Henry....My Only Friend in the World (The 1st Book in the Henry series)

Chapter 4- Confiding and the Hope for a New Life

Days passed. Henry and I were the best of friends. I was no longer lonely and had a friend now. Miss Helen was the happiest for me. She would often smile at me when Henry and I would pass her down the corridor, talking to each other. Things were getting quite better for me...though it didn't meant that school life was happy for me.

My ex-friends still edged themselves away from me, everytime I went to talk with Henry.

''Don't mind them.'' Henry would say when I frowned on seeing this. 'This is will keep going on for some time until they figure out that you are reviving back into your old, happy self. 

Old, happy self? What about my parents then? As if their sadness is making me happy. 

Then, I finally decided to confide in him about what was going in between my family. He listened patiently. ''All in good time, Johnny. All in good time.'' and I believed him.

But things were really getting nicer now. The sad Johnny in me was dying away, bit by bit, slowly and slowly. The first strike was when my History teacher got happy on seeing my performance.

''Why, this is quite extraordinary, my boy. Fourteen out of fifteen marks! Keep it up!.''

The second strike was- 

''So you can paint well, after all. With a little more improvement, I am sure I can put one of your paintings for the upcoming art exhibition.'' said my art teacher.

This went on. My performance got better and better. But then there was this one infuriating incident that was about to pose a thorny challenge in my life. It happened during the Maths period. I was busy copying down notes like everybody else when-

''Miss, may I-?''

''Yes, what is it?''

''Miss, I have been sent by the Principal ma'am to call John.....she wants to talk to him.'' I was startled on hearing my name. The mild sound of turning pages and the slight writing sounds of pens stopped.

My Maths teacher turned to me, a bit confused. Dead silence. Everyone had stopped writing and was looking at me. I turned to Henry who sat near me, dropping my pen onto my notebook.

Henry gestured to me to go, smiling calmly. I was terrified and here he was smiling. Urgh! Can't he give me some other reassuring look?

I got out of my bench. There was some slight whispering here and there. I turned to the teacher and asked for permission to go and she granted it. I walked upto the messenger, a boy called Brad Jones, studying in the fifth grade. I recognized him as he was, at a time, one my most 'golden' admirers but now he was afraid to walk with me.

He was even afraid to look at my face. Suddenly but slowly, he stopped and look at me, a bit afraid as if he wanted to say something to me.

I smiled a bit and said in a gentle tone ''You know that I am not going to eat you up. Spit it out.''

Brad looked at me, a bit fearful and said ''I want to go...I can't miss my class.''

I walked a bit near to him and said ''Since when have you ever missed class. I thought you said once that you HATED school. Or have you started dating with your school life?''

Brad became angry and said in a flash ''Don't you dare come near me!!'' and pushing me, he ran way in top speed. I stamped my foot, annoyed and made my way to the Principal's room.

I knocked at the door. ''Come in.'' came a reply and I entered in. The room was clean and everything was tidied up. The files and books on the Principal's table were neatly arranged and there was a cool air blowing from the AC.