I sat at the large window, the best spot in my room, in solemn silence. I sat there hoping I could watch Damien like I used to. He strolls around the estate with an elderly man, his dad possibly, every evening. I've seen him once with a boy on a wheel chair, maybe his brother. I believed he hasn't noticed that I lived opposite his house. He wasn't out today and I felt more empty as minutes passed.
A light flicked from the window opposite the street. With the help of the streetlights I could see clearly who it was -- Damien. My heart melted , though I wondered how long he had known, how long he'd also watched me. Gosh, I am imagining things.He waved at me and I waved back. He had a blue polo on and his hair was packed up in a dough."How are you doing now?"He wrote on his window. I just nodded. He smiled and wiped it off."Where did you go?"I did not return to class and I know he must have searched the whole school for me. I wonder if that's really the work of a class monitor. What can I say? I've neverr been one."Somewhere." I also wrote."Why did you bleed? Has it stopped?"I just nodded.I saw him sigh heavily, scratching his forehead. "Let's talk here 917 654 8765"Did Mr President just offer his number?"No phone"I wrote. It was partially true. My dad inspects my phone daily. Chatting with anyone especially him, is no-go."Bad liar.""Keep your number."He wiped it off."Why are you always with Liam?""Not your business."I was pissed so I left the window.*When i got to school the next day, there was a kind of chaos in the main hall. A crowd of students were all over the notice boards. Those in groups jeered noisily. I jostled my way to the front row, what I saw shocked me to the bones. The picture is out!Soon everyone around noticed me and their jeered grew louder. Amidst their noise, a girl announced to me that I was being summoned by the principal. Damien was already at the proncipal's offie when I got there. Principal Dane had an unusual grin on her face. I felt like the devil.in their midst. If only Damien had stayed away from me, he would not have been in this mess. I'm trouble, always trouble."I'm highly disappointed in you two."She began her speech. "This picture went viral overnight, it's even on the parents forum." She turned her laptop and showed us. The headline was creepy "Top Student caught kissing in the Principal's office."I knew immediately that it was Liam. I just could not figure out why he changed his mind."This is a big stain on the school's image. Some parents would withdraw their wards." She snorted. "That's probably none of your business but you need to know. Miss Kam, Damien! What were you thinking?!""It's not what you think Principal Dane."Damien said. I wished I could tell how he felt from his facial expression but it was really void, numb, expressionless."Tell me if you have any explanation!" She hissed."I don't know if I have an explanation. It wasn't photoshopped. It's quite real But...""What?!"The impatient principall interrupted. His bluntness also surprised me. A little lie would have saved our butts."You little..."She trailed off. I feared she was going to have an heart attack."Calm down Principal Dane." She glared at me. I had to explain. "We didn't "Kiss"" I emphasized on the word "Kiss". I needed that "gross" effect. The room was quiet for a while."The picture does not show a kiss, does it? Why are you all thinking things?" Damien said."Oh you explain to me how you both got in that awkward position."Then I saw the first sign of a stifled smile, play around Damien's lips. Is it funny?! Tsk..."Miss Kam fell on Master Damien accidentally. "He paused, seeing how his unseriousness affected the principal. "She tripped over some books on the ground while exiting your office. I was waiting for her on the couch. Nothing unusual. Besides, that was her first day as a student of this school. We barely knew each other. Try to understand.""Who would believe that story?""You've always believed in me Principal Dane, what changed?""I should be asking you that, Damien Smith. What changed?!"She looked more frustrated than the culprits. "Paige Kam! What do you have to say?!""He's right."I pouted. "That's just a picture taken by some jealous student.""Who sent it, Principal Dane?""Anonymous. The number that sent it isn't reachable anymore."She cupped her forehead in her palm."Kam, you've barely spent a month here. What would your uncle thinks when he sees this? What about the school committee? What if you get expelled for this?"Then I knew she was worried about us. How sweet?Though, I couldn't have cared less about being expelled. She knows near to nothing about what I should be worried about."And you damien, you risk a suspension. Do you know what that does to you? Your scholarship application to college. This spoils the whole thing. Do you ever think before...""I didn't do anything.""You go explain that to the school committee. The picture explains itself kiddo!"I saw damien fight back words. He didn't need to explain to her. I kind of felt pity for him. All I had was revenge on my mind."But It's just a fall" I said.The principal hissed. "You know what? You two, leave my office right now."I went out to find Liam. I was ready to vent all my anger on him. I saw him at the stair case, bickering with his friends."Liam!"I yelled. He laughed.I faced the others. " Excuse us, please"They exchanged glares with Liam and left."You dare send that...""I didn't."He looked a little serious but that didn't get to me."i swear. I cherish my honor. We had a deal."Wham! I smacked his face. He slapped me back and pinned me against the railings."Calm down. I did not send the pictures. And do not hit me, ever again!" He let go of my arms harshly. "Go find the culprit elsewhere!"He left. I ran after him."Do you know what you have done?!""I don't care"He said."I hate you!" I shrieked.He hissed. And I...pushed him. He rolled down the stairs, like a log of wood, fell unconscious to the ground, in his pool of blood.Paige! You killed someone! I didn't know how to feel, just wanted to die too.I hide beneath a stair case. It was very low so I was not noticeable. The whole school was in chaos and I could hear threats from students who were searching for me. I also heard Liam had been transferred to the hospital. I felt like I needed to die. I deserved it this time. I could not cry, could not think. I just focused on the darkness that enveloped me beneath the stair case. Darkness-- that's where I belong.After some time, I saw a figure join me in the darkness where I sat. I was shocked that I've been found and I froze in place. To my surprise, the person only couched beside me. I could tell from his smell who it was. Damien."Enough of the hide and seek Miss Kam. Your uncle is at Principal Dane's office."Ideas or rather questions rushed through my head. I wished I could see his face. He would hate me forever for what I have just done. That was heartbreaking enough.I was also curious that he found me. Was he watching me? Oh my… I'm a mess. I felt like plu
"Master Kam, The new robot has caused problems in the Macrigo branch." Jude's manager said. He had taken the first flight to Albany to report the strange incidents in the company's branch that he headed. Jude came up with an invention that could change the workd forever. A robot that sends electromagnetic waves as nervous response to the human brain. It has the ability to control anything. (Anything it's programmed to control). Jude had kept it in his youngest branch to hide it from prospective creativity hackers and also to test run it. Since the robot was installed in that branch, it had brought more customers and more sales for them (he programmed "attraction of clients and dealers in it"). It has worked for three months, boosting his sales five times the usual each month, until reports of insanity came in." Currently, five of our employees have gone nuts. They behave out of this world, some even cut themselves for no peculiar reason. The Secretary now has schizoprenia.
