting to break through the veil of his introspection.

With unwavering determination, he approached his desk, determined to capture his attention and restore him to the present moment.

Caught between the realms of contemplation and reality, he continued to mull over his thoughts, his hand idly tracing his chin.

The teacher's persistent attempts to engage him went unnoticed, his shoulders rising in a shrug of confusion, a silent admission of his unwitting detachment.

Without warning, the teacher's frustration boiled over, and he forcefully slammed the attendance book onto his head.

Startled by the sudden impact, he jolted upright, his eyes widening in surprise.

"What, sir?" he stammered, confusion etching itself on his face.

A wave of laughter swept through the classroom, filling the air with mocking amusement.

His gaze darted around, eyebrows raised in bewilderment, acutely aware of the scrutinizing eyes fixed upon him.

The teacher's voice cut through the mirth, stern and disapproving.

"It was your roll number I called repeatedly, and you didn't respond even once," the teacher admonished, their disappointment palpable.

"Tell me, Valin, what were you thinking?"

His gaze flitted from the blackboard to the desks, briefly meeting the eyes of his classmates, before settling on his teacher.

Under the weight of their collective attention, he lowered his gaze, inadvertently noticing a yellow sticker affixed to the edge of his desk.

His heart quickened its pace, the rush of embarrassment tingling through his veins as he struggled to find the right words.

"I... I was..." he began, his voice faltering.

Interrupting him, the teacher pressed for an explanation, their tone a mix of curiosity and reproach. "You were what?"

He glanced around, feeling the weight of judgment bearing down upon him.

With a touch of trepidation, he managed to muster a response. "I was... thinking about things, sir."

The teacher paused, taken aback by his vague answer. "Things? What things?" they probed further, their curiosity piqued.

Caught off guard, he searched for a suitable explanation, his eyes darting around the room for inspiration.

Eventually, he settled on a seemingly innocuous subject. "I was... thinking about a movie."

The teacher's patience wore thin, their frustration bubbling up once again.

The attendance book crashed down on his head once more, accompanied by their sharp words.

"This bastard was thinking about a movie while I was taking attendance! Pay attention next time, you monkey!"

Laughter erupted anew, engulfing the classroom as his classmates reveled in his embarrassment.

The weight of their gazes intensified, a mixture of amusement and disdain, leaving him feeling exposed and diminished.

While the teacher busily wrote on the board, a voice from the adjacent desk broke through the classroom's murmur.

It was the person seated beside Valin, calling his name with a mix of urgency and familiarity.

"Hey, Valine! Hey, did you do that math homework?" the person inquired, their tone hushed yet eager.

Valin turned to face them, a flicker of annoyance briefly crossing his features.

"Nah, I didn't. Have you done it, man? And hey, it's Valin," he corrected, a hint of mild exasperation in his voice.

The person beside him chuckled sheepishly, his voice softened with apologetic sincerity.

"Oh, right, sorry about that. Always mixing up names. But hey, I'm going to do it now. How about this? Can you write down what the teacher is putting on the board in my copy? And when he comes near us, give me a heads-up. Once I'm done, I'll let you copy it, deal?"

Valin's eyes flickered momentarily to the yellow sticker on the table before he sighed inwardly, contemplating the request.

The wheels of his thoughts turned, weighing the pros and cons, the complexities of friendship and personal boundaries.

"I wish I could say no," he thought, his mind clouded with conflicting emotions. "I wish I could feel alright about declining and asserting myself. But if I refuse, will I be hated? Will I be burdened with guilt? Will it make me the bad friend?" His shoulders slumped, a sense of resignation settling over him.

With a sigh, he reluctantly agreed to help, his voice tinged with weariness.

"Alright then," he acquiesced, pausing for a moment before continuing in his thoughts,

"I'll do it. But I wish I had friends who didn't only reach out when they needed help. Sometimes, I just want companionship, genuine connections where I can truly enjoy my school life but this is what I am amount to."

As the last period dragged on, Valin's gaze wandered aimlessly, his eyes scanning the faces of those he considered his friends.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, a subtle hint of longing embedded within the sound.

Conversations filled the air, mingling with the buzz of anticipation for the approaching break time.

Yet, amidst the chatter, Valin felt a sense of detachment, a feeling of being on the periphery of it all.

He shifted in his seat, restlessly flipping open his textbook. The pages revealed a chapter on seasons, and his mind drifted away from the classroom's mundane atmosphere.

"Seasons," he muttered softly, his voice barely audible above the surrounding noise.

"Fall and winter... those are my favorite seasons," he murmured, a wistful glimmer in his eyes.

Time seemed to stretch as he pondered, his thoughts momentarily consumed by mundane concerns.

"The teacher is taking too long to come," he thought, a tinge of impatience creeping into his internal monologue.

"Should I indulge myself and eat something during the break, or should I save this money for later? Today is scorching hot," he contemplated, the oppressive heat seeping into his consciousness.

Just as his thoughts drifted, the teacher finally entered the classroom, bringing an end to the idle musings.

Valin's hunger went unaddressed during the break; he quietly endured the remaining period, his lips sealed, lacking the desire to engage with his peers as his peers kept ignoring him.

The passing minutes seemed to stretch, each second ticking away with a silent ache.

As the final bell resonated through the classroom, signaling the end of the last period, Valin emerged from his introspection.

With a sense of resignation, he closed his book and joined the movement of students, a quiet figure navigating through the dispersing crowd.

The conclusion of the day brought with it a mix of relief and melancholy, a bittersweet melody echoing within his heart.