Strings Attached

~Chapter 8~

I know that girl only too well. She's a pain in my neck. She keeps coming up with all kinds of weird ways to get my attention. Anyone who's dated her knows how pushy she is. And then something comes to my mind.

"Wait... isn't this girl the one we saw in their backyard yesterday? The girl who hastily covered her face when she saw us looking at her?" I ask Seth with a renewed vigor in my system. "She must be her, but I can't say for sure, man. You can never tell what that Hiba girl is up to. Maybe it was just another one of her tricks to grab your attention," he reasons.

"Maybe, it was, Seth. Maybe, it was."

______

The day has almost come to an end. I get to Economics class, the last period of the day, just in time to see Mr. Graham getting in. I try to sneak in without his permission but he catches me midway. "Don't forget your manners, Mr. Hasan. Go stand at the door, ask for permission, and then come in," he orders me, and I scowl at him in return. I think he gets great pleasure in irking me.

After I've entered the class the second time, I notice the black-clad girl sitting near the back row of the class. I see that there's a vacant seat just behind her, and I make my way towards it. Dumping my bag on the desk, I plop down carelessly on the chair, not in the mood to listen to Graham's lecture at all. After all, it's just the first day. What vital things could he teach in one class?

I see Hidayah Ali, which is probably her name, taking notes as Graham keeps telling us about the basic differences between Micro and Macro Economics. I keep staring at her neat handwriting, when I remember something. "What did you do about the detention?" I ask her, and she visibly tenses, her posture going completely stiff. I guess she forgot I was sitting right behind her. She hastily writes something on a piece of paper and quickly hands it to me.

'We have to go see the Principal after class', the note says. Damn! The very thing that I wanted to avoid is waiting for me right when I leave this room. I guess the girl wasn't convincing enough. "What exactly did you tell Turtleneck... I mean, Mr. Whitmore?" I ask her, now very much annoyed. She begins writing on another piece of paper, when I snatch it away from her. "Can't you talk?!"

"Mr. Hasan and Ms. Ali, please get out of my class. You've disturbed us for quite long," Graham suddenly says in a stern voice, opening the door for us to leave. Now that's better. But the girl doesn't agree with me on that, I think. She begins to protest in her small voice, but the man is not the one to listen. "No excuses please. I've been watching you for quite some time now." I think he should've let her stay, seeing as it's her first time.

Anyway, we make our way towards the door, or at least I do. The girl is lagging behind, probably hoping he'd change his mind. Graham's voice arrests me once again. "A piece of advice to you, Ms. Ali. Choose your friends carefully. You've got a whole year to think about," he tells the girl, who only nods her head. If he thinks I'd be friends with her, he doesn't know me at all. After we've finally got out of the class, I repeat my question to her.

"Didn't you hear me? What did you tell Mr. Whitmore?" I ask her again forcedly, only to hear her sob this time. And before I can make something out to say, she runs away from me. I futilely chase her throughout the whole length of the gallery, only to end up clueless and frustrated. I hate to say that I feel pity for her. I just don't understand her. She is turning into a proper puzzle for me. This hasn't happened to me before!