DENISE
I didn't go to my class; instead, I went straight to our club room to finish my work. I stayed there until noon, typing and rereading everything. When I was done, I printed everything out and head back to my table. I was reading the papers one last time when Chris went over my table.
Chris is my partner in doing my newspaper report. He had blond hair that was cut in a school boy type and his blue eyes were behind his square rimmed glasses. Well, he's more than a partner, he's my childhood friend. He and his family were always there for us when our parents died.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Done." I answered, smiling up at him. "I'm pilling these papers and I'm going straight to Mr. Galloway to submit this."
"Congratulations, then." he said as he leaned back on my table beside me. "I have something to do later after class so I won't be able to go with you to Mr. Galloway. Let's just celebrate tomorrow, okay?"
I snickered, putting the papers on my desk. "We don't need to celebrate, Chris."
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the papers.
"Sure." I replied then stood up to fix my things. "Look, Chris, I want to thank you for all the help you gave, okay? That's why I get to treat you if you want us to have a celebration."
"Oh, that I won't reject." He said teasingly. "Wait, is this it?"
"Yeah, the draft and the final papers." I answered.
"Where's the first draft?" he asked with his tone full with confusion and concern.
"I said the drafts are there." I answered, turning to face him.
"No, you got the drafts but where's the first draft?" he asked, standing straight and looking at me. "You know, the notes we took during the interviews. The written one."
Oh, no.
"Oh, shit." I cursed. "Is that part of the requirements?"
"Oh yeah. Why would I ask you if it wasn't required?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.
"I thought you knew."
"Do I look like I know?" I asked then groaned. "I can't remember where I put it."
"Ok. We've got enough time okay? I'll go look around in here and in the library too. You go check in your house and-"
"My house? My house is a bloody mess! A dump!"
"Den, calm down, okay?" he said, putting his hands on my shoulders. "You can find them. We still got 4 hours to look for it, okay?"
I nodded then grabbed my bag.
"Wait, where are my keys?" I asked, looking around my table.
"Really? You have to misplace all your things, huh?" he asked me.
I glared at him and tried to say something but he tossed something to me; his keys.
"Don't answer that. Take my key, get your bag and go home. Call Aunt Lena to open the door for you."
I sighed then nodded. "Thank you."
This will be a long day.
"If you just tell me what you're looking for, David and I could help you." Aunt Lena said, leaning against my room's door frame.
"Even if I tell you, you wouldn't recognize them." I answered, checking the papers on my desk.
"You must've placed it outside." She suggested.
"No, Aunt Lena. I couldn't place it there. I never put my work outside this room."
"I'll just go check and see." She insisted. "What did it look like?"
I sighed then scratch my head. "I can't actually remember them but, they could probably written in a piece of paper from my notepad or they could still be in my notepad."
Aunt Lena took a deep breath. "What does your notepad look like?"
"The white one with random magazine articles." I answered then checked the pile of junk on my bed as Aunt Lena went out.
I don't usually sleep in my bed so it's a total mess every day. I turned each pages of my books, checked every folder and envelopes but there was no sign of my notes.
Not leaving anything upturned on my bed, I then checked the piles of clothes and blankets on the floor. Giving up on those piles, I moved to my cabinet I barely use. I checked each drawer and my jackets that were neatly hanged inside.
I told Aunt Lena to not touch my things no matter how messy it could look but she made sure my jackets and newly washed clothes are neatly fixed inside my cabinet.
I have to apologize to Aunt Lena later about this. I sighed then pulled my clothes out from the cabinet and tossing it somewhere behind me. I tried the jacket pockets too, tossing them frustratingly behind me after seeing that it has no use to me.
"I couldn't find it out- What in the name of-"
"Aunt Lena, I'm so sorry." I said before she could finish cursing. "I'll fix it later when I get home, I promise. I'm just desperate to find my notes."
She took a deep breath, clearly trying to calm herself down. "Okay. I just came here to tell you I checked the kitchen and the living room but your notes are not there."
I bit my lip as I ran my hand through my hair that was in a very messy bun right now.
"This can't be happening." I muttered to myself and sat down on the edge of my bed. "This can't be happening to me."
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Aunt Lena said, sitting beside me as she wrapped her arm around me.
I felt my tears coming so I buried my face on my hand with my elbow resting on my knees. I can't let her see me crying. No one can see me cry. Denise Grace Atkinson does not cry. Not anymore.
