Chapter Three

My heart began to beat faster.

 

Heat rushed through my veins.

 

While cold sweat came out from the pores of my skin that started to look pale.

 

“Can I .. join you guys for lunch?”

 

Shy voice yet it gave me shiver down my spine.

 

I snapped back to reality and secretly pinched Jasper’s arm.

 

This made him went back to reality as well.

 

“Sure,” I said as I quickly cleared the other part of the table, “Feel free.”

 

I smiled at her.

 

“Thank you,” She told us as she sat down in front of us, “The cafeteria is pretty crowded today.”

 

“It sure does,” Jasper added, well – interrupted.

 

I looked at her.

 

Elegant.

 

Descent.

 

Like a princess.

 

No.

 

She’s a princess.

 

“Oh,” She exclaimed as she put back her strawberry drink.

 

“I’m Ella by the way. Ella Fritzgerald,” She introduced herself and reached her right hand towards me.

 

“Cinder. Cinder Henderson, nice to meet you Ms. Fritzgerald,” I introduced back and reached her hand.

 

We shook hands.

 

However, I immediately let go of her hand because I saw the other boys looking at us, including Ray and Andrew from afar.

 

“No need to be so formal, just Ella is fine,” She said smiling.

 

I forgot something.

 

“Ella, this is my best friend, Jasper,” I introduced Jasper to her who seemed to be still in shocked.

 

“Jasper Rhodes, nice meeting you,” He said and reached his hand to her.

 

“Ella Fritzgerald,” They shook hands, “Nice meeting you too.”

 

I noticed something.

 

“Ah, buddy, you can let go of her hand now,” I interrupted them.

 

“I-a, I am sorry,” Jasper apologized.

 

Ella chuckled.

 

I shook my head in embarrassment.

 

The three of us began to exchange talks. She’s not like the other students who’s boastful and unfriendly. She wasn’t disgusted when we told her that I am a scholar.

 

“So what’s wrong with being a scholar?” She asked as she took a spoon of strawberry yoghurt.

 

She asked exactly the same question as Jasper.

 

“In fact,” She added, “That proves that you are a smart person.”

 

“Yeah right,” Jasper exclaimed, “That’s exactly what I told him before. Gimme a high five there, Ellie.”

 

They gave each other a high five.

 

“Buddy, it’s Ella not Ellie,” I told him.

 

“I know that. I feel like calling her that name,” He answered while tapping my back, “Will that be okay for you, Ellie?”

 

“Sure, any name you’re comfortable with Jasper,” She grinned.

 

“So where were we again?” He went back to our discussion.

 

 “Oh yeah, that’s why I told him to audition for the upcoming musical play,” He turned to Ella, “Maybe he’ll get his breakthrough here.”

 

I pinched his arm to shut him up but it seemed that it didn’t work.

 

“That would be great, Cinder,” She seemed to be enthusiastic, “I’m looking forward to seeing you on stage.”

 

“Hey, aren’t you gonna act in the play?” Jasper butted in, “You’re a member of the drama club, aren’t you?”

 

Gah. It felt like my best friend knows her more than I do.

 

“Yes, I am a member of the drama club. However, this time, I am assigned at the backstage for the props.” She explained.

 

“I see,” I said in a low tone.

 

The bell rang for the first period in the afternoon. It seemed that we killed the time just by chatting.

 

The students began to stand up and went outside the cafeteria. I saw Ray stood up as he looked through our direction. He seemed to be annoyed in his looks.

 

We accompanied Ella to her classroom and before we bid goodbye to each other, she told me something.

 

“Cinder, I’m hoping for you to sign up,” She said, “Aim for Flint Rider, okay?”

 

She tapped my shoulder lightly.

 

I nodded in agreement.

 

“Thanks again, Cinder, Jasper,” She waved her hand and gave us a sweet smile.

 

Twelfth grade students were gazing at us as we were heading to our classroom. No problem in Jasper’s case but in my case especially that I am a scholar, they might misunderstood me for something else.

