栄冠の運命✪Eikan's fate

Chapter 2 : Very sad news

I'm late. Damn. I just take one tee-shirt, one underwear, a pair of socks, of shoes and trousers, get dressed, say "hello" to my father, take my schoolbag, a microscopic breakfast and leave the house to go to school.

I hear my shoes striking on the cobblestones. 
I hear my breath going faster.
I hear the wind whistling as I quickly run on the streets.

After 5 minutes, I have to stop, because there's the road. I wait my turn, and, when the little guy passes to the green, I just restart running.

I'm at school 10 minutes after.
When I pass the door, it rings.

Phew...that was short..

I catch sight a classmate and I follow him. He'll show me the way from the entrance to my class.

He stops at the 2B4 class. He enters and I do the same.

"Good morning pupils" says the teachers.

"Good morning" we repeat.

"Okay, so I'm Mrs Pète-sec, your French teacher. Let's start now. Who's absent today?"

The class answers by saying names that doesn't mean anything for me.
Who are "Peter, Matthew and Beryl" ?
I can't see their face in my mind. I hope they won't be everytime absent.

"Okay, so I noticed that we have a new pupil?" Says the teacher.
I nod.
"Could you introduce yourself in French please?" She continues.

Here we go again.

"Euh...Je m'appelle Eikan. Tout le monde le sait déjà, mais je viens du Japon. J'ai appris le français lorsque j'étais en France avec ma sœur. J'espère ne pas avoir trop de difficultés avec l'anglais, mais je pense pouvoir travailler normalement.¹"

Everybody stay silent. They seem... surprised.

"Oh...Euh... félicitations pour ton français²" declares finally the teacher.

I thank her and I take my drawing back, going to finish it.
Everybody in the class works except me. This class is boring because the Prof teaches the present tense. I know it can be hard for some people, but this is something that I've learned many many months ago.
The class finishes at 9am. We have 10 minutes between classes, so that means I have 10 minutes to find where the 4H5 class is placed.
I seek during 8 minutes, and then I realize that this is very easy:

4 means the building, H means the corridor and 5 means the class.

I run in the corridors because I'm actually in the 1st building.

I eventually knock at the door when it rings. A very strong man opens.

"Your are late" He says.
"I'm sorry, I didn't understand well how the class system works, but now it's okay."
"Sit at your chair."

I take place at the last sit. I notice that they are 4 grown-ups in the room and I understand that something went wrong.

The person that opened the door starts:

"We have to inform you about important news."

Everybody gets focused.

"We learned this morning that your head-master died yesterday around 7pm. We are very sorry about this. However, the government wants us to find another person to take care of our highschool. We are actually looking for someone that can take in charge our educational establishment, because if nobody is found, you will have to make between 5 and 10 miles to take classes. We will have a ceremony on the playground at 12 o'clock.
Have a great day, even if I think that this will be a bit sad today."

He, and the adults that were here, leave the room without saying anything.
In the class, nobody speaks. It's like if all the highschool was dead.

Ms Combus, the biology professor begins to say something, even if her voice breaks down at almost every word, and even if she hesitating :

"I-i want you...to know...that death...is..natural. E-every...everyone dies. This is... what make life... beautiful."

She starts to weep.

"I have known Christopher....Mr. Bakerman...as a boss..and as a friend. I know that...maybe, he wasn't kind with you...but...this highschool... without him..it's like...Heal The World without Mickael Jackson...it's impossible."

She tries to not break down in tears.

"I wanted to teach about genetic stuff. But I think that I'm not able to make class...sorry"

She leaves the room.
Every student is shocked. Me too. I didn't know this man, but I'm sure it was a good man.

Some pupils take their phone to share their sadness, some others cry, some just keep silent.

When 11:50 rings, Mrs. Maugins takes us to the playground.
We are put in rows, and we wait that beginning of the ceremony.

Suddenly, I hear the voice of the strong man.

"Mr. Bakerman....Mr. Bakerman was a strong person. He was always here for his students. He loved them, he loved you. He tried to love everyone.
Death, this dark person, has taken his life yesterday.
The policemen told us that he died of a heart attack.
During 30 years, he worked in this highschool, every second, every heartbeat he spent was devoted to Vol-Vie Highschool.
Never, he let a student in need.
He was everytime moving, to fix problems or to congratulate pupils.
He was one of the most perfect head-master in the state of California.
So, I ask you to make a minute of silence"

During 60 seconds, nobody spoke, nobody laughed, nobody yawned, nobody made noise.
60 seconds of total silence.
60 seconds of rest.
60 seconds dedicated to a man that deserved it.

After this small time of respect, the Star-Spangled Banner is sung by the Vol-Vie's choir, and played by the Vol-Vie's orchestra.

The day passes.
My father waits me outside.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Hum...yeah yeah, don't worry" I say while I smile.

The evening passed very slowly.
And I finally go to bed around 11pm.
I listened my rainy day playlist.