Chapter 4

" Terrence? is that you? "

I stop and take a few steps back to the first door. " No dad, it's just me, Belle." I answer, as I step into the room. Dad is there, with the remote for the television, magazines. "Hi, dad. How are you now? Lucille went back early today? " I ask, taking a chair nearby and place it near his bed.

" An hour ago and my Belle, you know. Same Just lying down here as usual... on the deathbed."
"Dad" I sigh.
"What? I was joking."
"Ha-ha-ha. Not funny."
"At least you are laughing."
"That is not even a laugh. It is a thing call sarcasm."
"Really? C'mmon, can't give an old man a break? I thought we are not being serious here. Flexible, Belle." He sways his hands in a waverly manner.

I smile. Dad has a way with things like calming down on nerves. Whenever he cracks up a joke; lame or not, it always turns funny in the end. Bring him up to the city and place him with a group of unknown people with anxieties and nervy-B. In matter of minutes, the group will be warming up with heads tilting back and laughing with his funny acts and get comfortable with his friendly and warm face.

"Yeah, well, this is not funny. Had your lunch yet, dad?"
"Yep. Ordinary fish chips and tomato sauce with corn." makes up a smirk from his wrinkled face and tongue coming out.
"Oh, it can't be that bad, can it?"
"Can't be that bad? The fish chips got even bones it. Twice."
"Oh, isn't there something else for Lucille to cook?"
"Tried telling her that but she said there isn't anything left but fish and coincidentally, potatoes."
"That is a total utter rubbish. Bonkers! How could she say that? She should know that the bloody fridge has all the food ther..."
"Now now watch that tone young lady. Don't go all sailor mouth here," Dad points his finger on me, "and since when you learn to talk like a Briton?"

"I... uh..." I stutter. Wow. Even I didn't know what came to me to talk like that. I blah, just like that and suddenly I can talk like Keira Knightley in Bend It Like Beckham when she argues with her bestfriend, Sonya.

Sweet.

"Never mind bout that" Dad waves his hands dismissively. It just a silly matter. I gave her a list of groceries she has to get by tomorrow. There'll be something new in the menu tomorrow," he smiles, trying to assure me. See? He really has a way of things like these. "So Belle,how was your day?" He asks as he tries to position himself comfortably in an old king-size bed of his.

See, that brown bed covered with soft cotton printed in blue flowe-patterned bedsheets existed since the day mom and dad got married. The bed has been there through their ups and downs. The bed has been there since mom hugged dad and congratulate him on his first success on his article that was published in The Daily. The bed has been there since mom's excitement finding her lost pair of emerald earring that was nowhere to be found for months. Also, embarrassing to say, the bed has been there since Terence and I were made... and born (eeeew, I know). The bed has been there since Terence was a kid and jumping around and playing while mom lied there with me in her womb. The bed has been there since Terence and I surprised dad in the morning with a tray of overcooked waffles and burnt toast, a cup of coffee with a birthday card saying "Happie Birfdei" on his birthday.The bed has been there since me and Terence accidentally broke the vase on mom's make-up table and dad caught us trying to glue them pieces back. The bed has been there since mom cried receiving an examination letter from the hospital conforming she got a tumour in her head. The bed has been there since dad hugged mom while together they curled into a ball and cried together. The bed has been there since mom lied there weakly and dad rushed in and out of the room giving her needs and taking orders. The bed has been there since dad held mom hands tightly and being there by her side on the day she let out her last breath.

The bed has been through all the ups and downs of dad's lives. I don't question why he does not want to get of rid of the old thing.

"It was fine. Just dreamt alot." I sigh. I turn on the television and Ugly Betty is on. Dad groan in annoyance and I grin in happiness that I am able to catch up with the episode where Betty tried to stand against Amanda and her gay friend.

