NUTTY & NICE

Every student was busy talking among themselves. They are discussing their upcoming exams, new friends theyve made in school, or even just anything else they had been doing.

The class comprised of few girls and mostly boys, with a small handful of guys here and there who joined in their conversation, which wasn very often at all.

It was currently lunch break and everyone was either eating something or walking out of the room.

Ray was slouching on the desk, his head resting on top of his arms as he listened to the conversations around him.

He had spent most of the lunchtime alone sitting at one of the corner tables in the classroom staring blankly ahead without saying anything but nodding along to what everyone else had been saying.

The girls were busy talking about him, probably wondering why he isn joining them, theyve always done that before, but this time they seemed more serious than usual. Or maybe it was because none of them know Ray.

Ray himself wasn really in the mood for social interactions. He has felt that way since he started high school.

”Hey, that girl is so lucky to sit with him ”, one girl said to the other with a tone filled with envy.

”You should ask her out then ”.

”No! I don want to be friends with such a girl ”, the other said.

”She is not good to be with us ”

”Yeah you
e right shes bad news ”

They continued to gossip as Ray stared off into space and tried not to pay any attention to the girls. He was still in the process of moving on from a broken relationship when he came back to life in his own words.

*****

She sits beside Ray with a frown on her face, ”So this is what all the fuss was about? ” She asks. He looks at her confused for a few seconds, then realizes that she was talking to him.

His eyebrows raise, ”What do you mean? ”

She rolls her eyes and a few girls surround their desk.

”Ray, please help me in our study ”

Everyone was asking the same, her face turns pale and she was grinning her teeth clenching fists with anger.

She stood up from her chair glaring at them. Her voice getting louder and more furious.

”Im done with it! Im tired of listening to your bullshit! ”

Her words got everyone gasping or whispering among each other as she walked out of the classroom. Ray looked down at his notes thinking hard.

”Huh… whats so great about him? ”

She walked outside, tapping her feet hard against the floor. Looking around the halls she saw no one,

”Hes stupid! Hes dumb! Hes stupid! And he thinks that everything should be like him! ”

She said loud enough to make herself heard across the hall. A few people turned around and stared at her.

A few boys were laughing quietly.

”Huh… whats so great about him? ”

She walked outside, tapping her feet hard on the ground. The students around her were watching her like a hawk. They didn expect her to be that aggressive. She sat alone on one of the benches staring outside. Her heart raced like crazy in a panic trying to get away from those girls. The feeling of fear and pain was suffocating her.

*****

Ray was blank-faced staring at her. He didn know how to react but just kept observing.

”That doesn sound like someone who has any brains in the first place. ”

Some of them agreed with what he had said, Ray glanced at the guys before shrugging his shoulders and continued working.

A small chuckle came from one guy.

”Oh, she is so cute ”

Another guy commented, they were all still smirking at her.

”I bet she is cool too ”

One guy mumbled and others nodded agreeing with him, some of the students started chuckling.

”You
e right, ” The first guy said looking at the guy smirking, ”Maybe even hotter than him ”.

The group laughed and began walking away, Ray looked up surprised.

”I can believe you guys ”

He whispered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his work.

*****

The school was also running a program after school on the campus to help weaker students, like those who could not get enough attention from their teachers or the other students that were in the same grade.

It was held in a hall inside the campus after the school gets over.

Ray was the student council president and had been elected to his last year of school.

”Hey Boy, why are you still attending this stupid program? ”

Ray looked at Floyd Fisher, his classmate who was making a mockery of him, and Ray didn even bother him to pay attention to his arguments.

Floyd walks ahead of him, attempting to prevent him from entering the classroom, and snatches his bag from behind.

Ray smirks, ”I honestly believe you deserve to be taught a lesson. ”

Floyd was one of the classmates who were virtually neck-and-neck with Ray in the cohort. They seem to have been close, but Floyd was always ready and willing to get ahead of him.

Ray was trying to create more opportunities for his classmates in this years program.

*****

Who knew Benny was also told to attend the program and her mom decided to join?

”These guys couldn think anything else beyond studying ”

”Hey, walk fast, or else the teacher will scold us ”

Norris grabbed her hands, pulling her faster to the hall.

”Wait! let me look at the list ”

They were standing outside the door, staring at the wall of lists of rules and punishments for their behavior this time around.

There were many names on each paper, but one particular name caught Bennys attention. She looked down the list once more, making sure she hadn read it wrong. No, that was her name. And not just any name, no, it was the name of someone who was in her grade, the topper.

*****

The list mentioned her name along with the roll number of someone.

”Oh.. ”

Everyone was busy looking at the teacher and class has already started and she was late by 15 minutes.

It is so peaceful that when she finally reaches the door at the end of the hall where their classroom sits, everyone just seems to be already present.

The voice of the teacher was coming outside the hall as she ran to class but the only one who noticed this is the boy, sitting in front of her.

Ray looked up from his notebook, his eyes going towards the back where the teacher is and he saw her run past. She looked scared, which makes him frown a little. Was he supposed to talk to her?

