Two

Two

“You can’t be serious, Hannah.” Clarisse objected on a low voice. She was looking straight to Hannah’s eyes with crossed arms.

“I’m sick of having 72, 70, 73 and it could be 69 for worst. I need to pass in Mathematics.” Hannah complained on a controlled voice.

“But this is not how you will done it. You can be expelled.” Vanessa interrupted with a grumpy face. She gave Hannah a quick glare.

“I don’t care!” Hannah blurted, just as after Vanessa’s statement, “Call me desperate but I have to do this. I wanted to graduate.”

The girls were discussing something risky behind Hannah’s locker after she took the card that she found in the trash bin. They hid themselves behind the locker, trying not be seen by anyone, and minimize their voice so no one would hear them.

“But this isn’t it, Hannah.” Vanessa disagreed as she shook her head and slap her palm on her forehead, “You’re out of your mind.”

Hannah rolled her eyes, “I’m doing it. Who’s in?” She emphasized as she glanced on Vanessa and Clarisse with serious face. She simply ignored the possible consequences that they stated.

For a second, Vanessa and Clarisse exchanged look. Both looks have the same thought and same answer. They were against with Hannah’s idea. After, they stared on Hannah, giving her a hint of disagreement through the way they look on her. No need to spell it. Its written on their faces.

“Fine. I’m doing it without the two of you.” Hannah remarked with a glared on them, after noticing the disapproval in their faces.

“Whatever. Just don’t talk to me after you’re being expelled.” Vanessa rolled her eyes as she turned her back on Hannah and walked away.

Clarisse brows met in pity for Hannah. She don’t want her to do the thing that was on her mind. It was so risky. It could ruin her good moral and worst, she can’t go to college after expulsion.

Hannah’s lips curled after Vanessa turned her back. She was hurt when she saw her best friend didn’t support her for the first time. She was expecting for her support though she knew it was a huge mistake but she was so desperate to pass. Although she knew it was wrong, she came up with a risky idea.

With pity in her eyes, she looked on Clarisse. Even without a word, it was clear to Clarisse that she was begging for her support. Clarisse won’t tolerate it so she needs to get herself out of the mess that Hannah is about to do.

With a sad face, Clarisse met her gaze as she spoke in a calm tone, “I’m sorry, Hannah. I’m out of this. I don’t want to be in trouble.”

“Fine. That settles.” Hannah declared in a tough tone, “I don’t want to see your faces after graduation.”

She get her backpack from her back and put the report card she found inside it. She was stamping her foot and was fuming in madness as she walked away.

Clarisse was worried of her friend. Of course, they were best friends even since 1st year, together with Vanessa. She wanted to help her improve her grades but not in this way. Unfortunately, Hannah seems already convinced with her risky idea. She just hope that she will change her mind and she will have a second thought about it.

She took a deep breathe before opening the main door. She tried to be normal though her heart was pounding in nervous. Her hands were little shaky but she clenched it tightly to keep it from shaking and sweating. She closed the door behind her the moment she was inside. Her footsteps echoed in the entire hall as she was heading to the living room. She didn’t mean to make any noise but her mother looked behind her when she heard footsteps behind her.

“Hello, sweetie.” Emilia approached her with a cheerful smile.

She swallowed as she met Emilia’s gaze and tried to respond with her natural smile and tone, “Hey. I just got home from school.”

“Won’t you join us? Your Grandma baked chocolate Dounuts.” Emilia rises her hand to show it to her, the Dounut that she had in her hand.

“I love that.” Hannah gladly smiled as she walked to the couch and sat next to her mother.

Her Grandma, Veronica, was also sitting on Emilia’s left. She was focused on the movie that they were watching. Emilia also look back on the movie when Hannah sat.

Hannah immediately took one Dounut from the plate, on top of the small table in front of them. She took a bite from it and put her eyes on the movie.

“How’s school, Honey?” Veronica asked without removing her eyes on the movie.

“Good question, Grandma.” Hannah answered as she took a quick look on Veronica. She swallowed to drain her conscience that keeps on telling her not to lie and continued, “I got my report card and finally, my grades in Math were great. And guess what? I made it to the top 5.”

Automatically, Emilia’s head turned to her with disbelief. Hannah was nervous but she surpassed it with a smile. But it seems that Emilia doesn’t bought it. She knew how bad Hannah could be in Mathematics, so she had a little doubts about what she said.

“Good to hear.” Veronica broke the uncomfortable silence while glancing on both Emilia and Hannah, “Then we surely can see your report card now.”

“Absolutely.” Hannah replied. She put the Dounut back on the plate and reach for her backpack. She opened it and started scanning inside to look for her card. Emilia was staring on her, with all the doubts she had in her mind.

Hannah pulled out a white rectangular card from it and handed it to Emilia. For a second, Emilia stared on her eyes then on the card with lips slightly parted. She slowly took it from her and look on it with brows crossed. Veronica lean closer to Emilia so she could also have a good look on it.

“89, 90, 92 in Mathematics. And with a general average of 92.2.” Veronica incredulously said with mouth wide opened, “Wow! That’s amazing!”

“Right? And I even made it to the top 2.” She boasted.

But Emilia was still staring on the report card with suspicious. She was carefully examining every words and numbers written on the card. There is some part of her that wasn’t convince on what was written. She was so focused on the card without paying attention to what Veronica and Hannah was talking.

“We must celebrate this, Emilia. Or treat her to a classy restaurant.” Veronica was so proud and excited. But Emilia’s thoughts was still fixed on the card.

Emilia flip the card and saw a hand written marks that were completely different from what was written in the front. She flipped back the card and scratch the part where she saw the different hand writing marks.

“Mom?” Hannah was hesitant. She felt something wasn’t right. Due to her mother’s expression. That was when her palm started to sweat.

“Oh I’m sorry.” Emilia finally got her mind together as she glanced on Veronica and Hannah, “What did I missed?”

“Treat your daughter a fancy dinner or anything. Just a token of appreciation for her hard work.” Veronica suggested.

Emilia thought for a second and looked on Hannah with a threatening look, “I always had that in my mind, mom. If she really did have these grades.”

“What do you mean? You were staring on it with your naked eyes and yet, you doubt it?” Veronica shrug as she was trying to explain.

“We will talk about it after dinner in your room, Hannah. And be sure to have a better explanation.” Emilia spoke in a low and doubtful tone while fixing her eyes straight on Hannah’s.

Hannah was forced to smile, trying to pretend that she doesn’t know what her mother was talking about. Though she could almost hear her heart pounding in her chest, she still manage to play innocent. Emilia didn’t bought her forced smile. She could read through her smile that she was hiding something.