Dilemma of a Replica
by: Lisa Mendoza
UN: DefinitionOfLazy
Syaoran Li is a dedicated writer; so hopelessly dedicated that his love for his own characters could only be classified as nothing more than abnormal. One day, he came across a girl that he claims to be exactly how he pictures of his' stories' protagonist. Soon after, he started following her everywhere she goes. Everything would have been completely fine...
If that girl was not me.
-x- Eccentric Odd Ball -x-
Chapter 1
In life, you can either care or you don't.
When I was just a child, my classmates cry whenever they scraped their knee. When the same thing happened to me, I squeeze mine to test if it'll hurt more. When my brother teases me, I don't respond like he wanted to so he's the one getting pissed off. Same goes to the people who tried to bully me—in the end, they just get tired and leave me be. When my parent's marriage was under danger; my mom once asked me if I was alright with the chances of them getting a divorce.
I have answered her with the same monotonous tone some say I still have today. "My opinion doesn't matter." I looked straight to her eyes. "Yours, however, does."
She didn't know how to respond, so she only cried and hugged me, weeping on my shoulder. My mom finally had the courage to apologize to dad and years later, their marriage is now still as strong as ever.
So it worked. Not caring worked for me. My indifferent attitude and blunt personality worked. I just do what I need to do and I have no worry about the other half.
Stressing doesn't do for me; fretting and over thinking are simply not on my list. I like to go with the flow. Because all that is important is the present.
But if the flow of your life somehow resembles mine however...
I'd say good luck.
-x-x-
I was late—again.
I walked slow-paced still, not at all worried. I checked my watch—5 minutes, I was already late for five minutes.
When I was finally in front of the door, I knocked two times and slid it open. Multiple eyes fell over me; all of them looking like I have committed the worst crime of all time. My teacher, peered down at me, her lips twisted in an unattractive scowl.
"Ms. Kinomoto!" she screeched.
I rubbed my nose when I felt an itch.
"What is your excuse for being late this time?!" she demanded.
I was silent for a moment, contemplating what I should tell her. The truth will only anger her and lying wasn't an option so...
"I slept in," I murmured, shrugging.
Her face turned beet red, flushed with nothing but anger. The look of resentment could have scared me or maybe made me worry at the least, but in all honesty—I felt nothing. I tried to feel something, but meh.
She pointed the door from which I just came from and screamed, "get out of my classroom and march straight to the principal's office!"
I stared at the door then back at her, one eyebrow raised. "Like, now?"
Her shoulder shook in rage. "Yes," she hissed.
I nodded simply, turned my heel around and left.
-x-x-
The principal was obviously not pleased to me again when I came barging in his office, but since there were other people there; his round bearded-face was plastered with a barely-adjusted, forced up smile.
"Mr and Mrs. Li," Mr. Cornell, my principal smiled sweetly at them. I could only muster up a slight 'yuck' inside my head as I witnessed the action. He gestured me with his hand. "This is one of my students, Ms. Kinomoto."
The two Chinese-looking couple looked down at me with a small smile of acknowledgement. I stared back.
Mr. Cornell became flustered when I didn't respond and took the liberty to speak up for us. "Uh...yes. I apologized for her presence—"
He made it sound like I wasn't a joy to be around.
He looked at me with slight dismay. "—I'll ask her to leave now."
"No need," Mr. Li waved off with a smile. "Let her stay, she's not bothering anybody."
Since I wasn't planning on leaving or moving—there's such a thing as too lazy you know—I was grateful for the avoidance of exerting effort. I sat down on one of the brown cushioned couches near the door.
The three of them talked about nothing particularly interesting. All I heard was blah, blah. However, I did picked up a few phrases like: Syao — something something — happy to be here — blaaah - slightly weird.
I wasn't at all that fascinated by their conversation thus my lack of enthusiasm and silence on my part, but I did jump when the door suddenly slammed open.
Then he emerged through the door in all his brown hair and amber eyes glory. My first impression about him was neat. Like, seriously, there was not one wrinkle on his perfectly-worn uniform. His—albeit thick—shiny glasses were balanced without an inch out placed at the bridge of his nose. His posture was straight and the only thing not according to his clean appearance was his messy chocolate-brown hair.
