"Pasta and two sausage rolls!" Zeya exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she handed over her coupon to the cafeteria staff. With a quick grab, she clutched her steaming plate, the rich aroma of the pasta wafting up to her nose, making her stomach rumble in anticipation. She turned on her heel, her expression brightening as she caught sight of Somiya and Demi, who were already debating where to sit.
"Where do you want to sit?" Demi asked, her brow slightly furrowed, a hint of impatience in her voice as she balanced her own plate in her hands. Somiya, with a playful glint in her eye, pointed her chin towards the last table, her lips curving into a mischievous smile. "Let's go to the last table." Zeya and Demi exchanged glances, nodding in agreement, and together they made their way towards the back of the cafeteria.
"Hey, guys! Over here!" The cheerful call came from Seth, Fred, Sophia, and Elli, who were waving enthusiastically from the other side of the room. Somiya's face lit up with a wide smile, her cheeks slightly flushed with joy, as she and Zeya hurried over, leaving Demi to trail behind, her expression a mix of annoyance and resignation. "Hey!" they all greeted, the air buzzing with the warmth of friendship and laughter.
"Man, there is nothing worse than the pasta our school makes!" Fred exclaimed, his face contorting in disgust as he wrinkled his nose, the faint smell of the cafeteria food lingering in the air. Zeya scanned the table, her eyes searching for Amaya among their friends. "Where is Amaya?" she asked, noting the absence of her. Elli and Fred exchanged glances but remained silent, the atmosphere thick with unspoken thoughts.
"I'm full. I'll meet you at our spot," Sophia announced, her tone casual as she set her fork down with a soft clink, the sound echoing in the quiet moment. She stood up, a bright smile lighting up her face, but Zeya, Somiya, and Demi could only stare, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern. "See you guys tomorrow!" Sophia waved cheerfully before making her way away from the table.
"It wasn't any of your fault, so relax. She was going to leave after having her lunch. Amaya just took leave too. It's nothing serious, they're just bunking the class," Fred broke the silence, his smile trying to lighten the mood as he looked at the girls. Zeya's gaze dropped to her plate, her smile fading as the weight of the moment settled in. The vibrant colours of her lunch seemed dull now, and she lost her appetite completely. Demi watched her closely, her brow slightly furrowing in concern as she noticed Zeya's silence, the uneaten food growing cold each second.
Zeya threw her bag onto the floor with a thud, the noise echoing in her small room, and flopped onto the bed with a loud sigh that seemed to release all her frustration. "Why did you have to bunk the class today?" she mumbled into her pillow, her voice muffled and filled with irritation. She reached under the pillow and pulled out her phone, her fingers swiping through her social accounts. Her heart sank as she saw that Amaya still hadn't accepted her friend request. Taking a deep breath, she buried her face deeper into the pillow, trying to block out her thoughts.
"Zeya! I'm going outside! Heat up the food and eat! And don't forget about the project!" her mom's voice called from the other room, breaking through her moment of solitude.
"Okay!" Zeya shouted back, her annoyance bubbling over as she felt frustrated with everything and everyone. She quickly changed her clothes, the fabric brushing against her skin, and plopped down at her desk, the weight of her unfinished project looming over her like a dark cloud.
After an eternity, she finally put down her pen and leaned back, massaging her arms and hands. "Will Ruby ma'am really quit teaching?" she muttered, staring at her ceiling, the paint peeling like her hopes.
*Ding*
Her eyes lit up, and in her excitement, she knocked her chair down with a loud crash. She lunged for her phone on the bed, her heart racing, but her joy quickly deflated like a popped balloon when she saw it was just a notification for a system update. "Argh!!" she groaned, frustration bubbling inside her. In a dramatic flourish, she tossed her phone onto the bed, the screen landing with a soft thud, and stormed out of the room, her footsteps echoing her annoyance.
"Did you finish the project?" her mom asked, stirring a pot on the stove, the rich aroma of spices filling the air. "Yeah…" Zeya replied absentmindedly, her eyes glued to the TV as she clicked on Doraemon, the familiar theme song bringing a sense of comfort.
After a few moments, a spark of curiosity flickered within her, and she stood up, the soft sound of her feet padding against the floor as she walked towards her mom, the warmth of the kitchen enveloping her.
Zeya stood a safe distance from her mother, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum. She had rehearsed this conversation in her head countless times, but now that the moment was here, she was filled with both anticipation and dread. Her palms were sweaty, and her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "Mom, do you know what lesbian is?"
Her mother's eyes lit up as she turned to look at Zeya. "Oh, I was just going to talk to you about that! I almost forgot!" Her mother's face was radiant with excitement, and her voice was uncharacteristically gentle. Zeya was taken aback by her mother's unexpected reaction. She had at least expected a sandal, but instead her mother seemed...happy?
