Strings Attached

~PROLOGUE~

After the school is over, I run back to my two-bedroom apartment at Mrs. Sykes near the school where I stay with Lina. I throw my backpack on the table, and slump down on my bed, exhausted. Lina is here before me. She must've had a free period. 

"Hey you're back," she exclaims, peeping out from her bedroom door. "Yeah! Hey Lina, can you get me a glass of water, please?" I shout to her, even though she is standing in the next room. We have a small kitchenette attached to our rooms, and that's where the refrigerator is. I don't feel like getting up so I call to her.

"Jesus, calm down. You will make me deaf with that voice of yours," she says rolling her eyes, as she peeps out of the door again to glare at me. "Oh c'mon, you're exaggerating!" My voice is too soft to even hurt a fly, and this girl talks! 

"You yourself told me once that I've a sweet voice, didn't you?" I playfully remind her. "It is, but only when you speak normal. Now get up and tell me what you wanted to say in the Psychology class. Why do you look so tired? You were okay at break time," she demands, handing me a glass full of water.

"Oh, you remember that? It's nothing, just forget it, alright. I'm just having a bit of a down time, that's all," I lie. Because if I tell her, she'll think me crazy for not enjoying the attention and take the opportunity to spend some quality time with the guy. After all, she finds him 'frumos'. Her words, not mine! (Note: 'Frumos' means handsome in Romanian)

Quality time?! Really! Yes, it would be of the worst quality. The kind one finds in the dumps. "Oh okay, but you to tell me later, okay?" A loud groan escapes my mouth. This girl just gets stuck to anything.

"You should think yourself lucky that I not bother you to spill the beans right now." "Yes, thank you very much! And do tell me some time howsoever I can repay your kindness," I tell her dramatically, making her shake her head. "So! Let me think, there's an idea. And ah, there's another one!" Okay, she's a certified blockhead, believe me.

"Anyway, I'll not let this go. Just go to sleep, your eyes look drunk. I'll try to cook something, today," she tells me in a motherly tone. "Yes, mommy. But, please don't try to cook. Have mercy! Order some takeout, and we'll eat that." "Bah! You just lost your chance to taste my beautiful cooking." And piteously clicking her tongue, she walks out of the room in a huff.

___

"Hey, wake up. Don't you have to pray?" Caroline asks me, and I shake my head. "Then, get up. You've been sleeping like a babe! What is it? Why are you so gloomy?" "I... I was just feeling homesick, you know," I tell her sadly, knowing she'll understand me completely. 

At least, that's true, well... partly. I was missing my family and my best friend. "But there's more than you tell me, right? What is it, Hida-yah? Tell me why you were silently crying, assuming I was not looking. Is it about that thing you were going to tell me in Psychology class?"

Sighing deeply, I begin. "You know that guy, Daniyal? He's being a pain in the a** since the last one month. Wherever I go, either it is the cafeteria or the almost empty library, he keeps following me there. I've been taking private music lessons from Mrs. Judy since I'm not so good with the piano. And when I was taking my lessons today, he sauntered in without a care in the world. If I had known that it was the time for his class, I'd have never stepped into that room."

"All the time I was there, he just kept staring at me or pestering me. He even opened the window purposefully so that all my notes flew in different directions. I had to stay back to collect them and endure the looks and smiles he passed me from time to time. And that's not all, he even tried to corner me near the gym two days ago." A sob escapes my lips when I finish telling her my story. "There's more but I feel embarrassed to tell you. I've faced these kind of things before, you know. But not in such a great measure. You should know for his friend troubles you, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he does. But I don't think he can harm me. If he tries, I will cut him or something." Lina smiles sinisterly at that idea of hers and for a moment I'm afraid of her ghostly beautiful presence.

But Dani-yal is different. And tell me, did he sing to you?" the girl asks me, her eyes now shining with curiosity. "Is that all you've got to ask me after everything I just told you?" I ask her, shocked. "And he's not different. At least, not in the way you mean."
"He talks to every girl, or so I hear'd. But, since you do not reveal your face, he gives you more attention. But, that is not what I talk about," she says irritated.

"Then what is it we're talking about, you idiot?" "What I ask you is, did he sing to you? What did he sing?" Caroline comes closer and whispers in my ear. "You're useless... you know, utterly useless," I tell her, snorting in disgust. "What's gotten into you, Lina. I thought you were a decent girl and not someone who fell for the bad sort," I almost cry out at her inability to understand my predicament.

"And I don't care whatever he sang to me, okay. Besides, he wasn't singing to me and FYI, I don't remember the song," I lie. God save me, I've been lying too much.

"Bah! Please, do not tell me. I never believe that he actually sang for you and you forgot all about it so easy. His voice is not one can simply get off so casually and forget. You cannot forget it even if you bury it deep into the core of the earth. And ah! I saw all that happened at break time. If I was in your place, I will sit in his lap and kiss him. He is so aråtos, God!" she shrieks like a fangirl, and I grunt at her enthusiasm. (Note: 'Aråtos' is another word for handsome in Romanian)

And she has hit it, I guess. I can't forget that voice even if I lose my memory, it was so amazing! But somebody's voice doesn't speak out for that person's character, does it? You can't simply accept that he's 'nice' just because his voice happens to be the superlative of that word. Oh! And by the way, did I tell you? Calling him nice sullies the word.