*above is Gwen's coffee mug and t-shirt*
"There's plenty of sense in nonsense sometimes, if you wish to look for it."
— Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
After using half an hour of my life not reading but texting Luke, back and forth, he finally gave in to read the Percy Jackson and Olympians series. Then I finished reading The Maze Runner that made me stayed up all night to watch Book Talks in Youtube by my favorite booktubers, polandbananasBOOKS, jessethereader and some others to reminisce my feels.
Let me tell you something, cliffhangers are the worst.
After that night, I woke up a little late. I did my morning routine much quicker and didn't waste any time. I wore a t-shirt that says in the front, Mundane Fools and at the back, It's Never Just A Book, with a jacket. I checked my wrist watch and I had a few more minutes to spare.
Carrying my books, there are at least five, and my school bag strapped at my back, I went downstairs to the kitchen and saw my father dressed up in his work uniform making coffee. I put my books down and my bag on the table where I found two bags of take-outs.
I opened one bag. "Ooh! What's this?"
My dad looked back. "Morning," he softly greeted.
"That's your breakfast, hun," he said while I looked inside.
"Ooh! A croissant!" I said as I pulled it out of the bag. There were three croissants inside. I took a bite of it while I opened my school bag.
I glanced at my dad and saw him glaring at my books. "What's wrong?" My voice was muffled because of the croissant.
"Aren't those a little too much?" His voice was full of concern.
I put all of my books abruptly in the bag but they didn't fit so I removed all the things in it. "How can a little is too much?" I asked my dad.
"I need a bigger bag." I informed him. I put my school supplies inside first and laid five of my notebooks at the very bottom and put my books in it too.
"No, you don't." My dad said. He stood beside me, observing my agony. "Do you really need this?" He questioned me, holding up my copy of 1984 by George Orwell.
"Yes." I simply answered.
"And this?" He held up the fifth book of Harry Potter, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. I nodded in reply, still struggling to fit all of my books. "But you've read this already?"
"Dad, you're such a muggle. So what? Sometimes, I love reading books I've already read, when I'm bored." I explained.
"Honey, Red Queen—"
I cut in, "dad, I haven't read that one yet."
He inhaled deeply and continued what he was saying, "Red Queen, Magnus Chase, The Fate of Ten, and," he read the title, "Frankenstein?" He looked confused.
"I gotta read classics too, you know." I shrugged. To be honest, my brain is already being cut open because of 1984. My favorite teacher kept on telling me to read it if I liked The Hunger Games. In my mind, I corrected him, I LOVED The Hunger Games, 'like' doesn't even begin with it. Therefore, I gotta try reading it because those dystopian worlds begun with 1984.
"Okay, fine, I guess I won't be reading Frankenstein today but I'll return it to the library."
He sighed. "You can't read them all in one day, in school."
Watch me. But I didn't say that out loud.
"Just help me fit all of these in, dad."
"Alright. Do you want some coffee?" He offered. He didn't wait for me to reply, I saw him get his coffee mug and my mug that says, Accio Coffee!
While he was filling our mugs with coffee he suggested things. "How about leave this here," he pointed at my hardbound copy of Red Queen. "And this too." He pointed at Frankenstein.
"No." I said quickly.
"Ehh... How about the other two?" He pointed at The Fate of Ten and Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix.
"Dad, you're not helping." I groaned. He handed me my coffee. I sniffed my coffee first, enjoying the smell before sipping slowly. The hot beverage warms the inside of my body. I love coffee. Other than books, coffees are the best.
After a while, I succeeded fitting all my books. My father watched my distress all way. He looked at his wristwatch. "Well that took about, twelve minutes. I was betting twenty but I won't be able to watch it since I'll be late for work."
My eyes widened. "Twelve?" I freaked out. "I'm going to be late, dad!"
I kissed my dad on his cheek and said my goodbye. I put the strap of my bag on my shoulder, held my snack bag, and started walking. My car keys already in my left hand with my snack bag, I was about to open the front door but my dad yelled after me. "Gwen!"
"You forgot about this?" He grinned evilly. He handed me the book that was already in my bag yesterday, over-all, I was planning to bring seven books in school. Five new books plus the yesterday ones.
How did I forget about this one?
I stomped my feet as I go near him to get my book, Frostbite by Richelle Mead. I wasn't still done reading the Vampire Academy series and all my friends, well, only Esme, was done reading the series.
"Bye book hoarder!" My dad yelled out, he was laughing.
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All the students were in a hurry to get to class when I arrived. I didn't bother to go to my locker since first period was homeroom.
I hoped Mr. Xander forgot about the consent form that were given last week for our parents to sign. The consent form was about confirming the parents received the comments, or complementary the teachers give to their child. When I was only a street away to school, I remembered about the form. My form was already signed however, I forgot to bring it today.
Mr. Xanders is a fun teacher, because instead of lecturing us discipline and those stuff, he uses his first ten minutes of the period for reminding us things we tend to forget and the rest of the twenty minutes is free time. He's just strict about consent forms or anything that connects with collecting paper.
Thankfully, the school's ring buzzed just in time. I've already gotten my seat in the back of the class as Mr. Xander gets in the classroom. I only have homeroom twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I can't believe he has cut off his long, shiny, black hair into like Buzz Light-Year. I've always liked that about him.
Mr. Xanders has a tan skin tone, he always wear a flannel suit and he has a British accent. The bonus part is his only nineteen— doesn't really look like it because he doesn't act like nineteen —and he teaches English Literature. If his class wasn't full, I would've signed up.
One time he subbed for Mrs. Oliver's English Literature, and he taught really great. I was impressed by his age and teaching skills. He's the kind of person, when you look at him, you don't want to disappoint him. He's elegant and sophisticated, yet a little intimidating.
He started announcing activities that'll happen and after he was done, he sat down to his chair and let us be.
Should I go in front and tell him about the form?
It took me a few minutes to stand up and slowly walk towards Mr. Xander's desk. As I was nearing him, my mind kept having second thoughts.
I shouldn't tell him. If I remind him, how about the other students who prayed he'll forget about it?
I stopped walking and headed back to my sit again. I hope Mr. Xander didn't see me stand.
What if he didn't remind us because he wanted us to give it ourselves? Is this some sort of test?
I need to tell him.
You're making a big deal out of this. Just shut up and use your time to read.
If I don't do this, my subconscious will never stop bothering me again. I gotta do this.
But Gwen, you forgot, you've never done this before, what if you—
I lost my thought because I've noticed Mr. Xander was glancing at me. Mr. Xander's eyebrows arched.
"Miss Cohen," I looked up when Mr. Xander called me, "will you follow me out of the room?" It wasn't a request, I didn't really had much of a choice. I looked down at the floor and bit my lower lip.
This is all your fault, if I didn't hesitate, he would have never called me.
I followed him outside the classroom. Mr. Xander's arms were crossed.
"What seems to be the problem, Miss Cohen?" Why do girls like boys who has a foreign accent? Not that I like Mr. Xander or have a crush on him, I just can't but get swooned.
"Well, I forgot to bring my consent form, Sir." I answered him.
"Finally, a student who's concerned about that." he said proudly.
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion, my eyebrows were arched.
"I was testing if one student will raise their hand about the form. I guess only one student passed the test."
N/A: Just a chapter distraction from all the drama. Did you like Gwen's dad? What do you think of Mr. Xander? Tell me your thoughts in the comment section! Sorry I took so long to update, I was away and there's no data there. Thank you for reading!! ❤️