"You want to talk about lesbian with me?" Zeya asked, unsure if she had heard correctly. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Of course!" her mother exclaimed, her smile widening. "Your cousin Rin has decided to be a lesbian! Why don't you be a lesbian too!?"
Zeya's eyes widened in shock, and her face flushed crimson. She felt her heart pounding even harder, as if it were trying to escape from her rib cage. "W-wait, m-mom!" she stammered, her voice thick with shock and happiness. "You want me to be a lesbian!? I'm not complaining, but are you sure?"
Her mother's smile widened even further, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Of course, I'm sure! I'll be so happy if you decide to study with your cousin! Let me tell your aunty—"
Zeya quickly interrupted her mother, her confusion evident in her voice. "Wait, Mom! What do you mean by 'study'?"
Her mother looked at her daughter as if she were an idiot. "To become a lesbian, you need to study too! Don't tell me you thought you could just become a lesbian like that!" she scolded, furrowing her brows.
Zeya's face fell, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' of disbelief. "Mom, that's not a major! You don't sign up for it like it's a cooking class! Who even told you, we need to study to be lesbian?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the very word might summon a sandal from the kitchen.
"What do you mean by who? Your cousin, Rin, told me! It's important," her mom replied innocently. Zeya felt a wave of confusion wash over her, her mind racing as she wondered if their definitions of "lesbian" were miles apart. With a determined huff, she decided to call her cousin for clarity. "Can I borrow your phone?" she asked, dialing Rin's number.
"Hey, Rin! I was confused about which course to choose at the university. What's your plan?" Zeya asked, her voice shaky with uncertainty. "Oh, Zeya! My plan? I want to be a linguist, but I'm also not sure," Rin replied, sounding more uncertain than a cat on a hot tin roof. Zeya closed her eyes, pressed her lips together, and nodded, her mind finally connecting the dots. "Linguist! Ohh, that's a great idea! You can finally put all that gossip to good use! Just don't let anyone catch you conjugating verbs in public!" Zeya exclaimed, barely able to contain her laughter as she covered her mouth.
Her mom stood behind her, eyebrows shooting up in surprise, clearly trying to understand the conversation. "Haha, that's funny." Rin said in frustration. "Well, I gotta go! Talk with you later!" Zeya hung up, turning to her mom with a grin. "She wants to be a linguist! Not a lesbian! Pfft-hahaha!" Zeya burst into laughter, the sound bubbling up uncontrollably.
"Whatever! Both sound the same! Now get out of the kitchen!" her mom exclaimed, shoving Zeya playfully outside. Zeya walked out, still laughing her head off.
To tease her mom again, Zeya ran to the kitchen and shouted, "Congratulations, Mom! For getting a diploma that says, 'Bachelor of Confusion!'" Zeya turned and ran out of the kitchen, laughing.
A flying sandal whizzed past Zeya's head, narrowly missing her. She dodged it with ease and continued to run, her laughter echoing through the house.
*Whistle*
"Here we go, Little Angel! Here we go!"
*Clap clap*
"Dedicated, motivated, we will not be underrated. We will have victory!"
*Clap clap*
"Victory! Victory! We'll have victory!"
Among the group of lively students, Zeya sat in the front row, her aura as cold as the ice in her veins. Dark circles hung heavy beneath her eyes, and her teeth were gritted so tightly that they seemed ready to shatter. She clenched her fists and groaned loudly inside her mind, her frustration palpable.
Somiya and Demi sat beside her, their faces etched with confusion at her sudden coldness.
"Zeya." Demi called out, her voice laced with concern.
Zeya leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest, her right leg resting on top of her left. Her gaze was fixed on the ground, her expression distant and slightly confused. "Wait! Where is Seth? Isn't he supposed to be playing too?" she asked, finally noticing the absence of Seth in the game.
"Apparently, not only Seth, but half of the students in their class aren't there. Only Fred is playing, and the rest are juniors who are playing with him," Demi replied.
"Why? This is the last game of our batch," Zeya whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
"I heard they're suspended," Somiya said, her voice devoid of interest in the game.
"Oe! Look there!" A few students shouted from behind the Zeya.
Somiya, Demi, and Zeya turned their heads to look and saw that the atmosphere on the other side of the court was completely different. The three of them stood up and stared in disbelief at the sight that unfolded before their eyes.
Everyone took a few steps back and made way for a girl—none other than Amaya—who had eyes darker and more dangerous than a devil's. She walked alone into her opponent team's court, without a shred of fear.
A girl on the other team turned around in confusion and saw Amaya standing right in front of her. Before she could even utter a word, a loud slap echoed through the stadium, louder than the chants and cheers.
Everyone fell silent. The girl's legs gave out from under her, and she collapsed to the floor with a thud. Gasps could be heard from all around as Amaya stepped on the girl's fingers.
From coaches to teachers to players, everyone's attention was drawn to the scene. Fred stared at Amaya, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His eyes were filled with guilt and anger, but he quickly lowered his gaze.