At Mia’s school
Mia was walking down the hallway when she got distracted by a voice.
“Here Mia” Kyle yelled from afar to get Mia’s attention. Mia turned to look at him, though not looking directly at him.
“Catch” Kyle threw a ball aiming directly for Mia’s face.
Just then, Lakshmi came from nowhere and hit the ball, making it change direction, bouncing on a locker before landing on the floor.
Kyle was surprised and Lakshmi lowered her eyes, making them half closed, she walked over to the ball and picked it up before slowly walking towards Kyle’s direction.
“You know, you should tell someone far ahead of time before trying to play a game of catch with them unless you might get hurt yourself” Lakshmi used the ball to hit Kyle on the stomach.
“Ooh” Kyle clutched his stomach and gasped in pain.
“Don’t even try it” Lakshmi warned Kyle’s friends who wanted to approach her. They retreated in their movements and helped Kyle to stand straight.
“What business do you have with who I play catch with” Kyle could barely talk, he was still in so much pain but he wanted to prove that he was strong.
“Darling, I don’t care who you play catch with so long as that person isn’t Mia. Do you understand me?” She twisted his hand before she pushed him to the floor and walked away. She grabbed Mia’s wrist and led her out of the hallway. Mia felt like she was being dragged so she struggled for Lakshmi to let go of her.
“I’m sorry. Was I hurting you?” Lakshmi asked Mia the moment Mia forcefully seperated her wrist from Lakshmi’s grip.
Mia nodded her head as a no and was about to walk away.
” I just want to be your friend Mia, that is all I want,”. Lakshmi yelled, trying to stop Mia from leaving. Mia turned around suddenly with widened eyes.
“Yes Mia. I know you are shocked but that is all I want from you, please just give me a chance. I promise you that I will never hurt you again” Lakshmi pleaded but Mia didn’t even look at her, not that she could get herself to look at Lakshmi or any one else.
“But why?” Mia tilted her head towards the right, almost touching her shoulder.
Lakshmi walked to where she was standing and held her face upright as she looked at Mia straight in her beautiful blue eyes.
” Because you are a good person with a beautiful heart and because I regret what I have done to you so far. I want to make up for my mistakes, just let me be your friend” Lakshmi was talking but then Mia looked away from her. Mia just couldn’t have direct eye contact with someone, it was very scary to her.
“I don’t have any friends,” Mia reminded Lakshmi.
“I know that,” Lakshmi smiled.
“I don’t want any friends” Mia removed Lakshmi’s hand from her face.
“I will still be your friend anyways so common, Let’s go, we are going to be late for our next class” Lakshmi grabbed Mia’s wrist once again and they walked to class together. There was something about Lakshmi sudden change in attitude that made Mia feel so good on the inside, it made Mia happy on the inside and she just couldn’t express that feeling.
Mia and Lakshmi were both surprised to find the class noisy, the teacher wasn’t around and when Lakshmi asked one of her classmates the reason, she was told that all the teachers were having a meeting and it would probably last throughout the day so there might be no classes throughout the day.
Most of the students brought out their phones and began to play the music so loudly, Mia didn’t like it at all. She covered her eyes and she just couldn’t tolerate the noise, she was panicking. Lakshmi noticed how the noise was affecting her then she went over to one of her classmates, playing the music and took the phone from her.
“Heii, give me back my phone..” the girl was saying but suddenly paused when she realized who had taken the phone from her.
Lakshmi raised an eyebrow as if daring the girl to do her worst but she stared at her with pleading eyes and Lakshmi paused the music before returning her phone to her.
“No one should play music in this class anymore. I don’t like it, if you want to play music on your cell phones then you either do it outside or put on your earphones. You are creating a disturbance, if I report you guys to the school authorities then I’m sure you all will get detention” Lakshmi warned very strictly and everyone turned off the music on their phones at once.
“How do you feel now?” Lakshmi asked Mia as she helped her to take a seat. Mia didn’t even take her palm off her ears.
” You can stop blocking your ears now. There is no music anymore, the noise is gone, you can keep your hands down now” Lakshmi held Mia’s hand bringing it down from her eyes.
