CHAPTER 6

Morpheus' Note: This is the song featured in this chapter is The Day You Said Goodnight by Hale. I love this song totes and oh, please answer the question at the end of the chapter!

Kapittel 6

Vanessa

Ever since Dad died, I have been restless. I can't take a good sleep since I'm haunted with nightmares and can't go back to sleep because I become scared of the nightmare coming back again, the nightmare that endlessly flashes the scenes that I'd most lovingly forget over and over again like a broken cassette tape. It renders me to just lay in bed and think of little things and matters which leads to another reason why I can't sleep, I can't control my running, rumbling thoughts that suddenly goes from one small matter that soon turns dark for no reason, and also my uncontrollable mood that sometimes makes me separate logic with my emotions. I've been experiencing them for the past month and I thought might go crazy if it goes on. But thank the odds, I didn't have any of those last night.

I woke up feeling as if I've woke up after long years of hibernation, feeling refreshed but lazy at the same time. Thinking that it's been long since I've had a feeling like it, I groggily opened my eyes, the ceiling welcoming my sight making me smile a little, remembering its state when I came back. It was dull and grey, adorned by cobwebs and dust that I scratch my eyes whenever I look up to take a look of its boringly lonely, topsy-turvy state. Cleaning it took me almost an hour and cost me to wear some PPE-like stuff such as goggles, fast masks, etc. also a few sniffs and sneezes. Man, cleaning the entire room was tiring and tedious, but I had fun though.

I let out a small giggle before closing my eyes shut and rolling over the other side of the bed. I groaned feeling the mushiness of the soft pillows and the comforter hugging my body, my weight making myself sink into the bed. Ah, I feel like becoming one with the bed. I want to become one with the bed. It's like time is moving really slow as if I'm floating in the sky, laying down on a thick cloud, nothing is better than this kind o—

"Vanessa!" Dang, mom. Sometimes, it irritates me the fact that she's a morning person, she'd wake us up at 6 and tell us it's already afternoon. I feel like I'm drafted in the military because of how early she wakes me up and moved out of bed, but of course, military is harder and way earlier.

I groaned once again and opened one eye, staring at my newly decorated study table blankly when I noticed the small calendar I put there, the date with a red circle on it particularly. Gosh, last night was Sunday right...? Then today must be...

Monday

Much to the horror of my realization, I groaned again and pulled the comforter over my head, snuggling on my pillows, the muscles of my body suddenly weakening. It seems that time isn't slow as I imagined it is, I hadn't realized that today's Monday and not just that, today's my second first day of school. Dang it, I'm still not ready. I better go back to sleep and maybe go to school tomorrow, if I'm in the mood, that is.

I was enjoying a good snuggly-wuggly moment until I heard the door being opened, along with mom's booming voice, echoing in my room. "Vanessa! What are you doing?!" but I ignored her and pulled the comforter closer to my body.

All good and ready for another sleep, I closed my eyes and shifted a bit when a strong force pulled the sheets away from my body, leaving me exposed to the sun's warm rays that made me open my eyes and look at the perpetrator who got my comforter.

Mom was glaring at me with disappointment painted on her face, particularly her cognac brown eyes, the eyes that Zach inherited.

"Mooom!" I groaned, sitting up and pouted at her.

"Darling, it's already 6." Mom sighed and began folding the fabric, her hands and fingers moving swiftly and gracefully. She set it on the edge of my bed down in a split second. "Get up, today's your first day of school too," she added, putting her hands on her hips and leaning her hips down a bit, posing like a mom catching her child stealing cookies in the jar.

"Noooo, I don't like wanna gooo." I slumped my back on the mattress and covered my face with a pillow. Can I go to school tomorrow instead?

"Vanessa," she said my name with a hint of warning in her voice, like what she usually does when she notices I'm hiding something or situations like taking too long to do what she asks or like this, when I don't want to get up from bed. Somehow, it makes me kind of happy, it's been since she's like this. After dad died, she usually cries and spaces out in the living room, only getting up when it's time to cook food. When I refuse to get up from bed, she only stays quiet and tells me to eat when I'm hungry. It seems that we're slowly getting back to normal, in a different home— that is.

I removed the pillow from my face. "Mom," I pouted, looking at her with puppy eyes. Hah, I am so going to win this.

