Mirage (ON HOLD for revision)

Chapter 10: Landmine

"That was some awesome speech."

Matt nearly fell out of his seat as he turned to his side abruptly. Sure enough, Cedric was seating there looking like an innocent little lamb as he flashed another of his stupid grins. Thoughts rose in Matt's head, and he was at a loss for what to say. He was about to chastise Cedric for ditching class, only he caught a shadow of something in Cedric's eyes. He opted for silence and averted his eyes. The world was turning, yet again.

There was no time to ask the questions he finally came up with as Professor Art gave him one look before leaving the room. Matt had slid his notebook in his bag and was following the Professor when he realized that Cedric was following him.

“What?” Matt asked, looking at Cedric sideways.

“So cold, and here I thought you missed me,” Cedric replied faking tears.

“You have too much free time on your hands,” Matt replied dismissively, speeding up and pulling the door of the staff room shut before Cedric could put a foot between the door and the frame.

The staff room was divided in two parts. The first is a small lounge with a complete sofa set, a center table with a pile of magazines at the bottom and several coffee table prints on one side, and a mini fridge. The second part is the faculty area filled with tables in a five by six line. The room was divided by a line of lockers and shelves.

“Vizcarra,” Professor Art said with a deriding voice no one would miss. He was sitting on the sofa outside the faculty area. “I thought you changed your mind.”

“Sorry for making you wait,” Matt replied simply, still standing by the door.

He could almost feel Cedric pressing his good ear against the door. It was a good thing that the room is air conditioned; it would be impossible for Cedric to hear anything over the AC’s engine.

“Sit,” Professor Art said, waving a hand at the single-sitter to his left.

Matt followed.

“So, you asked me what you should do for me to change my perception of you,” the Professor Art mused matter-of-factly, making sure he got it right.

“Yes,” Matt plainly replied.

“What makes you think it’s subject to changing?”

“No matter how bullheaded a person is, changing their opinions is a matter of course and inevitable,” Matt replied.

“Are you speaking based on experience?” Professor Art asked and Matt could detect a tinge of poorly-concealed mockery.

“No, it’s a fact. It’s just that some people insist that their opinion remains the same even after it has been altered,” Matt replied, slowly losing what little patience he has. “Please state your requirements. How do I change your mind?”

“Does it bother you so much to be the center of attention?” the Professor asked unhurriedly.

It was a mistake to push for an answer. Evidently, the professor intends to make the most of their current predicament.

“To be completely honest with you, yes it does, especially when it is undeserved,” Matt replied.

“Undeserved you say?” Professor Art asked incredulously, “Even after you brazenly neglected to listen in class?”

“It was not intentional and, as promised, I made sure it would not happen again,” Matt replied.

“So you say, but you kept staring at the empty seat beside yours.”

Damn meddlesome jerk, Matt thought as he took a deep breath. “Fine, think what you must. But tell me how I can get you off my back,” Matt replied determinedly.

“You’re so full of yourself, so different from her,” Professor Art said in a voice mixed with disappointment, anger and nostalgia.

“Her?” Matt asked in confusion.

“Your sister, Mari.”

Hey, Matt, how come you know how to answer these questions? You’re still in grade school.

The teacher asked us to answer it. She was picking out students for some Math Olympiad.

Really? So you were chosen?! That’s amazing, Matt!

I wasn’t.

Eh? How come? You answered it perfectly.

If I get chosen, I’ll have to spend more time in class.

Oh… I guess that’s not good huh?

No, not really…

Then, you should just help me since I’m helpless when it comes to Math.

You don’t have to be good at it.

Yeah, I guess I don’t. But there’s something that I really, really want to do and well, you have to be really good in Math to do it. So, will you help me?

Sure, I guess…

“Really, you ask me to tell you how to change my perception of you being an airhead and you blank right in front of me,” Professor Art replied. “Don’t you care at all—“

“--Sorry, on second thought, I don’t give a shit what you think of me. Excuse me,” Matt interrupted as he got up and walked out of the room, his hands much colder than the knob he turned, despite the Professor calling him back.

Mari, what are you doing?

Oh, you’re here! Look, look! Isn’t it beautiful?

What’s that?

It’s our new house. I’m going to be a really, really successful architect, then I’m going to build our house.

"Vizcarra!" Professor Art furiously called out.

"Shut up!"

Sorry, Matt.

Why are you apologizing to me, Mari?

I can't build that house for us anymore.

Why?

Because I'm going somewhere far away.

Professor Art was mortified, and couldn't stop himself from chasing after Matt. He only wanted to know what happened to Mari. But his search was getting more out of hand.

"I said wait, Vizcarra!"

Cedric finally overcame his shock and grabbed the professor by the arm, letting Matt escape.

"You dare touch a professor, you impudent fool," Professor Art said as he tried to free his arm from Cedric's grip.

"Sorry. Just or a couple more seconds. Matt's surprisingly a fast runner."

"I'll get to the bottom of this," Professor Art warned Cedric with a scowl.

"No, you won't," Cedric replied with an exasperated laugh. "I won't let anyone hurt him any further, even if it means killing all those who try."