Days of Remedy

Part 2

Later that September, we moved from Hiriyama to the city up north. Small and cold cities like Kushiki make me uneasy, but I am thankful for any place where I can try to forget. My parents enrolled me in a new school with an outstanding reputation, but no matter how much they are excited for me, I can't bring myself to share it with them. Every time I step inside, my heart starts beating, and my throat feels like someone has gagged me with a bag of sand. So far, I have been left alone, perhaps because I would rather zone out every class than partake in planning the upcoming school festival. Or maybe because I try to act as if I have never existed in the first place.

It had been raining the whole afternoon. My classmates are watching a volleyball game in a gym, and I'm hiding in class. If I focus enough, I can hear the creaking shoes and muted cheering; otherwise, the gentle drizzle quiets down the atmosphere of the usually rowdy halls. The only thing keeping me sane in the dull-looking classroom are clear windows with a view of the city. Old buildings and narrow streets near the market are being brushed by the foamy water steams cascading down the roofs. Raindrops are sticking to the rusty overhead power lines and tree branches, slowly falling down, adding to the shallow paddles. The olive green on the trees has nearly faded, and the grey city has started to put on some mellow colors in the tones of cinnamon and gold. The rippling lake at the city's edge drove away all fishing boats to the shore, and the ducks that usually swim close to the pier flew away to hide from the gloomy weather. Wanting to bring a picturesque scene inside the classroom filled with a powdery smell of chalk, I open the upper part of the window next to me. An earthy scent enters the room, and my mind goes to the grass fields we used to visit when I was younger.

I hear the door open; I freeze a bit, but when I look over, it's just one of my classmates. A very tall girl with blondish hair in a short half-up ponytail is standing there looking at me. 

She closes the door, and says: "Not much of a sports fan, huh? Me neither." I am not in the mood for a forced conversation, so I ignore her, but she continues: "Do you like the rain? You have been looking outside for hours; the sound can be pretty hypnotizing, right?" 

She jumps on a desk next to me, waiting for an answer, but I keep looking outside. Uncomfortable silence is taking control of the calming atmosphere that was present minutes ago. Still, instead of leaving or ignoring me, she speaks up again. At first, it seems like she is unsure of what to say. 

A low hum buzzes through the room, but as she notices the book sticking outside my bag, she suddenly finds the words: "I see you like reading; what is it about?" I, again, answer with silence. Her face looks slightly disappointed, but it quickly changes into a soft smile: "Ok, not much of a talker then; that's fine. I will just hang out here for a bit, so I don't have to listen to the closing ceremony." 

She then sat there, looking outside the window, saying nothing, just like me. Time passes, and her presence begins to feel a bit more pleasant than it did before. Her swinging legs make the desk she sits on squeak, and her finger tapping interrupts the outside rain's monotone sound. It seems like she tries to make the time pass as smoothly as possible and I am here making the situation even more difficult. At least I can answer her question and make the time go faster. 

"It's a thriller," I say. 

She turns her head back to me with slightly furrowed brows. 

"The novel, it's a thriller," I repeat. The girl does not comment, but I see she is paying attention and expects me to continue."It's about a detective who is given a case of a found body. The twist is that it's his childhood friend, so he gets very invested in solving the mystery of her death." 

Her brown eyes start to crinkle, and her tiny teeth gap is now visible. She asks about the story's ending but sadly for her, I haven't finished the book yet, so I just shrug my shoulders. A disappointed sigh escapes her lips, but her friendly expression won't disappear even for a moment. 

Suddenly the bell rings, and the girl jumps off the desk: "Well, time for me to go; I promised I would help clean up after the match. It was nice talking to you, though! Next time, you can tell me how the book ends!" 

And with that and a short wave, she leaves me behind in the classroom.