I wanted to give myself a hard punch in the face to wake myself up.
The sting of reality is setting in, like a cold breeze through an open window. Maybe there is really no hope for me after all. It's all just desperate attempts to convince myself that I didn't need anyone, that I was fine on my own. I admitted it. Happy, Kita?
Now, I can't really keep clinging to my own delusions. If I want to survive in society, I need to face facts. This school is foreign territory, uncharted waters. And if I'm going to navigate it without sinking, I need a map. A piece of information. At least one crucial rule would be enough to get me through the day without making a complete fool of myself.
I glanced at her again, the Ice… Ice Queen with the death glare. She's still engrossed in whatever she's reading, completely oblivious to my existential crisis over here. My best shot at getting some answers is definitely her, though. Alright, Kita. I cleared my throat, hoping it might get her attention again.
"Hey…" I tried to sound casual, after easing back into the chair. "Is there any important rules that I should know? I'm new here."
She snapped her book shut with unexpected ferocity, causing me to flinch. Was she about to launch into some animal? But, just as quickly, she set the book down on her desk with an almost unnerving gentleness. Ok. She's weird just like me.
I braved myself, mentally preparing for what's about to come in a few seconds. It's either going to be death threat or actually a helpful information, and there's nothing in-between. She turned in my direction, and her lips parted.
"Make your way down to the first floor. It has everything you need to know."
I just won the 50/50. But, why didn't I think of that? I haven't fully explored the school yet. There could be a bulletin board or a welcome desk with all the information I need. Plus, since there's no class scheduled at the moment, it's basically free time.
I quickly nodded. "Uh, thanks."
Maybe she wasn't so bad after all, despite the cold exterior. It's just this overthinking habit of mine that keeps leading into misfortune. I slid the door behind me, as I walked out into the hallway.
"I survived another bullet. I was expecting to get my head bit off." I said, with a small grin on my face.
There's definitely hope for me here. Or at the very least, I've got a lead on where to start figuring things out. First floor, here I come.
Yeah, there's no way. Where do I even start in this maze of a school? Alright then. Let's try to get logical about this. Since most bulletin boards are on walls, placed outside classrooms, right? So, if I just keep an eye on the walls, it should be pretty easy to spot one. Or maybe I can just ask a teacher for help.
That would actually be a lot smarter than manually searching for the bulletin boards. I mean, teachers should know this place inside out. It's basic common sense. Except common sense has never been my strong suit! Whatever. Here goes nothing.
I set off down the hallway, with my eyes scanning the walls for anything that looked like it might hold useful information. For whole twenty minutes, I wandered aimlessly through the corridors, searching for any sign of guidance that could help me navigate.
I passed by classrooms, doors, stairwells, and walls that all looked the same. I kept my eyes peeled, hoping for a small possibility. Come on! There's got to be something useful around here. Every time I spotted a bulletin board, it turned out to be an invitation to a club, or a motivation poster about chasing your dreams. Useful in its own way, but not quite I was looking for.
I needed to come up with a new plan. Maybe I should switch tactics and ask someone.
But who? A student?
They all seemed lost as I was, even if they had that look of familiarity on. This wasn't getting me anywhere, and I was starting to feel like I'd walked the entire length of the school.
Okay, then. Maybe a teacher, yes. If there was one thing I knew about teachers, it was that they loved to help. Or at least pretended to love it. Either way, they'd know where to direct me.