Kissing The Wind

I walked closer to the teacher’s table. He was sitting behind the wooden table and I stood in front of him. The sturdy table separated me from him.

“I have signed all these documents,” he said and shifted things on the table. He put them inside a folder and handed them to me. “I want you to give it to Rogie.”

I blinked at what he said. What? Rogie?

I scratched my nose lightly. “Why it has to be Rogie, Sir?” I asked, disappointed.

Teacher Anthony leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms on his chest. He then stared at me longer than usual. “You’re blushing,” he said in a matter of fact.

I smiled wryly. I knew that my cheeks heated up when I heard Rogie’s name. It was an odd reaction and I knew that, but I could not help blushing out of embarrassment and annoyance. I never forgot what he did last Christmas party and I never forgot how that boy stared at me the whole time during class hours. If not because of my seatmate whom I made as a shield from Rogie’s stare, I would certainly blush throughout that morning.

I did not know what happened to that Rogie guy but I knew and I could feel that he was up to no good. And now, hearing his name upon Teacher Anthony’s lips, I could not help but show my embarrassment. I gritted my teeth silently.

“It was nothing, Sir.” I cleared my throat and reached for the folder on the teacher’s table. “I will go and find Rogie.”

“Do you know what’s in that folder?” he asked.

I shook my head and looked down. I felt Teacher Anthony shift in his chair but then he did not stand up. He just seated there and watched after my every move.

“Your credentials,” he said in a serious tone.

That was when I looked up at him. Our gaze met but I did not mind it at all as what he said mattered more to me. “What about my credentials, Sir?”

“Rogie wants to revoke your scholarship and kick you out of this school.”

I blinked for how many times. I even stepped back as I felt my knees lose their strength. I immediately opened the folder and read every line written on that sheet.

It was indeed a behavioral report. The report stated that I did cheat on tests two consecutive times. And I knew that if that report fell in the hands of the prefect, I would certainly bid goodbye to my school days. The school admin would kick me out of that school instantly.

“Cheating?” I exclaimed. “I did not cheat! When did I cheat on your test, Sir? This is a mistake!”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“Then why did you sign these papers!” I paced back and forth in front of him. “I don’t have the money the pay my tuition for the previous years! My scholarship is my last hope to study, Sir. Please, don’t do this!”

He did not say anything and just stared at me that made me more upset. “Sir,” I said between gritted teeth. “You know that I did not cheat. Why are you doing this?”

“It’s for your good.”

“My good?” I laughed bitterly. “Sir, I’m sorry for being rude but you don’t have to do this! I will respect you if you want but this revoked scholarship is too much for me. Sir, please!”

He sighed and stood up. “Come, let me escort you to him.”

I stamped my foot in defiance. “No!”

Teacher Anthony squinted his eyes on me. “You promised to respect me, Sydnee.”

I whimpered under his gaze and looked down. “I don’t want to hand these to Rogie.”

“Sydnee,” he warned.

I looked up at him, eyes were in a rage. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why do you people always push me to the edge? Why are you treating me so badly? I just want to study and I never stepped on anyone to bring myself to the top like what you’re doing to me! I always keep myself low so I could study peacefully but you people always step me down further from where I am now! Why are you so heartless!”

I made him speechless after I said those words but I did not have the plan to apologize. There was nothing that I should apologize for. My words were all true.

The students in that school mocked us who were only there because of a scholarship. I did not mind it at all for years because I thought that it was normal. But at that moment, when I read that report, I knew immediately that those treatments were not normal at all. They were stepping us down, adding salt to our wounds, treating us as if were lowly rats and pigs in that society.

And it was not good. We were still people! I clenched my jaw in rage and closed my fist.

Teacher Anthony stepped closer to me and snatched back the folder. He sighed. “It was not like that, Sydnee.”

“Don’t speak,” I whispered, eyes glowing in rage and disappointment. “I thought that you were different from them but I was wrong.”

“Sydnee,” he whispered under his breath. “I’m doing this for your good. Please understand.”

“It’s not for my good but your selfish motives, Sir! Rogie is a bastard who wants nothing but to ruin my life because of such petty things! He is a worthless bastard just like you!” I spat in his face and stormed out of that classroom.

I did not know what I was thinking but I found myself in front of Rogie. We were inside the canteen. I could hear whispers and I could feel their gazes on me. But those did not bother me at all.

What I wanted at that time was to slap and tear Rogie apart but I held myself back. I wanted to know what did I do to him that he went too far in revoking my scholarship. Since it was my last day in that school, then I should enjoy myself tearing him apart later after I hear his side.

“Sydnee,” he said, lips curved into a thin smile. “I did not expect you to have the courage to stop me from drinking.” Then his gaze went down to my hand holding his wrist.

I hissed. “Bastard,” I cursed under my breath.

Rogie’s eyes glinted and then he laughed. “Such innocent lips cursing me.” He used his other free hand to hold my hand. He swiftly loosened my grip on his wrist and he drank his soda in the can while staring at my raging eyes. He then crooked his lips and put the can on the table. “I wonder what brought you here. We haven’t spoken since last year, hmm?”

I stopped myself from hitting him and I closed my fist tightly. “Why do you want to revoke my scholarship?”

I saw how he was stunned for a moment, but then he smiled sweetly at me. “You cause me to lose face many times. Normally, I will take my revenge in this way.”

“Do you know what will happen when my scholarship will be revoked?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “No.” He crooked his lips again and crossed his arms on his chest as he leaned back on his chair. “I don’t have a plan to know either.”

“You’re such a heartless man, Rogie.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Sydnee.”

Right then, I could not stop myself. I swiftly raised my hand and slapped his cheek hard. I could feel the numbness in my palm as I stared at his face facing the left side. Then, a red handprint slowly appeared on his cheek.

I secretly smiled in satisfaction. I never knew that I could have the chance to humiliate and slap an heir in that school, knowing that students like Rogie were treated as VIPs in that school.

There was a wave of silence inside the canteen. Then, seconds later, a girl sitting across Rogie’s table stood up and walked closer to me. I did not know who that girl was but according to her looks and moves, I knew that she was a daughter and an heiress too.

Before I could say a thing, the girl slapped me hard on my cheek that I found myself being slammed on the cold tiled floor of the canteen. A searing pain washed away the satisfaction I felt when I slapped Rogie. Numbness enveloped my whole body as my mind focused on the part where the girl had slapped me.

“You’re just a scholar in this school. What right do you have to inflict pain to the VIP?” The girl sneered at me. “Do you think that you could get away by just revoking your scholarship?”

I did not answer her. I raised my hand to touch my cheek but I groaned quietly when I felt the searing pain again. I panted. Sweat trickled down from my forehead. My mind went blank for a moment as my heartbeat raced wildly.

Someone pulled my ID up. I gasped as my body was forced to be lifted. The ID sling choked my nape. I lifted my gaze and I saw the face of the same girl who slapped me. She smirked and then I saw her bring out a small and pointed scissor from her pocket and cut the ID sling. Then my body fell on the floor with a thud. The students inside the canteen made noises. They were cheering for the girl who cut my ID sling.

I grimaced as I felt pain all over my body. I was just thankful that the floor was tiled or else it would be more disaster for me.

“Sydnee Lurica. A scholar and in her last year of high school,” said the girl while staring at my ID. “Not bad. I would love to teach lessons on a mighty scholar who thinks highly of herself. What do you think guys?” the girl asked the crowd. There was loud vibration as the students showed their support to the girl.