A Rift Between Us

Chapter 5 - Revision & Realisation

Keiko lifted her head from the desk and rearranged her hair, restoring its smooth sheen. She supported her face with her palm and eyed Alfie's jittery state, twisting the ends of her hair with her finger.

"What is it, Alfie?" Mr Dodge's words were more of a grumble than a coherent question.

His spine crinkled more as he twisted, his expression as sombre as one could imagine. Keiko's eyes flicked to the front, checking Mr Dodge's reaction before returning her gaze to Alfie.

"Sir I...forgot my copy at home."

His body sagged like the branch on an old tree, knees bent. He crashed the marker onto his desk, the crack reverberating throughout the classroom. Students from the other tutor groups shot puzzled glances at each other. Some shrugged, while others twisted their lips, unsure what to make of the sudden outburst. Mr Dodge's drawer rolled open with a smack, startling a few more people. A thick silence hung in the air, interrupted only by the scratching of pens.

Thuds and clinks echoed as he rummaged frantically through his desk, tossing items out like rubbish. Paper clips, pencils, rubbers and tape bounced off its surface, but no book. The lidless marker sat there, its pungent, funky odour assaulting his nose. He promptly capped it.

"You guys always disregard your education, I'm honestly sickened by this. I'm even more shocked that it's you, Alfie."

Some students at the front swivelled around, looking at Alfie. They chuckled as they each searched his gaze. He avoided their stares, glancing to the right only to be met by a smiling Keiko, mischief drawn all over her face. He looked to the left, shaking his head at their behaviour as if they were not substantially worse themselves. An echoey thud resounded inside Alfie's torso as Keiko's elbow made contact with his ribs. He coughed reflexively, hesitantly giving her a side glance. Her face swooshed closer to his ear.

"You already failed a past mock exam according to Alara. If this kind of stuff keeps happening, you'll flop the real thing."

A book unexpectedly slammed onto Alfie's desk, causing both him and Keiko to pull back in shock. A sand-like screech filled their ears as it slid into his abdomen. Mr Dodge snapped his fingers, regaining their attention.

"Just use my copy for now, and share it with Keiko," his hand scooped all the items on his desk back into his drawer. "Being a new student, she obviously won't have one."

He didn't care how or where the book landed. Alfie's body slid down his chair like ice cream melting on a hot day, blowing a thin strand of hair away in disbelief. A teasing smile grew on Keiko's face as Mr Dodge stepped back towards the whiteboard, marker uncapped once again.

"Alright people, what was one of the main themes in George Orwell's '1984'? We studied a few of them last week, so everyone should know. No excuses." 

The tip of the marker hovered near the corner of the whiteboard. His arm quickly grew fatigued by its elevated state. 

"If you don't, then you've not been paying any attention and you'll fail English. It's that simple."

Multiple students' pages flicked momentarily, their sound sibilant, like a hissing snake. Nobody remembered anything. Their hands flipped through the books, searching like children digging through a box of toys. Alfie rubbed the back of his head, trying to recall what themes he had studied before something interesting popped into his mind.