UNMASKED (mha)

41

Aiko was practically trembling. The walk to her third year class has made her anger wear off but not her other emotions. Aiko had time to realize just how humiliating that had been. Having that entire class know how low of a grade she had gotten?

That was so embarrassing. Her face was still red as she entered the elevator. She rubbed her teary eyes.
She couldn't start crying now! Note when she was supposed to go to her English class. With all of those third years watching? That would be even more humiliating.

She rubbed her eyes until they felt raw. Fuck, this wasn't good. She couldn't stop crying. She felt so upset, with her crappy grade and the threat of expulsion hanging over her.

She bit her bottom lip as she stood at the door of the classroom. But she didn't go in. She just stared at it for a second and then turned to the side and leaned against the wall. Slowly sliding down it.

"Urm... I-I... h-h-hey..."

Aiko glanced up, arms around her knees. The source of the stammering was a tall teen boy with dark hair that flipped over his eyes.

He looked down at Aiko with a quivering mouth. "U-um..."
He mumbled again.

"Oh... hey."
Aiko said, hiding her face again. She recognized him. She sat by him in English. Though she had forgotten his name.

"A-are you n-n-nervous for the test t-t-too?"
He asked shyly. Aiko peeked up.

"Not really."
She whispered. He stared at her awkwardly.

"Oh... a-are you okay? Sh-shouldnt you g-good ahead and g-good inside?"
He asked and Aiko looked up.

She couldn't stop herself as her eyes began to water again.

His face went red and his expression seemed to be genuinely terrified.
"I-I'm sorry! P-p-please don't do that! Please st-stop! D-did I do something?!"

Aiko shook her head and hid her face again. The boy seemed so distressed and pained by the sight of her tears.
"N-no! You didn't do anything!"
Aiko said, biting her lip.

"O-oh... I'm sorry..."
The boy whispered again, though he had just been told he wasn't the problem.

Then he abruptly walked into the classroom, leaving Aiko alone.

Aiko tried to manage her breathing but she couldn't keep herself from getting upset.

Then the door opened again. Someone walked out. "Yo Zhu... Tamaki told me you were down. What's up with the waterworks little listener? Wanna rap?"
Mic sat down next to Aiko against the wall.

Aiko sniffled.
"I d-don't know what that means.."
She mumbled pitifully.

"You wanna talk about it?"
Mic tried again without the slang.

Aiko didn't respond.

"Did your last test not go so well?"
He guessed, Aiko nodded and dug around in her pocket. She grabbed the crumpled up test sheet and handed it over to him.

"Oh... well it's not so bad. You still passed."
Mic said hopefully.

"Mr V-vlad... he told the class..."
She whispered.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Infront of everyone, he said he expected b-better from someone in 1A... it was embarrassing." She mumbled.

Mic's eyes widened.
"H-he did what?"

"I got super mad and... I yelled at him... and now he wants me expelled."
Aiko mumbled miserably. "I shouldn't have said anything..."