The Wishing Notebook

Chapter 1

"These are the assignments that you must complete by the end of this week." Mrs Lim said, pointing at the whiteboard. It was crammed with a long list of words that resembled the spiralling loops of a rollercoaster.

Yikes. Now I can't study for tomorrow's Math test!

Squinting at the whiteboard, I copied the list on my planner.

What's that word? Is it Math or draft?

A loud snap pierced my ears. Glancing below, my eyes widened at the mess on the table. The page I had been writing on was splattered with a large blob of black ink, cloaking the words in darkness. The metal tip of my pen was splayed at an awkward angle as more ink trickled from its barrel like a continuous waterfall. Groaning at the mess, I rummaged through my bag for tissues, dreading the process of copying the list again.

Mrs Lim slammed the marker on her desk and pursed her lips.

"Is there a problem, Isla?" Her voice was as sharp as nails.

Sensing the tension, my best friend Amber raised her hand. "Mrs Lim," she pointed at the whiteboard, "What's that word?"

Mrs Lim's glare disappeared instantly. "Oh, it's quiz. I'll write it again."

Her second attempt was no better. The letters were shaped like thin, crooked threads woven into a spider web, enveloping the word in complete mystery. Before she could increase the number of assignments, the bell rang. The screeches of chairs scraping the floor filled the classroom as my classmates grabbed their bags and hurried out of the room.

Just as Amber and I were packing our bags, Mrs Lim stormed towards us, her footsteps echoing on the floor. Pointing a finger at me, she snapped, "Is it so hard to finish the assignments?"

"I was only-"

"Stop complaining! It won't make your homework disappear!"

Before I could say anything, she left the classroom and slammed the door shut.

Heat rose to my cheeks as Mrs Lim's reproach sank into my head. Curling my fingers into my palm, I knocked my fist on the table.

"Seriously? I didn't get to explain myself!"

Patting my arm, Amber said, "It's OK, Isla. You know what Mrs Lim is like."

"I can't wait for her to get fired." I grumbled, stuffing my belongings into my bag.

"That won't happen. She's considered the best teacher here." Pointing at her phone, Amber said, "Why don't we study at the cafe? It's air conditioned."

Sensing the humid atmosphere in the classroom, I accepted Amber's suggestion. After all, Amber was always the top scorer for Math. Studying with her meant that she could guide me in solving difficult problems. Besides, I wanted to avoid Mum as she always compared me with my older brother, Joseph.

Nodding my head, we walked to the cafe.

Beads of sweat dribbled down our foreheads as the sun engulfed us in its scorching atmosphere. Just a few metres away was a playground surrounded by a group of children. Gliding down the slide, the children lifted their arms in the air, making the wind ruffle their hair. Their excited screams brought me back to my childhood days when it was only just Dad pushing me on the swing. Adrenaline surged through my veins when I went up, squealing at the rush of wind brushing my ponytail as I imagined myself to be a bird flying in the sky.

If only things could be like how they were before.

"Oi, Isla!" Amber snapped her fingers in front of my face. "We've reached the cafe!"