"What was that about huh?" Miss Roona questioned when she finally had the chance to. "What was that story about?" "Anything, Miss Roona."Riley giggled. "Teach', it was just a game, you won't punish us for that." "Of course I won't. It better not be what I'm thinking..." A guy with a bottle jumped into the circle. "Woohoo! It's time for the bottle game!"Everyone jeered. I saw miss Roona stand up to leave. "I'll leave you guys to do that." "C'mon teach', you should stay."Damien countered. "I'm not a teenager. I'll go join the other guy teachers. You guys have fun!" She left. The noise died down and soon the bottle was spinning. At first it started with truths being revealed. I was glad it didn't get to me. A girl confessed her crush on her class president. Another confessed that he still peed in his bed sometimes. It as hilarious but no so hot until the dares started. Truth and dare games always go this way and sinc
"I don't have a good feeling bout this Paige. But..."Jude kam said as he parked his white SUV at the lot. I tried all I could to convince him to let me. I even threatened him tgat Id kill myself. I surprised myself though, because I wasn't the type that would want to live outside my home but the school project, though seemingly hopeless to achieve, I wanted to attempt no matter what. It's one of my resolutions anyway. Though I had no idea how to make our team work."Dad, I thought we have settled that already.""Remember my rules. Do not make silly associations, don't try to make your own show of "living", don't...""I know them all kam!" I shrieked.I walked out of the car, fetch my box from the boot and drove into the school. The others were already at the bus, as soon I joined in, it took off. I took a last glance at my dad's car, I would be away from him for five weeks. My biggest dream coming true. Maybe this school isn't bad afterall. I felt like i'd be hap
After our usual morning Class, each group set out to work on their project. Liam and Damien were no where in sight. I had the fifty bucks given to our group by Mister Donald but there was nothing I could do with it. I felt sick.They really do hate me.I searched every corner of the school. Damien was at the roof, alone. He looked a little sad, he had some pebbles in his hands he was tickling. I knew how much he should not want to see me. I ruined his image in school, to make matters worse, I almost kill liam because of those pictures. I wished I understood how bad he felt. I heard he used to be good friends with Liam before i joined the school. I ruined everything. I can't apologise to them when all they do is avoid me like a plague. I didn't find Liam, I didn't wish to either. A part of me still blames him for posting that picture in the first place. He's mad at me, I am also! I really felt guilty when he fell down those steps. I spent two weeks of my life in guilts that
After so much argument with Andra, I finally had the guts to go talk to Damien. He sat on a concrete pavement on the roof. The cold breeze made my face numb. I have Andra's voice in my head, screaming "just give it a try"I stood at his back for minutes before I finally had the guts to speak."D...Damien."I stopped as he turned, his cold stare made me heart shudder."I... We..."I bit my lip."What you want?""Our team. Ain't we doing anything?"I saw him smile. That was heart-warming enough."We don't have a team unfortunately. You know I wonder why all these is happening at this crucial time of our lives."He paused. "It's just few months until we are out of this school." He paused."You did the wrong thing Paige.""I know. I swear I.." I swallowed. "I didn't mean to. I...""You don't need to explain anything. At least, not to me."He was walking away. I had to stop him."Wait!"He turned, arched a br
"Look girl, you can't make decisions for me. What the hell were you even thinking?!"I yelled at her.She was sober and somehow I felt a little regretful."I'm sorry. I didn't see it as a hard decision."She licked her lower purple lip. "You really need to go out. Have a little fun. I only...""I know. But I don't want to. I'm not going anywhere. You decieved Miss Roona."I climbed my bed."You should go Paige. If you want to restore back your image in this school, I mean...your school. I don't know what the full story is but I really think you need to win back the hearts of your classmates. Staying away from them won't help.""You don't know what you are saying. I don't care about my image. I don't care about anything!""But you are hurting yourself by staying here, tonight, every damn night. I see you Paige.""You see me. You don't even know me! ""I don't have to." She climbed up to me. "I know you're not okay. I know you hurt yourself. I saw
"What was that about huh?" Miss Roona questioned when she finally had the chance to. "What was that story about?""Anything, Miss Roona."Riley giggled."Teach', it was just a game, you won't punish us for that.""Of course I won't. It better not be what I'm thinking..."A guy with a bottle jumped into the circle. "Woohoo! It's time for the bottle game!"Everyone jeered. I saw miss Roona stand up to leave."I'll leave you guys to do that.""C'mon teach', you should stay."Damien countered."I'm not a teenager. I'll go join the other guy teachers. You guys have fun!" She left.The noise died down and soon the bottle was spinning. At first it started with truths being revealed. I was glad it didn't get to me. A girl confessed her crush on her class president. Another confessed that he still peed in his bed sometimes. It as hilarious but no so hot until the dares started. Truth and dare games always go this way and since we wer