Well, here I am… In the empty classroom. Generally, they are open and students who arrive early can go in and wait for the teacher to come. I'm usually one of the first to arrive in class because I hate walking into an already crowded room alone, it seems like the focus is on you! But when I get there first, I can sit at the back of the classroom and quietly watch as the rest of the people show up. I can say that I was never late, I'm a good student! I get good grades and don't bother anyone, the good thing about being a 'ghost' is that even your teasing colleagues don't know you exist!
A good example of what I'm talking about: the chaotic duo don't complain about me because I'm so boring haha! I've heard of a method I've forgotten the name of, is one where you divert narcissistic behavior elsewhere, preventing it from targeting you. If you are as boring as a gray stone, people who like confusion will look for a more interesting stone! It is not with everyone that this technique will work, but with them it works perfectly.
Well, I just saw the horror duo walk in and I shift my attention to my phone, pretending I didn't see them. Emily and Charlotte, on a list, they would be the last people in the room I would talk to. Well, I can include William and his friends at the bottom of the list but they tend to pick on other boys more. They are not ugly... They are beautiful! But what contrasts is the bitter personality… Emily has short hair and a very dark purple, almost black. What I envy a little about her is her feline look, with her light green eyes. Charlotte has perfectly curled golden hair and her eyes are the same shade as honey. Emily and William date… Well, personality-wise, they were made for each other.
I want to talk to Camila… But she's one of the last to arrive.
I calmly watch as the classroom fills with students, while inside I was dying of anxiety. Would it be too weird for me to just say hello out of the blue? I'm known for being quiet, others would find it strange.
Finally she appears, Camila greets everyone she talks to and walks over to Charlotte. Emily soon joins the conversation as well and I just watch them from afar.
How am I going to have an opening to start a conversation with this girl?! She's basically always talking to someone!
I play with my shiny ring in my hand as I think. However, I end up remembering the dream I had again. I turn my gaze to her to see any signs of dark circles or sadness.
Well, she's wearing a lot of makeup today. Also... She doesn't seem as cheerful and energetic as she usually is...
I get caught up in thoughts and theories, until I see out of the corner of my eye that she's coming for me.
I panic.
I have no subject!!
"Hello Angela!" Camila greets me with a huge smile.
"Hi…" Ah, I spoke too softly. I have to speak louder.
"How are you?"
"I am good and you?"
"Good too!"
"Great!"
"Yes!"
"..." I don't know how the conversation continues after that!
"..."
"..." What an awkward silence.
"..."
"Sorry"
"Why??" She looks at me with a puzzled expression.
"I don't know what to taaalk" I whimper.
"Ah! Don't worry! It's my fault, I was the one who wanted to talk without bringing up a subject..."
"It's not your fault!!"
"And yes!"
"..." After that, we both laughed.
"So that explains why you was restless yesterday"
"I wasn't supposed to notice! I did my best to make small talk… I can't start a conversation as easily as you can."
"I see…" She sat down at the empty desk across from me. "This takes practice, a lot of practice, but want to know a good conversation starter tip?"
"I would love!" My face lit up.
"Ask more about the other person! Everyone likes to talk about themselves, and if you seem interested and keep asking questions, the conversation will flow without you needing to say too much."
"Serious?! Is it that easy?!"
"Yep, want to try?" She winks and laughs.
"Can I ask about anything?"
"It depends, but almost everything"
"Hmmm" I think a lot.
"...?"
"So why do you look less cheerful today?"
"Ah" Her smile disappeared.
"Sorry! I think it was too personal, I'll think of another…"
"No no, it's okay. There have been some family issues…"
"What there was?"
"I can't say much, but it really affects me. However, I have to be strong and be a good example for my little sister."
I am shocked by that last word. She has a sister, just like my dream.
"How is your sister?"
"She's very cute!" His eyes lit up again, "She looks a lot like me and her name is Sofia. She looks like a doll!"
My eyes widened, that's the same name I heard in my dream. It's not possible.
"You…" I was going to ask more about yesterday to see if it made sense with my dream, but I was cut off.
"Good morning Camila" greeted Ravi. It was an 'indie' style boy with dark blonde hair and long to the shoulder.
"Good morning…" She replied a little shyly.
Hehe.
"Ah" Only now that he realizes that I am the person Camila is talking to and he looks at me in shock, "Sorry, good morning to you too Angela"
He didn't even hide his surprised face, how rude!
"Good morning"
He turned and went to talk to some friends and after that, I was staring at Camila with a smug smile.
"Why are you smiling like that!!" Her face turned red.
"Do you, Camila, happen to like him?" I questioned in a playful way, still with a crooked smile.
"My God…"
"Say say, no lies please"
"A little bit, I admire him for being responsible and nice and…"
"GOOD MORNING, MILA!" someone yelled, and I got scared.
"Jesus! Good morning, Mike!" Camila quickly turned to him.
The yellow-haired boy took a step towards us, but our eyes met, and he stopped in surprise. Is it so shocking that I'm talking to someone in the room?! Michael smirked and chuckled, giving a thumbs-up. Camila shook her head from side to side, laughing, and returned the thumbs-up. Meanwhile, I was like a dumb trying to understand something. After that, he ran up to Ravi and threw one of his arms around his shoulders violently, startling him.
"GOOD MORNING, RAVIOLI RECIPE!"
"Do you drink energy drinks for breakfast?!" Ravi replied, a little stunned.
I couldn't hold back the laughter, and neither could Camila.
"Is he always hyperactive like this?" I turned my attention to her.
"When he was a kid, it was worse," she whispered.
"I remember you two lived close to each other."
"Our mothers are friends," Camila explained.
"That's good, I think…" I didn't know what to say.
