His Cherry on Top

Chapter 1

Chapter One: Awkward, big word.

Kairess' POV

--

Dark rooms are scary. Not because you can't see a thing, but because what's under the shade of its darkness can totally flabbergast you.

--

Working under the pressure of the upcoming deadline, everyone keeps their head in their specific tasks. The committee sponsors the annual celebration of the school's foundation, and launches the Search for an Outstanding Invention of the Year.

It's past nine in the evening when we finished half of the supporting structure of our masterpiece. There are a lot of major works on the queue and a handful of details to polish, yet we've already drained ourselves. When the head of the class calls it a day, everybody immediately packs up and bust out of the room.

Our homeroom teacher allows our work to be kept in the room to lessen the hassle, and being the last person to leave, the lock and key are entrusted to me. So before everyone else leaves, I pull Kaelyn with me. 

Who knows? I might end up jumping from the window than walking down the caliginous hallway alone.

I gather my stuffs scattered on my desk  and make sure the classroom's door is properly locked. Both of us proceed to the western wing of the building -- the shortcut to the main exit. Along the way we chatter about some stuffs to make the atmosphere less creepy.

"I heard that the pretty girl on class A has a boyfriend now," from random nonsense I shift to the topic that regards my curiosity. Curiosity not on that person's life, but on my bestfriend's reaction.

"You mean Miki? I don't even think they're serious. I never see them together in school or elsewhere," Kaelyn retorts, rolling her eyes.

"Perhaps they want their privacy."

She sneers, "Now that, my friend, is the most impossible thing to happen. I know the guy and that's unlikely to be him."

"Oh let me guess," I say, flashing a suspicious look on my face, "you're jealous."

Kaelyn's cheeks turn red, resembling the lightest shade of her auburn hair, "Bingo!" I exclaim as I snap my finger like a genius.

Kaelyn is the carefree type of person. That extroverted bestfriend who has a lot of connections. That's why she hears a lot of gossips way before it reaches my ears. However, recently someone told her that her childhood sweetheart is going out with a girl from class A. Not just any girl, but an undeniably attractive girl. Ah, there goes her love life withering already amidst its bloom.

"Want to buy some coffee jelly on our way home? Oh wait, that would be cannibalism."

 "What a lovely bestfriend you are."

"Although you're actually the unsweetened coffee jelly. Hmm, the bitter coffee jelly, yeah that's perfect."

When we're about to pass by the teachers' room, we notice a slender young teacher pushing three large boxes out. Her make-up has been worn out by sweat, her coiffure is done carelessly, and her knees and arms are trembling in exhaustion. When she catches a sight of us from the corner of her eyes, she kindly asks for our assistance.

Both of us hesitate to lend a helping hand that moment, since we want to rush home swiftly and we're also burned out. But when she pleads her heart out, we agree without a second thought.

She distributes the two other boxes to us. A deep sigh escapes her lips as her burden lightens. She does some stretching then hauls the last box with all her remaining strength.