Now, with Christina, by my side for everything. Things seemed to feel less problematic. Every day, during leisure we used to take a walk around the playground, discussing more about Alsace. Everything was well and good, except for the fact that Ann was always angry with me. Whenever I asked her a thing, she would look at me. Mutter something under her breath and stamp away. Although she muttered things under her breath- she would make sure that "Ask your Christina"- was completely audible to me. This was quite disturbing at times.
"She is just angry with you, for always being out with me. I think you ought to make up with her."- Christina said, and as suggested by her. I apologized to Ann about everything and promised that I would spend a reasonable amount of time with her too!! ( So silly, Ann is)
About Alsace, we decided to travel to Moscow. If we wanted to understand who Alsace was, then we would have to know more about Janet. And as always, the perfect timing to slip away from the school was the semester breaks, which was going to start in seven days from now on. There were twenty-three days off in a semester break, and that was pretty much time for us to go to Moscow and find at least the basic details about Janet.
We were waiting impatiently for the semester break and for Ann's birthday too. Finally, that day came for which each all of us were looking forward; Ann's birthday. That night all of us were busy cutting cake(Her parents had parcelled her one big cake), dancing, singing and playing, that we forgot to open our books and do the Biology homework. And for god's sake, no one seemed to remember it too. That night we enjoyed to the core, ate, played and danced. Our dance party was in full swing that I could barely remember how I slipped onto my bed.
*
My eyes fluttered opened. For some time, I was on the same pose, trying to recall things from yesterday. And thanks to my stupid brain, I could recall nothing. So there I went to the bathroom with my clothes, not at all interested in wasting efforts to recall what happened yesterday.
A cool shower brought me back to my original senses. Well, I seemed to be the first one to recover from yesterday's party as no one else was awake. I grabbed a packet of biscuits to munch on my way to the portico of our hostel building. The snow-filled streets of St.Petersburg shown brightly as they got sunkissed by the waking sun's rays. I stood there, hoping that I was a normal teenager, who didn't have hundreds of questions revolving around the head, making the neurons of the brains go on worker's strike. That was a literal statement. These days, nothing turned up in my mind, except Alsace; the thing seemed most weird, as though all my brain neurons were not working properly, as though the only thing that mattered to me was lives of many. And then again, those words from my sweetest aunt rang bells in my ears.
"Never try acting brave to save your friends, that will cost you a lot."
My instincts all of the sudden sensed sounds. Footsteps approaching the door leading to the balcony. It felt like an electric current just passed down my spine. What if, it is Alsace? I froze to where I stood. I looked at the door, ready to attack.
The door creaked opened, and there emerged a thin, tall figure in fresh crisp clothes, hair tied as a pony at the back of her head, eyes as clear as crystal, she smiled at me and walked forward.
This was Christina and not Alsace (whom I expected).
"You were here. What's the business in here?"- She asked, walking to sides of the boundary wall to look down at the road.
"Nothing. Just thought to come here."- I replied, offering the packet of biscuits. She took one and started munching on it.
We stood there and talked a lot about Alsace. Alsace had said that she was Janet's past, then the most relevant thing to do was to understand Janet's life( before meeting us) because that's when we'll understand how all these things are interconnected.
We were in a deep discussion, that we failed to notice, a figure approaching us.
"So, here both of you are. What's this always? Why do you always keep me away from all these, huh? Especially you, Sara. Are people on some contract or something, won't keep away from each other. Sticking out everywhere together as though both of you are stuck together."- She folded her arms and looked at us, her eyes pouring out pure hatred.
"Ann, there's nothing like that. It's just that, she was standing over here. And then I came up here. We were just admiring nature's beauty. Why do you talk like this?- Christina asked, almost in an annoyed manner.
"Then, why don't you guys call me too. Sara, I have been noticing this, you are trying to hide something from me. What's it?"- I exchanged (fake) surprised looks with Christina and asked her
"What? I am not trying to hide anything. Why are you speaking like this?"
She eyed both of us suspiciously, Christina broke the staring game. She walked towards Ann, an arm over her neck. She laughed and led her down the stairs to the room. I stood there, happy as to the fact that Christina had saved me again, sad as to the fact that I was ignoring Ann.
"But this is for her good, right? No problem."- Said the voice in my head. I nodded helplessly and walked down the stairs to my room.
*
"Class, sit down. One by one, I will call your roll numbers and you will keep your homework books on this table, Okay?"-
Hearing to this, felt like the scariest nightmare I'd ever had. My heart ached as though ten thousand spears were being pierced into it. I looked at my friends, who had the same expression as of mine(Maybe even worse than mine.)
"I didn't do it, did you?"- Christina asked me.
"I didn't do it either."- I replied.
"What to do now?"- Ann asked us. Christina looked at her and said
"I have no idea." And then, suddenly something lit up in my mind.
"I got, we can-" But before I could complete telling them my idea, Mrs Elizabeth, spoke in loud words.
"This time no excuses will be taken into account." At this, my heart sank again. As soon, as she settled down onto the chair with our class list in her hand, Ann turned towards me.
"Wait, you have a solution, right?"- She asked, in a hopefully manner
I shook my head, for the idea that rose in my head was to give an excuse. Phew, this time we're done.
She started calling the children according to their roll numbers, and it seemed that all had completed their homework, except for us. Ann was the first to encounter Mrs Elizabeth.
"Roll number 3, Ann Daddrio."- She announced. Ann stood up, her face glinting with fear. She looked down at her feet and said nothing
"Ann Daddrio? Why are you standing like this?"- She asked, straightening her reading glasses which were hanging loose on her long nose.
"Ma'am, I couldn't get it done. Sorry, ma'am."- She said, still looking down in shame.
"Wow, who else has not done this homework?"- she asked, looking around the class for rising figures. Well, four students rose ( THEY WERE NONE OTHER THAN THE FOUR OF US). We all followed Ann in the 'Look-Down-At-Feet' game.
"Ohh, Sara Alves and her whole group mates. I expected it. Now, you may stand outside the class with hands raised. And write the second chapter 10 times and submit it tomorrow."- She said, her face glowing with some kind of satisfaction. There was no way we could escape the punishment. So, there we spent a whole period out of class, cursing Mrs Elizabeth under breath. The thing that made us cry was the impositions. A chapter to be written TEN times? We'd better jump from the building top. But now, that won't work, right? We had to do it.
We were in our hostel room. Today seemed to be one of the worst days of my life. All the four of my friends and I were on our study tables, determined to complete the imposition. I looked at my imposition. I didn't finish even one paper. With vengeance (To smack Mrs Elizabeth on her head) filling over me, I sat there to complete the stupid imposition.
***********************
To be continued...Stay tuned.
Author's Note: Guys, Thanks a lot for reading my story. I also request you to send your feedback on the comment's section. Guys, Sara's quest to find more about Alsace will start by the next chapter. Stay tuned :)