Braver and Clear

The sun was shining bright outside, the winter winds saying goodbye. The atmosphere calm and silent, getting hotter day by day and drying everything around. The kids who played in the ground often fell and hurt themselves with wounds covered in the arms and knees, but the interest in playing the games consoled their aching bodies.

The lunch break looked like a celebration where everyone gathered and played while the staff room became a place to discuss, plan classes and gossip, still not giving rest to the throats that works 8 hours straight a day in maximum voices. But one person could not come up to ask what he wants to straight. To him the world looked gloomy for a moment. Wondering if he has hurt someone.

"Do you like Mint lime or do you prefer grape lime?" Derek finally mustered up the courage for nothing and asked Taaliyah. Taaliyah looked at unbelievably. It indeed was a shocking question and a very stupid one all at the same time.

"What?" She asked back. "Duh," she rolled her eyes. 'What was I expecting?!"

Derek breathed loudly. He was tensed and he wanted ask her something important. But imagining a reply from her himself and feeling embarrassed, he decided to ask something else which turned out to be such a reckless question to which he already knows the answer. She hates both. Unable to bare the consequence he made up, he quit half away and took the diversion.

"What? Answer me," he said.

Instead she hit him on his head with the magazine and stood up walking back to the stand. She placed the magazine back and walked out. He followed her closely, annoying her. He pulled her ribbon which loosened her pigtails. He laughed loud and ran away quickly, happy to mess with her.

"You devil, stop there," she shouted and ran behind him. She took small pebble from the ground and threw at him. Min Ah was standing under the giant old tree in the middle of the campus and watched them playing around.

"You idiot, my mom ties my hair, I don't even know how to do it," she stopped running, panting hard and took the hair ties. She walked towards the girl's rest room and wondered how to tie them on the either side. But failing miserably, she put a ponytail and walked out. She smiled. She walked into the washroom and washed her hands. At the same time, Min Ah walked in and pretended to wash her hands by spraying the water on Taaliyah.

"Hey," Taaliyah called out.

"Oops, sorry," Min Ah gave an evil smile, and she exited. Taaliyah got back to her rotten mood once again and climbed the stair back to her class. "That bi**h," she cursed on her way.

Everyone was already seated. Taaliyah did not hear the bell and was late to class. Her history teacher was already in the class, teaching.

"May I come in Ma'am," she aksed for permission.

"Why are you late?" Teacher interrogated her.

"I went to use to use the washroom," Taaliyah answered.

"Did you not have almost an hour to do it all, finding excuses," Teacher scolded her. "Where are the pigtails and ribbons? Is this how you maintain discipline in class? Or are you trying to rebel and get followers?" Teacher asked her unimaginable things. Everyone looked at the teacher shocked. And then back at Taaliyah. Taaliyah has no idea why teacher asked her such mean things but she did not say word. Afraid of getting heavier doses. "Don't pretend like you are innocent, I know how you are in the class," Taaliyah went pale hearing such sharp words and accusations. "Stand there, don't come in, you have no interest in attending my classes or studies anyway," Taaliyah looked down and moved aside, close to the door. "I don't want you to block the lights, move and stand away, the sisters are so alike," Taaliyah did not understand that. But she moved away anyway.

"Ma'am," someone stood up. Taaliyah's heart stopped that very moment.

"Derek no," she said but her sound was not audible for the class to hear it.

"Yes Derek boy, what is it?" Teacher asked him.

"She is the topped in history, why would you say that?" The smile instantly disappeared from Molly, the history teacher's face.

"Get out," she said instantly. "Supporting a girl when she committed a mistake, what a love for friends! Go give company, standing outside the class," she said. "Go," Derek smirked and walked out instantly as if he has been waiting for the moment. "You," she stopped him. "Stand on the other side of the door," she instructed trying not to let them stand together.

He got on the right side of the door while Taaliyah stood on the left. Taaliyah looked shocked and went cold but Derek giggled and looked at her. Trying to calm her down.

"I have completely lost the continuity in teaching because of the two," she blamed Taaliyah and Derek and went back to teaching about French Revolution. Emily and Bhoomi began to hate the class because of the teacher's behaviour while Ester and Hera chose to sleep instead. Fred and Ryan had never liked the subject nor the teacher hence were in their own imaginary world while the rest slept with their eyes open. But Taaliyah missed the class. It was a topic she was looking forward to learning. Half an hour later, teacher walked out of the classroom ignoring the two of them.

"She was the one who ruined Sis Nara now she is getting back at you," Derek told her as they walked to their desks.

"What?" Taaliyah was confused. "Miss Molly?"

She used to work in our previous school, the year your sister Nara got suspended, and Zayn brother left, it was because she kept bad mouthing about them, after that incident she also left school and joined here," Derek informed her. "She just have known who you are,"

"Is that why she mentioned sisters being alike?" It striked immediately. Derek nodded. "What the fuck?" Taaliyah grew angry. "How dare she?"