Eyes On Me
Chapter 4: One of those days.
The next morning came faster then it should have. She woke up to the automatic alarm beeping its annoying tune, with the background of the soft song playing since yesterday. She hit the snooze button after a few unsuccessful tries. The window leaked a few rays of sun, but it still looked much too dark outside. Just when she was about to curse the clock for going off at the wrong time, she found the excuse that saved the clock from its death. The sky was flooded with dark grayish rain clouds. The sun was barely noticeable behind the wall of colour. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.
Rolling out of bed, she walked towards the shower, stubbing her toe against something on the floor. Wincing from pain and annoyance she glanced down. A few of the schools textbook were spread around the floor, from her last unsuccessful attempt to get some information in her head before exams started falling from the sky. Obviously, she was going to have to try harder next time.
The shower took longer then it usually did, since usually it was the one place where she could hide out from everything. No emails or phone calls, and definitely no people would pop up from some where and spring some news at you. It was the place where you could forget about reality and just relax under the steady beat of hot water on your skin. Of course, even that had time limits, and like real life works, if you indulge yourself too much, you pay the consequences. Consequences were never a good thing. Like if you hurry too much, you'd forget something important and get in trouble, but if you take too long and get that something, you'll be late and get in trouble anyway. See how there's no way around it?
Yeah. Life's a bitch.
She was surprised to find the clock blinking the time at her when she stumbled out of the washroom in a towel. That couldn't be the right time, could it? The clock blinked a few more times. Almost accusingly. Blink. Blink. You'll be late again. Blink. Blink. You'll get in trouble. Blink. Blink.
It's funny how much an inanimate object can anger someone with out doing anything out of the ordinary. Showing the time is what clocks are for, right? Well, this clock wasn't that lucky. The cheat pieces of plastic came apart as the weight plus impact of the throw landed against the wall. It shattered into a few dozen pieces, something red still blinking inside the broken remains of what used to be a clock.
She sighed to herself. This was the third clock this week. She'd have to buy a new one on the way home. She didn't have money to waste on buying clocks after every tantrum she had about a clock blinking the wrong way, but sometimes it just got out of control. There was nothing she could do.
….Maybe getting a dartboard would be a good idea.
She quickly walked over to her closet, scanning whatever clean clothes she had left. Laundry was top priority for the weekend. She pulled out simple black pants and a shoulder shirt. So maybe she wasn't big on clothes design, and matching deficiently wasn't her thing, but that's why most of her clothes were black, white or red. The three colours that go with everything.
She pulled it on quickly, jumping around on one foot trying to tie shoes with one hand, and hair with the other. Needless to say, it was an impossible task. Breakfast wasn't on the schedule. There was never enough time for it anyway. It may be the most important meal of the day, but it definitely had the worst timing.
The sneakers she wore didn't exactly help her look any taller like the stiletto boots in her work outfit did, but she didn't care. Her plan was to avoid heels as much as possible. Sneakers were a blessing.
Last but not least, she decided which would be better. Get in trouble for being late, or forgetting something? Maybe neither. She took the bad on the floor and shoved all the books on the floor in it. It was true that maybe she wouldn't need all of them today, but why take the risk, if you have everything, you can't forget anything right?
She shuffled out of the apartment, listing everything she might need for today in her head. As on instinct the key went into the whole, turned, came out. She tried the door. It didn't budge. Closed. The whole time she was still listing through things.
'Geography, math, history, English, science…' Yes, she had all of those textbooks in the backpack. The weight of it was almost bending her backwards. The straps of the backpack started to bite into the skin, which was bare, thanks to the shoulderless shirt she wore. She swore under her breath. Of all days…
She tried to concentrate back on the task. Getting to school on time. First period. Math. There was something in the back of her mind that was bothering her. Something she should have remembered. Okay, think back to math class. Just the usual, nothing special, and at the end of the class, he said something about next class. What were they supposed to do? Her mind went blank. Nothing popped up as a reminder. Another tired sigh escaped her lips. But oh look! Luck was finally on her side, the bus came on time and there were ten people in line to get on, just enough time for her to get on too. She speed walked towards the bus, her hand slipping in the side bad pocket, searching through the empty space. Just before the last person got on the bus, she turned and walked away. The perfect time to run out of tickets. The convenience store was across the street, so she turned towards it, hoping to maybe buy gum and get change for a ten, so she could drop the change as the bus fair. The next bus wasn't coming for another twenty minutes anyway.
