This is Normal

I wake up at the sound of my alarm clock. I turn it off and stretch.

"Rose, get up", I try waking up Pierre.

"Mm... pancakes.."

"Rose, get up. We'll be late", no response.

I decide to get ready and wake him afterwards. I style my hair sideways and grab my watch.

"Pierre! Samuel already left. Get up now or you'll be late for class", I scold him as I wear my watch.

He continues sleeping.

'Oh my god..', I facepalm and go to the bathroom.

I come out with a small bucket of water.

'This will do the trick'.

I pour it on Pierre face. His eyes open wide like plates.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD, THERE'S A FLOOD!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!" Pierre starts screaming.

"Oh my god!" I punch his head so hard he falls backwards holding his head.

"Don't shout so early in the morning!"

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!?"

"Look at the damn time, you moron!" I say as I hand him my alarm clock.

"OH MY GOD, IT'S 8:30!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP SOONER?!?!"

'Bruh'.

Pierre runs into the bathroom.

"I'm leaving. Lock the door on the way out, kay?"

"OKAY, OKAY!" I hear him shout in the shower. I grab my bag and close the door behind me.

I walk out the dorm and wait for Vian outside the school building. 2 minutes later, I see her walking towards me.

"Ready for the first day as a second year student, Vian?"

"It's not like I have a choice", Vian replies.

"JACK!!! VIAN!!!!" We turn around to see Pierre run towards us.

'How in the world-?!'

"Good morning, Jack", Pierre says as he hugs my arm.

"....good morning, Rose".

"Good morning, Vian! How are you now?"

"I'm doing great, Pierre. I got lots of bed rest", Vian shows him a thumbs up.

"Quick question, did you even shower?" I ask Pierre.

"Of course I did, why?"

"How did you shower in 2 minutes..?"

"Obviously I showered fast".

"I thought you just changed clothes".

"Bleh! I don't like to smell like trash, okay?!

Sheesh".

"Pierre, Niel, let's go inside".

"Yeah! Come on!" We start walking.

"Do you want me to carry that for you?" I ask Vian, pointing at her bag.

"Niel, I can carry this myself", she flips her straight black hair as she walks into the building and we follow her.

We walk into the auditorium.

"Let's sit at the back, guys".

"Uh, no. I'm going to sit there", Vian says pointing to a seat 3 rows to the front and walks towards it.

"Pierre, I'm gonna go sit with Vian. Just in case.."

"Ugh, fine. I'll see you in class", Pierre lets go of my arm and sits in the back.

I go sit next to Vian.

"Vian? Pierre's all alone back there".

"He wants to sit at the back. I can't really do anything. Besides, he doesn't look lonely anymore".

"What?" I turn back to see Pierre chatting with some random brunette girl.

"...I was worried for nothing", I sit back straight.

"Yeah, yeah".

I look at the front, waiting for the assembly to start.

Halfway through the principal's speech, Vian nudges me by the shoulder.

"Niel".

"Hm?"

"Laura's sitting in front of us", she says pointing to a seat a few rows to the front.

I look to where she points and I spot her.

Laura.

I find myself staring at the back of her head. She's chatting with her high school friend, Ruby.

Feeling my stare, Ruby glances at me and then at Laura.

"Laura, Niels behind us", Laura turns around at once to meet my eyes.

'I can't stop staring at her..'

We stay like that for sometime.

'......'

"Niel", Vian calls for me. I finally break eye contact with Laura.

"Let's go to class", I look at her and then at Laura, who's already getting up from her seat and leaving the auditorium with Ruby.

"....yeah. Let's go".

We go to our classroom and our homeroom professor Mr. Grayson came in. "For students who are new here, I'm Prof. Grayson. You can call me Mr. Grayson.

Let's take attendance, shall we?

Abigail Carter".

"Present".

"Adam Smith".

"Present".

"Amara Ngam".

"...."

"Amara Ngam?"

"Uhm, she's running late, professor", Pierre says with his hand in the air.

"Seriously? On the first day?", Mr. Grayson gives us an annoyed look.

"Who's that?"

"Who? Amara? She's a girl I met at the auditorium. She's super nice".

"Is it that brunette you were talking with?"

"Oh, you saw?" Pierre laughs.

"Yeah, she's the one. I'll introduce you to her once she comes. You'll love her".

"We'll see".

Mr. Grayson calls me over after the attendance was taken.

"Alright now, Mr. Roberts. Can you come up here?"

I walk towards the front of the class.

"Everyone, this year's class president will be Nathaniel Roberts. Any objections?"

The class stays silent.

