Chapter 3: Revelation

Who's Fatima's secret admirer? You'll find out in this chapter who he is.

I was all ready in school at 7 am. This isn’t my ordinary time to go to school. I was going to do my book report in English, its due next week and today is Wednesday, and I haven’t started it yet.

“You’re early today.” The guard told me when he was checking on my bag.

“Yeah, going to do some projects.” I closed my bag,

“Do you want me to accompany you to your building?”

“Uh, I’m okay thanks.”

“Okay.” I walked to our building and it was really cold in there. That’s why he wanted to accompany me here. It’s scary when there are no people inside. Our building was deserted. The corridor was so quiet.

When I was about to enter the classroom, I saw a boy inside. I don’t know what his purpose was so I stayed outside to spy on him. He was holding a roses and a letter in his hands.

Aha! He’s the one that puts something above my arm chair.

He placed the rose and the letter above my arm chair. He suddenly looked at the door where I was peeking through. I took cover and ran to the nearest comfort room to hide.

I think he saw me, or maybe not.

Then minutes later I went out and I passed by him.

I think I know him, I just forgot where I saw him. Where? Where? Where?

I just pretended that I didn’t notice him and entered our classroom. Students now started to enter their classrooms because it’s all ready 7:30.

 “What’s wrong now?” Jane asked me, she seated at her seat which was in front of me.

“Nothing’s wrong” I said to her, still looking at the roses and the letter which the guy I didn’t know placed above my arm chair.

“Then, why are you staring at the things that your secret admirer gave you?”

“It’s not a secret admirer anymore.”

“Why not?”

 “It’s not a secret admirer now because I already saw him” I said.

 “Really? When? How? Who?” Abby and Jane said in unison.

 “I don’t know his name but I saw his face. He was about I think 5’10 in height, chinky and brown eyes, brown hair and has a white complexion” I said to them. They were staring at me. They were like going to eat me with those eyes.

“Do you mean Martin David? The so-handsome guy?” said Jane shocked.

“I’m not sure. I know his face but I don’t know who he is. I was also shocked when I saw him placing the roses over my arm chair” I said to them. I was pulling the petals of the roses. I used to do that since I was a child because we have a garden and we have many flowers there.

“You’re such a lucky girl. A guy like him likes you. Everybody in this school likes him. He’s a heartthrob do you know that?” Abby said, without taking as breath.

“I see him but I didn’t know that everybody likes him. I only see him every time I pass by at the gym playing basketball with his friends and all” I said.

“I can’t believe it! You know, he hadn’t had a girl friend yet. You’re the first one he noticed for all the girls that’s been crazy about him” Abby said.

“I didn’t know that. I don’t even know him. How will I know that?” I demanded.

“Oh let’s just see what happens next” Abby said, very excited.

Then just like before, I still receive a letter and roses above my arm chair. My classmates didn’t know that Martin David was the one who gives me the sweet letters and the beautiful roses that I receive every day.

***

I came in our classroom and he placed something again. It’s not a rose or a letter, it was a teddy bear. Everybody was looking at it when I came in. it was big and so cute. I never thought I’d like teddy bears.

The day ended and I went home with the teddy bear of course, I could not just leave the teddy bear at my seat, it might get lost.

I was at the gate when someone called me. When I turned, it was Kevin.

“Want a ride home? You couldn’t carry that big teddy bear your admirer gave you while riding your bike.”

“Uh, sure. Thanks Kev.”

Kevin was so quiet these days. I don’t know why. Yes he’s quiet but when he’s with me, he’s not like quiet-quiet and not talking at all. This is so not like him.

When we were on our way, all I can hear was the sound of the air con, so I broke the eerie silence.

“Why are you so quiet? What’s wrong? Tell me” I said to him.

“Nothing’s wrong” Kevin said in a low voice.

“Then, why are you so quiet? This is so not you” I said.

“I’m just thinking about things, that’s all” he said.

