The Wish From Heaven | ✓

chapter 34 : illusions keep them alive

24 July; Wednesday

I searched for Mr. Craig for a long time, but spot him coming out of the school building when I was in the process of exiting the school premises. He is laughing merrily with another female teacher. I wonder if she is the woman he was talking about.

"Wait here," I tell Edgar, "I'll go give these to Mr. Craig first." I run over to the Literature teacher, the edited essays and articles in my hand.

The female teacher, who I fail to recognize as she probably takes classes of the Business or Humanities students, excuses herself. Mr. Craig immediately dives into conversation with me. I reply them as shortly as possible because I am tired . He tells me he finally got her phone number, I tell him how nice that is. He tells me that she agreed to go on another date, I tell him how great that is. He tells me she also likes books, mostly Cristie, so I tell him how amazing that is. Finally, either sensing my disinterest or running out of topics, he frees me, and I head back to my friend.

But Edgar isn't where I left him.

I look around the field, trying to find him. I finally notice him being dragged by a taller boy to the back of the school building. Panicking, I break into a run and cross the field to where they are heading, glad that I spotted them before they disappeared. When I reach close, I hear the conversation.

"- the fuck do you want?" Edgar is saying.

"Is that how you talk with your seniors?" The boy asks back, his voice deep and mocking.

Shit. It's a senior, which means I can't be disrespectful. Social ethics are still social ethics, even if you have to show it to a bastard. I look around, and the space around me is empty. I can't pretend to call a teacher to get Edgar out of this situation, because it will obviously be unrealistic.

"J-just let me go, I'm t-t-telling you!" Edgar stammering is something I would never expect. Him being outed has probably put a scratch on his confidence. I have to do something quick.

"Awh, look at you! Claiming to be a man and yet stuttering like a little girl. Tell me, do you shave your pubic hair?"

God, fuck social ethics. I come out from behind the wall. Neither of them notice me at first. Edgar has a terrified look on his face, while that blonde-haired guy is smirking, his eyes holding nothing but bad intentions. He has pinned Edgar to the wall, his face awfully close. I walk up to them, my heart beating terribly hard, and put my hand on that guy's shoulder.

He jumps and whirls his head back, a look of terror passing his face. I yank him away from Edgar with a strong force, then go and stand beside Edgar, who looks very relieved. When I look at the guy properly, I realize he is the same person who had grabbed Ayesha's Hijab that day in the cafeteria. My anger rises more.

"Before you go around asking people about their pubic hair," I say calmly, "I suggest you should gain some knowledge about how to brush your teeth first."

He looks dumbfounded. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Edgar giving me a weird look.

"What?" the senior asks, frowning.

"You have toothpaste on your lips, which means you don't know where to put your toothbrush. Which is probably why your lips are white but your teeth are yellow."

His hand jerks up to his lips, his finger rubbing over them to see if there really is paste stuck on them. I turn to Edgar and say, in a sympathetic tone, "Thank God you didn't pass out from his stinking breath. Let's go." I put my arm around his shoulders and walk away, the senior still confused about toothpaste.

"What the fuck were you saying?" Edgar asks, looking as confused as the other guy. "He didn't have any toothpaste on his lips. And his teeth were dazzling white."