I am allergic to strangers.
Well, at least I think I do. The fact that I was sent to a new school without my opinion being asked made me think I do. I hated the fact that I had to leave everyone behind. I know most of them by face and by name; even up to their last names. The Nuns, the Teachers, the School Staff, the Nurses in the Infirmary. Everyone. We all belonged in that place. A place where I led the doves and ducks to freedom from the petting zoo.
I even hoped to see myself wearing a sky blue polo shirt next year. I guess that would never happen, since I've been doomed to the color white.
Although the school I'm transferring to isn't far from my old one, my situation isn't as regular as it seems. Given that my new school has a long stretch that would probably feel like miles and miles of cement if one would dare walk the entirety. The school itself, a towering block of white, in stark contrast to the greenery surrounding it, seems isolated from almost everything. It feels like a prison. With the glass windows on the second floor, overlooking an endless expanse of grass. With the cement wall, void of normal windows, that had a door at each end. With the weird looking blackboard in front, accompanied by a small ledge and a white wall at our backs with three panels of cork board in the middle.
I hate this place. I don't like strangers.
But this is a small world. It's so small that it is almost poetic how compact it is. As the hour of our first assembly draws, more and more strangers pile in. When I looked up, I saw that some were not that estranged to me as I previously thought. I could name most of them and exchanged a few gestures to some, glad that I wasn't the only astronaut in this space filled with aliens.
As our adviser, a medium-built, tanned man with a mole on his right cheek, appeared and walked into the room, my eyes wandered to the strangers that filled a good portion of the room. I catch one reflecting the same inquisitive gaze that my face had.
"Ben Alps" a name was called by our adviser, following it, the same person raised his right hand and just barely managed to announce his attendance.
Well. I never knew I'd be seeing this bastard again. And of all places, it had to be here. Ben was one of us, too. He left two years before our graduation without so much as a notice, and we were stuck wondering where he ended up. Cellphones were not a huge thing back then. A couple of more names were called and soon enough, I found myself anticipating the utterance of mine. "Ram Brondial" I raised my hand and responded with a steady "present". I could've sworn Ben's eyes were enlarged when he heard my name. Here's to hell, I guess.
A few more names were called after mine. As our adviser stood up and announced to leave us to our devices for the rest of the period until recess, the class suddenly started humming to life. The second the door clicked to a close, the noise upped a notch. "Ben." I started. "Ram!" he replied in an upbeat tone.
Yes.
Bromance.
No, no one crossed the line.
After a procession of greetings, comments about how much the other grew, and a lot of stares from strangers and people we knew alike, we started shooting questions; mine mainly based on where on earth did he end up and why did he disappear all of a sudden two years ago, and his were the standard 'who-remained-in-our-school' thing, who went to other schools and what not. "Oh, by the way. Come with me during recess. I have to introduce you to someone." he said, after a few laughs from reminiscing the days from our former school. "Alright, I guess." I meekly replied.
After all, I'm allergic to strangers.
Well, at least I think I do. The fact that I was sent to a new school without my opinion being asked made me think I do. I hated the fact that I had to leave everyone behind. I know most of them by face and by name; even up to their last names. The Nuns, the Teachers, the School Staff, the Nurses in the Infirmary. Everyone. We all belonged in that place. A place where I led the doves and ducks to freedom from the petting zoo.
I even hoped to see myself wearing a sky blue polo shirt next year. I guess that would never happen, since I've been doomed to the color white.
Although the school I'm transferring to isn't far from my old one, my situation isn't as regular as it seems. Given that my new school has a long stretch that would probably feel like miles and miles of cement if one would dare walk the entirety. The school itself, a towering block of white, in stark contrast to the greenery surrounding it, seems isolated from almost everything. It feels like a prison. With the glass windows on the second floor, overlooking an endless expanse of grass. With the cement wall, void of normal windows, that had a door at each end. With the weird looking blackboard in front, accompanied by a small ledge and a white wall at our backs with three panels of cork board in the middle.
I hate this place. I don't like strangers.
But this is a small world. It's so small that it is almost poetic how compact it is. As the hour of our first assembly draws, more and more strangers pile in. When I looked up, I saw that some were not that estranged to me as I previously thought. I could name most of them and exchanged a few gestures to some, glad that I wasn't the only astronaut in this space filled with aliens.
As our adviser, a medium-built, tanned man with a mole on his right cheek, appeared and walked into the room, my eyes wandered to the strangers that filled a good portion of the room. I catch one reflecting the same inquisitive gaze that my face had.
"Ben Alps" a name was called by our adviser, following it, the same person raised his right hand and just barely managed to announce his attendance.
Well. I never knew I'd be seeing this bastard again. And of all places, it had to be here. Ben was one of us, too. He left two years before our graduation without so much as a notice, and we were stuck wondering where he ended up. Cellphones were not a huge thing back then. A couple of more names were called and soon enough, I found myself anticipating the utterance of mine. "Ram Brondial" I raised my hand and responded with a steady "present". I could've sworn Ben's eyes were enlarged when he heard my name. Here's to hell, I guess.
A few more names were called after mine. As our adviser stood up and announced to leave us to our devices for the rest of the period until recess, the class suddenly started humming to life. The second the door clicked to a close, the noise upped a notch. "Ben." I started. "Ram!" he replied in an upbeat tone.
Yes.
Bromance.
No, no one crossed the line.
After a procession of greetings, comments about how much the other grew, and a lot of stares from strangers and people we knew alike, we started shooting questions; mine mainly based on where on earth did he end up and why did he disappear all of a sudden two years ago, and his were the standard 'who-remained-in-our-school' thing, who went to other schools and what not. "Oh, by the way. Come with me during recess. I have to introduce you to someone." he said, after a few laughs from reminiscing the days from our former school. "Alright, I guess." I meekly replied.
After all, I'm allergic to strangers.
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