Seated on her chair, she swerved it round, facing the glass window. She rested her elbow on the table and settled her chin on her knuckles. She sighed as the teacher was late. The girls gathered around Alicia as they gossiped about boys and their routines and the boys talked about their future jobs and who to consider as a future wife; they all stopped at Alicia being the perfect wife for them.
As she grew bored, she crossed her legs and picked a book from her boring book subject collection she carried around like a decoration. As the door opened and an elegant lady came in wearing the teacher's uniform, Sierra turned around and watched her every movement. Their eyes met for a few seconds followed by two smiles.
Her lips formed a bright smile and her black eyes twinkled like the stars in the middle of the night; they somehow reminded Sierra of the fireflies she failed to save. Sierra's mouth curled down as she continued to observe the new silhouette.
"I am Adele Argent, the new appointed teacher of the rank five class. I hope we can spend a fruitful and wonderful year," she bowed her head slightly. "We will not study today. It will be a special day for introducing yourselves to me and grow to know each other."
A student raised his hand asking for permission but didn't want to have it. He spoke directly. "What's the point of wasting time on introductions? We already know each other."
Everyone voiced their agreement. No one wanted her to act like she wanted a waste a good morning of learning. Sierra watched them all and sighed in frustration; they were idiots. She turned her head examining how the clouds hugged the sky, the only color that people had the luxury to know. She thought she was lucky to see her own ginger head and Duncan proved to her she wasn't hallucinating. She raised her hand as the teacher started panicking and she was given the right to speak.
"My name is Sierra Borges. For my hobbies, I don't think have any besides sitting on the roof and gazing at the sky… For the things I like, I don't like anything in particular because everything isn't just likable. For what I hate, ammm… I think hypocrite people. I just can't accept them being at the same space as me. It's hard being me. Welcome teacher! Don't mind at all! They like to talk after a certain someone to make her rise and it's bad when an opinion can be changed so easily."
"Thank you, Sierra! I hope we can have a wonderful rest of the year. Anyone who wants to introduce himself," everyone looked at Sierra with eyes burning with hate and anger; she just touched someone who she wasn't supposed to. Sierra smiled in their faces and sat down like Alicia did, adding a twist to make her look ugly. "Everyone! I think that's enough laughing and you Sierra, I need to see you after the class ends."
Her mimicking of Alicia's sitting style made everyone laugh. The subject in the matter glared at Sierra while the other smirked looking down at her with the corner of her eyes. Sierra has never liked Alicia; her guts told her she wasn't someone worth befriending. Adele looked relieved seeing the order and silence return.
Sierra listened to the teacher speaking about dreams and she remembered hers and her continuous wishes. She was a bright girl, studying hard and dreaming about a good life. She wanted her mother to acknowledge her and thought if she advanced a rank, she would receive her affection. It was just a lost cause and something not worth hovering around. She used to ask about everything and her father had always the best answer for that.
"Don't dream too much! Dreams can be hypnotizing sometimes and there are people who can benefit from that. Gather the pieces and rationalize them within your mind… Your mind is the only organ that stands alongside you. The heart will be only a hindrance for most of the cases."
She considered her father a saint in her life, always seeking his goodwill and his blessings. She had never got the answers she wanted so she searched herself; it was the reason why she met the teacher whom she liked. He was her second father after her real one.
'If I could turn back the clock, I would have avoided him like the plague. Such a shame! Time isn't an entity to turn back whenever I want to. Once a moment goes, it goes forever. Dream stay dreams. A place where we can be however we like isn't real… Reality is disappointing! That's why I abandoned my dreams and gave up; everything I fought for didn't come to me. I was rejected from everything. It was better giving up and seeking death. But I am a coward; I have to ask someone else to do it. It was cruel!' she thought.
She stared at her hand that was slightly red from the grasp Duncan did to her. She remembered how she met him for the first time and how she teased him. She was faking everything that day: her smile, her stance, her words… She was desperate but she had to show how strong she was. She always faked it because weakness wasn't allowed in her mind.
She looked at the clouds moving slowly. Her mind wondered how the birds look at humans. She connected the thumb and index fingers of her right hand, closed her left eye and looked through it. Sometimes she did that imagining how the world would be if she was like a bird.
The bell rang three times making her jump from her thoughts. She looked around then grabbed her school bag and headed outside until Adele stopped her. Sierra completely forgot that the teacher asked her to stay after class. Adele mentioned to her to sit down on the first range as she closed the door behind her. The teacher sat next to her, looking with bright eyes.
"It's good that you decided to accept me. It's warm seeing a higher rank with a modest attitude," she smiled. "Do you want to join our club? I made one just recently and it's good having you between my students."
"Ammm… You see teacher. The way you talk is like someone I knew a long time ago," Sierra crossed her arms and leaned her chin observing the cracks in the table in front of her intently. "You will die if you keep doing this. Leave them alone. Take it from me. Naïve people with high IQ don't live for too long. Be a dumb! You will live longer than he did."
"I like your honesty," she laughed. "At least, you tell what's on your mind. Do you know that people like you don't live long either? You mustn't go around and tell people what's on your mind."
Sierra ignored her sarcasm and pulled her ruler then started scratching the cracks making them deeper. "Either way, I don't want to talk about dreams. You must teach them the normal things even if they were lies, teacher Adele."
"Do you know that what you said is dangerous? That I could go and snitch on you?"
"I know. But I could greatly say it's your fault for not teaching us properly. I am of higher rank, they will listen to me. You belong to the third."
"Putting like that isn't nice… Your modesty goes pluff."
"I have never said I was one. I like burning people. It gives me a sense of satisfaction."
"Or a sense of escaping."
"I don't escape. I abandon. It's no use investigating me teacher. Keep your boundaries. I keep mine. Try to approach me seeking a way to help me and I will try to ruin you. There is always multiple ways of destroying someone," she grabbed her bag one again and tossed it on her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you. I hope we don't get too close."
She walked out determined to push everyone away. It wasn't good causing the death of another good teacher. Duncan sneaked behind her as he thought of what he heard inside the classroom. "Hello, there! Did you burn someone else this time? I heard from some people how you mimicked a lass."
"Ammm… Are you a stalker?"
"A handsome stalker. You need to add the adjectives as they are."
"I thought I told you to keep away from me," she pushed his arm away. "I made it pretty clear," she formed an X with both her arms in defence from anything he would do. "Don't approach me or I would call it harassing!"
"Who would care about that?" he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think anyone would care of how a condemned talk to you."
"What do you think you are doing?" she stopped at the school gate watching him with intent gaze.
"I am basically walking you home."
"I can go alone. I don't need your help to walk. Do I look like a baby?" I laugh, "Come mom, I will show you my grandfather's house. It's ridiculous! My mom will always know her father's house and I will always know mine. So, you can go. Your noble thoughts are appreciated."
"I just feel like it. I will not go away. Besides, I don't feel like leaving you alone tonight. I will visit you later," he glanced behind him as Elijah showed up behind them. Elijah turned away as he saw the condemned and avoided meeting his gaze.
As they were walking, she forgot about the anger she felt for him earlier and started laughing at his stupid jokes. However, she remembered soon enough when she reached her parents' house. They were arguing again and everyone was hearing their voices enough. She didn't think she could describe the humiliation she felt at the moment, especially when he was with her. She peeked at his eyes. She expected to see pity as when people see the miserable life she lived, but his eyes were expressionless. She looked around and spotted the neighbours looking from their windows.
For once, she wanted to know what he really thought.