The morning sun gently settled on my face. I needed to wake up, but I allowed myself the luxury to bake under the warm rays for a few more minutes before opening my eyes.
Good morning, Amy, I said to myself as I carefully pushed my lids open.
I am not a morning person. I am actually one of those people you do not want to meet before noon, the 'don't talk to me until I have breakfast' type. Despite having but a few hours of sleep last night, I wanted to wake up; I wanted to take that long shower; I wanted to get dressed and get to work; I wanted to loose myself in every day school business and forget Shiro's words.
'She needs you more than I do', he said.
Yesterday's events came pouring down on me like a rain-shower in the middle of august, but the steam — instead of crackling its way through layers of turf — was now coming out of my ears. Everything was a mess and I don't handle mess well.
Miyu didn't want me to see Shiro, Shiro wanted me to be with Miyu and I wanted to have them both in my life — Miyu as my best friend and Shiro as the person I fell in love with.
The fact that I developed a crush on the guy was not something I could avoid anymore. It's been too many times I fell asleep thinking of him and woke up with his image hot-glued in my mind, what more proof did I need.
But this tiny detail also meant that I wasn't able to keep my promise to my friend. Of course, there was Miyu and the fact that she was gay. The news of it might have dumbfounded me yesterday, but as I gave it more thought it wasn't like she tried to hide it on purpose from me. I mentally scolded myself for being such a dimwit and not realizing it on my own.
'Arghhh,' I grumped, chocking my pillow mercilessly. A few stray punches may or may not have flown its way too. The idea of running to the kitchen for a knife and savagely cutting it open might have crossed my mind but the revelation that I would have to clean its spilled out guts after the deed, pacified me instantly.
I let my arms fall lifelessly onto the soft mattress, before pushing myself up.
Amy Taylor you have things to do and people to see, I gave myself one of my custom pep talks, forcing myself out of bed and straight into the shower.
Forty five minutes later, I was riding my stallion to work. Usually it doesn't take me more than fifteen minutes, but today was one of those days when things just refused to go my way. I've had to stop at every possible traffic light before coming to a complete halt in front of the train tracks.
'This is going to take forever,' I mumbled, flapping my hands against my thighs in desperation.
'Hey there,' somebody said behind me.
It took me a whole ten seconds to realise that the line was addressed to me. It's not like there were many other people here looking like they could speak English.
I resisted from turning around. This definitely wasn't a good morning and I wasn't in the mood to make new acquaintances or answer silly questions.
'Morning,' the stranger insisted.
I lazily threw him a peak under my shoulder. I didn't recognise the young man on the granny-style bicycle and it brought out a duh grimace onto my face.
I was in no mood to play nice today. 'Good morning,' I answered plainly and turned to face the only thing that holded me down. The boom barrier didn't flinch an inch and I couldn't hear the train coming either. I checked the time, 'twenty five minutes to go, I can still make it.'
'Where are you from?'
He was still there, insistent little pest.
I struggled between the itching need in my fingers to flip him off and the expectation of me to be polite as the good daughter my mother has raised.
'California,' I answered drily after little consideration. I didn't bother making eye contact.
What was there to see anyway — him with his chocolate brown wavy hair softly curling around his ears or his unnaturally blue eyes that girls like to squeal about like groupies, oh and that million dollar smile that was seriously getting on my nerves.
'Nice, I'm from Bordeux, France.'
Of course you are, that accent of yours is making my ears ring.
Once again, I found myself biting on my tongue before the bitchy Amy got her moment on stage.
'Amy,' I said and turned around to face the enemy. I hated him a little bit more every second I had to pretend I am a decent person during morning hours.
The blue-eyed beauty here, on the other hand, was smiling ear to ear showing off a pair of killer dimples.
Yeah, yeah, we can all see them, they're the size of moon crates. Stop trying that hard or you'll pull a muscle...
'I'm Xavier, enchantèe,' he continued.
I squinted my eyes at him, more out of disdain than actual need to guard from the sun, yet managed to keep it civil as I brought my fingers together to show him an OK sign.
The train finally made its way towards us, the annoying rumbling beating against my temples. I tightened my grip on the handles and got ready to sprint leaving the annoying french guy in the dust.
I played my part! I sighed somewhat relieved this strange encounter would be over in but a few seconds.
'No hard feelings buddy,' I cussed silently under my nose and pushed hard onto the pedals as soon as the barrier showed sign of movement.
'Hasta la vista, Frenchie,' a mean grin crawled onto my lips as I made a turn onto a narrow alley. He wasn't following and I threw my hands into the air like Lance Armstrong winning Tour de France for the first time. The sweet taste of victory propelled me with light speed towards my destination.
As soon as I got to the school parking, I jumped of the bike and ran towards the entrance. I needed to be inside the teacher's lounge twenty minutes before class or Miyu would have my head on a platter. I also didn't want to add to the frustration she had to be feeling about yesterday's events, me setting off into the sunset on her brother's back.
I still had no idea how to face her. I could confront her or pretend I know nothing until she was ready to tell me on her own. Before, at my place, she did mention she had something to say to me and I did promise I would wait as long as she needed me to. Always I said to her.
After wrecking my head for the shortest time in world history, I decided that keeping my mouth shut was the better option. Friends or not, this wasn't a matter I should have or could have pried in.
There were three hundred unbearably long meters from the parking lot to the main building. I huffed and puffed, as I ran, under the heaviness of the backpack pulling down at my shoulders. I grunted at the fact that it was probably the one litre coffee thermos that was giving me a run for my life. I had thoughtfully packed it in before leaving the house. It didn't feel as thoughtful now.
I stormed into the meeting room right on time and crushed onto a free chair gasping for air.
'Ohayou gozaimasu', I saluted everyone and checked the time once again.
'Ha, right on time. Take that sucker!' I let out a relieved sigh, a vociferous one at that and it made everybody's eyes lock on mine.
Miyu's face was among the few teachers present. The smile I sent her way got shot down in midair.
Ouch.
I must admit, it hurt. She went back to arranging some papers into colourful files. Her nonchalant attitude ripped away at my earlier acquired confidence that this day could be somewhat normal.
I followed her doing her own thing — exchanging her morning pleasantries with the other staff, getting the manuals out and arranging them in the order needed for classes, signing off some papers and other boring teacher stuff.
My 'stare at Miyu until she forgives me' plan was failing miserably.
I left my backpack on the dated, poop-y brown armchair and shortened the distance between us while leaning onto one of the desks framing the not so white anymore walls.
'Hey, Miyu! You're looking peachy today,' I chimed faking oblivion which seemed to be the best way out of this awkward situation.
'Good morning Amy sensei,' she answered giving me the cold shoulder.
I looked at her from under my darkened lashes— thank you Loreal for the dramatic look, it happens to fit the mood perfectly — and gave it another try, 'so yes, nothing happened yesterday, Shiro let me go a block away. No biggie, I guess he just wanted to mess with you.' I lied.
Her eyes widened in surprise as her mouth gasped at thin air. She did that whenever she couldn't remember the right word, or entire centuries of what made English the language we speak today.
'This is school, Amy sensei. We talk about work,' she fussed at me while grabbing the books and pushing them violently into her hammerspace satchel before storming out the door.
This is going to be a long-long day! Brace for impact Amy!