Rings of Fire: Echoes of Destiny

Amelia

I've never been one to daydream often, but lately, my mind keeps wandering. My hand twitches as I hold my pen, letting it hover over the blank sheet of paper. I never seem to know what to think. Laughter and chatter fill the background of my thoughts as I struggle to find something to write for this class. Could this day get any worse? I'm not even thirty minutes into the class, and I already feel like I'm going to barf from everything around me. The fluorescent light on the ceiling feels like it's sizzling against my skin, and the cracks on the white walls, degraded from years of bad paint jobs, look like scars.

Not only that, the lecturer mumbling from the front of the class is now drowned out by senseless chat from the gossipers in class. I don't know how I managed to come into class today, but I did. Seems like today might be a miracle considering mum wasn't too upset about the fact that I left the house.

I heaved a big sigh and continued to let my eyes wander towards the window frame that sits on the left hand side of the cramped room. Four separate frames plants themselves, simmering in the hot summer lights. The sun shines onto each student's desks, illuminating whatever device they used that day to write down the same stuff the teacher spoke. I never wrote my notes. I found it pointless and to be quite frank a waste of time. I seem to find a lot of things pointless these days. Another big sigh escaped my body again.

'Amelia..' Something, or someone spoke softly. 'Amelia?..' it said again. 'Amelia!' That something or someone said one more time.

I snapped out of whatever thought I was in and looked up. It was Casper. I locked eyes with him to see his smile forming creases in the corner of his eyes. It must be nice to have nice memory lines. Something cracks in my heart when I see his smile.

'Amelia, are you good?' He asked, taking note of my stare at him. I blinked at him hoping that it covered whatever look or stare I made his way as I tried to remember why he called my name.

'Yeah–yeah I'm good...' I hope he bought it and didn't think I was a bit creepy dissecting his smile lines on his face.

'Oh that's good, I just wanted to ask if you'd like to work with me for this module assignment?' Casper asked and didn't forget his signature smile after anything he said. I envied Casper. His smile and aura gave me nothing but nausea. No one should be that happy asking about doing an assignment. Maybe I am just being jealous...I really need to be nicer to him.

I bit down on my thoughts and replied, 'Yeah I can work with you.' Short and simple. I don't like speaking more than that already.

Casper did nothing but support me through this module whilst I was surviving out in this mad world. He paid no mind to my short replies, or even the confused looks I gave his way. Casper always gave me notes for any class and texted if there was anything he could do to help. I have never given him a reason to stay or be his friend but somehow he has managed to constantly stay by my side for a whole 2 years. I never asked him why he was here but it seems as though he just appeared one day.

                                                                              2 years earlier

'102...103...104...105.' I counted by each room, eyes darting from side to side before I landed on the one that mimicked the number I had on the sheet in my hand. 'I actually managed to find this...' I whispered to myself. Somewhat proud for once that I did something on the first go. I entered the classroom to see rows of students already huddled into their formed groups. Like any other university, some are on their first day sitting by themselves and observing, whilst some follow their childhood friends into the same course. I ignored my observation and proceeded to walk up onto the small steps leading towards the rows of desks. I should probably pick something at the back, I thought to myself. I barely made it halfway before someone called my name or maybe there is someone else with the same name as me.