The light of sunset sky pass through the window.
I touch him right on his face. His cream skin blend well with that orange light. I took the courage to sit in front of him and face him.
Another more minute I spend, another more courage I gain. Now my finger constantly play with his hair. It's yellow, not blonde, it's a rare dark yellow. At least as the shadow of the windows make it that way.
He fall into a slumber sleep, if I don't stay as close as possible I would have think that he's not breathing.
After another five minute of watching him closely. His eyes finally blink a few times. I gasp and quickly ran away, leaving the class, leaving him alone in that room.
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Just Promise You Won't Leave Me
Chapter I
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Good morning
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Peep peep peep peep peep peep
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I open my eyes lazily and reach out my smartphone to turn off the alarm. It's ten minutes fast. I should have another five minutes for laying around although I definitely no longer asleep.
Or so I thought.
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07.00
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"You! over there! What time do you think it is?" yelled the homeroom teacher right to my face.
"7:50 Sir,"
"What did you say?!"
"7:50 sir by the time I answer it will be 7:51 already" I answer honestly irritatingly.
I can clearly see his face changing red with anger. Then he look at me right on the eye. Then he grab my wrist and drag me thoroughly. He stopped in front of the field. And told me to stay there until he came back.
Put my hand on the left side of my chest or to be precise in the middle of it. I'm a girl soㅡyeah it won't be necessary to explain. Facing up to the national flag.
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It's 8:10 by now. Ten minutes later I saw my homeroom teacher coming my way. Finally I will be allowed to join the class. But then I saw him dragging another person in his hand. Looks like someone else late beside me.
Perfect now I definitely gonna stand here for another longer. Well at least I feel a little bit at ease to know that there are someone worse than me in matter of time management.
I took a short glance to the person next to me.
He's an average height and weight high school boy. He's panting. It took him 30 seconds to finally stand up and facing the flag as he told to.
The longer we stood there the hotter the sun gets. Oh my God it's 9.10 already by 9.20 we should be allowed to join the after break class. I hope time pass quickly, it's burning up out here. Now 9.13 I took a glance at that guy, just a quick glance.
Wow… His face is so red… He could pass out any time now… I hope the homeroom teacher come here soon. I don't want to bother myself helping him out if he faint.
And finally, it's 9.20 as promised the homeroom teacher come after a few minutes of lecturing us for not being late again tomorrow, he finally let us go. I walk quickly towards my class. That guy walk behind me slowly like he's just been drinking. Weaklings…
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And when I arrive at class. Right in time, the class is dismissed, well it's the first day of the semester so it's not weird. So I grab my bag and quickly leave. Going back home. On my way home, in the alley I use to take. There are some people beating a guy. I stop a while.
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"Hey! You! What are you looking at?" ask the bully guy.
"You better walk away kid! Or you'll end up like he did…" said the other bully guy.
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I walk pass them and ignore them like usual.
Ah! Perhaps it never been explain before. The town I live in was a remote town, quiet far from the closest city. This town is still have that kind of 'land-fight' thing. Where there are two gangs leads by the untouchable and unbeatable leader, some sort of mafia thing. Try to take down one another. True there are police and government and stuff but they are no more than a chess piece, controlled by one of the mafia organization.
Everyday there are always report of people get beaten, houses being burn, but the worst is kidnapping. The parents in these town will react gratefully if their children or their families go home with wound and bruises, because if one day they didn't came home unannounced, than there are only one answer to the question 'where are they?' the answer is : kidnapped. And if someone get kidnapped, they must have been a witness of some classified activity like killing or bullying planned by one of the mafia members.
If someone get kidnapped, it takes miracle to bring them back safely. Some of their families even wishes they been killed directly, because if not the biggest possibilities is they being abused, harassed or the mafia member might force them to do suicidal and dangerous job. If they were from the other side of the mafia organization, they might be force to change side or else their family get killed or many kind of other terrible threats.
And this has been going for generation, and never stops. No one dare to stop, well actually there are but, no one succeeded to stop these whole disaster.
There are three organization in this town, Sina, Rose and Maria. Sina is the most powerful of all, this organization is the one who own the authority of every law in this town, and Rose is their long-live-enemy. Both of them try to take down one another. Killing one another, and the last one was Maria. This organization member are remain unknown for a very long time. Any member of Maria organization always blend in with the commoners, the citizen. But all of the member of Maria were the grey side, they didn't be ally to Sina nor Rose. They simply want to crush them down in order to end all the savage rules the two organization run. Maria is the insurgent. Who try to make a better 'world' or should we say a better town. Rules by the right authority. To both Sina and Rose, Maria is a danger. Need to be destroy, if you find them, kill them, kill their families, make sure no one left. That's the only thing Sina and Rose have in common.