"Bye, sweetie! Take a taxi on your way home!" mom waved at me goodbye enthusiastically before driving off, leaving me all alone in the parking lot as I groaned internally. Ignoring the other students' curious stares at me as they pass by, it seems that it's their first time seeing someone sent to school by their parent but I'm not embarrassed by that though, my mom is a strong and I'll never be embarrassed by her no matter what.

Again, with mom, she won using the dad card, saying that if it were dad cajoling me to go to school and I refuse, he'll surely be upset. She's got a point though, dad values education very much as he was formerly a drop out who came back to high school at 20 when he realized the value of schooling and what happens after successfully graduating. Getting a good job and a fine life. He always tells me that story of his when I was a kid, that's why I always put in mind the importance of graduating and getting into a good college than a nice job later on. On his death, I valued it even more, I begin making an ambition of giving mom and Zach a good life.

I sighed, thinking why was I thinking of lazing off earlier, thinking of going to school tomorrow instead of today. Why tomorrow when I can do it today? Why not today? That was stupid of me, giving in to what I was feeling rather than what I'm ought to do. Self-control sure is hard, huh?

Taking another breath in, I turned on and stared at the façade before me. When we passed by the enormous gate earlier, I thought that it was just a show-off and everything else inside was just like in my former school; buildings with up to three to four floors, an open field large enough for a game of soccer can play, cafeteria and of course a parking lot but Trinity Knight here is a lot different. From the parking lot, I could see the enormous building with up to five floors and higher, and it was packed with lots of people, the large cafeteria with a bunch of fast-food chain restaurant slots one after another, the field is four times wider and the students were playing three sports at once! This rather looks like a university than a high school campus to me. It seems that mom took me to the wro—

Ring!

Hearing a sudden small ring, I took my phone out from my back pocket to see what it was. Turns out it was a text.

From Katherine:

It's your first day of school! 😄 Have fun and make new friends, but don't forget us too! 🥺

The others are sending their regards btw. 😘💋

A smile formed on my lips as my phone rang again with another message.

From Katherine:

We'll find a way to visit you. 😉

"I wish you guys are here," I mumbled with the same smile etched on my face. I want to call them for a face time but I'm sure, they're busy doing stuff and goofing off right now. I don't want to disturb them just for small matters that I'm feeling little lost and dazed, just because I'm in a new campus, not to mention, Katherine texted me with a wish of having fun, that's already good enough for me.

I guess it's time for me to move and head to the registrar's office.

"Vanessa Hathern?" the registrar asked me with a small smile and gentle look on her face. Wow, even the service here is amazing.

"Yes," I nodded and she does too, stating. "I see." Before looking down on the monitor of her computer and begin typing. When she stopped, she immediately grabbed a paper and pen out of nowhere then began scribbling fast before handing it to me along with a book and other cards with one of them having my face wearing an awkward smile on.

"Take these, it contains your class schedule, your student identification card—please wear this immediately, student handbook. campus map, admit-to-exam slip, books list that you need to reference for the textbooks that you need to claim in the book center before you go to class and a letter to the teachers, in case they're wondering who you are and also if you are late, this one expires only for a week," she then added, "Welcome to Trinity Knight High School, by the way."

I took the papers she handed to me gently with a small thanks then left with small trudges despite feeling a bit awkward of what she said about the last paper. Looking at the campus map, I pondered. It seems that the campus is so large that students easily get lost and need to have their excuse being lost legit. But the hard part is I need to memorize the entire campus only for a week, I wish I have someone to give me a tour. I flipped the card to the back and saw today's schedule. It seems that my first subject this morning is mathematics on the fourth floor of the STC building. Geez, what a great way to start my first day in Trinity Knight.

I scratched my head and stopped my tracks when I remembered something. Reminds me, the woman me told to get my books first before heading to class, grr. I flipped the school map back to the front to see where the book store is. My eyes widened when I learned that the bookstore is three buildings away from the current building, I'm in right now and the STC building is also two buildings away from the bookstore, and it's currently 7:25, 35 minutes before my first class. Dang, I'm given a hard time on my first day.