Too bad, if I am going to be honest, his personality ruined his rich slash smart look.
The first thing he said-and somehow proved how much of a moron he really was—was, "Mom, dad! I can't find my special ball pen! I need to write! I am so close with finishing, and then boom!—my ball pen, my special ball pen, suddenly went missing!" His eyes widened, and his hands made gestured, swirling it all around. "Mind equals blown."
I know I wasn't supposed to judge or anything or whatever, but come on...this kid cannot be not bullied.
"Sweetie," the supposed mother of this eccentric odd ball called out. "It's on your ear."
He blinked for a moment before his hands snaked to his left ear, pushed through the bushiness of his hair and plucked the pen he was looking for from the comfort the back of his ear could offer. Then he grinned. "Thank you! Bye!"
Then he left us. Just like that.
Both parents sighed warily after he left. His father apologized, "I'm sorry for Syaoran's—" He seemed to struggle with how he should word it.
"—Peculiarity?" Mr. Cornell supplied.
I snorted, and for the first time, they seem to notice I was still there. "You mean his exaggerated weirdness?"
Of course, Mr. Cornell laughed loudly and nervously, waving off what I had said with a wave of his hand. "Oh, Miss Kinomoto!" He jived, but I sensed the slight warning in his tone when he mentioned me. "You're always so full of jokes!"
After giving an apologetic look at the two shocked couple, he gave a sharp look to me.
"Please apologize, Ms. Kinomoto."
There was a limit to sucking up, but what he was doing was ridiculously getting overboard. I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Li again, more closely this time. Mr. Li is a young man for someone who was supposed to be a father. He looked like an older-version of the guy I just met and insulted; neat, brown hair, brown eyes, strong and straight built, but now in a fine lookin' suit.
Mrs. Li, however, was someone that even I can claim to be intimidating. Straight black hair, fait white skin, and clothed in a long dress. Unlike the friendly aura his husband gives off; hers was different. Hers demand respect.
...Ah. Now I see. They're a rich family. And Mr. Cornell knew that. Of course he knows that. That cheap bastard.
Realizing the silence enveloping us all was because they were waiting for me to apologize, I snapped out of it and resumed back. "Oh, right, sorry," I said.
The two nodded and smiled. Mr. Cornell sighed in relief. He opened his mouth to say something, but I interrupted him. "But he really is weird, is he bullied?" I asked.
"That is enough!" shouted Mr. Cornell who instantly morphed back to the true beast he really was. "Please leave right now, Ms. Kinomoto!"
There was a moment of silence. Then, I stood up and with my head held high, I said,
"I apologize if I had crossed some lines, but that was a serious question. High school is a terrifying place if you are to be subjected to such things. If he's bullied because he's different, then that's not something that happens rarely now, is it?"
The two of them looked at each other for a moment, communicating with their eyes and laughed.
I frowned. "Excuse me, but what I said was definitely not a laughing manner."
They sobered up and the woman stood up and stood tall before me. Gently laying one hand on my shoulder, she smiled at me. "Actually—what's your name again?—"
"Sakura," I answered, still frowning.
"—well, Sakura, my son is not bullied. He may be like a total weirdo—and we all know it—but he's a great person." I want to point out that she's a mother and so of course she's obligated to tell me that, but I decided to shut my mouth this time. "But I like you, Sakura." She patted my shoulder. As her smile widened, there was crinkle at her eyes.
I did not respond nor did I react. Remaining passive as possible, I only nodded.
Then, she turned her head to Mr. Cornell who straightened his posture.
"I want my son to be in the same class as her."
My eyes might have widened just a bit.
Her eyes were shining. "And could she also tour him around school, maybe?"
As they all decided matters on their own without asking for my opinion, it was, at that moment, when I promised myself that I will never be late again. And the next day, I went considerably early for class.
Only, I still arrived late, and it was none other than the freak's fault.
end of chapter 1
:)
THIS IS POSTED ALREADY ON WATTPAD (SAME USERNAME AND TITLE) BTW, and this is the CCS fanfic version. The ORIGINAL version, to be exact. I don't think I explained well though, lol. Anyways, I hope you liked this!