Blue

2: THE GIRL AND THE CLOCK

I don't know for how long I have been laying on the floor of the bus when somebody blocks the flickering yellow lights I am mindlessly staring at. A tall man is standing towering above me with his hand reached out for me. I quickly grab it and get to my feet. He is not wearing the attire like all the students and has a notepad in his hand which makes me realize he must be one of the staff members. "Name?" he asks sternly ." I don't know" I reply without thinking and move aside to get a seat. It's not like he will recognize me if I say who I am , I don't even go to this weird school. Also I have no intention of starting a new life , being a person with an identity again. I actually really do not know who I am. Why can't I just live a day without having to fulfill the curiosity of people to know who or what I am. The burden of being someone is too heavy, you have to put up with being that person for the rest of your life because people do not like surprises.
The bus is filled with too many students , there is barely any space to stand let alone have a seat. Kids are busy in conversation , some are fast asleep in their seats. And then I notice something that shocks me, I am not the only person in casual attire without a backpack here , there are a bunch of other kids too like me, the conductor who asked me my name a while ago is talking to one of them and writing something down in his notepad. I am observing this bizarre situation when someone taps me on my shoulder. It's a girl nearly my age. Her eyes are covered in dark circles but she's smiling at me faintly .Her smile doesn't just reach her eyes. "You can sit here freshie" , she motions towards her seat near the window. Freshie these kids do not know I went to University until today but alright let people assume what they want to. I take her seat and notice a guy falling fast asleep in the seat next to mines.He seems the same age as me and has the same tired expression like everyone else on this bus.What kind of school is this? Why is everyone 19 or 20 nearly and going to a highschool? Weird I think but I am too tired to think anything more and my eyelids feel so heavy.
I didn't realize it when I fell asleep but the sound of a bell ringing very close to me wakes me up."Freshie 109, go change into your uniform" the conductor guy says handing me a black backpack. I am frustrated how nobody even asks me if I really am a new student or not and just assumes it themselves but I can't say that i am an intruder or else i'll be kicked out of this bus and i have nowhere to go anymore not like there is a place I would want to be right now. It doesn't matter where I am so hell with this , if I have to wear these clothes to pretend let's get done with this. I take the bag from him and put it in my lap and try to fall asleep again but he is still standing looking at me with a stern expression. I raise my eyebrows at him in a questioning way. "Go to the compartment at the end of blue and get changed right now." Blue? What the hell is this guy talking about ?? I just nod because he seems like one of those teachers you should never mess with and I guess I have already risked my life being rude to him.
When he leaves I try to look around to ask someone what the hell is blue and where is the compartment he was talking about. "Go all the way to the end of the aisle and there you'll find a changing room 109." says the guy in the seat next to mine with his eyes still closed. I wonder how he can stay asleep after all that loud ass bell ringing of that guy. "I would rather not be called by a number." I snap at him and get up to get changed. 109? A changing room in a bus ? It is just getting weirder.

The clock is ticking loudly on the wall. 9th graders hunched over their exams writing at the speed of light. write please write I urge my hand. I drop the pen that I am holding . My hands are covered in sweat and shaking.I glance at the wall clock 15 minutes left no this can't be happening. I have yet to write three more questions 2 pages each. "Are you okay?" someone approaches me , it's the invagilator. I look up at her tears rolling down my cheeks. All heads turn in my direction in the room , heads with mocking eyes ,eyes full of pity , judging eyes , thankgod-its-not-me eyes , all kinds of eyes on me and then they all turn away focused back on their work. "I can't write" I tell her. She tells me to drink some water. I drink some water and then some more water.The bell rings.

"Hey!Hey! 109!" someone seems to be screaming at the top of their lungs. I open my eyes. It's the guy who showed me way to the compartment but now he has a tag on his uniform which reads 177. "Are you stonned? or just sleepy?" he waves his hand in front of my face as if I can't hear him. I am about to say something when there is an announcement inside the bus "Everyone put on your number tags , I repeat we arrived at the school put on your number tags. Anyone without a nunber tag will be prohibited from the premises." I look around , everyone is wearing the badges that I have on my clothes. They call them number tags? "Are we there?" I ask 177. "Yes get up before we are late blue has other kids to pick." he responds while getting up. As he is about to leave I grab him by the wrist , "Blue?" He gives me sarcastic look. "The bus freshie" he says jerking off his wrist away from me. I join the line of kids getting out of the bus. The conductor is checking off names on his notepad as every kid gets off. I am the last one in line. When it gets to my turn he gives me that stern look again. Then I realize I didn't tell him my name earlier when he asked me , just as I open my mouth to say something he gruntles in a low voice "Carla age 20, blood group A+ , born 15 June 2003 ?" My mouth hangs open.