The store was surprisingly full. Tons of teenagers that should have been in class stood around the store talking, laughing. All in groups, some smaller, some bigger. A few heads turned towards her as she walked in. Some nodded their heads appreciatively, some glared daggers as she made her way to the counter where the old owner, who tried to kick a few uncooperative gangs out of the store.
She smiled at the old woman. "Hello, Kaede." They were neighbors living on the floor. She used to work here before Kaede's small business dropped to a lever where she no longer could pay any workers.
Kaede turned her tired old eyes on Kagome, and smiled like only a grandmother can. "What can I do for you today, child?" Kagome looked at the gum selection and asked for the cheapest kind. She got the change she needed fro the bus fair, and left the store with a short goodbye to the old woman.
For a couple of minutes, she stood at the stop, wondering if she could still make it to school on time. But time dragged on and the bus still didn't show up. It was late again. Now she didn't have to guess. She was definitely going to be late this time.
Just when all hope was lost, and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds, the temperature climbed to a lever where you'd think it was trying to fry you 'till your skin peeled off. The bus showed from behind the small slope down the street. She almost jumped with joy, but her bag prevented her from doing so. The bus stopped beside her and the doors slid open. The old driver peered at her through thick glasses before turning back to the road. She dropped the fair and walked to the back of the bus where the air conditioner was working full blast. The bus was mostly empty with the exception of a few old people and a mother with child. She slid in the seat and looked out the window. Again, time to go over what will happen.
She'd get to school, late. She'd go to class on the third floor. She'd get in trouble. She'd hide out in the back of the room the whole class... then report to English. Great…
The time on the bus flew by, maybe because it just like those times when you don't want to go somewhere time flies to the point where you blink and you're there. Maybe it was just because she didn't want to get off the bus and go face the outside world, that definitely had something against air conditioning. Maybe it was just her. But whatever it was, the bus doors opened and she lazily stood from her seat, making her way off the bus and towards the school.
Time to face the music.
And to think all of this was because of a few extra minutes spent in the shower.
She stepped in the school, and was hit with a wave of heated, dry air. The least they could do is get some air conditioning in classes. Students can't concentrate in a bad environment. Isn't that what teachers always said? Don't listen to music when you do homework! Don't do homework while talking on the phone! Well, how about, get some air conditioning, some the only thing going through the students' mind isn't "I don't think I can breath in here."
She shook her head as she pushed the doors to the stair case open. It was an old school that desperately needed repairs. The paint was peeling and the railing was wobbly if you leaned on it. It was an accident prone zone.
Before she knew it, she was in front of her math class, hand on the knob, turning, holding breath and…
It wouldn't budge. She tried again. Nothing. The door was locked. Only then did the note on the door catch her attention. It was short and to the point.
"All students from this homeroom report to the gym immediately."
She sighed. But gym was all the way on the fifth floor!
Slowly and tiredly she slinked back towards the staircase she just came from. Now how much trouble was she going to get in for being this late?
The gym was probably the only thing that was renovated in the school. Everything else was ancient. It's a surprise it didn't fall apart yet. She walked towards the huge doors that had big red letters pained over the brown reading 'GYMNASIUM'. That just proved they had even worse colour matching skills then she did.
She opened the door to see if it was the right place. She recognized some people from her class. Goody. She sneaked in the room without making too much noise and attracting attention.
She stood to the side trying to understand what the tall teacher was talking about. None of the students seemed to notice her. But the teacher was a whole different story. Stopping abruptly in the middle of his speech he turned to her.
"Ah, Miss Higurashi, you have decided to grace us with your presence today." That send a few snickers among the student, and she bowed her head to hide her red cheeks. Now she recognized the teacher. He was the volleyball coach. He saw her play before, and demanded she join the team. When she refused, he was furious that she waste her talent, and got even more annoyed whet she informed him she had no time for extra curricular activities. When she refused to tell what was more important then volleyball, he took it as a personal offence, and ever since wouldn't cut her any slack.
"Now that you have arrived AND disturbed the rest of the class, I hope we can continue. Now, like the rest of the students remembered, we are doing CPR today, as the school board demands we educate the student better on health aid. You were reminded in your last math class to bring your gym uniform. Please go change and join us once you have."
But of course. The one thing she forgot. The gym uniform.
Well, it was just going to be one of those days.
Please review. I've made the chapter longer because of the long wait. tell me what you think. I'll try to get the next chapter out by next weekend.
Later.
Kira.