The sun was bright. I woke up with my alarm clock on the floor once again. The start of a new semester was the first thing that popped into my mind. It'll all be the same now won't it? As I got up, I could already hear Vi busy with all the cooking. "Tracy! Come down now! Breakfast is ready!"
That was my cousin, Violet, my only family-relative. Her mother was already at the edge of death when she gave birth. Her condition only got worse and worse until such time that it was decided that she rest for all eternity. Vi's father on the other hand, not long after his wife's death, committed suicide. Violet was only 6 years old back then.
The next year, both my parents passed away. It broke out in the press as a trip accident with only me and Violet as the survivors. Although it wasn't. It wasn't an accident and we aren't the survivors either. With my very own eyes, I saw both my parents murdered. We were witnesses. But for some reason, we can't get a clear picture of it. I would always have a hazy mind trying to remember it. Was mom shielding me from that tragic past? We will never know.
"Alright, alright." I came down with somewhat a sick mood.
Ever since that tragic incident, I took Violet in. With just enough money from my parent's company and a fair and suitable part time job for both of us, we're confident that we could pull this through.
"Good morning," Violet cheerfully greeted me. "Aww, come on. It's the first day of classes. Can't you get more excited?" She gently brushed down my hair while I was eating. "How could I get more excited? It's all still the same. Everything will just--" She cut me off saying, "Don't be like that. I promise you. This year, it will be... different." I coped up with her and brought in a smile. "Okay, okay, I get it. Now stop getting all cuddly with me. We're gonna be late." I grabbed her arm and rushed out the door. I was sort of feeling different today too. Seems like her words reached me.
~
The bell rang when we reached the gates and Violet quickly dashed off to her classroom. She was a year lower than me so we had to take different routes. "Tracy!!!" There I saw Miki and Wendy waving from a classroom on the 3rd floor. "We're in the same class! Hurry or you'll be up for detention on the first day!" They were excited seeing me after summer break. Yes, I too was happy I had to see them again. I smiled and ran for the stairs. This feeling was still no different from last year.
When I reached the classroom, there was no difference. Same faces in the same uniform placed on the same seats like last year. It's all the same in class 2-B and Ms. Torii was our homeroom adviser again. "Settle down everyone and welcome your new classmate." I was just staring out the window and felt a strange breeze. It was familiar in some way and got me nostalgic all of the sudden. I didn't know what made me feel that way but I know it was different. "--isn't he, Tracy?" Wendy whispered from the front. "Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying atten--" The feeling even felt bigger as I saw our new classmate.
"Good morning, I'm Jake Senri. It's a pleasure to be part of this class." I stared at him for quite a while not noticing that he was also staring at me. I'm having hazy stuff in my mind just seeing him. "Hey Tracy? Are you alright?" Wendy shook me back to my senses. "Heh. Could this be... love at first sight?" Miki smirked. "That's just insane. I think I know him but..." I turned away from them feeling embarrassed. "You can sit there," Ms. Torii pointed out the seat beside me "Tracy, be friendly dear." As the new guy walked towards me, my eyes just kept staring at him. My mind was trying hard to picture out his part in my life too. Before I knew it, he stretched out his hand to me and said, "Nice to meet you. Err, have we met before? I mean, I just got this feeling and-- Oh, I'm sorry. I-I've been kinda impolite." Shocked from our similar feelings, I shook his hand without any hesitation. "Uhh, no. It's ok really. I feel sort of the same too. Ahh, nice meeting you too."
~
The bell rang signaling recess break. This might be some good time to sort things out. I don't know much about him or anything about such turn of events but for sure there is a difference. A difference close to the past. And for some reason, I want to go to the bottom of this and figure things out for once. Maybe Violet's right. I can't believe she predicted the future. Hah, what am I talking about? Or was she the reason for all of this? "Hmph, You're thinking too far. Snap out of it, Tracy."
