November 25, Tuesday (Jake),

The previous few months were so horrible that I felt like leaving school. My best friend, Harry left school and I went pretty much lonely until today…

Well, I did NOT think that chaos would begin this early. Our principal just made an announcement. It was about some kind of winter carnival being organized by the student council before the winter vacation. I know exactly why people are getting so heated up. It’s because of the pair dancing. Yes, you heard right, PAIR DANCE as in couples’ dance. There will be two teams during the carnival: a girl team and a boy team. They will compete against each other. The winning team will get to decide their pair dance partner from the opponent team. The boys are totally into it. Well, I’m not. … I guess?

Leaving all of that behind, what happened next was quite entertaining. Andrew had already started flirting with Anne but the thing is this time Anne kind of totally fell for him. I did feel a sharp pinch when she agreed to Andrew that if she won, she would choose him. But I think the pinch I got was a pinch of relief as Andrew won’t be coming after me anymore maybe. Maybe?

After school…

OMIGOD! I just heard Andrew got expelled out of school! … … Just kidding :) Well our school just texted us the venue and timings for the winter carnival. It shows on 20 December? As much as I remember, I think it’s Anne’s birthday. So, am I supposed to do something special for her? But I think if Andrew gets the wrong idea, that would be my end. Oh, how I wish what I said before was true… sigh.

In my mind:

Angel side - 

Jake, if you want to do something on her birthday, you should be brave and do it. After all, you were only being kind towards Andrew by not knocking him out :).

Devil side -

YEAH!! BEAT UP THAT CHEAT! HE NEEDS TO GET A PIECE OF YOU!

Me: Are my angel and devil agreeing to each other?!

November 26, Wednesday,

It rained heavily in the morning so the school dispatched buses for us today. The environment at our school was totally heated up just like yesterday. The umbrella that I had brought had torn from the sides, probably because I had kept it outside the bag and it might have been scratched by something. While returning I was expecting to get myself dripping wet but luckily, I was saved, well not literally because Andrew is definitely going to rain trouble upon me as the person who shared her umbrella with me was Anne:) or: (.

I felt awkward sharing the umbrella with a girl although she was the one who offered it, so, I tried to begin the conversation but unintentionally all the wrong words came out of my mouth:

“So, are you and Andrew going together at the carnival? “(:( OMIGOD WHAT DID I ASK!!!

“I had no other options; I was thinking of someone else but he suddenly popped out of nowhere and started bugging me so I had to agree else he won’t quit his nagging. “Anne answered.

Ok so she had someone else in mind while she agreed to Andrew just because he was nagging to her. Ok, that’s fine, wait... SOMEONE ELSE IN MIND?!       

It’s none of my business, none of my business, none of my business is it?

The rain had not stopped yet. It had decreased but it was still there. Anne could not walk me back to my home so I basically had to take the bus but guess what? The bus did not come. My parents were out so they had taken the car so now I basically did not have any means to reach home. If I were to walk back home, it would take me one hour as it was almost 5 miles away, and to be frank, I didn't even have the strength to walk back. Anne must have seen the look on my face when she kindly offered me to come over. I never had visited a girl’s house other than that of my cousin - sister but it didn’t seem she minded.

I had to go as I didn’t have any other options.

It was surprisingly only two hundred yards away from the bus stand. I bought her a coke for her generosity. It was almost 5:30 when we reached her home. It looked like any other house except that it had a large balcony with a swing and the color of the house was very bright - light purple. Her parents were also out. She gave me a towel to wipe my head as it had gotten a little wet from the raindrops. She told me to wait in her bedroom while she took a bath and changed into her homeware. SERIOUSLY? BEDROOM? I mean why are girls so straightforward? Aren’t they supposed to not do that? It’s not like that I have a crush or something on her, it’s just that it will be a disaster if Andrew gets to know about this.

After she was done changing into her normal clothes, she told me that she had called Ellie to come over too. She decided to make some pancakes for us, I tried to offer some help but she told me that she was fine by herself. While she made pancakes, I sat quietly in her room making sure not to touch anything. All I did was observe. She probably used a jasmine room freshener but the odor was quite faint. She had a bookshelf where all her books were organized according to the purpose. Other than that, she had a bed attached to the wall. It was a little bigger than mine. I could see a pull-drawer, which I guess she used as a study table. Ellie entered shortly.

The pancakes she made were really good (I mean it) but the thing is after eating those I did not feel like walking. Fortunately, I received a call from mom telling me that they were on their way home so I could take the car. I informed Anne about it and waited for my mom to arrive.

The rain stopped shortly and I took the ride home. I recalled that I had exchanged numbers with her and Ellie so we could chat, or whatever was their idea. Matthew called me as soon as I reached home. But I didn’t pick it up, neither had I any strength left to do so. I dived headfirst into my bed and that’s it.

