Chapter 2

15 5 2
                                    

Ross

I was reasonably not fond of having parents or a guardian attend meetings purposed for the release of report cards. Perhaps because it made me unnecessarily envious. Envy of kids who had loving and caring parents wanting to be as much involved in their lives. And certainly, when I tried to be honest and accept that I really was, I'd be suddenly stricken by the thought that I didn't deserve to have one. I was given none because I had and will always cause misery.

Memories when I was much younger were blurry, but when triggered by particular instances, emotions I forgot I had felt for so long became so distinct that they felt so vivid and present. In darkness, at night, in my dreams, or should I refer to them as nightmares, and even in daylight when I was wide awake. It snatched me from reality, like a hostage. Implying that if I do any move to get loose from its hold, I will only stir it up to inflict more suffering on me.


"So who did you summon?" We were at the school grounds looking for our adult representative to claim our report cards. I was waiting for my cousin, Clea, because Aunt Shirley had something more important to do. Clea graduated from here, so she was familiar with the place and some people.

"I expect my brother, Mikael. But I haven't seen him around yet, have you?" I was flanked by Jab and Chas, both searching for their parents, but Jab said his older brother would come.

"I won't tell you if I see him, and I wouldn't tell him where you are if he asks." Chas started to josh while still busy scanning the crowd.

"It's fine. Because not many minutes ago I saw Mrs. de Silva about to enter the gate, but I relayed to her that our homeroom meeting was cancelled so as the release of our report cards." Jab chaffed, returning the same energy Chastity cast on him. 

"There's no way... you did?" Chas gasped, and she sounded like Jab was capable of duping her mother. Jab may have looked like he could be in a group of hooligans, but I knew he wouldn't.

"Yeah. As long as you're nutty as a fruitcake."

"I knew it. By the way, is that Mikael?" Jab and I both turned our heads in the direction where Chas seemed to be looking surprised. Her acting was so convincing that she managed to fool Jab, and so was I.

I told them that we should go and search separately so it can be as easy as falling off a log. If one finds what the other is looking for, he or she will tell, and the same thing goes for the other. But they insisted that three pairs of eyes were better together for surveying. 


"There you are, kid. Oh, hi Chastity, we meet again; how have you been... and?" A guy taller than all the students in Idianale High gestured at me while looking at Jab. They looked so much alike, but this one can pass as a professor. He is looking decent.

"Hi Mikael, I am so fine but I sometimes mourn over the fact that Jab wasn't any like you." Jab and his brother laughed, but Chas stuck her tongue out.

"Mikael, she's Rossleen." He looked like he regretted introducing me. With the way I normally treat Jab, he has earned all the rights to speak ill of me.

"Nice to finally meet you, Rossleen. Jab's mouth never ceases to mention you." Mikael was all smiles, but Jab snaked his arm around his neck. Tiptoeing to reach his taller brother, he jokingly pulled him down. 

"Hi, just Ross. I hope... those were good things." No, honestly, I would not care if those weren't positive comments. I tried to answer casually, but only showed how retiring I was.

Bringing Clea into the meeting wasn't that bad; although she was the youngest to attend and serve as someone's guardian, she was greatly confident. Chastity's mother also came in a hurry, telling her daughter how she just sneaked off from their office during lunch break. I can really tell that Chastity takes after her mother.

Jammed: Apples and OrangesWhere stories live. Discover now