Lunch time.  My favorite part of the day.  The helpers at the orphanage say I’m too skinny but I can’t see why I’m like that when I love to eat and eat all the time.  Thank you fast metabolism ^^.

            As I got my lunch and started scouring the cafeteria for an empty seat, I heard bits and pieces of whispers flying about.  “..she sat down…cursed seat…rude delinquent…disrespected oppa…hope she leaves…*BLEEP*…”   Ohhh.  So this is what my fellow “chingus” think of me.  Oh well.  Let the party get started.

            As I plopped down on the end of a cafeteria table at the back of the huge room, some students moved their things away.  What, I’m not gonna steal any of your crap you idiots, I thought.  Rumors, it seems, spread really fast in this school.  As I ate my lunch, I heard running feet again.  I turned around slowly and sure enough it was Sylvia.  “Nabila!  Hi again!  May I sit with you?”  Before I can even answer, she plopped her book bag down and took a seat.  I smiled at her gratefully for she is the first person who has decided to befriend me.  We talked about random things until we were done with lunch.

“Oh, fudge!  It seems you’re gonna have to spend recess alone.  I’m supposed to do some volunteer work.” Sylvia said. 

“Oh, that’s okay!  I’m just happy we’re friends now and in the same school.  See you later then!”  I said.  I wished that she would stay with me but who am I to ruin her plans. 

As I crossed the school yard, I noticed some boys playing basketball.  A red flag and Beep, beep!  went off in my head.  Steer clear of that or you shall be humiliated, a little voice in my head said.  So what did I do?  The right thing.  Follow the advice.  As I kept walking, I suddenly heard someone shout, “Watch out!”

As I turned my head, it was as if the world was playing in slow-motion.  I turned my head over my right shoulder slowly.  At the same time a basketball came sailing through the air towards me.  My head was still turning when the basketball hit me squarely on the right side of my forehead.  As I stumbled backwards in slow-motion, I somehow caught the ball.  Adrenaline was pumping through my blood from the sudden warning so instead of pain, I felt anger.  Since the anger had to go somewhere, I took it out on the ball by bouncing it on the floor once and kicking it super hard in the direction of the other side of the schoolyard where there were not many people and was far away from the boys playing basketball.  I heard some quiet “oh s” and “WTFs” as the ball I kicked sailed through the air.  Even if there were people on the other side of the yard, they would know to move since most eyes were on me, again for the hundredth time today.

Instead of waiting for people to act first, I ran away towards a corner of the school yard with tears in my eyes.  Don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry, .  I’m crying.  Why do I always cry when I’m angry!?  The tears kind of blinded me as I ran away but it didn’t matter.  I was used to seeing things blurry whenever I was looking for my glasses.  As I got near the fence and my adrenaline started to wear off, I felt the pain full-on.  I didn’t hurt like crazy but it still hurt.  Wiping my watery eyes as best as I could, I started sliding down the wall with my back against it, putting my book bag in front of me at the same time.  I reached into one of the side pockets and brought up my water bottle of icy-cold water to the place the basketball hit me.

As I pressed the coldness to my head, I started to relax but the occasional tear still slid down my cheek and my nose was starting to be runny.  In my attempt to help me feel better, I didn’t notice a guy running towards me.  He had navy blue sweat pants on with a white sleeveless shirt on.  “Hey are you okay?  I’m so sorry about the basketball!  It slipped from my hands and then we started smacking it and then…wait, are you crying?” he said this all in an explaining tone.  I quickly wiped my eyes.  I looked up at the tall dude (another tall dude, seriously?!) with the sun behind him.  The sun seemed to illuminate his features.  It made him come out to look angelic.  He too had handsome features with kind looking eyes and high cheekbones.  He had brown hair cut in a style that seemed to fit him perfectly.  As I stared on, I suddenly realized he was still waiting for my answer.  “Oh, ummm, yeah.  I mean I’m okay, no, I’ll be okay after a little bit.  I’m only crying because that’s something I do when I’m angry or upset,” I stuttered.  Fudge, I messed up.

The boy took a seat next to me.  “Okay, lemme have a look,” he said as he moved my hand.  He started to feel my head, pressing down in certain places, asking me if it hurt.  My plan was to be quiet no matter what but I failed.  He pressed down on a small bump and I couldn’t help but give a little eep.  He smiled at his accomplishment of finding the "boo-boo".  “Oh, don’t worry.  It’s just a small little bump.  Here, I’ll hold this here and you’ll see that in no time you’ll feel better,” he said smiling in a reassuring way.

As he held my water bottle to my head, he made an attempt at a conversation. 

“So, what’s your name?  My name is Hyunseong.”

“My name is Nabila.”

“Na-bee-la” he said sounding it out.

“Yup.”  I said and then silence.  As some time passed I suddenly remembered him holding the water bottle for me and said, “Okay, I’ll take that back now,” as I took the water bottle from him.  I wasn’t sure, but I think he had a disappointed look for a second there that went away just as quickly.  “Doesn’t your arm hurt?” I asked out of curiosity. 

“Huh?”

“Your arm.  Doesn't it hurt, like in a my-arm-is-asleep-way?  You’ve been holding the water bottle up for a while.  If that was me, my arm would already be asleep!”  I replied in a matter-of-fact way.

Hyunseong’s perspective:

Wow.  This kid, no, this girl, is AMAZING.  I didn’t know this was the person.  I think I know why she was picked, I thought with a smile.  Wait, she just asked me a question.  Breathe Hyunseong, act cool.  You are in control.  “Nope.  I’ve gotten used to holding my arms up for a long time, you know with basketball and all.”  She gave me the cutest questioning look.  Omo, she’s so cute!  I just wanna pinch her cheeks  xD!! 

