Endless Pain. Chapter 1: Page 2. A Face from the Past.
Why do I meet her here? This is the question I am asking myself now.
She has long black hair, with brown eyes and an expression I can only describe as what people would call a tsundere.
The girl is staring back at me with a harsh expression almost disgusted even…there is no doubt about it, she recognises me.
I am putting that aside for now and sitting on my chair next to Silvia.
"Hey Nilos," Silvia whispers at me.
I face her in response. "Hey."
"I am glad we are in the same class, Nilos." Silvia is excited. I can hear that by her tone of voice.
"I feel the same way." I am replying to her to sound kindly but in reality, I couldn't care less as I do not feel any urge to establish a friendship with her.
Many associate friends with the following emotions: joy, amusement, and perhaps even love. I…no…I mean someone I knew in the past held those same emotions for his friends which in the end resulted in nothing but betrayal.
That girl with the long black hair is one of the key figures who betrayed the person in the past.
"Nilos hey Nilos." Silvia is whispering again at me.
"What's the matter?" I am asking Silvia in a quiet tone to not disturb the class.
"You have been spacing out again. Are you alright? You have been spacing out often." Silvia is asking me with concern which is strange to do for someone you have just met today.
"My bad I was just in deep thought about something that happened in the past to someone I knew that's all."
"Oh I see, I wanted to ask you if you want to put our desks together so you can read from my textbook since you don't have one." Silvia is offering me with a bright smile, to anyone she does seem the embodiment of kindness. So why do her peers distance herself from her as well as shaming her?
That's something I do not want to get involved in however, I'm sure someone else will figure it out eventually or Silvia will drop her act and show her inner darkness.
"I take you up on the kind offer." Indeed, at this moment I do not have the necessary textbooks. At the moment Ms Nakata is teaching history about WW2 (World War 2). I am well versed on this subject but to not look different by not having a textbook in front of me and all the other students do, I have agreed to share one with Silvia.
I move my desk and chair closer to Silvia's and she puts the textbook in between us on the tables.
The girl with the black hair is gazing upon us with her tsundere expression.
She looks dissatisfied which in turn confirms that she knows me from the past.
This girl is not the only one who is shooting me with daggers, looking at the boy on whose leg I have stepped on, he frequently is gazing at me with a hateful exterior. He will for sure come to me when lunch begins.
"Nilos!" Ms Nakata is calling me out.
I change my focus away from those two and toward Ms Nakata and stand up from my seat.
"Could please tell the class on what date Great Britain declared war against Germany?"
Although I am a new student and didn't learn anything from her like the others she is still choosing to ask me a question on the topic, the most likely reason is to test my current knowledge.
"Great Britain declared war against Germany on September 3rd 1939, two days after World War 2 began."
"That's correct, thank you Nilos you may sit back down."
I sit back down and I notice that the girl with the black hair is facing away from me.
"He seems different from back then" (From the black-haired girl's thought.)
"Wow Nilos, you knew the answer immediately." Silvia is surprised that I know the answer. It's not a hidden fact.
"I just happen to watch many documentaries." I hope this reply is somewhat satisfactory.
"Would you consider watching documentaries as your hobby, Nilos?"
"I guess."
"I enjoy watching live streams." Silvia is in a way surprising me, she just keeps on smiling with such energy spreading that positive attitude to most people and creating many friendships. At least that's what it should be like but despite her positive characteristics, the opposite is true.
"I see."
Silvia puffs her cheeks and stares at me with a disappointed look.
"You are so hard to talk with."
So that's the reason for her disappointment.
"It's just the way I am. I'll try to hold longer conversations with you." I am only saying it to get her to quiet down since we are still in class.
"YAYY!" Silvia yells.
In response, all the students in class turn to the back and face Silvia with angry expressions on all of them.
"What's her problem?"
"Freak."
"I feel sorry for the new guy."
The students do not waste this opportunity by shaming her quietly amongst themselves.
"Silvia!" Ms Nakata is furious at Silvia.
Silvia is standing up from her seat facing the floor hanging her head in shame, she is not far off from crying.
"Don't disturb the class again. Got it?!"
"Y-Yes Ms Nakata." This is the first time since I have seen Silvia in a non-positive mindset.
"I'll let this slide. If you do this again I will let you stay behind after school." Considering how loud Silvia just was, this is generous some teachers would have let her stay behind or even harsher punishments.
"You may sit down."
"Thank you, Ms Nakata."
Silvia sits back down.
She is completely different now not saying a single word and her expression which used to be cheerful is now replaced with complete sadness and shame.
She is looking at me with an eerie smile.
That's strange her saddened expression that was present just now changed to this creepy demeanour.
"Don't worry I am fine."
The way she just said that sounded forced with that same eerie expression. I was right she is hiding her true self under a fake positive mask.
"That's good to hear."
I believe that the response I am giving her is for the best. If I were to tell her how I truly felt, which is that I don't care in the slightest, she would just get upset which would cause me trouble with her.
(A while later)
The history lesson is coming to an end. It's now 9:30 am, a small 15-minute break until 9:45 am.
"That's the end of this lesson. Enjoy your 15-minute break." Ms Nakata is picking up her teaching materials from the front desk and is leaving the classroom.
"Nilos, what do you have planned for your break?" It seems that Silvia is back to her usual happy facade.
"Well…I am new here and don't know any good hangout spots. Since it's only a 15-minute break, I was just planning on sitting here until the next lesson begins."
"That makes sense. Do you have something to eat?" Why is she asking me this in such a nervous tone?
"I am planning on getting something from the canteen at lunch."
She is grabbing something out of her bag.
"If you like you can have this chocolate bar."
To be honest it's been years since I was shown kindness. What a shame that it is wasted on someone like me.
"Thank you."
"Look at this punk. Flirting with a freak like her!"
I am looking straight ahead upward. I see the face of the muscular student who had tried to trip me over earlier when I made my way over to my seat.
I'm exhausted from dealing with people like him who think just because they have some muscle they can do whatever they want.
*Sigh…"Can I help you?"
"Of course you can Nilos, shit what a dumb name that is."
Why do I always attract people like him?
I am also noticing the girl with the black hair paying close attention.
"What is it that you need?" I am asking him that question in the most unmotivated and exhausted tone.
"I need you to sit there and sit still for me to knock some sense into you!"
It seems that my lack of reactions is agitating him.
Silvia for some strange reason is smiling, not frightened by the situation, this girl is surely strange.
"Look at her, she's smiling."
"Freak."
"She is so creepy."
The students don't shy away from thinking out loud.
I am shooting a glance at Silvia to see her reaction…she is smiling no matter what the situation. She continues to smile. I believe that her smiling is some sort of defence mechanism.
"Prepare to feel pain!"
What a joke for him to say that is almost laughable, to be honest.
"You are not capable of causing any pain upon me." I remain disinterested and don't show him any reaction.
The guy in front of me is becoming so angry his veins are about to burst turning tomato red.
"YOU PIECE OF SHIT! LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN REMAIN THIS COCKY ONCE I SMASH YOUR FACE IN!"
He is getting ready to punch me.
Silvia who is still sitting next to me does look worried for my safety, she is too scared to speak up against him, however.
"STOP!"
A female voice is calling out from behind the boy in a very firm tone.