"Gosh, where am I?!" I fumed, turning my head left and right, looking at every part, side, and corner of the building. It says on the map that the book center is one entire between the faculty building and the Chivalry building. If I don't get my books sooner, God knows what bad is going to happen and I don't want to ruin my first day and give the instructors a bad impression. Sigh.

"The silence

"Huh?" I turned around, looking for the source of the lovely melody of guitar strings strummed and the soothingly lovely voice singing the lyrics. The voice sounded deep but was in tone and sounds soft and gentle, a perfect company with the strums of the guitar. It made me feel warm like I'm cradled in someone's arms, soothing me with the song. I admit, I'm enchanted.

"And I do reside in your light

"Over there?" I mumbled out my sudden thought and turned on my heels towards the direction where there was a thick acacia tree. I narrowed my eyes and saw a person's arm, a guitar's neck, and a head-bobbing like the person is doing a little headbang. That must be the person singing.

Slowly and painstakingly, I walked towards the tree, not wanting to disturb the person singing but wanting to hear him closely at the same time.

"To be is all I gotta be

I closed my eyes, a smile forming on my lips. I stepped another foot closer, closer, and clos— crunch!

"The day you said good n—"

Along with the sound of the twig crunching, the singer also stopped singing midway and immediately stood up, stepping out of the tree, revealing himself before my eyes, making me gasp in surprise. He has the complete ideal guy code. He was quite tall that I have to stretch my neck to see his perfectly chiseled handsome face that contains a handsomely sculpted upturned nose, almond-shaped black eyes, and nice thin lips, not to mention his naturally tan skin shines against the sun's rays that it hurts my eyes. Ah.

"Excuse me, miss?" he asked, his voice deep but at the same time, gentle, surprising me even more. How in the...?!

But despite the surprise felt, I immediately organized myself internally and asked him: "Why did you stop? It was beautiful."

His confused facial expression soon dispersed and changed into something soft, "I'm sorry. I was just a bit confused— I mean, it's my first time seeing you on this campus."

"I'm a transferee. Today's my first day," I told him with a small smile, "I just left the registrar's building and came here to get my books when I heard you sing. Your voice is wonderful, by the way," I added.

"If you are a transferee and you just came from the registrar..." he said slowly with a hand on his chin and his eyes looking at afar, as if he's thinking. Moments later, he looked at me and said, "This isn't the book center."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"This is the library annex. A library exclusive for visitors." What?!

"How come it's not in the map though?" I pulled the map out from my back pocket. I'm sure it was three buildings to the right from the registrar's building, where I originally was. Dang, did I get myself lost?

He suddenly swept to my side with his guitar on his left hand. "Let me see." He said and leaned closer over my shoulder, looking at the map. I ignored the beads of sweat forming on my temples and under my jaw and the nervousness creeping in knees as I feel his minty breath fanning over my neck and his light scented cologne invading my nose while he checks the campus map I'm holding. I'm sure he isn't making a move on me, right?

"It's this one." He suddenly spoke, pointing a thick index finger on a teeny part on the map. Taking a little peek, I realized that he's pointing on a small square just right beside the Chivalry building, where I recently was before coming right to this building.

"Wow, it sure is small," I commented, looking at the small spot.

"It is, and is usually mistaken as the book center as its so small that it becomes unnoticeable," he commented before taking a few steps back, standing up straight and pointing on a certain place on the right. "Just turn right, you'll find the entrance."

I looked at the direction where he was pointing and saw a larger building, making me sigh in relief, "Thanks, you're a great help. I thought I was lost was gonna be late after you said that this wasn't the book center."

"It's no problem."

"I'm Vanessa, by the way," I extended my hand to him, "Uh, I thought it would be a bit rude to suddenly go away with a thanks that bear no sincerity, and it's my first day here, so..." I trailed off when he stayed silent and just stared at my hand I was offering.

He let out a small chuckle reverberating from his throat before taking my hand, "Asher."

"Like the name from the bible?"

"Mom said I was a blessing to her and dad's lives, so they named me after one of Jacob's sons from the bible, Asher, whose name meant blessing. So... yeah," he explained, giving me a small smile, and I swear to the odds, it made me feel that my day's about to end happily.

"Nice meeting you, Asher," I told him as we shook hands and he replied, "Likewise."

It seems to me that my first day of school isn't so bad after all.