She sneaked into the room, closing the door behind her quickly.

It was quiet as the classroom and all students were seated so it would be safer for her to move around unnoticed. She turned around to face everyone, her breath was uneven while she looks down in embarrassment. Everyone stared back at her, not knowing what to say or think.

”Um.. hello? ”

”Can I sit? ” Benny asked Ray, sitting on the last bench.

She walked up to the table and sat down on one side, taking out a notebook.

”Hello everyone! Sorry for being late everyone! I didn mean it. ”

She took out a pen from inside her bag and put her notebook in front of her.

She pulled the chair closer, a loud screeching noise echoing through the empty room. She placed her head on the surface of the desk and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. The sound of her soft breaths echoed in the space around them as the silence returned to the classroom. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the air that she knew well, however, Ray was looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

She puts her hands over his hands by mistake but her gaze is still focused elsewhere than on him. He nods his head slightly, pulls away, and turns back to his work.

*****

She looked at the board and everything was so difficult to understand. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying again.

[ ”I must pull myself together ” ]

She folded her hands for prayer and bowed her head down.

[Infinite God, redeemer of souls, I strayed from the path and stepped into the darkness. I went astray, my pride led me to lie. Purge me of sin, heal me of these self-inflicted wounds. I put my fate in your hands so I may feel the warmth of your light once more.]

He couldn ignore how childish she looks when she does that.

”Stop playing around ”

He tapped her desk with his knuckles making her jump in shock.

”You okay? ”

She looked at him.

”Uh yes, fine.. ”, she said.

”Focus….focus ”

*****

All eyes were fixated on the teachers notes and she was just merely copying. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn do it. She groaned as she pens down, dropping her head on her arm.

”Why can I understand? ”

”The argument of a complex number is a many-valued function. If θ is the argument of a complex number then 2 nπ + θ; n ∈ I will also be the argument of that complex number ”, Mr. Taylor said loudly.

Every other person appeared to comprehend him except her. His piercing timbre burned her ears, and the passive class was obliged to continue taking notes.

She raised her hands after a few minutes trying to catch the attention of the teacher.

”Mr. Taylor, can you please explain once more? ”

Mr. Taylor glanced back at her and gave a sympathetic smile. He was wearing a smooth shirt and buttoned it up fully to support the elegant tie. The man had an unfortunate habit of taking pleasure in embarrassing students.

But Mr. Taylor didn say anything and instead turned around to face all the other students.

”I will explain again if everyone says ”

”Why? ” she paused momentarily.

The classroom stayed silent until the last few seconds before class started.

Mr. Taylor looked at her watch and then smiled, looking over at her.

”Class, let us start with our practice tests. Todays questions will be… ”

There were only a few minutes left and he wasn interested at all in responding to her.

Her hand flew up again and stopped him from writing anything on the board as she spoke again.

”This also I can understand ”, Benny said pointing at the board.

The students were humming each other and motioning for her to stop interrupting him.

”Seems like this classmate has many problems with my teaching ”, Mr. Taylor pointed at her who was lost in copying notes trying to avoid his gaze.

”Miss, Can you solve this? ”, Mr. Taylor pointed at the board, the pencil in his hand pointing to a question written in white chalk.

”Oh, right. She had no idea what she even did wrong today. ”

She opened her book, flipping through several pages before finding the answer. It wasn perfect because he was correct about that and some questions did make sense.

She stared at the page for some time until she felt someone tap her shoulder. She looked up and found Mr. Taylor standing close with a grin on his face.

”So, are you gonna ask him to teach you? ”, Mr. Taylor raised his eyebrows and pointed towards Ray.

”I think I saw you first time in this class ”, the teacher added.

”Yeah, well, I now know why you asked me if I could solve these questions when you can even solve anyone ”

Mr. Taylor frowned slightly, shaking his head lightly before answering her. He picked up his pencil and moved toward the chalkboard.

”Okay, so heres the problem… ”

She couldn solve any problem and anxiety was visible as she kept scratching her notebook with her pencil.

Mr. Taylor glanced at her before turning back towards the board, sighing.

This was not going to be the easiest assignment she had ever given but she hoped everyone would succeed and she would be left behind.

”How much did you score in your last exam? ”, Mr. Taylor asked her, leaning against the wall.

She shrugged before answering.

”Im sorry Sir? ”

”Please tell the whole class so that everyone can learn from you ”

Mr. Taylor exclaimed and turned away. He quickly scribbled something on the board.

”It says F ”, she informed him in low voice.

”Can you please speak louder? ” he said turning around to face her.

”F! ”

The whole class seemed to turn into ice. They all stared at them and she noticed there was a slight smirk on some of her classmates faces.

However, when he looks up, her eyes are still locked ahead.

He sees her face sweating and realizes she is scared.

She suddenly picks up his hand and tries to get hold of her emotions. A lump starts forming in his throat because he feels her grip tighten on his hand.