For actually, my father was the member of Maria, and so did I. Please don't tell anyone. In this town there are three law upholder, the military force they were belong to Sina, they serve the government, stationary force, they are the guards the one that usually found around the town to secure the town, they own by Rose and the last one was the scouting legion. These guys are those the citizen look up to. They are labeled as brave, magnificent and many other good label. But they aren't recognize by the government, to be precise they are just like Maria member organization, but they are much more popular and common. Nor Sina and Rose leader like them, but the Scouting Legion leader is a fearful person. They don't belong to Maria though, they were the like Robin Hood actually. But, today, they no longer around. They've gone about 10 years ago. Due to the lack of new recruits. Well, being them is high risk.
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"I'm home…"
"Welcome home dear, I've prepared your favorite food already. Go have lunch…"
"It's only 11.00 by now father…"
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Oh no he's cooking again, I wish he just stop by some restaurant or ordering fast food. My father is a terrible cook.
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"I'm not hungry father…"
"Go and eat now Annie…" he ordered me once more.
"Hhh… fine…"
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There are no way to defy my father. Oh gross, it's all overcooked… I don't want each much… Let's just for a little, I eat it up fast, sip my drink and go back to my room… Blam… Just like that shut the door. My father is in the garden.
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"Annie. Go and practice your combat lesson sweetheart…"
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Groaning… Oh no
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"I can't father I have homework…"
"No it can't be, it's the first day of school, there won't be any homework yet… Am I wrong?"
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Gee, he's right. He knows it when I lie… Damn, I really want to rest by now…
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"Annie…"
"I'm coming…"
"Good girl…"
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And so I learn my combat lesson today. This is my father special talent and he intent to pass it on me. He said this was necessary, although I'm a girl. Well my father for actually expecting a son. He even have other name for me sometimes. Instead of calling me Annie he calls me Anthony. That's the name he planned to use to his son… But too bad he got me instead. Actually this hand to hand fighting skill he teach me, is definitely hard for a girl especially with posture like me I only stand 153 cm with thin posture. This is a man skill. But he said it's necessary for defense. Well, he's not completely wrong. By master this skill I gain the ability and stand a chance to win against people that are much more strong and bigger than me…
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"Father…"
"Yes…?"
"Why don't you open a class for this combat lesson…"
"No darling, this is only for our family…"
"Well I think many would join, I mean everyone need this…"
"No… This should be your special talent one day, just like me… You do remember when you beat up that gorilla size boy right?"
"Stop calling him that way father, his name is Reiner…"
"And his absolutely tall friend…"
"Bertolt… He isn't that tall, it's just me that was short…"
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Whhooosshhh
Tap…Tap…Tap… I tap the ground... Committing my lost.
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"You shouldn't lose sight of your opponent. See, you lost again…"
"I'm against you, how could I win?"
"Haha… But remember what did I just say okay?"
"Okay…"
"Well… now, go practice with the boxing bag over there… I'll make you some juice and dinner…"
"No… Don't cook… Order me pizza please…"
"Why don't I cook?"
"Your cooking is horrible father…"
"Hahaha… You're always that honest sweetheart. Alright… alright… What flavor do you want?"
"Hmm… Pepperoni cheese pizza…"
"Sure… sure…"
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And then he went inside, making juice and ordering pizza for dinner… While I continued this practice until 04.00 p.m, no rest… I'm allowed to drink mineral water but no rest… That's how my father teach me, very strict…
By 04.00 p.m I stop, go straight to shower and have free time until dinner, usually I watch tv or watch cooking tutorials, read a novel or instead, cooking dinner. I never go outside and play with my friends. Well to be honest, I don't have any friend, I did when I'm in elementary school, that's only a few, as I enter junior high, I only befriended to my old acquaintances Reiner and Bertolt. As I know they both are Maria member as well… But still I don't really care to any of them… I never have friend before and not intent to have one now… All I want is to finish my school, master this hand to hand fighting skill, get scholarship to the university on the city. That's it…
"That will be $ 5.00 sir… Exchange or cash sir?"
"Cash… Here you go boy… That's $ 1 for yourself…"
"Thank you very much sir… Enjoy your pizza…"
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I heard the pizza's coming. But it's only 5.15 by now. My father won't let me eat anything before dinner, oh I'm hungry already… There is still about one hour more until dinner… Hhh…
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"Is the pizza arrive yet?" I yelled from the living room while reading novel.
"Yeah it's here already…"
"Can I have one?"
"No…"
"Of course…" sighed.
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That's my father, very discipline about time. He won't even wake me up in the morning if I'm late… That would be my own fault. Well, he might remind me once, but if there are no answer from behind the door. He doesn't care… Hhh, sometimes I wish I have a 'normal' father.
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So, then, days pass by…
The next morning, I go to school like usual, not late this time. Ain't going to get punished again. I have to be there for the first lesson. I can't skip any if I don't want get left behind. I need good scores. I have to be number one, or at least… Including in top 5th. Have to! There is no other way if I want to get scholarship.