The NEWBIE

Chapter 18

***18***

HICCUP

At Math class, the three of us wondered where Rap was. She was here this morning but after lunch we never saw her again. But in the middle of Mr. Schrubb's discussion, Rap turned up.

"Sorry I'm late." She apologized, sorely. She looked rather different, the last time I saw her. Mr. Schrubb just nodded and made her go to her seat.

"Something wrong?" I heard Merida asked Rap. Rapunzel only gave her a weak smile and sat down without anything to say.

Had she been crying? I thought to myself. But why would she cry, all of a sudden? I wanted to ask her why but I guess it'll only make matters worse. I glanced over Jack who was two chairs away from me. I gave him a look that asked him if he knew what happened. Jack shrugged, also intrigued.

After Math class, the four of us went out to the corridors, together. Rap hasn't spoken for a while. The usual energy that she has every time she's with us had been sucked out of her.

When we stopped right next to Rap's locker, Jack and Merida left for their next classes while I stayed.

She opened her locker, still silent as though she was mute. She didn't even bother to look at me. I badly wanted to ask her what's going on because I don't want to see her like this. But what should I say first? Should I ask her, straight-to-the-point? I don't know.

"So, did you pass your project at lunch today?" I started.

She stopped fixing her things when I spoke and then her head dropped, looking at the floor. "No." she answered, straightforwardly.

"Oh, so your boyfriend still has the CD?" I asked her, again.

She continued fixing her things when she answered, "He does." her voice sounded like it was going to crack.

"Uh... I'll get it for you." I volunteered.

She didn't reply. Her head was hidden behind her locker door so I couldn't see her face. But when I moved closer, I looked at her expression. Tears were already falling from her eyes. Somehow, a knife was stabbed in my back. She was already sobbing, trying to wipe the tears away.

As soon as I saw her crying, I held her tight in the shoulders, trying to calm her down. "S-stop crying... I'll... I'll get that CD for you, okay? Just let me do it for you, okay? Stop crying." I said, wiping the tears with my thumb.

I didn't notice the crowd around us until I turned around.

"What happened?" I heard a girl whispered to another. The girl shrugged, interested to know what really happened. After that, the muffles began to grow.

"Don't you people have other businesses to attend to?" I shouted, which I wasn't really expecting to do. My voice had echoed which made other students who aren't part of the crowd to stop what they're doing. "What are you people looking at? I said, go, okay? Geez, get a life."

When they noticed the anger in my voice, they tensely walked away. I didn't really mean to be rude but they were just a little too snoopy. Haven't they seen anyone cried before? It doesn't mean Rap's famous they had to know what's happening in her personal life. Even I don't know what's happening.

Rap continued crying. She wasn't stopping. "I'll find Eugene and I'll get your project, okay? Just stop crying."

Even though I still have a class to attend to, I still decided to do Rap a favour. I went out to the campus field, expecting him to be there, practicing for football. There was no sign of Eugene around so I tried to ask one of his teammates.