“Tell me, maybe I can help you”

“No, you can’t help me, and it’s quite personal, I don’t want to talk about it please”

“Okay, Fatima, shut up.” I said to myself and slapped my mouth.

After a moment, we arrived at my house.

“Thanks for the ride home.”

“Yeah, sure. No problem, anytime.”

“Want a snack?”

“No thanks, I should be home, need to do things there.”

“Oh, okay. Bye.” He just nodded and when I got out, he drove off. “Wonder what’s he’s problem.”

My mom was at the window. She saw me holding the teddy bear.

“Who gave you that cute big teddy bear? Perhaps it’s from a secret admirer.” my mom said when I entered the door. She was nudging me playfully.

“Mom, stop it. I just found it above my arm chair this morning when I came in” I said, walking to the kitchen. My stomach was grumbling because of hunger.

“And I am correct. It’s from your secret admirer” she went back to her seat and continued watching cooking.

“Let’s not talk about it anymore mom. What’s for dinner? I’m so hungry” I said.

“There’s beef there at the table, if you’re hungry just eat it, your brother is done eating” my mom said. She turned off the TV and walked through the kitchen.

            She gave me a plate with rice and the food was already at the table. She seated in front of me.

“Why didn’t you invite Kevin to have a snack?” my mom asked.

            “I offered him a snack but he said that he has something to do at his house.”I said even though my mouth was full.  

“Oh, he’s busy?” my mom asked again.

            “I don’t know. He’s so quiet these days. I think something is bothering him, he doesn’t want to share it” I said.

            “Maybe it’s private so he doesn’t want to share it” my mom said to me.

            “Maybe, I’ll ask him again tomorrow” I said. I finished my dinner and went upstairs. I was so exhausted so I slept early.

            I was dreaming about a boy who I think I knew was standing in front of me. He was just about 10 meters away from me. He has his back turned on me so I can’t actually see his face. I can recognize his hair but I can’t remember who he is. I approached him slowly but when I was close to him, he started to run. I ran after him and he entered a building. I followed him wherever he went. The place was familiar, but I can’t remember where it is. I think I’ve been to this place before. I couldn’t catch up on him and the place became blurry. Then while I was walking, I saw him again; he was walking at the corridor of the building. I was near him. I touched his arm and when he was about to look at me… I woke up.

My mom was calling me. It was 7 o’clock and I was going to be late! I washed myself and I didn’t have breakfast anymore. I went straight to school. I didn’t expect that when I came in the classroom, there were no person inside. I don’t understand why there is nobody inside. It was already quarter to eight and there are still no people in.

            I went outside to get things from my locker but when I was walking, there were petals where I was walking. Until I was closer to my locker, there were many people around. I squeezed myself in the crowd so that I can get to my locker. When I was in front of my locker, I was wide-eyed.

            There were bunch of roses all around my locker and at the way, my classmates were all there and they are also astonished about that. All of them were murmuring. We all didn’t expect that to happen. When I opened my locker, a bunch of chocolates went out of my locker. They were all expensive chocolates. A paper also fell.

I hope you like my little gift for you. J

 I took them and I and my classmates went back into the classroom. I gave them some of the chocolates because for sure I wasn’t able to eat it all by myself.

            When we were going to go back to the classroom, Abby and Jane approached me and hold my two arms.

            “He sure is rich right? He even said that it’s just a little gift” Abby said.

            “Yeah” Jane agreed with her.

            We went to the classroom and we went through the day normally, except Kevin. He was still quiet, like a statue moving, but not talking. It’s was dismissal. When I was about to ask Kevin about his stillness, he suddenly went out of the door and went home.

            “What’s his problem?” I asked Jane, I was really disturbed about his actions.

            “I don’t know, he’s like that these days right” Jane answered. We were walking outside.

            “He doesn’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t understand why he is like that” Jane continued.

            “He has a problem and he doesn’t want to tell us about it. I can feel it” Abby said.

            “I can feel it too. But every time I ask him about it he just doesn’t want to talk about it. What do you think it is?” I asked them.