Chapter 3

I decide to walk after school. It's not that far to walk, to me. Just few miles away and there's Cypress Lane. If I have few pocket money left in my pocket, I don't mind spending it and enjoy a cup of chocolate milkshake from Sweet Slurpy on my way home.
Of course, girls like Naomi Ethwart could signify this long destination walk as a 'death trail'. I think a quarter of a mile could just kill her if she ever tries to do so , or maybe die out of thirst after continuous expressing her complaints. Complaints like " Oh! I think I didn't wear enough sunblock." (even though she applies sunblock with a SPF45 every half hour. She can finish a bottle in a day) or "Oh! I think my hair will dry out under a sun like this". 'Oh!' here and 'Oh!' there.

There are still the other 9568 complaints I can mention and put it in a book. Heck, I might be the writer that succeeds being a bestseller only with her debut.

Sweet.

I arrive at entrance of my house and unlock the gate. The front yard was greener than ever. Thanks to the water sprinklers Uncle Albert installed few weeks ago. His last visit here turned into a sales promotion.Dad just swallowed every word from Uncle Albert, just like swallowing popcorn chicken bits, that our front yard looked like a desert in Nevada. Therefore, Dad agreed to buy the water sprinklers and thanks to dad, Uncle Albert became the Best Salesman Of The Month. Still, no one bother to pluck the weeds then that are growing wildly, crowding any space there is in the front yard. So true, the yard is getting greener, but more of a jungle-like.

At the porch, I take out my keys out and unlock the door. Open it and there is Otto, sitting on the blue WELCOME rug, with his tails waggling from side to side. Otto is a Golden Retriever that I saved from being bullied by little boys that tried to stoned him to death. Children nowadays, sheeez. Sure, I got hit by stones too for such a hero stunt but it was worth saving this pup. It was hard training him, but easy to feed. Almost 40% of my pocket money were used to treat him snacks. Now, he's a healthy, big-sized, 56-pound dog that is always being thrown tantrums at by the owner. Best of all, he never complains (=.


"Woof!" Otto barks joyfully, suddenly leaps, twitching his nose, and trying to trace if there's any food in my bag. It's basically our daily routine, where he's going to do a briefing inspection on me by sniffing before I can make a step further into the house. What he aims for is nothing other than, of course, food. "Sorry there, Otty dear. Your owner here just used her pocket money for a milkshake just now. But do get down, and don't bark too loud; you might wake dad up." I say, as I close the door. Otto's tails drop down and gives me a low mourn. Then, the cuckoo clock at the kitchen strikes three o'clock. The blue bird pops out and gives a loud 'cuckoo!' squawk.He turns away and run straight to the kitchen. He takes it as a sign of tea-time.

Terrence is still not home yet,seeing that the living room is empty, same goes as the kitchen. I walk up the stairs, while humming Yolanda Adams 'I Believe'. Heading two doors to the right, that's where my room is. My territory. An asylum of my own. Away from dangers, away from madness. Hello my sanctuary, I'm finally home.

Chapter 2

The school bell rings. Finally, approximately 45 minutes and 8 seconds after the incident, ends History class. I pack up my books on the desk and stuff it all in the bag, walk out of the class. I can see that Miss Montgomery is grinning as I pass her. Ergh. Out my way to canteen after this, I suppose. Maybe I should eat my embarrassment away. Some tuna sandwiches, an apple, two ginger ales, and empanadas might to the trick.Wait, does the cafeteria ever serve empanadas? Oh right, they don't. What am I thinking?

I sloppily walk towards my locker, thinking back what had happened few moments ago with the part where I wipe my saliva and everybody laughed. The incident keeps on flashing on and on again in my head. I smack my head. I feel terrible and nausea. The last thing I wanna see is Lorraine and Rachel and tell them what happened.

Few steps to my locker, and I see Lorraine and Rachel waiting for me at my locker. Ah Damn. Great. Just great.

" Whoa, what sucks the life out of you, Annabelle? " asks Rachel and pats my shoulder as I came forward.

" Oh just an ordinary day like every other day... Got caught sleeping in the class. Again." I reply gloomily.

