404

"Life's Glory"

Paper's on the desk set forth to a new journey. Pencil sharpened to the ends for the discovery of new meanings. Chair's upright and aligned such as the sails on the ships of the pioneers. I am set to voyage this new chapter in my life. An unchartered territory but a land full of gleam and gladness, I must go and see.

"That is such a wonderful poem Ace. Great job!" Miss Edda said to me with such joy in her voice as she stands in total proudness at the back of the class watching me speak in front.

"Thank you, Ms. Edda. Honestly, I think I just feel... I don't know... Inspired?" I said with such awkwardness as I stand there in front not knowing what to do with myself.

"Well, then Ace, go FORTH THE VOYAGE with that inspiration of yours. You may now sit down." Miss Edda said with so much jolliness as she walks back to the front of the class.

"Thank you, miss. " I replied as I went back to my chair which was the fourth sit from the right in the second row of the class.

"Thank you for that amazing poem you shared with us, Ace. Let's now talk about our topic - Clauses." Miss Edda revealed to us with so much exuberance.

Miss Edda talks extremely well. Her postures, gestures, the elaborate connections of steps coincide with her pauses and resumptions, she teaches with such gusto. Like a choreographed dancer dancing to their fantastical music, Miss Edda's grace comes from her personality. A personage dedicated to teaching. A voice perfectly tweaked to match her hand movements such as the music to the dancer's feet, all just to catch one's attention. I was mesmerized. Shall I be like her?

As this was going on, I cannot ignore the chatter at the back of the room. A lingering tone too unsophisticated to seem worthwhile and yet still seemingly ear-catching. I was intrigued and so I shifted my attention to their voices.

*bickering*

"Missy has finally found her equal." The voices said in a teasing fashion as they look and bicker about Emma who was next to me.

I was flattered by their description. I did work hard to be like Emma. Her skills, her talents, her intellect, and her physical abilities are no small feat to imitate. But do I accept this flattery at the expense of Emma? Conflicted, I looked at Emma. Her brows evidently but not extremely frowned. Her lips tucked in her mouth as she bites on them. Her hand shakes slightly as she writes her notes on her pink notebook. I have not seen this Emma before. One that is devoid of any joy, smile, and even slight positivity. What is happening to her? Emma's sad...

I looked again at the back of the classroom to observe if the ones bickering amongst themselves have finished doing so. Surprisingly, they have not. They still went on and on teasing not just Emma, but a lot of our classmates who I haven't even met yet. However, I'm not sure if I should take what they say at face value or be offended.

I am confused. I look towards the front where Miss Edda was at teaching a topic I've studied and mastered already. Suddenly, this numb and wavy feeling came upon my head. I blinked my eyes repeatedly to fight it but it was no use. The numbness overwhelmed my mind. My eyes are unable to focus, both my hands unable to hold my head as I rest my chin on them, and my mind unable to digest the information being told by Miss Edda. Wha- What is this? I still desire to listen to Miss Edda and her teachings. Schooling continues to excite me still, so what is this?

To fight this urge of nullness, I looked out the window. I watched as the trees sway freely with the wind, careless in their existence. Their minds, if any, only needing the nutrients they have on the ground. But their leaves fall due to the elements. I watch as one by one, this old branch of a tree slowly loses its final leaves. The wind catches these leaves and away from the tree. It seems as though the sun made it happen and the wind participated. The same sun that gave the tree life is giving it problems as well. My mind slowly awakens as this realization hits me. The thing that makes things glorious also makes things flawed. My mind hurts me, but it also raises me? These people that pain Emma is also the ones that give her determination.