“Okay, you see, when we’re playing basketball, sometimes we keep our arms up for a long time trying to keep the ball away from our opponent.  Because of that, I’ve gotten used to it.”  I quickly explained.  I hope I didn’t sound boring  o.o .  But then again I hope it made sense too.

“Oh, I get it!” she said in excitement of learning something new.  Suddenly, her face scrunched up a little as if she realized something wrong.  “Wait, but does that mean that your arm would have hurt if you didn’t have practice?” she asked in the most adorable kiddy way.  “Nope.  Not for a pretty girl like you that is.” I said with what I hope was a good smile.

Back To Me:

            Did he just call me what I think he did?  I looked away, feeling my face turn red from the warmth of shyness.  That’s a first, I thought.  I decided that I liked this guy.  Not like-like but like as in he’s a decent person.  He doesn’t like the rest of the school population.

            As the silence between us grew and almost became awkward, Hyunseong oppa finally broke it.  “So, Nabila, do I need to take you to the nurse?  I mean, it might be good if she took a look at it.  I don’t want you to sue me or anything later on,” he said with a grin and mock-serious-tone.  “No, I don’t need to go to the nurse.  She’ll probably just give me an ice-pack just like this cold water bottle.  But then again, maybe I should sue you.” I said with a smile.  Another friend.  Success, I thought as I did a mental fist pump.

*   *   *   *   *

Lunch passed and with it came another period.  I was getting more strange looks, especially because of what I did during lunch and who came over to talk to me.  The school day wore on and on until the hell was over.  Everyone kept looking at me and some girls threw death glares at me. 

As he promised, Yoseob oppa came to pick me up.  I ran to his car, threw my book bag in the back, and as if I was being chased by assassins, I told him to step on it.  “What?  Why?  What’s the hurry?  You’re not being chased by anyone or anything, right?” he said in protest of my request and searching outside the window.  I wanted to smack him and just tell to do what I told him but it’s wiser to just calm down and not inflict pain.  Breathe, Nabs, breathe.

“So, how was your day?  Talk to me,” he said as we drove on.  “I got weirdo looks and death glares all day long as usual.  I didn’t really make friends, got hit in the head with a basketball, and other kids sent curses to me through whispers.  In other words, my day was all happy and wonderful.  How was yours?” I said letting all my anger out on the wrong person.

Oppa looked at me in a kind of shocked and pitying way while trying to drive.  “WHAT?!  Tell me which punk did that.  I’ll beat the cars-r-a-pie out of him” (A/N: cars-r-a-pie is another way of me saying crap. Just how people say ‘sugar-honey-ice-tea’ instead of ).  I knew he’d say that and hearing him say it made me feel better.

“None of your bees wax.  I don’t want you hurting someone, AGAIN.”  Last time I told oppa who hurt me…. well let’s just say the other guy was almost barely half-alive (I made a note-to-self to never tell again.  Oppa can be neomu museobda  o.o).  We drove the rest of the way with me hearing oppa try to get me to talk.

“Pwease!  I’ll give you candy or chocolate or some type of other candy.  Just please tell me who that fudgin’ idiot is!” he said with a puppy face.  “Aigoo, oppa, don’t you know already that puppy faces don’t work on me!  Give up already!” I said in exasperation.  Oppa was getting so annoying now I almost wanna tell him who did it just to get him to shut up.  But if I did that, Hyunseong oppa would get hurt and I don’t want that.

“Never!” opps said in a stubborn way.  “Fine, it’s your waste of time,” I answered.  This could go on for a pretty long time seeing how stubborn we both can get.

We drove to the front of the gates and got out, walking to the door.  After a while, oppa gave up because his pleading was really loud and he was gonna wake up the orphanage babies.  As I went over to the nursery for some relief, I looked over the tops of the cribs.  Wah~, was this how looked when I was that age?  They’re so cute!  It’s a total wonder why not all of them get adopted.  I recalled to the memory of some past babies who I had helped to care for before and are now gone to new families.  I hope with all my heart they are happy.

As I look at the babies, I see one baby slowly open his eyes and rub his nose in a sleepy trance with the back of his hand.  As he wakes up a little more at a time, his big eyes look into mine, full of everything pure and innocent.  I smile sadly at those eyes.  What did this innocent infant ever do to end up here?  I walk over to him and start gently patting his chest to lull him back to sleep.

Suddenly, I’m not in the nursery anymore but at my house.  My previous house.

“I’m sorry to tell you this little girl.  I really am. But this is my job and you should know the truth.”  The man took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He looked at me hesitantly and in a pitying way.  I'm trembling under his stare, afraid of what he’s going to say.  Am I in trouble?  Did I do something wrong again?  I tug at my pink dress that reaches me knees in discomfort.  “Your father has…. passed away in a plane crash.  I’m sorry.”  My eyes grow in size and then I remember that I’m not at my house but at the nursery.  The nursery at the orphanage.

The baby is still looking at me with wide, curious eyes.  I smile at how adorable he is and then his small head lightly.  To keep the flashbacks at bay and not get blamed for something I didn’t do, I exit the nursery.  No need to get blamed for waking up a baby who woke up on his own.

Hey everyone!!  How do you like this chapter?

I added some fun stuff like different perspectives and some background story (interesteing, huh?)

If you enjoyed this chapter, comment "woop woop!!" with your own added message!!

As always, please comment and subscribe!!!

- Nabila (Nei Nei)