Strange Tides [On Hold]

A Fresh Start

[ Books give life to thoughts!]

It's true. Over a time period of two years I have analysed myself as a person and not as an object. We all need to do that. Neither am I wrong nor I am right. I am just a schoolgirl of 16.

This is what my mom has always taught me. Today when I'm back at school, after long summer vacations I realise it even more. I did enjoy my summer vacations ,though I was not partying and hanging out with my friends. I was sitting back in my couch reading my favorite novels and having a cup of coffee to go with it.

As I enter the classroom I see some old faces and some new faces. Luckily the 'mean girls" are not here. But one amongst them is different. He is bright like the moonlight falling on water. He is not twitchy even when he's not one of us.

It's a fresh face. A new student. A new boy in our class. He is a face genius. Determined and a resolute expression is making his face glow with pride. But he seems quite cold. A distant boy. Not like other boys trying to meddle in other's lives. He's sitting quietly in the first seat of the second row.

I see Alice and walk towards her. Alice is my best friend. She's cheerful and my source of positivity. She is one of those few lovely people who I have in my joys and sorrows.

"Hi Cyni! how you've been?",she asks.

"I'm good. So, anything new?"

"Umm. Well there's a good news and a bad news. Pick a finger."

"Okay. Here you go!"

"Hurray! You got the bad news first!!",she popped her toungue out.

"Oh dear! Tell what is it?"

"So, basically it's the first day of new term but we're gonna be getting our group assignments from today only. So bad; why do they even open up?"

"Calm down. Now tell what's the good one?"

"We might not expect her for a week or two. So no 'nonsense' for quite sometime."

"Correct. That's not a surprise. She went to her uncle's last month."

"Yep! Now tell me why didn't you catch up with me all this time?"

"I didn't feel like doing so....maybe?"

"Come on Cyni. Cheer up. It's the start of a new term!! New people. New teachers. Hurray.", she jumps with excitement.

"I'm cheerful. You know me."

"Of course I do. I'm cheerful.",she says mimicking me.

Then she starts giggling like an infant and hits me while teasing others uncontrollably.

~~~~~~~~~THE BELL RINGS~~~~~~~

I'm quite. I don't know what to say. I don't want to meet new people. Because soon they'll also either pity me or make fun of me and I am tired of both. I feel free when I am alone. I feel at peace when I pace along my living room admiring the décor that my mum put up. I don't know but I really don't like to meddle with someone whom I don't really know. Maybe that's the reason why I wasn't able to submit the assignment given by our English teacher last year about "Being an introvert vs ambivert". I just feel so lost in this fast paced world. Why conspire about someone whom we barely know? It's all so philosophical. But that is me.

"What happened Cynthia? Are you lost in your daydreams about Jungkook. Huh?", she mocks me and sits beside me.

"Shut up!", I reply smiling shyly.

Our chemistry teacher enters the classroom sauntering. A dignified lady. Elegance falling from every word she speaks. She looks at me with affection. For the first time I felt like this after my mother.

"Okay so before we begin with your course let's have a quick introduction. Let's start from the fourth row.",she asks.

Students passed by and then it was his turn. The newcomer. He stood up while smiling uncannily.

"Hi all. I am Patrick. Nice to meet y'all. I am a transfer student from St. Teresa's. Please treat me nicely. Thank you."
And the girls went mad. Loud claps were evident showing that they had gone nuts.

His eyes were deep and beautiful,his hair looked fragile. With utmost scrutiny I examined him from top to bottom. It was indeed mind-boggling because in the process of examining him I totally forgot that even I had to introduce myself.

"Get up Cynthia. What are you doing?",Alice whispered in my ear.

"Ahem. Ahem. I see that we have some students who ruminate. But dear,will you please introduce yourself?",the teacher asked politely.

I get up and say;

"Hello everyone, I am .."

'Ms. Potato Bag', and the class burst into laughter. A student from the last bench yelled insensitively. I sit down. The asperity of his tone breaks me down deep.

"No nonsense will be tolerated in my classroom. So it'll be better if you people maintain a dignified environment. Get up dear and speak.", the teacher says.

I look to my left where Parvati and Alice assure me and then to my right where I see Patrick looking at me strangely.

"Hello everyone, I am Cynthia Wood. Nice to meet you.", I said that in one breath and sit down.

"You forget breathing. Exhale.", Alice says chuckling.

I smile at her. After the introduction was over,our teacher began with introducing us to organic chemistry.

"That's all for today. Come and pick your group numbers for the group assignment that will be assigned shortly",she commands.
•••••••••||||||||||||||||••••••••••••

"I got group number 6",Alice tells enthusiastically.

"I got 3", I reply pessimistically. I am not euphoric. Because with group assignments comes a heap of work load which  coincidentally all lies upon me. It's not that I don't like such assignments but the fact that all report writing comes in my bank makes me feel like a slug.

As I go to row three, I figure out my groupmates. They're: Tom, a boy who doesn't like to work ; Ella, a bright girl who's good at communication skills and is a good mate; Parvati, my friend and she's also bright at these things, then there's me ; I'm good at writing and mutually understand others,and there comes Patrick, a cold and distant person. No one knows anything about him. We all start to decide who'll be the group leader.

Patrick raises his hand. "I'll do it."

Confidence is silent but his eyes say it all. Will I be ever like that?

So here my new life begins. A new group. A new day. A new chapter.