"His mother is beautiful. Sometimes I wish she would adopt me too!" she commented playfully.
"Do you have pictures?"
"Yes, I do," she took out her cellphone and searched the gallery. "Here!"
The woman on the screen was truly beautiful, with her tawny hair cut short and her dark eyes making her look like the personification of a sunflower.
"He looks just like her! How old is she?"
Camila leaned closer to my ear and whispered something.
"Seriously??" I was shocked by that secret information.
I had an existential crisis. It felt like I was wandering in outer space. Seeing my reaction, she burst out laughing.
"What... a most dramatic... reaction!" she said between laughs.
"And what was your reaction when you heard that?"
"I don't remember, I was too young."
"And what is her personality like?"
Camila points to Michael, who is laughing in his circle of friends.
"See that 'Mister Laughing' over there? Very energetic and outgoing? Like mother, like son. She's just as enthusiastic as he is," she explained.
"Wow, she must be nice."
"She is! She seems to be friends with most of the town."
"I think she and my mother would be friends then," I laughed lightly.
"What is your mother like?"
"Well, she has long straight black hair and..."
"In terms of personality! But I would love to see a picture of her too."
"Oh, right!" I took out my cell phone and showed a photo of me and my mother together. "She's very sociable too, but she's more of the gentle type than the energetic one."
"Wow, you look alike, minus the eye color. I assume your father has light eyes, right?"
"Yes, I got my gray eyes from him..." I didn't want to think about him; otherwise, I'd be sad. "What about your mom and dad? How are they?"
"My mother is very different from me and my sister in appearance. We look more like my father. As for her personality... she's quiet." His face turned slightly serious.
Is it just me, or did she purposely forget to talk more about her father? Well, I won't intrude too much.
I was going to continue the conversation, but the teacher arrived. She got up from her desk in front of me because everyone was already going to their own places. But before she headed to her desk, she placed one of her hands on my shoulder.
"Do you want some company today at break? You seem uncomfortable with a lot of people, so it might just be the two of us."
I looked at her with nearly teary eyes. Are you Jesus???
"I would love to! Wait, if it's not too much trouble..."
"My friends won't die if they spend a day without me." She giggles and goes to her desk, which is next to Michael.
I look at my phone. It looks like my games won't be my only company today.
The class continues at a slow pace, as if torturing my only good neurons. I always got good grades, but not so good as to be considered a nerd... Also because I never talk about my grades. Calm down, because I don't have anyone to talk to about this. But I don't try so hard, at most I study the day before a test and get lucky.
It was already break time, and I found myself staring out the window, thinking about life with a silly face. Looking at the other blocks of classes was more interesting than the class... Well, until I got bewildered by someone snapping their fingers in front of my face.
"Earth calling Angela, is your brain on the moon?" It was Camila, trying to bring me back to the real world.
"Uh? What? Sorry..."
"Okay, do you want to stay in the classroom, or do you want to go outside?"
"I think it's quieter here."
"Alright then." She sat down again at the desk in front of me.
My desk is in the last seat next to the window, so there was a beautiful view. I watched the patio below fill with students and caught sight of the red-haired girl again.
"Excuse me, Camila... But do you know that girl alone over there? I saw her on my birthday."
She looked out the window at the person I was referring to and turned her attention back to me.
"Angela... I don't know how to ask this more politely, but what world do you live in?"
"... What???"
"There were a lot of rumors about her at the end of last year, haven't you heard?"
"Ah..." I shifted my gaze to the patio again. "Let's say I don't have someone to tell me gossip."
There was an awkward silence after that, but soon she spoke again.
"I'm sorry, well, but don't you ever pay attention to what the people around you say?"
"I... erm, no? I feel it is an invasion of privacy."
"You need to pay more attention to your surroundings! What if they're badmouthing someone you know? And if they are talking about news that is important for you to know?"
Wow, it looks like I managed to activate her 'big sister lecture' mode...
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be sorry," she sighs. "Just... Listen to the people around you. Well, I will be your information pigeon from now on."
My spirits came back, I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and a huge smile on my face.
"Thanks!"
"You're welcome," she smiled. "Well, that girl's name is Meara Mistral."
"What a fancy name."
"She is the ex-girlfriend of our current class president."
"What? Seriously?"
"They they walked together last year, didn't you even notice?"
"The games were more visually appealing..." I pout as I look away.
"You are a goner... Moving on, from what I was told, she was toxic in that relationship and had violent behaviors."
"Are the rumors true?" I asked, knowing that most rumors are lies.
"To be honest, I believe that most of them are not. She doesn't seem like a bad person to me. After their breakup, everyone started pulling away from her."
My heart sank as I watched Meara eat her lunch through the window.
"It must be awful to see the one you were talking to walk away..." I know what it's like to be alone.
I turned my attention to Camila, and her eyes were fixed on me. She had her arm on the table, supporting her head. She was thoughtful, and the way she looked at me seemed to analyze my soul... Uncomfortable.
"I thought you didn't care so much about others," she finally said. "Since you always seemed comfortable being alone, you didn't seem to want to talk or be bothered by other people."
"Seriously?"
"Well..." She lifted her head and returned to her original position, smiling to herself. "Looks like I was wrong!"
"Huh...??"
"You want to talk to her," she stated.
"I didn't even say anything... How can you say that with such conviction?"
"Intuition!" Camila commented and leaned her body back, stretching. "Want me to call her for you?"
"No!! Seriously, I appreciate knowing that you would make yourself available for this, but... I think she would be uncomfortable."
"Okie you who knows," she shrugged. "But if you ever need help, count me in!"
"I wish I had the courage you have..."
"It can be difficult, but you can do it! Just have more confidence in yourself."
"I am going to try!"
And so we continued talking until the break ended.