The tapping sounds irritates her, Principal Joseline Ross. Immediately she lurks to the source of the sound when she realizes, the noise came from her own shoe, her right feet to be exact. As a principal she must put a strong front, a fortress of stern with no place for showing weaknesses. And although she knew it's wrong, she feels that her students will eat her alive if they smell blood in the water.
That's why she's anxious to wait for his guest this evening. A new teacher that will help her solves the problems in her school. Though she spokes with him on the phone, there's no guarantee whether the guy in question will show up. Nevertheless, she stills remember what Andrew Jackson was, but she has no knowledge of what kind of a man he is now. Being sent to war zone can change a man, significantly. All that she can relies on is the memory of the guy.
"Miss Ross, your guest is here." her administrative staff informs her. "..and you have another two students sent to see you."
Joseline straighten her back. "Alright, send the man first."
She waits in curiosity when the man named Andrew Jackson enters her room. Surprisingly, he just like how she imagined. Dressed in a bomber jacket with a stripes shirt underneath pairs with a jeans. He is still the easygoing but well driven guy she remembered, or is it just.. maybe just on the surface?
"Joss.. is that you?" The African-American man shows his big adorable smile once he recognized her.
"Andy.." they hug for a moment.
"Look at you... you're a principal of our own highschool."
"Yeah.. if you don't believe it it's okay, I don't believe it myself."
"Well.. if we could tell our 16 years old self about this, they might not believe it." Andy said as he sits on the chair across Joseline.
"Yeah, I always thought I will leave this place, but somehow I bound here."
"Really? What's stopping you? I could remembered you're next inline as a valedictorian."
Joseline smiles bitterly. "Marriage.. which end in divorce."
Andy wipes the excitement out of his face. "Oh, sorry, Joss.. I didn't know.."
"That's alright, it's not worth mopping all day. So.. how about you, I always had a hunch you'll be an army guy.. and will be fantasticaly good at it."
Now it's Andy's turn to have sour face. "Yeah, it's dream living and enigmatic at first. You're finally be at a place where you're good at.. but than reality hits.." There's a long pause, and Joseline felt she needs to say something to ease the uncomfortable air.
"How many tours had you been?
"3.. two of them is uneventful, but the last one.." Andy paused again. Joseline now alerts that it somehow affected Andy more than it shows.
"Look, if you need some times to adjust, I'm not going to push you to do anything. I heard you just got back, and maybe.. if it's to soon for you to have another job.."
"No.. no.." he laughs. "I must have giving a bad impression on a job interview here."
"Any soldier who has been away must have comes back with a scar or two. It's inevitable.. as long you have a way to be treated you'll be okay." Joseline tried to cheer him up.
"Yeah.. I've been in some therapy with the army psychologist ever since I came back. I had only been into one appointment, but they said it will be good if I have a distraction.. you know.. that will helps me adjusting back into a life here."
Joseline nods. "It will be a whole lot distraction here. I recalled you're a big fan of literature back then."
"Are you kidding me? My luggages are more full with books than other things. I think it gave me a reminders of home when I'm away."
"Then.. would you like to try a position as an English literature teacher? Let's just try with a trial basis so you won't feel pressured."
"Somehow i think i'll be more focus if I feel pressured.. you know based on experience." Andy jokingly said.
Joseline quietly smiles but she averted her eyes to her window as the final bell rings.
"Don't worry.. there will be pressures, it's just that.. it's not always plainly visible for you to see."
Andy looks at her in question, but decided not to reply her remarks.
***
"Oh no, it's Edwin.. again.." said a guy with a checker board shirt, complemented with a black bow tie and a suspender.
"Still.. I can't believe you wear that to highschool and survived." A blonde girl with a high ponytail, and short red skirt said. "I'm going to class.. tell your friend, don't ever show up in front of me again."
"Don't worry, Irina babe.. you're still my queen."
"Yeah, Roman.. you better choose between me or your woman-hater friend." Irina said as she walks away, and purposely bumps shoulder with Edwin.
Roman quickly pulls Edwin's arm, dragging him away from the hallway.
"Look.. I know you just came out, and you had trouble about it with your family and all.. but you need to act accordingly if you want to survive in this school." Roman said.
"And by survive you mean lick some dumb blonde ass who crowned herself as the queen of highschool?"
Roman eyes widen, reminded Edwin to keep his voice down.
"You maybe new at this.. but you need to distinguish between being gay and being a woman hater."
"Look.. I get you worship woman and wants to be friends with them, but I'm finding them annoying and can't keep their mouth shut."
"Sounds you have some personal issues here, but that is not my problem.. the point is, you can't bad mouth and throwing insults to Irina while she's on top of the social food chain. You'll be dead meat! I need to survive highschool, and Irina is my only golden ticket to do so. I suggest you change your attitude and keep your mouth shut in front of her!" Roman said as he walks away. Almost like he was hissing.
Edwin sighs. "You know she's only popular because she's whoring around the entire football team!" Edwin said half screaming, making Roman more panic when people start to looking at them and thus running through the hallway.
***
Sayara lifts a scarf to her face and try to wrap her heads with it. It's been a month since she started doing it, but it always ended with her shoving it back to the drawers.
"Don't.." a voice said from her behind. Sayara tried not to say anything, she's not in a mood to exchange argument with her sister today.
"You're a senior now and you have less than a year here in highschool. Just wait and you'll free to do whatever you want after that."
"Said who?" Sayara now lifted her eyes. Even though she doesn't want to say anything but words just keep slipping when she faced her sister.
Although they both just a year apart, but she and her younger sister seems could never be in the same page.
"Look at us now.. how life after highschool will be different?" Sayara continued.
Layla sighs. "It will be less troublesome without highschool.."
"I don't care about what people think.." Sayara grabs her bag and leave her sister alone.
"You will when they care about what you wear!" Layla shouted.
Sayara paced her way through the bus stop . Everyday is the same.
The same people who doesn't understand her.
The same question in her head that she can't figured out the answer.
It's like a loop of the most boring movie.
Everyday..