Destiny - 2
2107 Words
“Ren, Ren, wake up, son. You’re going to be late for your exams,” Mrs. Nutti said as she gently shook Renwar from his slumber.
Renwar turned over in bed and faced his gran-gran.
“Thanks, I was having a nightmare again,” he sleepily responded.
“Ren, I think you need to speak to a guidance counsellor since you don’t want to speak with me.”
“Gran-Gran, please not today. I can’t have this conversation again,” he pleaded.
“Okay, son, but you need to talk with your mother since it’s about her,” she advised.
“Ahh! Gran-Gran, please. I don’t want to hear it. I’m going to bathe and get ready. I will be down for breakfast in ten minutes, okay?” Renwar got out of bed and walked into his bathroom suite. He waved at his grandmother before he closed the door.
As Mrs. Nutti exited Ren’s bedroom, she nodded and closed the door behind her.
Ren hurried through his bath to eat breakfast.
“Thanks, Gran-Gran,” he said as he rushed out the door and drove one of his cars to school to complete his final exam before the summer holidays kicked in. She smiled as she watched him leave.
The drive from Renwar’s upscale home was always calming. As he drove over the bridge that separated the town from the country, the view of the crystal-blue sea as the waves crashed upon the rocks and the view of the mountains, lush and green, almost made Renwar forget about his final year’s exams.
As he entered Néarbi Méka High School’s gate, he viewed the school crest depicting a panther encircled by a shield, with engravings of the school’s motto in Latin that says, “Efficacius Erit Excellentiam,” which means “Be successful in excellence.”
“Hey, Renwar, sweet ride. I don’t think I have seen this one before. Have I?” Dastiní greeted.
“Nah. My dad sent it as a pre-graduation present yesterday,” replied Renwar.
“Yo! I love your dad. Can we exchange parents?” Ésam comically responded.
“Dude, if wi exchanging parents, how bout switching yuh hot madda fi mine? She can cook an bathe mi any time,” smirked Baní.
Coming from the school’s hallway, which was paved with the panther’s crest, to greet Renwar, Satin overheard Baní’s flirtatious comment.
“Eww, can’t you boys grow up already? Like, seriously, get over yourself already, Baní!” scolded Satin.
“Mi neva did a chat to yuh, mis quick finga,” Baní snapped.
With an evil smile on her face, Satin snapped her fingers, and before anyone could stop her, she turned Baní into a dog with a tutu around his waist, and he started barking frantically. Everyone started laughing hysterically as Baní ran off with his tail between his legs.
“Hey, you’ve got to turn him back,” Renwar said as soon as the laughter died down.
“Yeah, man. He can’t do the exam looking like a dog, even if he acts like one sometimes,” Ésam laughed.
Sighing, Satin snapped her fingers and turned Baní back n***d. The group started laughing again as Baní held his hands between his legs. Renwar shot Satin a warning look. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders then snapped her fingers, and his clothes returned.
Baní ran into his exam room without hesitating to look back at his group of friends.
“That wasn’t very nice,” Renwar said to Satin.
“What he said wasn’t very nice either. He thinks he is God’s gift to women. I hate it when he acts that way,” Satin argued.
“I know, but you can’t go around turning people into animals or objects because you don’t like what they say,” Renwar countered.
“You’re my shrink now?” Satin asked.
“Guys let’s get out of here before this gets out of hand,” Ésam said.
Everyone quickly walked away to their examination room, leaving Satin and Renwar to hash it out. No one wanted to get on Satin’s bad side. If they stayed, they all might be tempted to save him.
“Look, I don’t want to fight, okay? Can we do our exams before they close the doors on us?” Renwar said, throwing his hands up in the air in surrender.
Satin closed her eyes and counted to ten, silently calming her mind, smiled, and took Renwar by the hand, leading the way to their exams.
While they walked to their respective exams, Renwar smiled and thought about the freedom after taking his history and religious education examinations. He inwardly shouted, “Freedom.”
* * *
Later that day . . .
It was lunchtime when Renwar entered the huge school’s noisy cafeteria, which was artfully decorated with pictures of past Méka Panthers football teams and past principals hung on the wall. The walls were painted with black and purple horizontal stripes with a huge panther emblem drawn in the centre of the cafeteria room. While students sat around the various sizes of white tables and chairs, Renwar scoped all around him, searching for the one person that would help make his day better.
“She is not here,” said a beautiful tall averagely built brunette.
As Ren turned to see who spoke, he saw Sáphire, one of his longtime childhood friends, staring at him.
“I’m sorry. Who is not here?” Renwar asked, surprised.
“You know, the average-looking redhead girl you always eat lunch with . . . Asti . . . Ari . . . whatever her name is,” Sáphire replied.
Speechless, Renwar curiously stared at her in the face, but before his mouth could utter another word, Satin bumped right into Sáphire, causing her to lose her balance and fall sideways. Renwar caught her quickly before her head could hit the chair that was next to them.
“Sorry, didn’t see you there, Sáphire,” Satin mocked as she stared at Sáphire with a crooked smile and raised her right eyebrow at her.
Sáphire rolled her eyes and raised her left hand to hit Satin in the face. Renwar swiftly stood between them and said, “Okay, ladies, play nice. No catfight or witch fight in the cafeteria.
