Readers Of The Future

3. Memorable Bad Day

"Did you see his eyes?" The girl in front of me asks. Her name is Lyndia and she is one of the popular students who has never found a reason she to speak to me before now. Shock has ways of making things happen.

"Yeah." I answer simply.

"Strange, right?"

"Yeah, very!"

"They are the cutest, strangest eyes I have ever seen!" She says beaming with excitement.

"Just don't fall for him. Tracy will kill you if you get near him." I say and she fakes a silent laugh.

Dean settles on his seat and Eric shifts uncomfortably in his. Dean notices and he seems to like it. He moves his seat so he is even closer to Eric, then pokes him with a finger in the ribs. Eric squirms before turning to face his seatmate. Lucky me! I can eavesdrop on their conversion even when they're that far and talking in low tones.

"Hi." Dean greets when Eric fully faces him. "I'm Dean McDonald. Do you mind shaking my hand?" He extends his hand towards Eric.

"Hello! I...uh...am Eric." Eric replies sound too nervous. Poor, shy Eric! He reluctantly shakes Deans hand.

"You know what Eric? I don't bite. So stop holding your breathe and sit comfortably." Dean says and Eric attempts to look more relaxed on his seat.

"Now I need everyone to look forward as I'm about to introduce a new topic." Mr. King orders, putting an end to the whispering that had taken over the class.

Even Lydia stops goggling at Dean and looks forward.

I try to focus as the class progresses. But all that my mind want to think about is why Deans has eyes like mine. Is it a genetic mishap that we both have? I make a mistake of looking back at him.

He is playing with Eric's special pen. There're no books on his locker yet. Is he even here to learn? And how did he take Eric's pen from him? As far as I'm concerned, Eric would rather lose a finger than his father's pen. Now Eric seem extremely miserable as he stiffly sits beside him.

Dean on the other hand, appears to be studying the whole class. His eyes move from one person to the next. His scrutiny doesn't linger much on Tracy and her friends. He just takes a glance on each and move on.

He stops after sometime and turns back to tormenting Eric whose eyes are glued on the teacher ahead. Dean pokes him on his straighted back with the pen and Eric recoils.

"You like maths that much?" Dean asks and Eric nods shyly.

"How smart of you! What have you learned about the new topic so far?" There is a smirk on his face as he interrogates.

"Uh...Not much." Eric answers, shrinking back into his chair.

"You seemed way too engrossed. I'm surprised you did get much. Or is it just a pretense?"

Eric cringes at the accusation. He looks down and shakes his head. "My mind doesn't feel at ease today." Eric confesses.

"It will feel okay if you don't sit as stiff as a tree. Like I said earlier, I don't bite." Dean says and Eric once again tries to make a show of relaxing. Can't Dean just leave him alone?

He and Tracy may get along after all. You know what they say about birds of the same feather.

He catches me looking and gives me a death glare. I turn my unwanted attention to Mr. King only to find his angry eyes narrowed at me. I really want to run.

"Do you mind giving us the answer to the equation on the board, Walker?" He says with a sarcastic smile.

I look at the board. The equation on the board looks like an alien theory. Mr.King is going to chew me alive. I give him a honest answer.

"I don't know, sir." I say and prepare my mind for the embarrassment of a lifetime.

"You don't know? Yet you found Mr. MacDonald more interesting to look at instead of focusing on what I'm teaching?" He mocks and everyone laughs and giggle. Great! Now they all think I like that jerk.

"I'll let this pass for today since you've been a good student up until now. You look back one more time and I'll throw you out of my class." He warns and turns his attention back to the rest of class. I try hard to get everything he says for the few minutes remaining before the lesson ends.

For the first time Mr.King leaves us without any assignment. May be he noticed not so many had concentrated during the lesson.

Lydia turns to me, her eyes full of hate.

"You were eye-f*****g Dean?! What the hell is wrong with you? He would never even look at you! You're a freak and..."

"Calm down! I was just taking another look at his eyes. And not because I admire them." I tell her, honestly.

"So now you don't like them?"

There is only one way to convince her. It's a risk but I don't want to be enemies with a popular student because of a minor misunderstanding. I look around and make sure no one else is watching us. I very carefully take off my glasses, only looking at her to ensure only her sees my eyes.

"Oh. My. God!" Her eyes are wide and her mouth gaping as she expresses her shock. I put the glasses back on.