I had the strangest of dreams that night. It was a person. I do not know who, but it was indeed a woman. I could tell that because she had long red hair, so, it was definitely an unknown person. I saw myself running away. It was a forest. Many twigs were there and it was a night but the woman’s hair was clearly visible as the moonlight reflected on her. I was afraid but there was two other people. One was running along with me while one was on my back. The last thing I saw was that the woman beside me fell down on the ground.

That was all until the sound of my alarm woke me up. It showed 7:00 a.m. on the wall clock. But I definitely remembered each and every scene of the dream, I remember having seen such dreams before also.

November 27, Thursday,

My headache was better than that of yesterday but it was still spinning hard. I could not take a day off from school today as it was the last date for the submission of my Science report. So, I took some medicines and ate my breakfast and set off.

When I entered the school, many people were preparing the grounds for the winter festival. Matthew and Ellie were there. They were helping out the vice-president of the student council. They started waving their hands as soon as they caught a glimpse of me. I went there and joined their conversation.

Matthew: Oh, hey J! We were just talking about what to give you on your birthd...!!

Before he could finish Ellie hit his back with her elbow. The way he reacted, made some people think that he might have broken a rib or two. I totally understood what they were talking about. I myself had forgot that my birthday was on 10th of December. I am not sure if I would be able to keep that in mind till then.

Surprisingly, Anne did not come to school today. Ellie told me that she was having a little cold, she explained that Anne has this habit of catching cold quickly and the splashes of rainwater the previous day might have caused that to happen.

Well Andrew was acting wild as usual and what is more is this new student transferred today. Her name is Debbie. I am telling you; this girl will surely be a trouble to be classmates with. All the average boys came running after her to collect her number. They always do this. The thing is this girl’s father is a senior teacher in our school and she is making it totally obvious and using this feature to her advantage.

At lunch many people offered her seats but she pretended to ignore them. I had come to eat lunch a little later and after seeing that attitude I didn’t feel like offering her seats. This was definitely not the last time I was seeing this.

Leaving all of that behind. When I got out of school in the evening, I saw Anne’s mother near the school gate.

She was out there to buy some medicines for her from the nearby medical store. I decided to tag along a little. She was very kind even though I could tell she was worried. We talked about many things. She told me many things about Anne. The unexpected thing is that her sister died in a car crash twelve years earlier, meaning she was three at that time. Her mother told me not to tell her anything about it as she was very small at that time and doesn’t remember any of that.

I promised her mom that I would not do so.

Matthew visited me later in the evening. Well he came to persuade me to participate in the orchestra. I asked what was the role of the orchestra. He told me that they would play during the slow dance or the pair dance. At first, I did not like the idea because I would have to play a long time but later, I thought what if I play the flute that my grandfather gave. I asked him if he could arrange a separate segment for my own music. He agreed and told I could do whatever I wanted. All that mattered was my participation.

After he went away, I took out the flute that my grandfather gave me. He gave it to me when we moved from the village. I heard that he passed away soon after we moved. I could not visit the village because I got sick myself. The flute was in a wooden box. It had a photo alongside. Grandpa was standing beside me. But the thing is there was one other person. It was a girl of almost the same height as me. She had orange hair. I did not know who that was. I never had a sister or that is what my mom told me. Maybe it was some old friend from the village. But the thing is then she would be the only red headed person I would have seen in my entire life but did it have something to do with my dream the other day?

Anne called me later to ask for the work. As it turns out Ellie does not take the notes that is given in the class but she writes it down in her own way so since I had noted down everything, she wanted my notes. I emailed her the pics. I told her about the orchestra and all. She told me that she would like to participate too. She can play the wooden xylophone, making it a perfect combination.

She said she would come to school the next day. Hmm so that means that Andrew is again going to annoy me continuously.

My father had taught me the basics of flute but I don’t get one thing. That is how can I play a certain song. Dad didn’t teach me that song. The playing just comes to my reflex. That is actually the perfect tune that I require.

I sent Anne all the things she needed. Today the teacher made us write almost 25 pages of notes, so, I guess Anne would not be in a pretty much good condition when she sees the message where I have mentioned that the teacher wants to check if she has written her notes as soon as she comes to school.

I took out that photo once more. This time my intention was to show it to mom and ask about who was that girl.

“Can I ask something? Who is this girl in this picture?”

“Hmm… I don’t remember her really. But you did used to go out with someone when we were at the village. You sometimes told me about this girl with whom you used to play with.”

Surprisingly I did not remember any of that.

“I guess you were about three years old when you made friends with this little girlfriend of yours.”

I did not get annoyed when she said ‘girlfriend’ as I did not expect any better.