What They Don't See (PJM)

0.2

"In broad terms, can someone please explain me what meiosis is?" Mrs. Kwon turned her head downwards, her significant glasses from the 80's falling further down onto her nasal bridge, looking for a prey to cast her black magic upon. All students seemed to be staring at different places, each and one hoping they wouldn't get picked but you never knew with Mrs. Kwon. She could be your worst enemy or your greatest friend.

On a monday like this, enemy would probably be the right relation.

As usual, she always ignored my extended arm, sighing when it was the same girl sitting up front who wanted to answer her question to an excessive degree. Someone had to answer the damn question, right? And when I knew the answer, why couldn't she just pick me?

"Yes, Minjae." She pointed at me with the piece of chalk in her hand, allowing me to finally answer the easy question I've memorized effortlessly when there was no other bids.

I sat on my chair properly, flashing her one of those perfect smiles. happy that she eventually made up her mind and chose me.

"Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells. This process is required to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction." I finished of with a low nod, signaling that I was done with my response.

She smiled, satisfied as always. "Great, exactly." She removed her eyes from me and looked around the quiet classroom. From the corner of my eyes I could see people yawning, playing with their fancy phones or even sleeping. In the background, I could hear a clique of girls having a conversation about a party that took place in the previous weekend. Nothing that I knew anything off.

"Choi Sanghee, mind to repeat the clever words Minjae just said?!" Mrs. Kwon's voice was rather intruding, threatening, when she captured the busy talking girl's gaze. I could hear her gulp. Automatically, I ducked my head just a bit. I was embarrassed. Whenever I was active in class, which I was on a regular basis, she always had to compare me to the other students, indirectly pinpointing how she wished the others were like me. I wanted to disappear from the Earth's surface every time, feeling the judgmental burning stares from the students who hated being compared to me and my doings in class. I couldn't blame them. I hated it too but couldn't do anything about it.

"I can't." Choi Sanghee answered shortly. I pursed my lips together, looking down at my notebook, awaiting for what to come.

Mrs. Kwon exhaled in a complaining manner. She sounded as if she'd given up.

"Very well. Then we'll have to let Minjae repeat what she said. Hopefully, it'll stay in your head this time." Why did I have this feeling that this little encounter would hunt me rest of the day, making my life more miserable than it was in advance? I could already feel Sanghee's eyes in my back, blaming me for our teacher's little outburst.

"Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells. This process is required to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction." I didn't sound as confident this time, making sure I wouldn't get any eye contact with any of my classmates. Once again, my teacher assembled me as the bad guy. The one to blame. Gradually, I was getting used to it, just like I was used to many other things.

The last part of the lesson was horrible. Some of the girls were whispering things about me, things I couldn't comprehend. My name was mentioned different times, followed by sarcastic laughters and mocking groans but I let it slide through one ear and out of the other. However, it always somewhat, crawled back into my ear, gluing itself onto my conscious. My head was hanging low, buried into my comfortable and word rich notebook. The thing that made me feel like the proudest, most successful girl in the entire world, my studies. They were all I had, hence I wouldn't disappoint them. They were my only option out of the living hell, I tried so hard to ignore and let be. The only temporary distraction from reality.