"Miss Alisa Daniels" the voice of the teacher echoed in the class, bringing her to reality. She deftly turned to see the piercing eyes of the whole class on her. "Can you brief me on what was so interesting over there?"
"Hmm..." she mumbled, totally lost for words. Not to talk of the scenario being too embarrassing to explain. Moreover, it wasn't anything beneficial to the lessons nor the class as a whole. So she resorted to the best option she could think of and that was to remain silent.
"Did you lose your tongue or what? You should walk out of my class if you deem it not important to be here."
Alisa noticing the seriousness in Mr. Hayford's voice and the piercing stares from her colleagues, instinctively looked down; a flash of embarrassment welling up on her face.
"I'm sorry sir."
Turning back to the board, he warned; quite pissed with the whole event.
"You should be. Hope this doesn't repeat itself. I don't even understand you youths of today."
The rest of the lessons went on in silence whiles the students listened attentively to their teacher. Though Alisa was paying attention, she was finding it hard to keep her focus.
"That damn jerk, what does he even think he was doing? Is that all he thinks about? I don't even understand his purpose for being in this school. I don't even get why he is still in HILBERT'S COLLEGE. "
The doubtful thought of Nick's existence in the school was still running through her mind when the bell rang for a break.
"Don't forget your assignments. I wouldn't want to repeat myself about this again." she heard Mr. Hayford announce as he gathered his things to leave but she didn't even bother to give him another look.
She had her focus fixed on her notepad as she noted down the last points she heard from the teacher. When the teacher stepped out, the students wasted no time finding their way out to the cafeteria. Alisa lifted her head to see the class almost empty. she rose from her seat, shoving the hand of her bag well over her shoulders.
She staggered out of the class to the chaotic hallway to see almost all the students heading to the canteen. Getting there, she moved straight to the counter for her tray of meals. Every staff in there knew and tagged her as the girl who speaks only two words.
"Sandwich and lemonade please." she requested her usual.
The staff in charge at that moment smiled, "Just a moment." she slid to the other side and soon returned with Alisa's order.
"Here you are."
Without uttering another word, she picked up the tray and slowly turned her gaze; scanning the entire hall for any sign of Nick. Being in the crowd was already making her uncomfortable and was not ready to add any salt to injury by running into that arrogant jerk.
She thought of finding a quiet place in the school's garden to have her lunch but then, not seeing him in the canteen only meant one thing. Nick was with his friends taking over the school as always.
When she had regained her conscience from her random thoughts, she spotted an empty seat at the corner of the hall.
"I think we have to stay here Alisa, thanks to that dumbass," she mumbled indignantly to herself as she shuffled over to the seat. She sat down, placing the tray on the table.
Feeling very irritated by the rumpus from the trays, murmurs, and laughter from the students; she picked out her phone, plugged in her earphones, and inserted them into her ears. She scrolled through her music folder and played COMING HOME, she dived into her meals.
At that moment, Nick and his gang stepped into the cafeteria; making the whole hall fall into silence but Alisa didn't even notice since she was so into her meals and music.
Being an introvert and a nerd, there was no better way she could express her emotions and thoughts so she choose to do it through music. She had a small notepad beside her tray with a pen in handwriting down some lyrics that came to mind from the inspiration she got from the music she was listening to when someone thumped his hands on the table.
Alisa instinctively jolted up in fright, lifting her gaze to the culprit as she pushed her lenses well over her nose bridge.
"Did you think you can run away from me?" he queried, running his hands through her hair but Alisa shoved it away.
He chuckled, clenching his teeth in anger as he turned his gaze back at her. The next thing Alisa saw; he furiously thumped her tray, smashing it on the floor to make a very irritating noise which shattered the whole hall bringing everybody's attention to them.
He held her wrist making her wince in pain as she struggles with him to free herself from her hands.
"You're hurting me."
"You should have thought of that when you tried to fight back you stupid nerd." he stared indignantly at her, twisting her wrist as Alisa stared back at him wincing in pain with everybody staring at them murmuring but nobody wants to get involved in Nick Walter's business.
Saved by the bell, Mr. Martins walked into the hall. "Hey Nick Walter, you should let go of her now," he announced.
He hesitated for a while but had no other choice than to let go if he doesn't want to be taken back to the States per his father's threats.
"Pray you never fall into my trap you stupid nerd." he shoved her hand roughly away.
"Ouch!"
"Let's go guys." He turned to leave but then stopped midway, suddenly remembering something. "And oh," he glanced back at her. "What do you say about that surprise I made for you? Did you like it?" He smirked and strolled off, followed by his gang.
Krriinngg...
The bell went off for break over.
"You heard the bell. Everybody should move to their classes now," exclaimed Mr. Martins.
All the students took their trays, returned them to the staff at the canteen, and trod out of the hall. Alisa was no different. She packed up her things and sauntered towards the hallway. From her checks, she knew she had one last lesson before school ends. She took the path of the corridors and soon got to her History class.
The noise from the class as she got to the door was enough to tell her that the teacher was not in. She pushed the door open, gliding in. Though her mates saw her nobody paid any attention to her. Noticing the empty desk in front, she settled in.
Soon, the teacher also joined them. The next hour and a half passed by in silence as the students listened attentively to the lessons. A few questions were asked and then the bell went off bringing the lessons to an end.
"See you guys tomorrow and our next lesson will be on page 20. Don't forget to read it before we meet again."
"Okay ma'am." the entire class echoed in unison as their teacher shuffled out of the class. Within the next minute, all the students staggered out of the class to the hallway with everybody taking their paths to their homes. Some had their parents waiting for them at the gates whiles others glided into the bus either in groups or individually.
Alisa didn't like being picked up so she choose to go by bus.
****
It was around 4:30 pm when the bus pulled up in front of Alisa's house. She glided out and sauntered into the house slowly pushing the door open.
"Good evening dad, good evening mum," she uttered, walking in.
"Good evening dear." they both answered.
"And what about me?" Jess queried leaning on the sofa on which she was lying.
"Evening Jess," she added indifferently as she strolled through the hall towards the stairs. At that moment, Jess noticed the bruises on her wrist.
"Alisa?" she called, making Alisa glance back at her. "What happened to your wrist?"
Mr. and Mrs. Daniels didn't notice earlier on but only saw it when Jess pointed it out. They all stared at her in anticipation waiting for her reply.
"Oh this, nothing," she replied, taking the stairs as she continued on her walk to her room.
Jess wasn't satisfied with the reply she got. She stared skeptically at her parents who themselves were also not satisfied with the answer they got. "Do you think she is being bullied?"
"I don't know dear, let's wait till Cyrus gets back. He might be able to bring her to talk about it." Mrs. Daniels remarked.
Jess felt they should talk to her now but there was nothing much she could do as Alisa easily opens up to Cyrus more than anyone else in the family.
"Okay." she shrugged, lying back on the sofa as she continued surfing the net.