            “I think it’s a family problem, but his family is just okay. I don’t know” Jane sounded really frustrated.

            “Or maybe it’s about his personal life. Maybe he likes a girl but he doesn’t know how he will tell the girl his true feelings for her so he is troubled” Abby said, laughing.

“Stop it Abby, this is a serious matter okay. Our friend has a problem so we should help him out” Jane said to Abby.

“Okay, okay, sorry. But it’s possible you know” said Abby.

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, we’re going to help him” I said.

I got home around 6p.m I think. My mom was at the kitchen when I arrived.

“You’re just in time dear. Dinner is ready. Call your brother so we can have dinner” my mom said.

“Josh didn’t have dinner yet?” I asked her.

“Not yet, the food was not yet ready when he came” my mom answered.

I went up and I could hear the sound of his PS3. Doesn’t his eardrum pop? I think my eardrums are going to break if I have those sounds.

“Josh! Can’t you low it down!” I was knocking on his door. The sound still didn’t low down.

“Josh! Hey! Josh!” I was slamming the door. I don’t care if I would break it or not.

“What?” He finally opened the door.

“Mom’s calling you for dinner.”

“Okay. You’re going to break my door.”

“Whatever.”

“Loser.” He slammed the door in front of me.

“Dork” I changed my clothes and went down.

My brother was already eating when I went down. The moment I sat down, my brother had finished eating. So as usual, after eating, he went straight to living room and watched TV again.

“Did you talked to him?” my mom asked.

“Not yet. He went home early today so I didn’t have the chance to talk to him about it.”

“Ah, he sure is mysterious these days”

“He sure is. Even Jane and Abby can’t talk with him, seriously”

“Maybe his just finding the right time for him to talk stuffs with you guys”

“Maybe”

I ate and went upstairs and finished my home works and lay down. I can’t sleep so I went out to the terrace to have some fresh air. The breeze was cold as the night was dark. There were nobody outside not like in our former house. Even it is the middle of the night, you can still see some people wondering around the place or riding skateboards. I can still remember when I tried to skateboard in our neighborhood and I fell, head first. I just laugh when I remember those times when I was still in our former house. I miss that place. I wish I can visit my friends there and our neighbors that became very close to our family.

Ring…Ring…

That was my cell phone. I went in and looked for my precious Jurassic cell phone.

Now… Where did I put that?

Ring… Ring…

It rang again.

My things were scattered all ready. I searched all the corners of my room but none.

Ring… Ring…

The sound was close. I slipped by hand inside my pocket and felt something hard. I held it out and…

My cell phone! I forgot to remove it. I went back to my bed.

I have 3 new messages from Unknown.

Unknown? Maybe just a wrong send.

“Hi.”

“Who is this?”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course no. that’s why I’m asking who you are because I don’t know you.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to say my name. Sorry. You’re Fatima right?”

“Yes, that’s me. So who are you then?”

“I’m Martin David.”

“Nice to meet you Martin”

“Nice to meet you. Care to be friends?”

“Sure, no problem with me. What, how did you know me?”

“I saw you once at the gym.”

“You saw me? How?”

“Yeah, when you went inside the gym I saw you.”

“Oh, that’s why. Then, where did you get my number.”

“I have my sources.”

“Why did you get my number?”

“Now that’s a secret.”

“Okay, you don’t want to say it. It’s okay.”

“Can we have lunch together tomorrow if it’s ok with you?”

“Lunch? I don’t know.”

“Please? So I could know you better.”

“Okay. But I’ll bring my friends with me.”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Ok then. I got to sleep. I have to wake up early tomorrow. Good night. See you.”

“Good night” that was his last text.

After that, I can’t sleep. I started to think about what was going to happen tomorrow. I can’t help thinking that I’m going to have lunch with the campus heartthrob. I don’t know what will I going to do. I don’t know what clothes I’m going to where.

I don’t need to be worrying about those silly things. I just have to be myself. No need to be worried. I fell asleep after that.