Horrors of Reality

Chapter 2:The Learning

Like many other students,they went to an overhead bridge,just a few yards away from the bus-stop itself. There would be a long trail of students strolling along the pavement,like ants. Be it if time decides to speed up,the students would not even bother and some might even walk slower than their average pace just to intentionally make the teacher on gate duty or a student councillor go nuts.The students have been into trouble a lot of times till to the point where they did not even mind serving their punishments.

Looking at his wrist watch,the time stated was earlier as what he would generally expect. Suddenly,Albert felt that something strange happened to him all of a sudden. He starts to get traumatised thinking about Irene. Not to mention,her presence made Albert have a feeling of chills going down his spine.

Like a certain memory he had.Albert stood there for a moment and shut his eyes making everyone walking pass him glanced at him and some even mentioned," Now what is this loser up to next?" and "has he lost his mind already?" Albert was just standing in the middle of a crowd as they walked past.He felt like he was lightweight.

Once he opened his eyes,Albert was immediately astonished to the fact that he was not at the crowded pavement with vehicles driving by quickly. He was surprisingly at big room with people around him were dancing. The orchestra at the side of the room was playing some decent pieces of classical music. He looked at his surroundings,men in suits and ladies in beautiful gowns that moved like feathers as they waltz along with the music.

As the music started to gain momentum and speed,Albert wanted to get out of the ring of people surrounding him before he could attempt,he saw her,Irene.She was smiling as she approached to Albert who was clueless.She was wearing a beautifully made yellow gown,her lips were as red as roses and her smile was bright. He has to admit she was very pretty.

Suddenly both of them stretched out their hands to hold on to each other but before their fingers could even make contact,someone behind him shook his shoulders till Albert was out from the ball and into reality.The brief illusion Albert had made him nearly unconscious;his eyes were flickering like a camera shutter.

"Come on,Bertie.We do not want to be late now,do we?" the person questioned as Albert was regaining his consciousness. Albert was familiar with that voice. He turned around and it was not any other than Ivan,his closest friend and the friend he spent most of his time with despite being separated since the previous year.

"We better rush; otherwise the discipline master would not be very pleased."
Ivan informed with concern that good students like him and Albert wouldn't do such a thing.Apparently both of them were expected highly in school.

Ivan was the type of guy who would try to have the opportunity to play safe and not risk anything to get himself or his friend into trouble. By all means he would follow the rules,unless if he does not believe that rule would do any benefit,he would have to disagree and fight for his rights. Both of them swiftly made up their way to their school gate.

Upon arrival in the school.It was quite clean until both of them take a step closer and realised that more litter scattered around the floor of the school as they get in deeper. "What a pity,the janitors must had a hard time scrapping off gums of almost every property here could've taken all night! and now look at it,it's everywhere now!" Ivan ranted mildly furious. While making their way to the parade square, Albert saw her across the courtyard,she was chatting along with her friends.He turned away blushing as Irene took a glance at him and winked.

"What's wrong,Albert?" his friend asked as he turned away dramatically."Nothing,it is just-"Albert was cut off by the DM as he blew his whistle and the screeching noise alerted every student to come to the parade square for morning assembly and the flag-raising ceremony.They rushed to the place and assemble according to class.Ivan was in a separate class that year due to interests of other subjects.

As the school bell rang,everyone stood up at attention and stopped the action that they were doing. After a few seconds,the national anthem began to play,the flag slowly began to rise from the bottom of the flagpole.As the flag-raising ceremony had ended,the teacher announced everyone to sit down. There was only one announcement that day. If it does not involve Albert,he didn't care that much.

One by one,the DM dismissed everyone class by class. As per usual,he followed his classmates to his classroom which was on the first floor.First lesson was,none other than Additional Mathematics or others would refer to as 'A. Maths'.

Immediately after everyone entered the classroom,they went to their assigned seats.The seating arrangement was two tables per row.In the meantime,some students bust out their cigarette packs and went to the lavatories in group.

Unlike the others,Albert was sitting beside no one."Eh Bertie,are there any homework?" a classmate asked tapping your shoulder from behind.

"Yes,Mrs Tan assigned us to do page 26 on polynomials," Albert answered. The classmate shook her head in grief. "Oh well,I can at least copy from you?" she asked once again. He moved his head to left and right. In return,she gave Albert the finger.

"Class stand!" the class monitor yelled as he spotted Mrs Tan heading towards the class.Apparently,he was at the entrance of the classroom on watch.The monitor speedily moved to his seat before Mrs Tan could even enter the classroom.Everyone stopped on what they were doing and proceeded to taking out their dictionary-thick A. Maths textbooks and other needed materials.

Everyone stood as the teacher,by then waiting for her students to stand up to greet her. Her face started to get unpleasant. "It took you almost a minute for me to wait!" Mrs Tan shouted. She then started to rant which takes up to another one and a half minute. After all that,the class greeted her.

"First thing's first!About the homework I've given you two days ago.Hand it up now,pass the workbook to the front," she ordered and they did what they were told.Of course,Albert was at the front corner of the classroom,he counted the amount of books given and handed it up while the teacher collects each stack from a row.The classmate who sat behind him gave the books to him roughly.

"Okay class,since exam week is in four weeks,I've printed out revision papers on simultaneous equations and polynomials," she announced while passing down the worksheet from the front "if there's any questions,come to my desk and do this on foolscap.I do not appreciate any shenanigans going around the class which includes making of noise." Mrs Tan continued ,"If you want to,discuss only with your partner,no one else and no group works. You may begin." 

The students picked up their pens and started writing. On the other hand,Albert was looking around, dumbfounded. 

"Anything wrong,Albert?" Mrs Tan asked. "Uh,no."

"Then stop wasting your time!" Mrs Tan scolded,giving him her signature death stare.

Albert picked up his pen and proceeded writing.He could not concentrate much his work as he could before as he kept tinkering about the mysterious girl.It was like a lost memory he had.