"Hey, Gammy!" I screamed while looking for a better way to get up ot of my bed.
"What is it, A?"
Ugh! There she goes again with my nickname! I hate it when she says it. Not A as aaaa but as eeyyy. I don't know why, but it annoys me.
"I told you to wake me up! And you didn't. And now I'll be late on the first day at school. You know how desperate I am to maintain my grades."
"Seriously, A? It's the first day. Surely, there will be no activities, etc."
"Well, what if there is."
"Can you stop on being so overreactive? Just get your ass down here and eat your breakfast. You can also be late on the first day of school, miss."
"Okay, okay. I'm just gonna get my things ready for school."
So, boring days are going to start again. I am not really a nerdy person, actually, I just pretend that I am an angel girl at my school to prevent Gammy from having a heart attack when she finds out that I have low grades. Turns out, I always find a way to blackmail the head of a school. And with the beginning journey of college life, it is again, my problem, on how to find a way to scare off the president of the school, whatsoever.
My Gammy always looked up on me. She said that I was like her when she was at ny age. When I heard her say it, I was touched. I always wanted to hear that from another people. My parents. I never knew about them. Gammy never told any stories about them. I bring up the topic and, BOOM, she changes it. It's like she always finds a way to hide the missing piece of me.
So, I thought that, why would I even bother to know someone who doesn't even exist, right? I will just love her, and I will appreciate all the things she did for me on my 18 years of existence. After all, maybe she is the piece my parents left behind so that I won't be incomplete anymore. And because of that, I will motivate myself on achieving my dreams for me and for her.
And that's a little corny.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"...so next one to introduce herself in front is Ms. Ana Reese."
"Hello everybody. My name is Ana Reese. I live at my Gammy's house at Greenville Subdivision. Unlike you, I never knew my parents. I mean, of course, we all never knew them. But me, I never knew any single information about them and I.....I....am actually thankful because I know that when there will come a time that I will know about them, I will be sad. And when I am sad, they'll be sad, too. Am I right?"
"That's sad. Let's give her a round of applause for not crying. HA HA"
What the fudge. Seriously? What kind of professor is he. I mean I don't even know him because I am late. But for not crying. I tried my best to not be so corny. I suck at giving impromptu speeches in front of other people.
When I was about to seat, someone took over my seat and I have to find another. Seriously, this university sucks! I wish I and Gammy are rich.
“Ana, may I ask why your not in uniform today? You know how strict this university is in maintaining the discipline of our students.”
Yup. You heard him. I'm actually wearing ripped jeans right now and a blue tshirt with a “fuck off” phrase printed in it. And yes, I'm that kind of gal.
“My milk accidentally stumbled on my uniform.”
“Really, Ana? Can't you come up with a more realistic reason? Anyways, make sure you clean it and wear it tomorrow.”
“No prob.”
After that class, I went to our canteen to stuff my aching stomach. The canteen can be found at the south side of the school. The main building is located at the center of the entire campus. The main building consists of 5 floors. All in it. This university only has few students so it doesn't need much.
The north side of the building is the main gate. The east side is the gym, a really big one. The west side is where you can find a forest, a dark one. I've heard stories of it being haunted but I really don't believe such ones. Actually, I'm thinking of it as my main spot. I really like to be alone, think about things that matters. Isolating myself from others gives me relief. I really am not sure why but I am content with loneliness. Maybe a part of me already got used to it.
I was bullied when I was on elementary school. Everyone would bully me because of the big mole below my left eye. I would grow bangs so that it would cover it up but it didn't stop them from bullying me. Some kid called me dot face. Some called me a cursed kid. I cried whenever they bully me. I always did because I was a weakling before. Gammy always caught me crying while sitting on a swing whenevet she fetches me. I know she is always angry when she finds out that I cried again because of my classmates. My adviser, Satan's mistress, doesn't even bother to teach my classmates a lesson. She just let them, perhaps because one of the bully is the daughter of the principal. Power, as usual.
“Hi,” a tall guy with dark hair and blue eyes suddenly talked to me. His body figure is perfect. His height maybe close to 5'9. His lips are red. He has a cleft chin. His jaw is perfect, makes me unable to feedback quickly. Holy shazam, my heart's beating fast.
“He..he..hello,” come on tongue, be good today.
“Can I sit?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks. Uuh. What's your name again?”
“Ana. Ana Reese. Hard to remember huh?”
“Not really. I'm Steve by the way.”
“Hi, Steve. You new here?”
“Yup, you?”
“Like a new born baby.”
“Great. Now I don't feel so alone.”
“Okay. Nice meeting you Steve. I gotta go now. I have a class coming ahead. See yah.”
“Okay. See yah.”
I was about to walk away..
“Hey, can I get your phone number?” he said nervously.
“Sure.” I gave it to him.
————————————————————
“I'm home, Gammy!”
“Great, I've prepared an apple pie just for you.”
“Wow, really? You really know how to brighten my day, Gammy.”
“Of course. Everything just for you, darling.”
“Thank you very much, Gammy. Can I borrow your sewing kit, Gammy? I need to stitch up my uniform.”
“What? What happened to it?”
“I stumbled on my bike.”
“Next time, be careful.”
“Okay, okay. Where is it, Gammy?”
“Go to my bedroom and look under the bed. It's a box with color black blanket.”
I climbed up and open the door to her bedroom. When I opened it, I can see every moment we had when I was just a kid hanging on her wall. She is really an artist. I can see my first birthday. I can see my seventh birthday celebration. All of my birthday celebrations are here. All of it just containing the picture of me. I don't really invite anyone. I never had a friend when I was a kid. But I never really felt being left behind, I have my Gammy with me.
I kneeled on the floor and start to look for the box. Black cover black cover, where's it? Oh. Found it.
I open it and instead of containing needles and cushions, I saw photos. Photos of a couple, happy ones.
“Gammy!”
“What is it?”
“Come here! Quick!”
I heard her climb up the stairs very fast.
“What is it?”
“Who are they? The couple in the picture?”
“Who told you to open that box!”
“I'm sorry. I accidentally opened it, I thought it was the sewing kit.”
“Give me that!”
“Why are you acting like that, Gammy? You're scaring me.”
“Just give it to me!”
“No, Gammy. Not unless you tell me who they are.”
I dont know but I'm getting nervous and ny eyes are teary. It feels like I need to know.
“No!”
“Why won't you tell me?”
“Just give me that!”
“No I won't unless you tell me who the f*ck they are?”
“They're your parents! Are you happy now?”
I dropped the box.
“You…yy…you have these pictures a long time now and you didn't even let me see it? Why'd you do that? Why would you hide that from me?”
Why would she? Is there something I mustn't know?
“Because I was scared that you will leave me.”
“What? Why would I even leave you behind? They're dead.”
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I haven't told you anything about them.”
“It's okay. It's just that why haven't you showed it to me when I was younger. And it is like you are hiding these pictures from me.”
“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.” she sobs.
“Oh, Gammy, don't cry please. You know how I hate it when I see you crying.”
“Okay I'm gonna stop now.”
“Good. Now tell me the story of them.”
“Let's eat our apple pie first.”
“Really, Gammy?”
“HAHHAHAAHAHA."
We both laughed and went down the stairs, and then we saw someone standing in front of the door, the school president.
“I would like to say to you Mrs. Reese that your granddaughter did a terrible thing today at the school.”
What? What the f*ck?