 

I arrived home around 4:15 in the afternoon, just 15 minutes before the time. I went at the back of the house and parked my bike.

 

“I’m home, Uncle Ed,” I said.

 

Uncle Ed was sitting at the couch. He was reading a newspaper and took a sip of his coffee. He just raised his chin and I headed to my room, at the attic.

 

I changed my uniform and immediately went downstairs to water the plants and later, cooking for dinner.

 

As I watered the plants, the audition suddenly popped out in my mind.

 

“Flint Rider, huh?” I told myself, “We’ll see about that.”

 

After I had finished all the household chores, I went to my room to start studying. As I flipped every pages of my book, I recalled the thing that happened during lunch.

 

Good thing I have a new friend now.

 

I smiled as I took down notes from my book.

 

My phone beeped. I flipped to see who it was.

 

1 message received.

 

From Ray Stewart.

 

“Hey! I have a little problem with my Math assignment here. Come and help me, please?”

 

“It’s unlikely for him to ask for help for his Math,” I told myself as I replied to him.

 

I knocked at his door.

 

“Come in,” A voice from inside spoke.

 

I opened it and found no one.

 

Someone pushed me from behind that made me fall to the floor.

 

“Hey!” I shouted.

 

He grabbed my shirt and punched me right through my face.

 

“Hey! What’s wrong with you, Ray?” I said while struggling.

 

“You!” He yelled, “You are my problem!”

 

I pushed him away from him but I didn’t dare to hurt him badly.

 

He hit his head on the door.

 

“Why you!” He made a fist and was about to punch me, good thing I was able dodged.

 

He did the same thing again, this time I wasn’t able to escape from his punch.

 

He punched me on my stomach that made me curl up on the floor.

 

He kicked me twice.

 

Ray clutched my hair to make me face him.

 

“You ,” He said pointing to my face, “Stay away from her from now on.”

 

At first, I didn’t get him until I realized he was referring to Ella.

 

“Are you jealous?” I asked him ironically.

 

He didn’t answer instead he tightened his clutch on my hair.

 

“I guess you are Ray,” I said as his clutch began to hurt.

 

“But don’t you worry, we’re just friends,” I told him while looking through his eyes, “I don’t have any plan to ask her out because afterall I’m just a scholar.”

 

The atmosphere became worse. Anger could be seen in his eyes. He started to make a fist out of his hand.

 

Must be the third punch.

 

He was about to punched me again when the door suddenly opened.

 

“Brother, can I bo~” Andrew wasn’t able to finish his sentence.

 

 His eyes widened.

 

“We’re not done yet, Cinder.” He told me silently, “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

 

I stood up and wiped the blood on my lower lip.

 

I passed by Andrew and paused for a while.

 

“I’m getting used to punches,” I told him as I gave him an evil smile.

 

He just stared at me. His face was espressionless.

 

I went out from Ray’s room with my arms still holding my stomach and the other hand on the wall to support my weak body.

 

When I reached my room in the attic, I resumed from studying and didn’t mind the bruises I got.

 

“Jealousy huh?”

 

I was glad that I was able to withstand his punches this time even at the end I got hurt.

 

I was in the middle of studying when I heard a noise coming from the porch at the window. I immediately went to it hoping to see Genie but I only found a basket. This time, it’s not a basket of foods but a basket of medicines with a note.

 

It says,

 

“Heal yourself, it’s a big day tomorrow.”

 

The note was typewritten so I wasn’t able to tell who it was coming from.

 

I guess it was Genie in the Attic who sent  it to me.

 

Before I went to bed, I made a letter for him.

 

“Thanks again, Genie in the Attic. I owe you a lot.

 

--C.H. ”

 

I left the letter at my window.

 

“Thanks again,” I said, “Genie in the Attic.”

 

And I called it a night.

 

In the morning, I quickly went to the window and found out that the letter was gone already.

 

________________

-Niksama 12/19/11