Stuck with Mr. Popular ( COMPLETED)

chapter-1

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I was running late for school. Last night, I stayed up late working on my chemistry project until around 3:00 a.m.

I quickly changed my clothes and hurried out of the house. Mom was probably out for a walk; otherwise, she would have woken me up. That meant Lavy was still asleep. Lavy is my younger sister, two years younger than me. Dad left us five years after Lavy was born. I don't know the exact reason behind my parents' divorce, but whenever I ask Mom, she just shrugs and says, "Things weren't working between us." I decided not to push for more information.

Dad hardly ever visits us, not even to check on how we're doing without him. It used to hurt, especially Mom, but over time, we've gotten used to it. I always thought Dad loved us, but he was so absorbed in his research as a renowned scientist that he never had time for his family. We used to see him every few months when he had a break from conferences, research, and Theses.

Mom had a hard time managing everything on her own. She worked at a consultancy firm, and without a husband around, it became challenging to raise two children. Dad was practically never home.

Looking back now, it seems inevitable. Mom tried her best to make things work, but sometimes they just don't work out for everyone, and not all relationships are meant to last. Relationships require nurturing, time, and above all, trust.

Dad would occasionally come by to spend some time playing with us, but as we grew older, his visits became less frequent. It has been three years since I last saw him on my birthday.

We tried contacting him a few times, but he never responded.

As Lavy was growing up, she would always ask, "Why does Mom always take us to the zoo and not Dad?" It became a difficult question to answer.

I went downstairs to wake up Lavy in her room. After about fifteen minutes, we were rushing four blocks down the road, heading to our school.

Sweat droplets rolled down my chest as I ran, and I could already smell myself. I took a few deep breaths to catch my breath before entering the classroom. I knew I was late for my physics class, but since it was the first time, I hoped Mr. Smulders wouldn't mind. I grasped the cold metal doorknob and pushed the door open, almost stumbling into the classroom. I managed to steady myself by leaning on the first desk.

I turned around to see who had pushed me and noticed a guy in a gray hoodie sprinting towards the back bench.

Mr. Smulders, who had initially been facing away from the class, turned around and looked at me. My heavy breathing and anxious expression revealed my fear.

Fear because I knew I was probably about to receive my first detention.

I couldn't decipher Mr. Smulders' expression. He looked sternly at me, just staring. So, I stood there, fidgeting with my fingers and avoiding eye contact.

Finally, some words escaped his mouth, "Next time you're late, Ms. Esinberg, you'll be signing up for detention. You may find a seat now."

I nodded and took a seat at the front desk. No one usually occupies the first desk, except for me.

"As you all know, you have to submit a project on the Application of Physics in the real world. I hope you all have chosen a topic. I'm passing around a sheet; please write your topics next to your names."

Everyone followed the instructions and wrote down their topics. I passed the sheet to Mr. Smulders since I was sitting at the front. As I handed him the sheet, my eyes caught the blank space next to Raymond's name.