The Period bell rings once again.
My body reacts to it almost instinctively, the same mundane practice drilled into me for as long as I can remember. The same books are pushed into the depths of my school bag while I look onward into the teacher's lifeless eyes. They too experience the same tedious process but I'm not too concerned about them. The only way I can describe this feeling of repetition is by saying it feels like drowning. Each day I'm dragged further and further down into what feels like a predetermined path set forth for me the moment I was birthed within this world.
I don't think I could deviate from this path even if I tried. I had realized this a long time ago and I'm not too sure my classmates had realized it with all the bickering and chattering I heard from them. It was kin to rats and roaches squirming about, it was enough to make me wince. I'd simply pay no attention to it as their schemes were pointless anyway.
Though I'd still hear them talking.
"—... Is over there by herself again, you'd think she'd have a friend or two."
"You go over and talk to her then!"
"Are you serious?.. Why should I even bother.. It's not like she'd even put forth the effort to talk anyway—"
Thus spoke Girl 1-A and her friend 2-B, they're not wrong as I really wouldn't put any effort. The only thing I would bring to the conversation was that 2-B had a really fat ass. It was quite simply, the perfect ass in all regards to life. If anything, her ass was the thing keeping me going every day in class. Though it's sad I can't bother to remember their names.
But really, the conversations I have heard about myself are always something different each day. Sometimes I'd hear about accusations of stuff that I'd never done purely because they were bored. Or comments on my appearance which shocked them as I looked fairly good despite my introversion.
For no real reason, I was lucky enough to catch wind of a prank they were planning for me. They intended to have some boys in our class find old and preferably bad-smelling trash and sneak it into my backpack. While they weren't paying attention, I swapped out our backpacks and let them find out on their way home with a little note attached on the inside. I chuckle a bit every time I think about it.
Long story short I'm a recluse who can't make a solid friend even if you put a gun to my temple. Though over time I've grown to enjoy my time as a hermit from everyone else. I simply minded my own business and tried to get through school to the best of my own abilities but, nonetheless; senseless neanderthals still wanted to antagonize me even though I genuinely didn't know who they were prior to that moment..
In one case of the Neanderthals, I can remember clearly, that there was supposed to be a project where we had to pair up into groups of two or four. With my terrible luck a group of preppy girls had approached me, each one being a bigger slut than the last. I honestly couldn't stand to think that we were a part of the same race. The only thing that popped up in my head when I saw them all huddled together was monkeys.
I can only assume they rattled their brains together for a solid hour to come up with the idea of coming to me.
"Hey —.. You wanna join our group! I think it'd be really fun if we all did it together, and aren't you like superrrrr smart?.."
"What.."
I could really only respond in confusion. I looked at each of them and just sighed out of frustration. I could already tell they assumed it'd be a good idea to make me do 90% of the work and put their names on it as they contributed. Honestly, I just wasn't in the mood for it.
"Uhmm.. I'd rather not, I don't think I really want to associate with you all. No offense but I'd rather work by myself."
"Are you sure?.., I thought—"
"You thought you could use me for answers—.. Unfortunately, you will just have to put together the half a brain cell you all share together in order to finish this project."
I had cut her off abruptly as there was no point in her trying to weasel her way out of this predicament. She was a bit struck with my quick remark as no words came out of her mouth for a solid bit. Even the whole class was a tad bit surprised as the whole room rang with pure silence. Their attention was on us for this brief yet tedious amount of time.
"Rude.. That was unnecessary, we just wanted you in the group together with us."
"Really?.. that's kinda crazy but my answer is the same as before."
Some might ask why. why are you such a dick? Well, honestly I don't like people. Instead of liking them, I inherently dislike everyone and slowly dislike them less over time.
In truth, I could've had many friends but that'd be a complete waste as I have better things to do with my time. However, this is a lie.
At this point, the whole class had their eyes on me, even the teacher, who had been taking a sip of their coffee. That same teacher was just baffled enough not to notice the coffee spill all over their desk mid-sip.
"Oh shit! Lemme get this real quickly uh..— hey uh Sumire I'm gonna ask that you step outside the class with me for a second, everyone, you guys can resume your projects."
Mr Teacher, Hanzaki Terukawa, had called me out in front of the whole class. I was more or less unfazed, but the attention was directly beamed at me at this point. I got up from my desk calmly as my teacher hurriedly tried to wipe the lukewarm coffee off his desk and lap with leftover Chipotle napkins.
I walked past the dogs that had crowded my desk, along with the monkeys that ogled at me all throughout the classroom. I gave a sparse glance to the teacher, signaling I'd be waiting outside for when he was done cleaning his little accident. As I walked through the classroom doors, I sighed out of frustration, just for my clumsy teacher to follow shortly still with coffee dripping from his lap.
"Soooo... what's up, doc? Am I in trouble or... Like, what's the damage besides your shirt, of course?"
I had remarked snarkily towards the teacher, hoping my light demeanor would take the edge off the situation for both of us. Although he just had his hands on hips and looked down on me disappointingly. I hated that.
"Look, Sumire, you're talented, gifted, and easily one of the top students in the class. I understand you don't like to interact with your classmates, but besides that, your actual social and teamwork skills suck."
I gasped genuinely; it was fundamentally just criticism. But I needed to be dramatic either way.
"Look, Mr. Hanzaki, how would you feel if I told you to work with a bunch of zoo animals to make a PowerPoint on Shakespeare?"
I said this pretty confidently, while he didn't seem amused at the remark at all.
"Buddy, look, I need you to get your superiority complex together. I guarantee you're not gonna get very far, like, right now. If you keep looking down on people all the time. If anything, I bet your biggest issue with this conversation is the fact that I'm taller than you. Not even the fact that I'm trying to do my job as a teacher and give you a lecture."
The worst part about what he said, he's right. I really only hated that part about all of this. If anything, this conversation was entertaining. It felt human, as the teacher at least understood my dilemma. Although he couldn't say it outright due to the thin walls and prying ears.
"I'll get my act together, I guess, if it'll keep you out of my ear."
He looked at me really hard this time. Gave me the eyebrow.
"Come on, Sumire..."
"FINE fine.. I'll do better from here on out."
He smiled finally and eased the tension before signaling me to come back to the class. I gave a pretty genuine response at the very end, but to be perfectly honest.
I lied.