Pots and pans clanged against each other.
“Wake up, Damian!” Grandma said loudly, as she continued to act as my human alarm clock, “Your alarm went off half an hour ago.” She yanked my red curtains apart, the sun's rays filtering through my window.
I groaned and pulled my blanket over my face. Grandma hurried towards me and stripped them off, exposing me to the overbearing brightness of the room.
“Hurry up or you’ll be late for school.” And with that, Grandma left.
Knowing it was futile to go back to bed, I started dressing up. When I reached the kitchen, an unfortunate plate of what appeared to be bacon and eggs, sat on the table. Grandma gestured for me to have a seat. I stabbed my egg with the fork and yolk came oozing out. It was fascinating to look at, but also gross.
Grandma sat in front of me and gobbled her breakfast down, her taste buds apparently playing massive tricks on her. “I had the strangest dream last night,” she said through a mouthful of burnt bacon, “I was talking to an old friend of mine and all of a sudden, I hear this extremely irritating noise. It was ringing inside my ears for what felt like hours. As soon as I woke up this morning, I noticed that the phone cable was disconnected. I wonder what could have caused that.”
I fidgeted nervously on my chair. “Yeah, I wonder.”
Grandma eyed me suspiciously. “You weren’t on the phone in the middle of the night with one of your friends, were you?”
I shoved a big spoonful of eggs into my mouth to avoid answering. Grandma might be a heavy sleeper, but she was no fool.
“First, I receive calls from your school telling me you’re passing out in class. Second, you get your phone confiscated. Third, you get into God-knows-what trouble at work, causing you to return home late, and now, you’re using the house phone in the middle of the night,” Grandma said, “That would explain the bags you have under your eyes.”
I swallowed. “Sorry. I was just stressed out because of the heavy amount of schoolwork.” It was only half a lie.
“I know things have been hard for you; however, if you have something you want to disclose, I am here, Damian. If you’re in trouble or if someone is picking on you, please don’t keep it all inside. Talk to me.” The way she said it heavily implied how worried she was about me.
Right there, right now, I was tempted to spill the truth. Tell her everything I knew. Get everything off my chest once and for all.
Yet, as I looked deep into her anxious brown eyes, I knew this was a battle I had to win on my own. Using my own strengths and wits.
I could not allow grandma to get involved in the twisted world of sorcerers.
For her own sake, I had to remain quiet.
I forced a smile. “Everything’s fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Grandma appeared unconvinced, but she ceased probing me.
* * *
Locker doors slammed after one another, and a wave of high school students swarmed around us as the bell rang.
Nicolas was on Tony’s cellphone, trying desperately to win some crappy game he’d downloaded.
“Gosh, darn it!” he screeched, turning away from Tony’s outstretched hand, his face masked in deep concentration. “I need more time to complete this level!”
Tony grabbed his phone out of Nicolas’ fingers. “Sorry, but I have to go to class. See you guys later.” He hurried away in the opposite direction, his long, black cornrows trailing after him.
As we walked towards our first period, I discussed my need to enter a club with Nicolas.
“Join the Reading Club,” Nicolas said, “I remember how you’d always have your nose stuck in books when we were younger. It won’t be as cool as volleyball, but at least, you won’t get expelled before the year finishes. And it won't be as time-consuming.”
“True,” I answered, “Tony also said the Reading Club would probably be better for me. I’ll fill out the application sheet after class.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“No, it’s alright. It won’t take too long.”
Usually, Nicolas and Tony hung out with me in between classes, but this time, I could not have them around. I was going to head to the Reading Club’s room, but I was also planning to take a little detour.
I needed to talk to Rhea about the things that had occurred the previous night, and Jude’s constant access to phones was only one of them. He was unquestionably getting out of hand and the feeling that something bad was going to occur if this persisted, kept disturbing my well-being.
Imagine me. Becoming a pet. Jude's pet. Me, belonging to Jude.
Again.
I shuddered at the thought.
After class, I made my way down the corridors, passing countless students. I stopped in front of the nurse’s office and knocked. No answer. I knocked again.
I was about to walk in, until I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned back and recognized Jake under his black baseball cap. Next to him were three mean-looking, older boys, who leaned more towards the primate species than regular tenth graders.
“What do you want?” I asked, annoyed.
Jake sneered. “My friends here - he pointed at the three boys - are in need of some money. Care to share with them?”
“I'm busy,” I answered dryly.
One of the boys snorted. “What, busy having panic attacks and paying visits to the nurse's office, like, everyday?”
I frowned. Jake must have mentioned it to them. I opened my mouth to say something, until the door to the nurse's office swung open, revealing a person I'd never seen before. She was blonde, with a white uniform and an unfriendly demeanor. Actually, she appeared intimidating to the point where Jake and the rest of his baboons scurried away, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.
“Were you the one knocking?” she had a deeper voice than I expected.
“Yes,” I said, “Is Rhea here?”
“Rhea?”
“The school nurse,” I rapidly corrected myself.
“I am the school nurse. I've been here for more than a decade. And my name is Caroline,” she said, pointing at the name badge on her chest, “Don't they teach puny eight graders how to read nowadays?”
“I'm in grade nine.”
“Same thing.”
An uneasy feeling started to crawl over me. I had never seen this rude woman before, and the fact that she had been around for over ten years was not helping me ease my concerns. “I'm here to see the other nurse. You know, tall with black hair and glasses? Miss Rhea Malakai?”
Caroline cocked her head on the side, seeming more exasperated than confused. “Who’s that?”
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