Where Do We Go From Here?

Breakeven

It’s been half an hour since the start of class and we were told to head off to our “space seats”, as Ms. Looper calls them, and instructed us to “let out energy” in the form of creation. I used to be amused with her way of speaking but right now I couldn’t think of that. Actually, I couldn’t think of anything at all except . . .  All of my concentration was focused on a specific girl who remained sat uncomfortably on her seat which was at the other side of the room. She gazed around her for awhile, looking lost and when her gaze caught mine, I didn’t dare look away as I was caught once again in her doe-like eyes. I watched as a blush started to form on her cheeks and she swiftly looked away. Huh.

“Sterling,” a voice called from behind me, startling me but I managed to appear unfazed. I turn around to see that Ms. Looper has done her laps and was with me already. She would look into our works and make small talk with us for awhile. She must have been done with the whole class, I thought.

“Yes?” I asked, sounding a little shaky. I cleared my throat and hid my work with my arms nonchalantly. She gave me an amused smile, her eyes darting at the other side of the room for a brief second before meeting my eyes again. I wasn’t being very subtle when I look at people, am I?

“No,” Ms. Looper said. What? Did I just say that out loud?

“Yes and you’re doing it again,” she tried covering her laugh with her hand but it failed miserably. I smiled at her with a shrug.

“So, what surprise have you got for me this time Mr. Valentine?” She clasped her hands behind her back, a mannerism of hers that I observed for the three months that she was with me. She always does this whenever she is excited.

Not to sound cocky but Ms. Looper fell in-love with my works since the first day of class when she wanted to figure out what to expect from this class. She told us to make something out of a piece of paper with a pair of scissors for a minute. Everyone thought that she was just joking as she started handing out the papers and scissors she found at the cabinet by the door at the back so nobody took her seriously, given that she is also a new teacher. No one paid her no mind. Until she started counting down the seconds and wrote swiftly on the board that the last to finish will linger for fifteen minutes. That alone was the biggest threat that a teacher may give to a student. Well, to them that is. I wouldn’t mind the least. No one wanted that since lunch was next after this period and nobody wouldn’t want to miss out with all the gossip and good food in the cafeteria.

Calmly, I folded the paper thrice and cut out the corner then proceeded with using the tip of the scissor and tapped it lightly on the paper so that it wouldn’t tear the whole thing up. Satisfied with my work, I drop everything all at once on my table. Looking at it at another person’s view it may appear that I haven’t touched it yet and that may be the reason why Ms. Looper called me at front to present my work with a smirk. I think she was playing tough since did is her first day of teaching at this school and she wishes to tame to ‘trouble makers’. Yeah, right. Like I ever was one.

I stood up with slumped shoulders and lazily walked to the front of the class, holding the paper (that was still folded and looked like it wasn’t even touched) carefully in my palm. I didn’t want to ruin the plan to surprise this teacher; I wanted her first day to be a happy one. No, I don’t like her that way. I just think that she should remember that people will appreciate her and her lessons through the year and years to come. With a blank look plastered to my face, I looked at her dead in the eye and opened the paper, letting all of the bits and pieces of once was part of the paper. I watched as her grim face contorted to a look of surprise and amazement, also I heard several gasps from the room and with that, I felt content. I placed my work on her table and trekked back to my seat with my hands in my pockets, ignoring the stares that are boring a hole to my head. Who knew that a simple trick like that would leave people at awe? It wasn’t that hard. I mean, it’s doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do it.  I’m not a show off, I just . . . I don’t know. I just like surprising people.

“How did you do this?” Ms. Looper breathed out, picking up the paper delicately like it would disintegrate when handled the wrong way. She held it up to her face and her lips was covered with the paper that had a smile but the rest of the features of her face (their positions, that is) were a perfect fit. It was a mask.

With a shrug, I showed her the contraption “Scissors.”

I didn’t know what happened but when I was about to give her the sketch book, I didn’t feel it on my lap. Albeit, when I looked up I saw that Ms. Looper has her eyes glued to the paper, her fingertips grazing the paper gently. Noticing my stare, she smiled at me sheepishly.

“Sorry, I don’t know what got you spaced out.” I spaced out? “But I think I know now,” sending me a wink before looking back at the paper. No no no no no no. She has got it wrong. Well, not really. But still.

“Have you known her long?” She asked. “Because you got each and every detail of her face that could only be seen up close. I can’t even imagine how you did that,” she added. Gazing back at me, she handed me back my book and I gratefully shut it and placed it on the table, feeling embarrassed. I just can’t believe that she saw that. I could but . . . she was supposed to see that other one I made at home. It was a sketch of a dog. I don’t know why I drew a dog. Just to pass the time, I guess.

I don’t know how to answer her question, how will I? The girl was dead eleven years ago! And now she has magically appeared out of thin air, unknowingly choking me. This is crazy. When in panic, shrug; and that was what I did.

“Aw, that’s so cute! You’re blushing. You like her don’t you?” She jibed as she pinched my cheeks hard and moved it side to side. Crap, I’m blushing? This is so gay. I don’t blush. Sterling Valentine does not blush. DOES NOT, I SAY.

Smacking her hand away, I turned, grabbing my book, and walked back to my seat and crossed my arms on the table to rest my head in. I don’t like her. I haven’t even spoken to her yet. It’s not even like that she’s the Vanessa Williams I know. She’s not that girl but why do I have this feeling in my gut that I’m wrong about this?

Bringing the book underneath my table, I opened the page to where the page I was working on and touched the paper lightly as I fixed some of the shading. How could I even think that she died when she’s just a desk away from me now?

Author’s Note:

Okay! This was not supposed to happen. Since my blasted laptop cannot be fixed anymore, I have given up several parts of the story that are saved there and decided to make a new one. I know what you’re thinking “It’s your story, why can’t you just rewrite it again?”. The answer is simple my little unicorns, it is simply because I don’t plan whatever happens in the story. I just write what I think that will happen when the deadline is up. So I hope you guys understand since I didn’t even understand myself.

This chapter is more of a filler so, yeah. For those who have sticked this long to this story, I LOVE YOU TO BITS AND PIECES AND THANK YOU. For those who have not, that’s so sad. Insert heart breaking into a million pieces here. And for those who have just started reading this story, well, I sure hope you guys will like it and stick around.

Okay, this is one helluva A/N. I’m going to go now. Bye!

Chapter is dedicated to @JasonIsidro for complimenting and anticipating what going to happen next. Thanks man! Here ya go. Hope you like it, albeit it’s a little sucky. Okay, it suck big time but I promise it’ll get better.

Don’t forget to COMMENT, VOTE, FAN AND SHARE people!

Next chapter will be dedicated to the first awesome comment. So, leave one! Byeee.

xx sirenonland