"I failed. I'm a failure." I whispered to myself as the tears dropped into my hands.
"I know you're crying there, sweetheart." Aunt Lena whispered beside me. "I don't think you would want it if David sees you-"
"Den-Den?" David's voice asked.
And me, being surprised and stupid, looked up at him.
"Crying." Aunt Lena said, finishing her sentence.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, looking so adorable even if his face was full of concern.
"W-What are you doing here?" I asked, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.
"Aunt Lena asked me to check my things, too." he answered, walking towards me. "Is this what you're looking for?"
In his small and miraculous hand was my notepad.
I smiled then took it. "Oh, God. Oh honey, where did you find this?"
"It was in my closet." He answered, sitting on my lap. "It was in my jacket pocket when we went out to have hot chocolates."
"Oh thank you so much." I said as I hugged him tightly.
I remembered what he was talking about. It was the night I was typing the notes into my laptop and he went to my room to tell me he was hungry. Instead of cooking, we went out to the 24 hour café 3 blocks from our apartment building. I must've put my notepad in his jacket as I was carrying him on the way home.
"How on earth did your things end up in your brother's room?" Aunt Lena asked. "This morning, you found your shoes on his room, and now, your notepad."
I put David down and kissed his forehead. "I really don't know, Aunt Lena. Thank you for your help."
I grabbed my things and went out, followed by Aunt Lena.
"I'll fix my room later when I get home, okay?"
She sighed. "Okay. I'm taking David to the park, anyway."
"Then let's get down together." I said then glanced at my watch. "I have enough time; I'll help David with his clothes."
"Alright." She replied then I went to David's room.
I saw him putting his clothes back to his cabinet.
"Look who's the big boy now." I said as I sat on his bed.
"You made me mess my things." He replied then closed his cabinet.
"Are you wearing that out?" I asked, pointing at his clothes.
"You choose my clothes." He said as he pulled me up and to his cabinet.
I check each hanger and in the end, I chose his jumper shorts and plain white shirt. As he was changing, I pulled out his rubber shoes and helped him wear it. A few minutes later, we were on the elevator, heading to the ground floor.
When we were outside, I bid them goodbye. I kissed Aunt Lena on her cheek and I showered my brother with kisses around his face just to tease him. After that, we took our separate ways and I gave Chris a call.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"I found the notepad and I'm on my way to my dreams." I answered with a smile, ended the call then pulled out my bike.
I arrive back at the office and saw I had one hour left. I looked around the room but I couldn't see Chris. When I reached my table, I saw my papers with a note on top of it saying;
'You ended the call before I could even say anything. I'm glad you found your note. I'll see you tomorrow then.'
I smiled as I put the note inside my pocket. I took the notepad out from my bag and slipped the papers inside a folder. I hugged the papers on my chest and head out.
I never planned on running, unfortunately, Mr. Galloway suddenly texted me, asking where I was. I suddenly panicked so I broke off into a run even if I knew I wasn't late. I got less than an hour before the submission.
I was never a fast runner, but thanks to my long legs, I could run two steps at a time on the stair and take big steps as I ran.
I will not fail this. I will not fail this. I will not fail this.
I kept saying that inside of my head before I made a left turn in the corridor when I suddenly bumped into someone.
I bumped into that person and I found myself turning before I fell to the ground. It was a hard fall and I heard some things fell to the ground with a smell of coffee in the air. The papers I was desperately hugging exploded from my grasps and one by one they fell on the floor.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" an angry male's voice shouted but I didn't look up at him.
Instead, I knelt as I saw my papers in front of him turning into brown. I moved my eyes from the papers to the opened tumbler spilling coffee all around my work. My precious work.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND?!"he shouted again and this time I looked at up at him with pure hatred.
I found his curly copper brown hair annoying. It was like he was an oversize hobbit. His electric blue eyes were distracting. It was like I was seeing lightning, and I hate it whenever I see the way the lightning strikes. His fair complexion was somehow hurting my eyes. And that wasn't the worst part; it was his thick lips! It was disgusting and ugh! Horrible words can no longer describe it! He looks like a humanize fish!
I stood up, taking deep breath with my hand curled into fists as I control my anger.
"Me? What. The fuck. Is wrong. With. You?!" I asked, gritting my teeth.
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Ooh, things will be intense for the next chapters haha
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Love lots :*