Chapter 6

I felt the cool air that was passing through the curtains. I took a glimpse on my clock, and it's seven in the morning already, my first class starts in two hours.

My mornings were usually, sun rays and lights. Birds chirping, cars honking on the street, laughters of kids playing in their backyard.

In France, I remembered our neighbor Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont (yeah, we lived in France for six months). They will always knock on our door at exactly 6 am, just to give us something that their daughter baked. Mostly it was a french macaroon, and it was really delicious though.

I snapped out all of the thoughts, cause I've got to get use to this cloudy set-up here in Tórshavn. A place where you cannot tell whether it is going to rain or not and that cool breeze feeling every single time.

I heaved a sigh and got up from my bed then stretched my arms. Then I smelled bacon and garlic rice. Hmmm, I know my mom's already up.

This is actually our usual routine, will wake up in the morning, then would eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, have our little siesta, and then go to sleep.

The difference now is, I'm not always around as much as I do since I started attending class.

Everyday, I'm hoping that she would never get tired of this same old routine of ours.

I went downstairs, then happened to found my mom in the kitchen, swaying her hips while listening to

Madonna, like a virgin.

"Good morning." I interrupted her little Zumba excercise. She looked at me, smiling widely.

"Oh, good morning. Come, breakfast is ready." Then she poured the fried rice in an orange ceramic bowl and put it on the table.

I sat down and put a lot of rice in my plate, I'm so hungry and I swear that my mom has the most delicious garlic rice in the universe.

"So honey, feeling a little symptoms these days?" Mom told me in the lightest tone she could ever speak.

I remembered what happened yesterday, my chest tightened, and I had a hard time breathing because of that not so kind and gentleman Lucas, who I don't want to think about right now.

"No, mom. I'm okay." I brushed off the ideas and continued eating.

"Okay, just tell me if you are feeling a little tired or exhausted or something. You know that you can take a break from school, right?" That made me think. If I ever did that, that means not spending my life to the fullest.

I fully understand the concern that my mom has, but I like to enjoy this last moment of mine.

"Noted that, madaam." She just shook her head then smiled at me.

After eating, I remembered the party for freshmen that was mentioned by that girl named Em.

"Mom, have you ever heard of a frost bash?" I cleared our plates in the table, cause morning is my duty to wash the dishes.

"Hmm. That's new to me. Why?" She's wiping off the dirt on the table, while I went straight to the sink.

"Well, my school, has this party for freshmen called frost bash." My mom instantly went to me, she put down the wet cloth that she's holding awhile ago.

"My baby's going to a party." She hugged and squeezed me, and kissed the side of my head.

Oh boy, I don't like where this is going.

"No, I'm not." I said to her stubbornly.

"Yes, you are. Listen, sweetie, this is your chance to interact and socialize with others."

She looked at me with full of joy in her eyes.

"Mom—"

"U-uh. You're going." Now she's being a child, too.

"Go now, let me continue this. You need to find the perfect clothes for today's school." I nodded and washed off the bubbles that was on my hand. I just obeyed her and went upstairs.

"Just promise me you'll do the dishes tomorrow morning and evening." She reminded me before I was completely inside my room.

____________

I am now inside the gymnasium of the school because of that frost bash thingy. This clothes that I chose, for me they were quite okay; white shirt, gray hoodie, black pants and paired with white chucks. These clothes, are my kind of party clothes (though I never really attended any party for the last 17 years of my existence).

There were students performing on the stage and I am just here in the corner, enjoying my blue soda. Never thought that they have it here. This is my favorite drink when we were in America.

I saw Stacey from afar, she was grinning while skipping towards my direction.

Uh-oh.

"Hey." She held both of my arms then squeezed it. "Glad you made it." I smiled awkwardly, not knowing how can I be leveled our energy.

"Yes." Then I remembered how Lucas knew my name. "Hey, can I ask you some questions?" I directly said to her.

"Okay, what is it?" She stood closer to me, thinking that we were having a secret conversation.

"Uhm... did that guy named Lucas asked my name to you yesterday?"

"Oh, yes. He told me, you have something, that was his." I'm confused. Even Stacey was confused.

"Did he say anything about it?"

"Yes, but it was not clear, because of his friends who kept on teasing us. And I was like, he's not my type." Stacey let out a small laugh.

Was Lucas telling the truth?

Ugh! I don't want to know if he's telling the truth. He's a jerk, a complete package of a total jerk.

"Are you okay, Alayna, right? You kinda look pale." This guy was stressing me so much in two consecutive days. I'm getting a little scary now.

I need to stay away from him as much as possible.

"Yes. I just need some... I'll be right back." I left Stacey without waiting for her response.

I walked outside the gymnasium to catch some fresh air.

I am really bothered right now. What if someone sees me and reported it directly to the board of administration. For sure, I'll be gone for good.

I sat down under the shade of this big tree and relaxed myself, inhaling the fresh air. A few moments of silence, I heard footsteps and leaves being stepped on the ground.