Genius Rivals (Ongoing)

11 - THE RACE TO THE FIRST PLACE

It is now 5th of July. It has been a month since the classes started. Devin, our professor, is processing the papers in front of us. The whole whiteboard behind him has the word "SILENT!!" written all over it. Devin wrote it. Sure, he doesn't like noise when working on something. Same as me. But what's amazing about him is he is writing in two hands. Left and right hand, both holds a pen. His attention turns to another paper in a split second. How rare can you see a person who's ambidextrous? To make it even more amazing, he's also looking at the white laptop in front of him. Probably our scores from the past tests on the screen. His head switching back and forth constantly at a fixed rate. I think our professor is a computer. By the way he multitasks, I won't be surprised if he is. Although I dislike the rugged attitude he gives towards us, the abilities he has can't be denied.

The whole class shut their mouth. But wondering through the scene, I've seen them doing acts in a discreet way. In the way seats are organized, observation is possible. 6 rows, consisting 5 chairs and tables each. I am sitting in the last row near the windows. By that, I can see what's underneath of their table. I leaned on my forearm. Feeling my arm pressured by my head, but my hand also feeling the smoothness of my desk. Well, I try to make my own things clean and tidy, but this four-eyed idiot in front of me is eating. His only defining features is the messy hairstyle and pimples on cheeks. He should invest in beauty products. Spilling bits of biscuits in the floors will eventually lead to my area getting spoiled. Eating at class time is prohibited and no one told him. Maybe no one cared enough to tell him. Snitching him comes to my mind, but no. It'll only stir unwanted ruckus. Let him do his thing.

But as soon as the glutton about to put biscuit inside his mouth, the phone in his pocket rang louder than the silence. Putting the class' attention on him. Their heads turn like a domino effect. The professor halted his own, proceeding to look at the celebrity of the moment.

"Levi Pines, are you aware of the word behind me, ain't you?" he says in serious tone. Glaring at him.

The phone rang still. The guy holds his right pocket with both hands, muffling the sound slightly. He looks nervous by clenching his teeth.

"Excuse me, sir. I have to answer this."

He rushes to the exit like a boy who peed his pants. Sliding the doors and made a TUG sound when he closed it. He sure looks like a boy who peed his pants. Both experiences are relatively the same.

Everyone in the room laughed. Squeezing humor from the moment. But there's nothing funny about that. At least for me.

"QUIET!" Devin screamed viciously. Some looked down instantly and some looked to the other direction. "There's nothing to laugh about. You're not kids anymore," and resumed what he originally does.

Glad we shared the same sentiment, Devin. I looked outside the window. Birds hovering over the roof top of next building. The wind drags a single leaf on the clear screen. It stays in the stool of window for awhile but then it flies away, never to be seen again. From that, I know it's going to be a windy day.

While spacing out from reality, I notice a paper on the floor. An art paper. Something was drawn on it. The shadows made it unclear to be seen.

"Virgil, can you pick that up for me?"

I hear a light voice. It was Raine's voice asking me. Fixed my eyes on hers for awhile.

"I don't know. Can I?"

She pouted as soon she hears and narrowed her eyes with it. She looked like a bratty child for a second.

"HA-HA, so funny" she said in descending manner.

I extended my arms below to pick a single paper. I tried to grasp it but picking up a paper from a floor in one go always proved to be challenging. I tried to grasp it two times but my fingertips isn't enough and my nails are short. If this happens, I slide the paper on the tiny gap between the tiles and pick it up on the exposed edge. A simple trick for such a simple chore. But my fingers touched the floor. Who knows what kind of cellular abominations living below there?