Voice in my head

Oliver stood there before the door, stranded in the girl's toilet. He wasn't ready to face the embarrassment of being caught not only once, but twice inside the girl's toilet. Now the voices were close enough, it was obvious that they were heading for the toilet. Oliver dashed into the nearest stall; the one that was already occupied by Felicity.

When he entered the stall, Felicity jolted back, clutching her chest. The way he bumped into the stall scared her. She was standing by the corner and was so shocked to see him there. Oliver noticed that she wanted to say something, or maybe shout. He signaled to her with his index finger crossing his lips, making the shhh sound.

She kept quiet now, wondering what had happened. After some seconds, they heard the sound of the door knob twisting. This was followed by another sound, the squeaky sound of the door as it opened. They could now hear audibly, the voices of about a couple of girls, chattering their way into the girls' room. Felicity understood now, the reason he bumped into the stall.

Oliver and Felicity tried not to make any slight noise that could make the girls aware that the two had locked up themselves in one of the stalls. Someone came close to the door of the one they were in and jabbed at the handle.

"There's someone in here," replied Oliver and Felicity, together.

They said it in unison, and this made it sound more awkward.

"Oh my god," whispered Felicity under her breath, "That was awkward".

The girl at the door seemed to have heard the replies of a boy and a girl, echo through a single stall. She sounded puzzled.

"Did you hear that?" she asked someone.

Oliver looked through a small round aperture, he could see a second girl, who was busy in the mirror. It was Jess

"Hear what exactly?" asked the girl admiring her looks in the far-end mirror.

"I think I heard a second voice from this stall like they're two people inside it," said the one standing before the door.

Oliver silently prayed that the girls would leave the room, but instead, they started up an argument.

"Why on earth would two people lock themselves up in a toilet stall? How disgusting," said the one by the mirror.

"It sounded more like a boy and a girl. You never know what goes on in this orphanage these days," said the other.

Oliver and Felicity kept silent, hearing the two girls' long and unnecessary arguments. After a long while, they heard the door open, and the place was silent again. The girls had left at last.

Oliver and Felicity were both silent, there was no other voice heard outside again.

"How could you?" whispered Felicity, "We were almost caught," she added.

Oliver felt embarrassed. He was in the same toilet with a girl.

"I'm so sorry for bumping into you like that, I couldn't let them see me," he whispered.

Felicity sighed.

"I understand," she said, "But none of this would have ever happened if you had taken my advice," she said.

Oliver couldn't stand it anymore, he felt so embarrassed. But he was still surprised at the way Felicity reacted to all of this. Something struck his mind now. He had forgotten to meet Mrs Caitlin.

"I should go," he said.

"Yeah you should," she replied, "but you've got to be sure those girls are not lurking around".

"I can't hear them anymore, I think they're gone," said Oliver.

"Remember what I told you," said Felicity.

He slowly opened the door. There was no one else left in the girls' room. As he padded along the hallway, he began to think. Felicity had made herself clear that he should walk away from her, and mingle with other kids at the top rank of the social hierarchy, but he didn't see that as good advice. He felt so sorry for her. He understood her point and felt her concern, but he was so much upset within himself, about why the world should decide for him the type of life he should live and the category of friends he should desire. Even now that he had the chance to finally have a taste of true friendship, the world still wanted to decide who was worthy and who was a loser. He saw no difference between the class system and the bullies. They all had the same objective, which was to oppress those below.

Oliver headed towards the teacher's office to meet her. He began to wonder what warranted the teacher to withhold his paper.

He had reached the door now. He took a deep breath, then knocked thrice on the door. The knob squeezed open, as he was retrieving his clenched hand after the third knock. He stepped back, expecting to see the teacher, but it was just another kid that came out, from a different grade though.

"Come in," came a feminine voice from inside, as Oliver was about to knock again.

Oliver quietly twisted the knob, opening the door. He quietly walked straight inside the office, closing the door behind him. The teacher was busy clicking away on her PC, with her eyes transfixed on the monitor screen.

"Good morning ma," greeted Oliver, indirectly reminding Mrs Caitlin, that someone was standing there, waiting for her.

"Good morning, how may I help you?" she replied, still on her computer.

"You asked me to see you," answered Oliver, with his typical meek tone.

"The teacher raised an eyebrow, peeping from above her specs.

"I did?" she asked, trying to recall.

"Trig class," reminded Oliver.

"Oh yes, almost slipped my mind. I've been so preoccupied lately," said the teacher, "Logan right?" she asked.

"It's Oliver Logan," answered Oliver.

"Right, Oliver," said Mrs Caitlin, adjusting her glasses.

"Oliver, you may sit down, sorry for keeping you waiting," she said.

Oliver quietly drew back the chair facing the desk and sat down.

"Oliver, what was your last school?" asked the teacher.

"It's Phoenix High, Tennessee," answered Oliver.

The teacher nodded.

"The reason why I called you here, is because of your performance on the test I gave," said Mrs Caitlin.

"First of all, I have to ask, since when have you been learning trigonometry?" asked Mrs Caitlin.

"I never have, or maybe this morning, I guess," was his nervous reply.

"You're saying you didn't learn trigonometry at your former school?" asked Mrs Caitlin, looking more surprised.

Oliver nodded in affirmation, wondering what may have brought about the teacher's surprise.

"But how come?" asked Mrs Caitlin, "Your performance amazed me, Oliver, though you weren't present from the start of the lesson, you surpassed every other student, applying an advanced method in solving the questions," explained Mrs Caitlin.

Oliver wasn't surprised at all, because this wasn't new. This was one of the reasons why he was referred to as a freak and brainiac back in his old school in Tennessee.

"That was an extraordinary performance, Oliver, even though you are among the youngest in class," said Mrs Caitlin.

She handed Oliver his script.

"Well done," she said to him.

Oliver took the paper from her and glanced over it. He scored a hundred percent.

"I heard the news about your parents, I'm so sorry," she said to Oliver, with a look of concern and sympathy.

Oliver couldn't stop thinking about his parents now, he wanted to leave the office desperately. He didn't want the teacher to see him crying.

"You were brought to the right place Oliver, you're safe here. Feel free to tell me anything, any problem at all that you have," said Mrs Caitlin.

She soon noticed the tears clouded in his eyes.

"Hay, is there any problem?" she asked.

"No... nothing, I just need some air," stuttered Oliver, standing to his feet.

"Tell me what the problem is, I could help you," said Mrs Caitlin, with concern.

"It's nothing, I... I just need to get my inhaler," he lied.

"You could have just said so," said Mrs Caitlin, "You can leave now. Welcome to Melrose."

Oliver didn't waste any more seconds. He left the office immediately. He couldn't hold it any longer, he couldn't stop thinking about his parents. Trying to get used to this new world, but being stuck with the reality, which was that he wouldn't see them anymore, was quite painful.

He quickened his steps, as he walked down the hallway. He entered a dark room by the corner when he was sure that there was no one looking. Inside there, he got all the privacy he needed.

As he wept, memories played in his head, reminding him of their comfort and tender care.

All of a sudden, he stopped crying, curiously looking around and the dark dusty office. When he thought it was nothing, he heard it again, a voice, calling out his name.

"What?" he muttered under his breath.

It came again, and this time, he didn't waste any more time inside the dark office. He backed away from the office and headed straight to the class.