"You've eyes like his? My God! They're so beautiful! Actually more beautiful than his. Why not take off those silly glasses?" She's talking too fast that even my powerful ears have trouble keeping up with the fast flow of words.

"My family already prohibited that. I can't go against them unless I want to be thrown out." I confess and for the first time, I see someone genuinely concerned with my predicament.

"And the clothes? Why the oversized everything?" She asks.

"I put on what is I feel is comfortable."

"Seriously? You are comfortable in those sacks?!" She speaks louder and I feel the need to excuse myself.

"I'm getting late for my next class. I got to go. See you later." I say picking up my books and leaving.

My next class happens to be geography. I walk in to find Dean seated on my favourite spot, Tracy and her friends sit around him. Since when did Tracy become a geography student? She's skipping another class just so she can seat with him?

I really wish to be him right now. The amorous glances he is getting from the girls can persuade one to give up a million dollars to be Dean for just a few minutes. Yet he appears to be resenting the attention. Every time any girl places a hand on him, he quickly brushes it away.

I find another empty seat away from them just before Mr.Robertson enters the class. He carries on with the lesson ignoring the extra, new students present. I do my best to focus this time saving my other thoughts for my free time after school.

I survive three more lessons before it's finally lunch break. I always make sure to be among the first to alive in the cafeteria. There's a specific table far from others that is always reserved just for me, the school freak. Not that I desire company anyway.

I take my seat and take time to get rid of the small slices of carrot in my plate. I dislike their colour, taste and smell of them.

I'm about to take the first bite of my food when Dean McDonald walks into the cafeteria escorted by his dozen admirers. I don't doubt they would have been more if Tracy and her friends aren't too cold towards everyone who is not a member of the group.

But it seems like Lydia found a way to join the group. In fact, she walks right by Tracy's side. I had thought we could be friends, looks like that is not happening.

And now the whole group is making their way towards me! Or may be they're heading out through the backdoor. No of course. What would be the point of walking in only to walk out through the other door?

But if that's not it, why would Dean be leading his followers in my direction?

I pretend to be engrossed on eating my food until I hear their footsteps halt by my table. Dean McDonald taps his immaculate, long fingers on the table to get my attention.

I look up to find the number of Deans funs is even more massive than I had counted. And they are all looking down at me. What on earth is this about?

"Do you mind if we join you?" He asks already taking a seat across from me.

"I do mind. I eat alone." I say and he raises an eyebrow. His admirers jeer at me but I ignore them. "Why not just say what it is you want and walk away. I'm certain you're not here to sit with me."

"True. Someone tells me you have eyes like mine. Can I see them?" He says and I can't help hearing how mesmerizing his voice sounds. Wait! Did my eyes just get mentioned?

I turn my glare towards Lydia. Only she must be the source of that information. Because I know my sisters wouldn't talk about my eyes. I can see the fear in their eyes even as they stand with the group.

"Whoever told you that was lying." I lie.

"Then you don't mind letting me see them, do you?" Dean says and I want to smack his face with my plate of food. I'm too hungry to dare waste my food.

"May be you''ve not noticed it yet but you're not a teacher here. You can't order me to do anything. Rich or not, you're a student just like us." Everyone is taken aback. Yeah, truth must be fascinating.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've food to eat!" I say in the firmest voice I can master. And just like that, hell breaks loose. Turns out Dean's funs aren't going to let anyone talk s**t to their king.

"You stupid b***h!" Tracy snares and tries to slap me. I dodge her slaps then push her back. She stambles back, takes two of her friends down with her. They're so weak!

I have all my attention on her when another one of her friends approach with a hot cup of tea. I don't get time to react before the front of my shirt is drenched. I however don't feel the heat. May be because the thick fablic absorbed most of the liquid. Thanks God none of it got to my face.

I feel mortified as students around me laugh and mock me. Dean has a huge smirk on his lips as several girls high five him. Suddenly the crowd disperses as the headmistress, Mrs. Kim, makes her way into the cafeteria.

By the time she enters, everyone is busy pretending they were not part of what had happened. Cowards! She ambles over to where I stand, my shirt is still dripping.

"Is that tea?" She inquires as her eyes scan my messed up clothes. I nod, too embarrassed to look her in the eyes. She scrutinizes the crowd for whomever must have assaulted me but no one is even looking in our direction.

"Go home and change. See me in my office before going to class tomorrow." She says and walks back out.

I squeeze most of the liquid out of the fabric on my way to my locker. I need the rest of this day off. No one abuses me when I'm in my room.