"I'll take that as a no. I expect highly from you, Roberts", Mr. Grayson says as he pins the batch on my chest.

"I'll do my best, professor", I say and walk away to my seat.

A few seconds later, a girl walks in. She claims to be that new girl, Amara Ngam. She sits with Pierre behind me. After morning classes, the three of us go to the cafeteria with Vian and Lynn.

We sit at the cafeteria. Vian asks about Amara and we start eating.

'I can't help but think about this morning.

.....

Laura....

Get out of my head, dammit'.

Out of nowhere, orange juice squirts on me. I jump from the chair in surprise and brush off the orange juice, as if it would just slide off.

"Aree! You okay?" Pierre asks her.

"Omg, Niel. You're drenched in orange juice", Lynn says.

I look up to meet Aree's nervous face.

"I-I'm so sorry, Nathaniel! I didn't mean to-", I gesture her to stop.

I don't know why but I have the urge to pour out all my built up anger at her. But, I try to control myself.

"What? Are you gonna say that you didn't do it on purpose?"

"Niel, stop", Pierre tries to stop me.

"It's your first day here and you're already going around squirting juice on people? At this rate, you won't be able to survive even a week in this place".

"Niel", Vian intervenes. I glance at Vian and then at her.

"......

Tch! So annoying.." I glare at Aree and leave the cafeteria.

I'm in boys' locker room with my roommate, Samuel Johnson. He agreed to lend me his jersey for the rest of the day.

"Sorry, I didn't know who else to ask".

"Oh, no! No problem at all. Don't sweat it".

"I'll return it after we go back to the dorms".

"Uh.. Alright, see you later", Samuel awkwardly walks away.

I walk out after changing my clothes. I look at the dirty shirt in my hand.

'....

Why did you say that to her, Niel? What's gotten into you? She didn't do it on purpose. She's innocent!

I probably hurt her feelings..', I recall the incident once again.

"I'll apologise later", I tell myself and walk towards my classroom.

I walk in to see Aree talking with Pierre.

"Look, and here he comes now!", Pierre says pointing at me.

"Jack! Come here!!" I look at him and then at Aree.

I walk over to them. Aree stands up from her seat.

"U-Um.. I'm sorry for what happened at the cafeteria earlier. I didn't mean to do that. I..

I tripped", she presses her lips nervously.

'Apologise, Niel'.

"....I'm also sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff to you. You didn't even do it on purpose..", I scratch my neck and look away.

'Why do I feel so guilty..?'

"Let's be good to each other here after, yeah?" Pierre gestures us to shake hands.

I stretch my hand towards Aree and she looks at me.

"Come one, Aree. Shake on it", Pierre tells Aree.

She slowly reaches my hand and we shake hands.

"There! Now, you're friends!!"

"Everyone, take your seats!" Ms. Joe comes in and we let go of each other's hands. We then sat in our seats.

"Roberts, since when were you in the soccer team?"

'...um..'

"I got my clothes dirty, ma'am. So, I'm just borrowing this", I answer her.

"Alright", and Ms. Joe starts the class.

Before I know it, the classes are over. I pack up my stuff and wait for Pierre. Pierre drags Aree behind me. We go to Class 2-A and bring Vian and Lynn with us too. We then walk out the building.

Vian and Lynn walk away and I wait for Pierre.

"So, Aree, how are you going home?"

"Home? My dad's bringing my stuff any minute now. After that, I'm going to my dorm".

"Really?! You're in a dorm?! With whom??!"

"I don't know, I haven't met them yet. I'll let you know tomorrow in class".

"'Kay\~ See you tomorrow. Bye!" Pierre yells as I walk away.

"Bye bye!"

We go to our dorm, change clothes and and go to our tutor class with Samuel.

At tutor class, we meet Aree. Pierre asks her to sit with us. Samuel goes to sit with his friends, as usual.

Tutoring soon finishes and we're on our way to our dorm.

"Ahhhhh.... I'm soooo tiredddd", Pierre stretches and yawns.

"You're always tired when it comes to studying", I tell him. Pierre smiles cheekily.

"Eee\~ Can't help it\~".

"U-Um...are you guys waiting for me..?" Samuel comes towards us.

"Mm", I hum in response.

"S-Sorry.. I was talking with my friends..."

"Ey\~ Don't sweat it, Sammy! Let's go. Come, Jack", Pierre says as he hugs my arm.

After having dinner, we go to bed early. But, I'm still unable to sleep.

'.......

I can't stop thinking about her..

Why does she have to play with my feelings like this?...

Ugghhh, just sleep, Niel. What the hell is wrong with you?’ I scold myself and slowly drift to sleep.

