A drop of sweat fell to the ground, and a loud "BANG" echoed as a punch hit my house. My mom walked over to the door, took the key, and unlocked it. The door was open. I stood behind her, not saying a word, as she casually brought the bike inside and went to her room.
I went to my room, changed into a new outfit, and hurried downstairs to find something to eat. Today, there was only fried eggs with some carrots, which I quickly set on the table. My stomach was growling like crazy. I set the plates and chopsticks in front of the house, but the food was already cold. It seemed like this day was enough. I ate while thinking about my lost bag. By the time I went to bed, I was still thinking about it. I lay on my back, my hand over my forehead, wondering how my mom felt about having such a useless child. Maybe I should fix my behavior tomorrow.
Thinking back, my family was going through a tough time. My dad passed away, and my mom had to find another job, anything she could get. But in this small village, where could she find a job that paid well? That's why she chose collecting scrap and working in agriculture. I lay there, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I was still angry, but everything would pass. A new day would begin for me.
Tick tock, tick tock. "The clock reads 1 AM." What's happening? I kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. My mind kept racing over today's stress. I cursed:
"Damn it!"
I hit my head repeatedly, wanting to sleep so badly. Calm down, calm down. If I keep doing this, I'll panic and lose more sleep. I just need to lie back, relax, place my hand on my chest, and breathe evenly.
Beep, beep, beep... I turned off the alarm clock, and that's when I realized I hadn't slept a single proper hour. I ran to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and saw the dark circles under my eyes—they looked like panda eyes. How could I face Mai in this state? I had an idea: if my eyes looked bad, I should make sure my hair and body were clean. I grabbed a bottle of perfume from the bathroom shelf and sprayed it on myself. Now I looked in the mirror, and I could almost pass for one of those rich CEOs. Hehe! I swapped my bag for a fabric tote. Quickly, I threw my books inside and was ready to go.
I grabbed my bicycle, rode through the gate, passed the green trees, and the buildings. I made a detour past Mai's house. If Mai saw me now, she'd probably be surprised. I arrived at Mai's house and stopped under an old tree, far from her house. I squinted, trying to spot her, but I didn't see Mai. Maybe she had already left. I sadly rode alone to school as usual. When I arrived at school, I parked my bike in the yard and went to class. As I walked through the door, I saw Mai talking to some girls and other boys. She was so popular and attracted everyone's attention. Almost the entire class was focused on her. Mai was like the center of the universe, drawing all eyes.
Mai's gaze passed over me, and I smiled, waving. She waved back. I was overjoyed to be acknowledged and happily walked to my seat.
"Look at that guy's face, he's been smiling ever since she waved at him" (a voice from a boy on the right, about 4 o'clock)
"That guy must be the small guy, he's totally into her, haha" (another voice)
"I think she's so hot" (from another guy)
I stood up angrily, turned around, and faced a group of 6-7 boys who were making crude remarks about Mai. I overheard Kiên's words: "I think she's so hot." Kiên was the leader of the group, sitting in the center. Without thinking, I rushed over and grabbed his shirt, yelling:
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT MAI?!"
The whole class stopped, watching the drama unfold between me and Kiên. Although I couldn't see, I knew Mai had noticed me. Something small and sharp from his belly flew up and hit my chin. I was stunned. "WOWWW," someone yelled, cheering for their leader.
"Good job, Kiên, no wonder you're a fighter" (a voice from the left)
"Great move! Uppercut Elbow!" (a voice from the right)
The elbow hook made me stagger back, and my vision blurred. I wasn't just facing one person, but the whole group of that jerk. I had to fight back. I couldn't let myself be weak in front of Mai and the class, I couldn't let them look down on me anymore. This resolve burned inside me as I clenched my fists, preparing for the real fight.