Alex goes into the classroom and sits behind his desk looking out through the the window. He then proceeds to look pinto his school bag and see the cellphone. There is a faint smile on his face when he thought of receiving something for free but not as a charity.
'Should I buy something for her?' Alex thought of buying something for Shelly. He wanted to have friends but his circumstances do not allow him to have many friends.
'I don't have many topics to talk to them except studies.' Alex lamented at that fact. He doesn't listen to songs or watch TV. He doesn't follow games like football etc. He wants to make friends but doesn't know how to. This is due to the fact that there weren't children of his age in the orphanage. There was a commotion in the class while Alex was thinking about giving a present to Shelly.
They results of the recent test were out. Students gathered near the notice board looking for their ranking. Alex doesn't go into the crowd but just stands on his toes to look at the top of the sheet. 'I should be ranked first according to the answers I gave.' Alex checked his ranking and as expected, he secured number one.
'Phew.' Alex exhales a sigh of relief.
'I won't be losing my scholarship anytime soon.' Alex becomes nervous when ever he looks at his results because he is afraid to lose his scholarship. He rubs his hands which have gotten a bit cold due to nervousness. He smiles and turns to return to his class. But a boy blocks him.
It was Brendan. The 'eternal second ranker', this was his title given by others behind his back. Brendan was very competitive when it come to studies and desires to take the top spot. He is slightly thin. His posture is straight. He neatly combed his hair, his spotless white uniform was well ironed and with his round framed glasses; he looks like a model student.
Right now his face is red due to anger, frustration and embarrassment. He knows that he is called 'eternal second ranker' and had tried very hard in studying yet could not beat Alex. He can feel the mocking look everyone gives him and it made him very frustrated.
Actually he was a bit disillusioned. Not many people mock him. Only a few students who don't like him in his class made up that name. What right do they have to mock him for reaching second place when they had never even gotten close to that?
'I will definitely wash away this defeat next time.' Brendan thought.
"Hi Brendan, do you need something?" Alex asks with a smile which doesn't leave his face due to his happy mood. But Brendan mistook Alex's simple smile as a mocking one. He gritted his teeth and said,"You may have won now, but I will beat your score next month." Brendan throws a villain's cliche line.
"Oh ..okay. We will compete for next month's results." Alex said and walked past Brendan. Alex's response left him speechless. 'He didn't mock me or laugh at me.' Brendan was prepared for insulting remarks from Alex.
"Look at yourself. Alex doesn't even consider you as a opponent. You are destined to be second.Hahaha.." A boy comes and mocks Brendan. He is Brad the bully in Brendan's class. He was the one who made up the title of 'eternal first ranker'. He hates Brendan because Brendan who is his class monitor takes his job seriously. He often tells him to wear correct school uniform, not to dye his hair etc. Brendan nagging and complains to teachers earned him a week of suspension which resulted in his brutal father beating him mercilessly.
He mocked Brendan and told his friends to follow him to agitate Brendan. Brendan's eyes widen at this thought 'Is that true? No it can't be.' Brendan felt it was humiliating that his opponent did not even put him in his eyes. But he quickly managed to compose himself. He looks at Brad's untidy clothes and scolds him.
"Brad, how many times do I have to remind you to follow school rules. Tidy your clothes and hair or else I will report this to teacher and make sure to get you a suspension." Brendan didn't mean to say that last part but he was flustered and said this. He didn't have the authority to give suspensions and teachers would not suspend a student just because of Brendan's words. Brendan walks away after saying this.
'Yo...you..how dare you talk about suspension.' Brad was mad at Brendan because of beatings he received and the words said by him made him recall his pitiful state after getting him beaten up. 'You want me to get beaten up? I will get you expelled.' Brad was now cooking up a sinister plan.....
In a alley, after school. Brad is standing in front of few street punks. "Beat this kid up and frame Brendan." Brad gave Alex's photo to them. They know about Brendan too because he tried to use them to beat him up but never got a chance to because Brendan's parents pick him up from school and he almost never leaves him house. They were not patient enough to wait for that rare chance so Brad gave up the thought of beating him up.
'Let see how you get out of this. Everyone in school will isolate you with this. School may even expel you.' Brad didn't think about Alex or his circumstances. He just wanted to get back at Brendan.
Alex who doesn't know about the scheme he is getting involved was happy with his new routine. He was still considering about affordable gifts to give to a girl.
'Should I go to an Internet cafe and search for advice from it?' Alex was currently in a bus to his apartment. He thought about this matter until he reached his floor and noticed a human shaped trash in front of his door this is his landlord. His head is slightly bald and the hair greasy, he had a disgusting look on his face when he saw Alex. His eyes shone with greed. He made his way to Alex and stretched out his hand.
"Give me this month's rent." He demanded with a impatient look in his face. Alex's face darkens when he heard this.
"Sir, I have already paid for the month." Alex says.
"Huh..I don't remember you giving me any money." This man was acting surprised at his answer.
"Sir, I have the receipt of the payment from the Madam." Austin, the landlord looked visibly irritated at this.
"Why do you have to give it to her?" He raised his voice. Alex furrowed his brows at this.
"Sir, I have came to your place today morning to pay the rent and Madam was the only one at the house at that time and she gave me the receipt." Alex explains to the unreasonable man and takes out a paper and gives it to him. But against his expectations, Austin took it roughly and tore it up.
"I don't see anything. Don't try to cheat me out of money." The man shamelessly added. The smug look on his face with the smell of wine reeking on him coupled with his action makes anyone want to beat him up with a stick.
Author: I know that I have not kept my updates on time. I am now a bit free, I will be posting 2 chapters a day until I make up for the missed chapters.