Inevitably, changes take time.
Lucas, in his seat, absentmindedly taps his fingers on the table. His mind wandered aimlessly. The chair. The table. The board. Even on the clock. It did not escape his glance.
Might be because of the boredom after the ceremony. Ten minutes more before their class officially began. The class is still as rowdy as before. Typical behavior.
Lucas scrunches his nose up. Annoyance sweeping over him.
''Owen, could you please even one second be decent?'' He exclaims in a fed up tone.
Instead of a verbal response, Owen still acts the same. Copying Lucas' posture in exaggeration mind you. The same sap of annoyance evident on him.
Lucas sighs. A hand on his forehead, face palming himself because of Owen's antics. Childish.
''Okay, fine. I will be paying today's lunch.''
A slam of a sliding door interrupts everyone's agenda. Necks snapping towards the incoming person. Mr. Robert jumps a bit, shoulder flinching and a visible embarrassed smile on his lips.
''Pardon. I did not expect that to be loud.'' Mr. Robert sheepishly apologizes.
He strides in front towards the direction of the teacher's table. A set of books on top. He looks, fixing his long sleeve and ushering his gaze once more on his class.
''Right, before we begin today's lesson. I have good and bad news for you guys.'' He pauses for half a second, building up the momentum.
Lucas clearly knows where this is going on. Mr Robert shines differently today. Only one thing that meant. He might still be the one handling their class.
His classmates clamor to answer. There were many good and bad shouts from different directions. Owen joins the fun, sprinkling terror as he desires. Arguing to hear the bad news before the good news.
Mr. Robert's lips twitch.
He claps, gaining the attention of the class. Lucas snickers to himself.
''I heard more bad news rather than good news.'' Mr. Robert ignores the loud bellows of 'Not fair'.
''The bad news is that we will have a test today that will determine your section.''
The class erupted into whispers. Agony and appalled. Are what Lucas can describe what his classmates are feeling. The voices of anxiety flowing to his ears. He cranes his neck.
Owen shuffles on his seat, biting his fingernail. Perspiration lathering on his temples.
''You look constipated.''
''No shit Sherlock.'' Owen snaps.
''Why aren't you nervous? We have an exam without so much notice.''
''Owen, you know you could slay it without even reviewing.''
A fact that Owen forgets. Lucas' study buddy ever since is Owen. He had dragged his ass every single time to revise whenever the stuffiness in his chest was overwhelming. Every time his mind is occupied with something else and he needs to rear it in the right direction.
Someone that could be helpful. Though, most of the time no revision was happening because all they did was gossip behind their family's back. Still slayed though.
His tense posture slacks.
''Right.''
Lucas snorts, settling himself into a more comfortable position. He pulls out a blue ball pen out from his pants pocket. Clicking the thruster, the ballpoint showing itself. Lucas is ready for another surprise quiz.
He twirls the pen on his hand, leg bouncing as he waits for Mr. Robert to pass the exam sheets.
The shuffle of papers finally had begun.
''Before I forgot.'' Mr Robert- his back facing his students- spins around.
Everyone pauses, awaiting for his next words.
''I'll be handling the first section with Mr. Evans as the teacher assistant. Hopefully, I will be able to see some of the same faces in next week's class. Goodluck children.'' He clasps his hands together. Shallow dimple forming on one side.
Admittingly, the pressure suffocates the whole class. Unknown to Mr. Robert, his encouragement had been twisted except for Lucas. Lucas bobs his head.
They began to answer. Scratching their head when they do not know the solution, sighs escaping in frustration, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. All of this is currently happening inside the classroom.
After thirty minutes of scribbling on his paper, shading his answer on the sheet. Lucas places his pen down. He stretches his limbs, the taunt nerves relaxing from the movement.
Lucas looks around. There are more heads bowed down in focus. He blinks, rechecking his answers if what he had written has been correct.
And then, he dozes off.
In the next classroom, the scenario was quite the same. Various heads were bowed down, as their hands scribbled on the answer sheets. The only exception was for Adrian.
His eyelids flutter close but he fights off the drowsiness. He tried to yet, the sleepiness was unbearable. Without his notice, he had already fallen asleep.
With his two legs, he runs. Runs for his life. Adrian cranes his neck from his peripheral view, it is chasing him. He accelerated his pace, huffing.
Adrian knows this was a dream. This has been happening for a while. Him. Running away. The exact situation unfolding every single time he sleeps. Moreover, he could not get rid of this.
It has always been on his tail. Chasing him breathless. He speeds up, having a plan to overthrow it; however, someone emerges by his side. Face being blocked by mosaics. See?
No man has his face blocked by mosaics.
Logically, only dreams have this.
''Bro. You're late.'' Adrian says, nodding in greeting.
The stranger did not reply. Just keeps on running beside him as they bypass multiple corridors. They ran towards the fork of a path. Without hesitation, they pick the right direction.
Because it is only right. Right?
It still did not get lost. It was hot on their heels. It stretches its arms, reaching for Adrian's head. His heart is speeding up.
Before it could, the stranger grabbed his arms. No, it was not a stranger anymore. The mosaics were all gone.
He was Lucas. The face was Lucas.
Adrian opens his mouth but he wakes up with a start.
''Dude, it's time to pass.'' Kristoff nudges him.
Adrian rubs his eyes. The dream in his mind. Movements sluggish, he collects the paper and then passes it in front.
His routine. Adrian hypothesizes that there is a big chance of something going to happen that will change his life.
Change is the only permanent thing in this world.
Adrian looks forward to the changes that will happen in his life.
'What the fuck is Lucas doing in his world?!' Adrian wonders.