“Ok kids, keep your bags aside and get your writing materials. You are having a test now” the teacher walked in and began to wipe the board.
“What? You can’t do that. You didn’t tell us we were going to be having any test” Bella yelled, she was such an arrogant girl.
“Sit down Bella. If you want to take the test it’s fine and if you don’t then it’s also fine. I don’t care, it’s your life after all and not mine, now sit down and be quiet” the teacher warned Bella who stopped her nonsense at once.
“Sorry teacher” she faked her remorse and took her seat.
Lakshmi was also stunned because of the test but she remained silent about it. She didn’t want to look disrespectful in Mia’s eyes, she also sat next to Mia and waited for the teacher to start sharing the questions.
“Your time starts now. You only have an hour and thirty minutes to finish this test. And for the stubborn ones like Bella who don’t want to take the test, I just want you to know this is going to take 40% of your CA” the teacher announced after she was done distributing the papers.
A common test was really nothing to Mia, she read everyday and she has a perfect memory so it was easy for her to remember what she read the previous month. Mia was writing and had gone far when she noticed that Lakshmi had only written down her name on her paper. She rested her fist on her chin with her elbow touching the desk and was rolling her pen on the desk with her other hand.
It was obvious that she didn’t know what to write. Mia wanted to help Lakshmi but she also didn’t want to cheat, her good heart got the best of her and she tapped Lakshmi with her leg.
“Yes, what is it Mia?” Lakshmi whispered the moment she felt Mia’s touch.
Mia didn’t even say anything, she just adjusted her paper so that Lakshmi would be able to copy her answers.
“But Mia” Lakshmi tried to protest when Mia held her hands.
“Please be quick before the teacher catches us,” Mia whispered, trying to copy Lakshmi’s gesture. Lakshmi was in a tight spot and she was left with no other choice but to copy Mia’s answers, although she didn’t write down everything. She only wrote down the answers to the questions that carried the most marks. Soon their time was up.
Bella was the first person to submit her empty script, she was more than convinced that her parents would be able to manipulate her results, all she needed to do was shed some tears.
Ever since Lakshmi started associating with Mia, most of
her friends including Bella started avoiding her, Lakshmi couldn’t care less. Bella ordered the other girls (which were popularly known as “Lakshmi’s crew” that was until Bella took over and now they were known as “Bella’s crew”) to move out of the class with her.
The teacher shook her head and left with the papers
“Thank you so much Mia. I don’t know what I would have done if..” Lakshmi turned to thank Mia who was packing her bags and organizing her books.
“This will never happen again, don’t get used to it” Mia blurted out, not caring how it would affect Lakshmi’s feelings.
“I know Mia but thank you anyways” Lakshmi still thanked her again.
“Why weren’t you able to write anything on your own?” Mia looked at Lakshmi. She was looking at her as if looking for something in her eyes.
“I am not smart like you, that’s why I wasn’t able to write on my own” Lakshmi scoffed.
“That’s not true, everyone is smart. Maybe you just don’t like to read” Mia tilted her head to the right. Lakshmi made her keep her head straight.
“Well everyone but me. Do you want to go grab something to eat? I’m hungry.” Lakshmi asked Mia with so much care.
“I don’t have any money. I’m okay” Mia turned Lakshmi’s offer down.
“That’s okay I will pay for you. You have helped me today so I can also help you” Lakshmi shrugged and offered her hand to Mia so she would stand up from her seat.
“Like bribery?” Mia tilted her head to the right.
“Don’t be silly, common, let’s go before recess is over” Lakshmi helped Mia get up.
Although the kids didn’t have to pay for their food, Lakshmi loved to go the extra mile to get something else that wasn’t on the school menu.
“Here we go, I got us a full pizza. How awesome is that?” Lakshmi placed the box of pizza on their table while she put her hands on her waist like super man.
“I don’t know. I have never had pizza before” Mia said rather too quickly.
“What? And you are still surviving? That alone is a medical emergency” Lakshmi was being sarcastic which made Mia giggle a little
“That’s not true,” Mia said in between her short laughter.
“Of course not but I’m happy to see you smiling like this. Eat your food” Lakshmi served the pizza on a plate for Mia and they began to eat.