Where is my Chemistry Text Book?
Maya literally turned her bag and bed inside out, as she rummaged through for her text book.
I can bet I had it just now..
She couldn't find it, so she sat back on her bed, and let her mind do the thinking. She wore a loose blue Prussian colored top, and a black fairly patterned skirt. She tried retracing her steps and thought she might have left it on the couch. Her sullen dismay, when it wasn't there either.
It was no use, she needed to study for her test the next day. Exams were to begin soon, and how she had hoped for better grades.
She sat confused and scratched her head at intervals. It didn't itch, but it expressed confusion of some sort.
She looked blankly through her window, before her eyes caught something. It was her laptop. A gift she had gotten from her uncle, Jerry.
Uncle Jerry, a story for another day... Or maybe I can just say a little..
Uncle Jerry was Maya's uncle who lived at Kentucky. He was one of Maya's favourite, and bought her a laptop when she turned Ten. Yep, Ten! It still worked fine, except for the weak battery worn out, stickers of her favorite musicians, actresses and of course, cartoons.
It was as a result of her School's performance. He did promise to always get her new gifts, only if she continued amazingly.
Then, she had only started noticing the early signs of Dyslexia. She had grown with it, but was able to pull through until then. It wasn't until they had performed series of tests, that they affirmed her being dyslectic. She remembered how she had searched up the word after they returned from the hospital that night.
But now, it's different. She had learned not to feel sorry for herself but to keep doing what she's amazing at. Most Dyslectic people have hidden talents, so did her therapist say.
As she walked over to the laptop that had been kept aside for some time. The idea of reading up a thing or two for the next day dawned on her. She searched up a site and read through. She felt better reading through her system after all, because she could zoom in when the words appeared blurred.
Occasionally, she would squint at an unfamiliar word and pause for a bit uttering something only her knew.
She adjusted her glasses, and scrolled down each page with her mouse. She moved uncomfortably, on her seat and stretched. She looked through her window and noticed the day had gradually paved way for the night.
The thought of not always having to catch the transition from day to night popped into her head.
Why is it always like that?
She had finally accepted it as God's work, never comprehensible.
She leaned on her elbow which had been firmly placed on the window's lintel, and popped her head through the window as the evening breeze caressed her face, and her hair blew out gently. It was an amazing feeling. She had casually greeted a neighbor who had passed by at that time, after which she shut the windows..
***
Maya arrived school the next day a little too early. She had done that to follow in order to browse through some books and join in the group conversation her class usually had before tests. She had loved it, but didn't comment much. She only listened.
Mia had tapped her gently on the shoulder just enough to get her attention before she whispered into her ear,
"Mr. Drey said you should meet him at the basement."
Basement! That does sound like him.
Off she went, into the creepy basement where the storage room was located and she remembered her ordeal, when they all had to clean it up. She shrieked at the thought, but kept going down.
"Mr Drey!"
"Over here."
She traced his voice, and followed it till she came face to face with him.
"Here, put this on." He said attempting to put a headphone over her head.
"What's this?" She asked, making him retract his actions.
"A headphone?" He said in a tone that begged the question.
'Haven't you heard about that before?'
As if in response, she replied..
"I know what it is. Why did you get one, and drag me out of class? My test would begin any moment from now. I need to b... "
"Calm your nerves a bit. Wouldn't you try listening to what's in it?"
Maya hesitated for a while, then reluctantly wore it as he played the music.
The beats were amazing, she nodded her head in compliance to the music, and suddenly gave time to listen to the lyrics.. Mr Drey had nodded when he noticed a change in her countenance
From Excited, to Confused.
He awaited the face...
"How did?" She began.
He replied already as If he already knew the question.
"I got someone record a line or two from your highlighted texts on your Chemistry Text Book,which I stole by the way."
Why am I not surprised?
"So you see, if you learn those words, you don't necessarily have to read anymore, just listen to what your head processes."
That's unethical, coming from a teacher.
"I know right?" He replied.
She had thought aloud and he replied. At a moment she smiled at the idea. It was wonderful.. It only took a night to convert those voluminous notes into music, and now a minute to transfer the song into her head.
She had such a lovely voice and hadn't sang much until then. It was weird that she sang Chemistry but she was loving it.
He hurriedly told her to return back to her class and she scooted off and came face to face with the last person she had wanted to see.. In fact in the list of last people to meet, he was the last.
Daniel!!
"Hi," He spoke, so calmly and his elbow rested on the banister of the School's stairs. He was on his ash colored school sweater it was his norm these days.
"Hi," Maya replied and locked her lips back before she said something she might regret later.
"Can I talk to you?" He asked again still calm.
"What about?"
"I'm sorry about the other day, not the awards night the hugging you part.. It's not like I'm not sorry for the awards night it's just... "
"I understand " Maya said letting out a brief chuckle.
"You should laugh often... It looks good on you."
"What are you doing in the School's basement... People who are seen here are either on detention or are loitering so, which is it?" She asked.
"I saw you come down here so I thought I should follow and then I heard you sing.. "
Then he stopped for a split second, probably trying to phantom the right description to what he heard but he stopped, and didn't continue..
"I should go now, I have a test by Eight o'clock and I should be there on time," She feebly replied. There was always a suppressive feeling whenever she was with Daniel... A feeling mixed with paranoia and somewhat guilt.
She had made new enemies after the episode the other day... Girls who either jeered or did worse. She just wanted to be away from Daniel... But sometimes she didn't...
"I'll go with you then," He said..
***
Within the next hour, the test had been concluded, Maya hoped for a better grade as she scribbled something into her diary. She figured out that writing her diary in English could be dangerous as anyone could peek in it. So, she developed a code known by only her...
"Maya Anderson, your script."
So fast!!
He had graded everyone minutes after the test. Suddenly Maya's heart skipped a beat or did it beat harder? She couldn't tell. He didn't give any sign of a good or bad grade, no countenance change, no remark.
She raised the turned down script slowly just enough to see an 'A+' at the top most left corner of the script.
OMG! I can't believe it.
***
"Great job Missy."
"It's all thanks to you Drey. All I did was to let the song play over in my head... That was how I was able to recall... Maybe I don't need to study after all, where my eyes fail, my ears and heart can do the reading... I... It's amazing"
"So do I get to stay, and... You know... Tutor?"
"Of course. My new way of studying will be our secret, no-one needs to know..." She smiled as she responded.