[1st January]
"Wow, you're here pretty early," I hummed, surprised. Dylan and I caught up with the twins just as we noticed them entering the premises.
Normally, they'd be seen walking into the corridors about ten minutes before the first period commences.
"We'd learned mother's visitation schedule. She should be there by now, discovering the apartment deserted and dark." Nick beamed in pride, though what he had said wasn't all that...wonderful.
"O-oh," I didn't know what to reply. Nick suddenly made eye contact with Dylan who was alongside me. His gaze darkened in an instant. They were still on bad terms.
"What's going on?" as we strolled further in the hallway, we regarded a crowd assembled near the notice board.
I gasped, facing Nick. "Do you think last term's results are finally out?" his eyes grew.
"No way, we've got to see who earned the throne!"
We benevolently forced ourselves through the crowd before coming across white sheets of paper pinned onto the foam boards. Our eyes immediately navigated to the top three names bolded in gold. "Holy shit,"
1) Park Jay – 99% overall
2) Yang Johnny – 98% overall
3) Ethan Lee – 95% overall
My eyes were frantic as they sought a name. "They took down Rikki," Nick pursed his lips.
"He would've been top three, for sure."
"Oh, hey!" Ethan's voice piped from behind us.
"First time I'm in the top three!" he grinned in fulfillment. However, his smile wavered more the further he skimmed through the list.
"Where's...Rikki's?" he frowned, shoulders sinking.
A loud scoff articulated right before Ethan was carelessly shoved to the side. The next thing I knew, a towering Johnny was next to me. "Fucking shit," though he possessed a gratified grin on his face as he stared at the top of the list. He shook his head.
"You win this time, Jay," he mumbled.
"Ethel where are you on the list?" Silas suddenly asked.
"Uh..." the further I go down the names, the more ashamed I got.
"F-fifty-three..."
53) Ethel Wang – 75% overall
It wasn't terrible at all. But being circled by a group who devours knowledge for grubs inevitably made it look like it was.
Jay, Johnny, and Ethan took the spots for the top three.
The twins-from what I have heard-was always rivaling for the top four and top five ranks. This time, Nick has overthrown Silas with a meager 0.5% difference. Dylan, to my surprise, was top nine with 91% overall. Though Rikki was not on the list, he would've been wrestling Jay for the second-place, which also made him intelligent.
And as for me, a considerably late-comer of their group, half trusted and half scorned...was down at the fifty's.
"T-that's good. That's excellent, Ethel!" Silas raised his palms for a high five which I half-heartedly delivered; positive he was just sympathizing with me. Well, not that I've ever made it to the top ten.
It was actually great if you take into account that there were over five hundred students in this academy.
In the middle of clamorous chatters, the racket of heels against the tiles reverberated in the foyers, prompting heads to turn from all directions.
The loud clacking that echoed with every step sounded like it could shatter the marble flooring any second.
I stared, though my vision was hindered by clothed backs. The bodies ahead of me shifted and made way for the attention-grabber. Awes and bewildered gasps were emitted.
Smoky eyeshadow that heightened her hooded eyes, dark red lip gloss that shimmered with every smack of her lips, the short bangs that hovered above her natural brows, and her hair that was up until her jawbone.
You'd say she resembled Edna Mode from Incredibles but oh my,
does she look incredible with that cut.
My heart skipped a beat when she locked eyes with me amidst the crowd. Her lips tugged upwards as her heels turned and made their way towards me. I gulped and glanced around. None of them looked dismayed nor amused. They just stared.
She wrapped an arm around me, her misty enigmatic perfume wafted my nostrils. She smelled like a dewy forest.
"Haven't seen you in a while! Not that you've changed one bit!" she snickered, revealing a tooth gem on her left canine.
Her voice. So raspy yet so compelling.
"You didn't say you'd be back so soon," Dylan sauntered over, raising a brow at the girl who scoffed.
"A little surprise wouldn't have hurt, Dylan." I grew confused. Perhaps, they know each other?
"D-do I know you?" I choked out, staying wary of her manicured fingers that were mindlessly tapping on my shoulder.
Her gaze shifted down to me, making eye contact once more. I glanced away.
"Have you had any sleep, Ethel? Your eyebags are worsening, your skin is as pale as dust, and even worst! You forgot about my existence?" she scoffed, finally redrawing her slender arms from me. She powdered her freshly ironed blazer before resting her palms on her hips.
"I don't recall...?" I trailed off, lightly squinting my eyes at her as if that would have brought Ethel's memories.
The girl rolled her eyes with a tap of her heels.
"I have no idea what sick prank you're doing right now,"
"But I am his sister, you dumbass." she pointed at Dylan, who did not seem entertained.
"S-sister??" I blinked, not comprehending what she had unveiled. Though it was just a single word.
"Oh my God," she feigned shock, covering her lips with a hand.
"You truly forgot?" she laughed out loud, somehow finding this situation witty.
"Well then," she continued after calming down. "to put it simply, I am your cousin."
"Because," she dragged Dylan by his arm and hauled him into a headlock.
"What the fuc-"
"Dylan is my brother," she repeated, ignoring the yells of protests and curse words her brother was spewing in public. "By blood." she finished.
"Is your brain gears working better now?" she pouted her lips at me as if she was talking to a five-year-old. It made sense, sort of.
They were both so snarky and cynical.
Her grin deliberately faded as her eyes roamed around the group, in search of someone.
"Where's Rikki? Ah, he should be at Rugby practice now!" the girl bellows in pride before knocking Dylan in the head rather roughly.
"Look at you, moping and sleeping all day while your junior's the captain of the school's sport's team!" she clicked her tongue, as if in disappointment.
"Oh yeah?" Dylan glared at her with a hand against his head.
"At least I'm not the one in jail right now."
His sister's smile dropped in an instant, her red-tinted lips parted open in astonishment.
"What do you mean by that?"