" Again? Belle, Belle. Oh Belle! What have you been up to lately? You can't do that kind of mistake repeatingly. You'll miss all the fun and benefit of learning!" cries Lorraine. " Do you know ... "

" Not again Lori, please. Save it for tomorrow when I get my Maths paper back, if you can.Perfect timing for me to immerse myself in your long nagging bout my future and acceptance of my bad results. I've been through enough already for today." I crossly interupt and turn to my locker. I continue, " Miss Montgomery hates me, I think. I faced a lot of embarassment just now and... " My voice just fade away as I begin to remember the dream I had. About me and Ethan. Just us two there. Together under a tree. All close and cuddly and ...

" What, Belle!What? Why would Miss Montgomery hate you? Did you anything that upset her? Oh My. Spill it!. This could be the juicy news of the day. " cries Rachel and that startles me back to reality.

"Wait, what ?!? I know we're getting our Maths results tomorrow. You did badly? I thought I taught enough on the chapter the night before the test. You didn't pay a slightest attention when I was explaining, did you? I knew it. I told you ... " Lorraine nags on.

See where this is going?

Chapter 1

"Hey, stop pinching my cheek!"
"Hey... I can't help it if you're cute, Belle"
"Yeah... but it hurts somehow, so stop it !"
"Oh alright... so, enjoying the empanadas I made?"
"Oh yes! It's delicious and tasty. I love the chicken. How'd you know I like it spicy?"
"What kind of boyfriend am I if I didn't know what my girl likes, ehy?"
"Yeah, true. How did I ever end up with a great guy like you?"
"I guess it's all the charms you have in you all the time, that's how."
"Really? Charms? Me? Charms? What kind?"
"Well... let's start of with... "

BAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMM !!!

Everything goes blur. Slowly opening my eyes and look up, Miss Montgomery with her hair pull back tight and tied in a bun is standing in front of my desk with her hands cross and one of it is holding a ruler. She does looks like she is having a facelift and I guess that's the ruler she used to hit my desk. Everything is silent and all I can hear is the fans swinging. Students turning back to look at me and await for something abash to happen. Sigh. That whole empanadas-thing was only a dream.

" Miss Bassett, are you aware that the lesson is in proceed which by the way you are not slightly paying attention and you know that I, as a teacher do appreciate if students pay attention on what I am teaching." she said as I look upon her.

Ah... that was only a dream? Only a dream? Ethan feeding me his home-made empanadas and him knowing that I like them empanadas to be spicy and all, was a dream? The part where he tells me that my charm that made him attracted to me, was a dream?

" Annabelle Bassett ! Are you even listening to me? " I jump in shock. Miss Montgomery is still in front of me with her furious face and her ruler tapping on my desk, waiting for my answer.

"Err... Yes, Miss Montgomery and I'm very sorry. It won't happen again." I quickly answer.

Well it better don't or disciplinary action shall be taken against you." Miss Montgomery replies firmly and turns to return to her desk. She hates me.

Oh bother. I look down and begin to flip the pages with speed on the History book to find where we are currently on when suddenly Miss Montgomery from the front class say " Oh, need I to remind you Miss Bassett, that you might want to bring some tissues next time when you're here".

Everybody starts to burst into laughter and still I don't know what it is all about till the guy sitting next to me stares at me and points at my below cheek. I look at him with confusion then i wipe my cheek downright and it feels slimy so I look at the palm of my hand. It's my saliva. I drooled. Everyone look at me and laughing more hysterically then ever. I quickly grab my bag and hastily search for tissues or napkins that I might bring along today from home. I found one and hurriedly wipe them off before someone takes a picture of it and post it at their blogs, like once when 9th Grade Joycelin Mowat got a big booger hanging below her nostrils and pictures were being taken. It was all over the place the next day. The cafeteria, the Art Room, the Gym, blogs, the Teacher's Lounge, you name it. Poor Joyce when I heard that she begged her parents to transfer her into another school and it didn't work out cause the other school she moved knew bout her as 'The Booger' like we do here. Oh what an embarrassing moment. Miss Montgomery smiles along.

I take that back. She really hates me.