- matt chia's -
poetry, prose + commentary
poetry, prose + commentary
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Chapter XX
Rachel joined the fourth-years for their lessons after lunch. She was warmly welcomed by her fellow classmates and teachers alike. Professor June inquired anxiously about her health, and seemed most relieved and happy when she found out no permanent damage had been done. However, Sunny and Yihui were still sticking closely to her, afraid that something of the same sort might happen again. They weren’t taking second chances.
And as much as they tried to avoid him, Desmond seemed to be everywhere they went. They met him along the corridors, in classrooms he had just been to, outside the staffroom. And each time they met it always seemed that Rachel wanted to say something, but at the sight of her two friends’ faces, she decided that it would be better left unsaid. It always ended up in Yihui glaring at Desmond so fiercely that he had no choice but to walk away.
“Don’t associate with him anymore,� Yihui said after their third meeting in just about half an hour, which had nearly ended in Yihui launching into a tirade against Desmond. Mercifully Sunny and Rachel had intervened in time.
“Stop being so suspicious, will you? It’s so irritating,� Rachel complained.
Yihui looked affronted. “But... but it’s all for your own good! Really, I –“
But she never got to explain herself. Rachel had stalked off.
“Honestly, you’d think that girl didn’t know what was best for herself,� Yihui muttered, but it was half-hearted.
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She had wrenched free from her friends - especially that irritating Yihui – and was making her way down the corridor leading to the Charms classroom. She looked out at the expansive grounds, thinking, calming herself down. The greenery seemed to help. Seeing other students frolicking on the grass or sitting by the lake, seeing them happy, somehow made her more aware of her position. At least not everyone was involved in this whole hullabaloo.
She was just getting ready to start walking back again when she heard the thud of books behind her, followed by a loud smash. Turning around, she saw that someone had dropped a couple of books and an ink bottle on the floor.
“Here,� she said, as she ran over and picked up one book. She was just dusting it when she realised who that person was.
Desmond was quivering. His eyes were downcast.
“Thanks,� he muttered hurriedly. Then, snatching the book out of Rachel’s grasp, he started walking off, looking as if nothing had happened.
She remembered his eyes, doleful and sad, and then she realised what an unfeeling idiot she had been –
“Hey! Desmond!� she called out, running to his side.
He kept quiet, eyes still downcast.
“I just want to say, I... I don’t blame you or anything, okay?� she winced. She hated how light and breezy it sounded. She hated the hesitant tone with which she had said it.
Seeing him still avoiding looking at her, she continued, “I mean, I really think you didn’t like... poison me or anything... and though the others –“ and here her thoughts turned to Sunny and Yihui, “though they may say all those things about you, just keep in mind that I’m not like them, alright?�
He chanced a look at her, at her earnestness and her sincerity. He smiled. It was the first time in a long time. “Thanks,� he said. He meant it.
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“Well, you sure look happy now,� Sunny remarked when Rachel had reached the Arithmancy classroom. Rachel flashed a smile and settled down in her seat, looking loads more composed then she had before her little rendezvous with Desmond.
No sooner had she sat down then Professor Helmi hurried up and looked at her closely. Rachel felt rather uncomfortable under his gaze, and started fidgeting.
Professor Helmi continued looking, before nodding sagely a few times. “You look fine, Rachel,� he said wisely.
They all snorted. Trust him to give silly comments.
“So, since you look alright,� and now he turned and addressed the class in general, “you will please turn to page 102 of your textbook. We will be starting on a new chapter today...�
As Professor Helmi went on, Rachel whispered to her neighbours, “Hey, remember to tell me what happens okay? I’m really behind in my schoolwork, so you will have to give me tuition or something. And don’t worry when it happens, it’ll be normal from now on.� She said all this really fast, and Sunny and Yihui took a while to process it.
“Don’t worry when what happens?� Sunny asked, puzzled.
Rachel looked at her watch. “Okay, it’s nearly time. Like, every day at the time when I got poison-, when whatever it was happened to me, at that time I will like go into a mini-coma or something and I’ll only wake after half an hour. So don’t worry, okay? Anyway all the teachers know about it as well,� she rattled on, seemingly oblivious to Sunny’s bewildered stare. She took a sip of water, then laid her head on the table.
“What? You’ll only wake after how long? Rachel? Rachel!� Sunny exclaimed, prodding the prone figure of her friend. But it was no use. Rachel was already fast asleep.
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They found the two of them, bruised, battered and very much burnt. Interwiz officers had, after much searching, finally found Monsieur Minellus Molekiw and Mademoiselle Ee Tee. After holding negotiations with the tribesmen, who relented and took them off the fire, and hence, the menu, the two Singaporeans were finally free, though both were unconscious.
“They’re in really bad shape,� one Interwiz official said.
“Their bodies still aren’t really put back together after the splinching, their feet are all tender and red, they’re dehydrated, and that’s not to mention the second-degree burns,� another replied, shaking his head. “But look at that! In a coma and his mole is still twitching.�
Comments:
gee i miss ur writings..!
anyway, my chinese+CME teacher is kiw and my eng teacher is called ms yEE who really reminds me of Mademoiselle Ee Tee -.-" wow. u're such a fortune teller.
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anyway, my chinese+CME teacher is kiw and my eng teacher is called ms yEE who really reminds me of Mademoiselle Ee Tee -.-" wow. u're such a fortune teller.