Perfect (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter 9.50: Pens

Chapter 9.50: Pens

        “You will sing for the graduation, Tristanny,” Ms. Harmony announced. Her lips crossed her face and slightly showed her perfect arrangement of teeth. “Your… pick.”

              The verdigris room was silent with every jaw dropped open, including Tristanny’s. With some startled faces and arched eyebrows, Tristanny’s lips met her ears. Her vermillion hearing aid reflected with the fluorescent light’s luster. It was neatly polished and now, was decorated with pure attainment and commitment.

              “S-S-She?” A voice shattered the fragile silence. “That idiot?” it continued with a sardonic smile. “She is a lousy singer!” She seemed grotesque.

              The eyes were all on her yet it did not move her titled head. Those heads kept on nodding, agreeing to her but Tristanny’s eyebrows seemed to dislike. It made her even more speechless. She stuttered yet just grunts her aid received and unrecognizable syllables came out of her even more dropped jaw.

              “Enough,” Ms. Harmony crushed the mumbling silence.

              “Enough. I picked her and that’s it,” Ms. Harmony, annoyed.

              “Isn’t that a bit non-sense, Ms. Harmony?” the girl protested. “We have great voices here! Miss Lolita there! She is a piece of art!” The girl pointed on the nodding girl with a tiny umbrella covering her from the artificial UV rays created by the fluorescent light. “This is insane,” she was annoyed more than usual. “What you’re doing is ruining our graduation, Ms. Harmony. No one needs an un-high pitch maker in that event. We. Have. Great. Voices. Again, We. Have great—”

              “Yes! I agree.” Ms. Harmony tried her best to have a smile but her head nodded sarcastically. “We have great voices in this classroom but we don’t have great souls around here,” Ms. Harmony spoke with her head held high.

              Some faces were halted from nodding like a car accessory but some even arched an eyebrow to her.

              “I’m out,” The girl who was crossing her legs bid to stride out the room.

              Tristanny stood up and blocked the way out the verdigris prison.

              “You have no right to do that to a teacher… especially Ms. Harmony,” Tristanny sounded like a threat yet at the same time, considerate. “If you want a solo, you could have just said, miss. You are also leaving Walter this year. No regrets but if Ms. Harmony lets me pick the set list, we’ll sing, Born This Way by Lady Gaga… and you, me and everyone will have their solos,” Tristanny raised her eyebrow successfully for the first time in her life yet a simple challenging grin is added as a spice. “Deal?” She stretched a hand.

              The eyes were on her now. Everyone was staring at the outstretched hand on the stillness. It was her and the girl. Their glares were penetrating to each other as others watched them intently with bright wide eyes. A couple of air conditioner whistles and Tristanny’s hand was shook that made her lips show a bright arrangement of teeth.

              “At most, I don’t want the song,” the girl said, smiling.

              “Then?”

              “Perfect by P!nk,” she said. “I love the way you sang it at St. Carmel! I also want to sing it with you.”

              Ms. Harmony smiled from behind and killed the fear that abruptly built inside her. She followed Tristanny with her proud green eyes and smiled with tips on the peak of heaven. She was proud yet no one could see it but Tristanny. She looked at her teacher with triumphant eyes, smiling all the way and winking at a period.