Satin wore a huge grin on her face as she watched Sáphire storm off.
“Why did you do that to Sáphire?” Renwar asked.
“Don’t worry, Ren, one day you will thank me for it,” she said deviously.
As Renwar sighed, he asked while holding his forehead, “Why would I thank you for almost hitting down another student?”
“When the time is right, you will know. Right now, it’s not the time. Come on, Ren, let’s celebrate the final day of school.” Satin smiled.
Shaking his head, he took Satin by the hand and led her to the rest of the g**g waiting under a graceful, flowing weeping willow tree that seemed like a perfect addition to the school’s landscape. The tree produced instant shade with its thick canopy of arching branches for students that sat beneath.
“So wha di theme fi di graduation party?” asked Baní.
“Ask Satin. She’s in charge,” replied Ésam.
In the meantime, as Satin and Renwar gracefully approached their friends, Satin apologized for being late. She continued that she and her innovative teammates came up with the red carpet theme of the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the Méka High School 2015 gala.
As they discussed the decorations and designs for Néarbi Méka High School Auditorium, Ren closed his eyes and started drifting through his mind, thinking of his beloved Ari.
“Ren, Renwar! Weh yuh did guh man?” Baní said as he glanced over at Renwar.
“Umm, what?” Renwar stammered,
“We have been trying to get your attention for the longest while. It’s like you left your body and wandered somewhere else,” Satin expressed.
“Oh, um, sorry about that. I don’t know what happened. I must have dozed off or something. I haven’t been sleeping for a while, must be tired. You now have my undivided attention,” Renwar replied.
“It’s too late now. The meeting is over. We’re going to Ésam’s house to celebrate tonight. Are you coming?” Satin asked.
“No, you go on. I told Gran-Gran I would be home early to help her rearrange the furniture before Dad returns home,” he replied.
“Okay, Ren. See you at the rehearsals then!” Ésam shouted as he headed to his car.
“What rehearsals?” Ren asked.
“The graduation rehearsals. You do remember we are leaving the school and hopefully this godforsaken town, right?” replied Sáphire as she walked closer to Renwar.
“S-sáphire, w-wow, I didn’t see you there before,” Renwar stammered, seeing Sáphire for the first time since the little altercation in the cafeteria earlier.
“I came while you were daydreaming. I can only assume it’s about your missing friend,” Sáphire responded.
Renwar stared at Sáphire and, for a moment, became lost in her fathomless dark-brown eyes. He cleared his throat as he realized he hadn’t responded while Sáphire kept smiling at him.
“Oh, I will call her later and see what’s up. I thought you and Ariel were friends when we were children—umm, sorry got to go now. Bye,” Renwar said as he ran away.
Shaking his head, Renwar thought to himself, Man, why do I feel such a strong pull towards her?
“What is wrong with me today?” he said as he entered his car.
Driving through the gates of the Vallée manor, Renwar parked his car in the garage and noticed a boot jutting out of the shadows. He turned to the backseat of his car and saw his baseball bat; he gripped it and slowly went out of the vehicle. Hiding the bat behind him as he walked in the direction of the figure hiding in the shadows, Ren slowly raised the bat as the figure jumped out at him.
“Surprise!” Mr. Vallée shouted as he greeted his son.
“Dad, what are you doing home so early? I thought they were sending home the troops next week!” Renwar said as he suddenly dropped the bat and hugged his father.
“Yeah, but I had finished a bit early than normal, so I grabbed the first plane out, eager to see my boy and my mother.”
“Really, Dad, I think you just missed Gran-Gran’s home-cooked meal.”
As they continued walking and talking, they heard a pot drop upon entering the kitchen. His grandmother covered her mouth with both of her hands, and with tears in her eyes, she hugged her son and said, “Welcome home, my son, welcome home.”
“It’s good to be home, Mom. I longed for some good ole-fashion cooked meal,” he said as he took a chicken leg out of the frying pan, which he almost dropped while frantically blowing it.
Mrs. Nutti smiled, thinking to herself, I’m happy that Ren came home early instead of partying with his friends. She watched in silence as her son and grandson sat down to eat their dinner, Renwar badgering his father for war stories and an update on the neighbouring countries.
“Mmm, hmmm, this is so good,” Mr. Vallée moaned as he continued devouring the home-cooked meal.
As the evening continued, Mr. Vallée headed to his bedroom after dinner and met Ren at his son’s room’s door with his laptop and cell phone.
“Hey, Gran-Gran said to give you these.” He handed them to Ren.
“Oh, thanks, Dad. Gran-Gran said, after the final exams, she would return them.” He placed the items on his study table.
“I hear you’re not sleeping well again,” Mr. Vallée said, entering Ren’s room.
“No more than usual, Dad. I can handle it. I don’t need a lecture or to see a shrink,” Renwar answered, turning to look at his father then to his room’s door as if his gran-gran stood there.
“I am always here if you need to talk, son,” Mr. Vallée said with a look of concern as he held up his hands. Patting his son on the back before walking out the door, he turned and smiled and closed the door. Breathing slowly to calm his nerves, Ren turned on his laptop.
* * *
- Writer