The next day, I come to class early. Students fill up the empty seats with every minute that goes by.

"Niel?" Vian walks in.

"Oh, Vian. What are you doing here?"

"What? Am I not supposed to come here or something?" Vian sits beside me.

"...that's not what I meant".

"There's literally nobody at my class right now. I didn't want to be alone. So, I decided to come here".

"Oh, okay".

"So, we're having that language test soon".

"Mhm".

"I want you to help me study", I look at her in disbelief.

"What?" She asks me.

"You and I both know that you're capable of studying all by yourself".

"Yeah, but we can also hangout this way", Vian intertwines her hand with mine and continues talking. But, I can't help but feel like being stared at.

"We can hangout whenever we want, you know that right?"

"Oh, come on!"

"Fine, I'll help. Even though it's pointless".

"Thanks, dude".

"What's the time now?" She grabs my left wrist to read the time on my watch. Suddenly, she gets up.

"Shoot! It's almost 9. I should go. I'll come meet you after classes, 'kay?"

"Alright".

"Oh!" She hands me a lunch box.

"Mom asked me to give this to you".

"Lunch?"

"Yeah, sandwich. Just the way you like it".

"She didn't have to".

"It's not the first time she's making you lunch. Just take it", I take it from her hands.

"See you!"

"Mhm", I smile and wave at her as she walks out the class.

"JACK! I'M HERE!!" Pierre runs into the class and shouts like the idiot he normally is.

"...you don't have to shout, Rose. I'm right here", I cross my arms.

"Tch! I ran all the way here for you but you ask me to shut up. I don't think you love me anymore", Pierre fake cries.

"Wipe your fake tears and come sit", Pierre gives me a side eye and sits behind me.

"Um.. Jack?"

"What?"

"Why is Laura staring into your soul..?"

"..what?" I look at her from across the classroom.

And I shouldn't have done it.

Because Laura's staring at me like she wants to rip my heart out and feed it to the crocs. I slowly turn away.

"She looks like she wants to rip your heart out and feed it to the crocs".

"Rose, you just read my mind".

"Hehe".

I don't know why, but I look back at her again.

'She's still glaring at me...'

I gulp and look away.

'Oh, Jesus. Why? Just, why?'

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Laura's coming this way".

"What?!" I whisper-shout at him.

Suddenly, I feel a hand hold my wrist tightly. I take a deep breath and look up to meet Laura's eyes.

"I need to talk to you", The class starts whispering. I glare at her.

"....what do you think you're doing, Laura?"

"I just want to talk to you", Laura tightens her grip and pulls me. She fast walks out the class with me behind her.

I let her pull me into the boys' locker room. She lets go of my wrist harshly, slams me against the lockers and pins me.

The boys who are in the room get startled and realised that it's their cue to leave. They run away, and it's just the two of us now.

"What do you want, Laura?"

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"What are you talking about?"

" You know exactly what I'm talking about.

You know that I'm possessive over you and so, you're being close to Vivian to make me jealous".

"Have you finally lost your last brain cell, Laura? You know what Vian is to me and you can still talk like that?"

"Ha! I bet you guys fuck each other behind my back".

"Hold your tongue, Laura! One more bad word about Vian, and I'll seriously hurt you!"

"Me?! You'll hurt me?!? Am I nothing to you?! Why is she so much more important than me?!!"

"Because, unlike you, she gives me importance! You only care about your fake ass friends!!"

"Don't talk about them like that".

"Then, don't talk about my Vian like that".

"My Vian?! What am I then?! Am I not yours?!"

"Not with that attitude, you're not", Laura stops talking and stares into my eyes.

"Ha.. what happened to us, Niel?"

"It's your fault we're like this, Laura. You did this to us".

"I didn't mean to, though. Can't we go back to how it was before?"

'Yes'.

"No, not until you leave your friends".

"They're important to me".

"If they're more important than me, then you can forget about us".

"So, Vian can be more important than me, but my friends can't be more important than you?"

"I wouldn't even care if it weren't for their character, Laura. They're bad influence and I've told you countless times.

Just leave them and-"

"Why are you always bad mouthing them?! They're my friends!"

"......" I go silent.

"...it's useless talking to you", I shove her off and walk out the locker room. Laura grabs my wrist from behind and I look back at her.

I look into her pretty green eyes.

"Niel, I-"

"For Christ's, shut up. I don't want to hear another word from you", I shove her hand off and walk away to the classroom.

'......

This is normal now'.

-to be continued...

Nathaniel Roberts

With Love, Your Idiot

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