Chapter:2 Freshers (ll)

Anna's new school is a decades-old, vintage structure popularly known for its well-established and historic significance, set up during colonial rule. The first hall is a huge room, and looking up, it is a semicircular Roman arch-like building. Anna felt a literal goose bump all over her body. She could imagine her future flashing in her eyes, exploring new hopes and experiences, giving birth to an inexplicable feeling of excitement in her stomach. On the spur of the moment, a loud and deep male voice is heard on the speaker. He confidently spoke in a booming, authoritative tone...

"Welcome to Kingston Academy, This is your student council President speaking. Freshers, you may please line up on the left counter to collect your Identity card."

" I repeat, Welcome to Kingston Academy. This is your student council President speaking. Freshers you may please..."

Moving towards the counter, sat a woman in her late 30s. The counter clerk gave the most cynical and indifferent looks in her outlandish blue-framed cat eye spectacle to every student passing through her counter section. She sat at the front desk, taking records of new students and issuing identity cards. With her intimidating attitude, she sternly turns with an emotionless word-

"Next!

"Name"

"Major"

"Admission receipt"

She made cold, repetitive, and boring remarks on each encounter as she pressed, thumbing her seal on every pass. Her annoyed..."Next" was followed by a demure, short girl, standing at the front of the counter. Her "Next" victim had a chubby face, all red as she nervously held out a piece of paper. She looks terribly confused adjusting to a new situation...

" It's Ma… Mary Goody sorry Mary Goodwill

"Major"

"Ex..excuse me?" The girl's brain has gone foggy.

The clerk, now, looks even more irritated than ever. She loudly spells every word "What-is-your-primary-subject?"

"Oh..."

"Pardon?"

A burning fume of anger could be seen above the clerk's head and was followed by a muffled laugh from other students….

"SILENCE."

"I feel bad for her. She must be very nervous"

Stephanie whispered.

"She looks cute and fun to be with," Anna observed.

Another person passed, then another and now Anna's turn is up next. She disguises her calmest and best smile..." Anna Rosewood"

The name 'Evelyn Mayfield' was written on the name tag of the counter clerk's left chest.

Evelyn's swollen belly carries a life of what seems to be 8 months - she's pregnant.

"Major?" the same indifferent voice spoke up.

"Room 21(A) is your classroom". Evelyn stamped the seal on the receipt and handed out a rectangular-shaped ID card to Anna. " Civics freshers to be assembled in the west hall 2(R), third floor, 9:00 am sharp".

4 hours later...

The first day in the new school was an intense one. Anna had to attend hours of extreme facilitation, courses, and syllabus review, and articulation of boring rules and regulations. Anna was already exhausted and needed some fresh air. She checked her phone, already 1:05 pm. She quickly walked out of the room and saw Stefanie already waiting and waving in the hallway.

Anna and Stefanie had always been together in the past. Wherever Anna goes, Stefanie follows up and wherever Stefanie goes, Anna follows. They have always shared the same, similar tastes, interests, and desires for everything, ever since they have been together. However, after standard 12, they had decided to switch to picking different paths for once in their lives. This year, Anna's choice of subject has differed from Stefanie's, who takes an interest in literature. In fact, Anna was expecting Steffie to follow her path however as fate might have opened to another twisted door, this time, it gave a bit of relaxation to Anna, she could take as a chance to take a breath and a rest from feeling weird and uncomfortable vibe everytime she had to face Stefanie- something she could never say aloud. Anna knew deep down in her heart, she would never blame her best friend; however, she still hasn't been fully recovered, dealing with her feelings on witnessing her 3 years long crush, Simon's feelings towards Stefanie. She just couldn't understand all these facts... She thought Simon liked her back- if not, what are all those signs he gave her, things between them seemed too clear to be untrue and hard to ignore. Did nothing really spark between them? Maybe she overestimated her delusional world of fantasy. Maybe it never happened. Maybe it was just her imagination.

And all those past years Anna had always been shamelessly honest to Stefanie, sharing stories about her crush and her feelings towards Simon, only to find out Stefanie had always been crushing and had developed feelings for the same guy. And Anna only realized what seemed to be just yesterday the "Confession" took place. Stefanie never comes clean to Anna on Simon's Confession, maybe she thought that if she tried honesty, Anna might have gotten hurt too much. At the New Year wishing ceremony, Stephanie tried to ask Anna about her feelings towards Simon once, but Anna just casually scoffed off, laughing, saying she had forgotten to think of Simon and that the feeling might have gone and forgotten. (Such a liar, liar - Anna would torture herself in her mind). Ever since that day, Anna talking of Simon was never heard of, and Stefanie could never bring about Simon. Whatever is gone, is gone, the past is past…no need to pry old scars. Otherwise, Anna is afraid of losing a decades-old relationship and friendship; whatever happens, she's not going to ruin her relationship with Stefanie.

Dear dairy,

Stephie should have dated Simon. I know she liked him as much as I did, maybe even more. She even got the Confession from her crush, whom she had dreamed of. She must have been waiting for this moment. I was hoping for a happy ending for them. What could have possibly gone wrong? But how could I ask...

3 months ago, I pretended never to know.

I felt so bad. I'm such a bad friend. Maybe I should have just told Stephanie that I know about the Confession and that I'm okay with her dating Simon. And that I'm happy for them...

I just want to let her know that I never blame her in any way because Simon liked her...

I really hate this feeling...

I want it to be gone...

Yours, Anna❤️

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