Too Loud! Too Loud!

My blaring alarm that sounded like a truck horn was the first thing to alert me to the horrible fact that it was a school morning. Groaning and cursing, I flipped myself over on the mattress so I’m lying on my stomach, and blindly reached for my phone on the bedside table. My eyes peeled open. I rolled onto my side and held up the phone, so I could see the time. Lifting my hand, I clutched the edge of my cover and pulled it off me. The cool air washed over my exposed legs as I pushed myself up and swept my legs off the bed.

“Ji-Hye. Is everything all right in there?” Nicole’s ear-splitting voice echoed through my closed door. “You’ll be late, and you haven’t had breakfast yet! Hurry!”

I could ignore her, but that would only get her started and the only thing I would receive was a headache and more yelling.

I unlocked my door and pressure from the wind coming through my open window flung it open. “Okay! I called out to her.

My entire body ached like I was doing action-packed karate in my sleep. I showered and later dressed in my school uniform: baby blue shirt, grey blazer paired with a plaid skirt and blue necktie. I hauled on my grey and stripe, thigh-high stocking and leather brown ankle boots, then wrapped a red scarf around my neck. Nicole left by the time I made it into the living room. I looked at the clock hanging above the wall over the television set.

She went earlier than usual this morning.

Breakfast was on the table, so I ate while thinking about last night’s troubling news. I wondered what Uta and Yasu were up to. Did Uta get proper sleep last night? I sighed! Yasu said there are towns where only vampires live. What could such town be like? I flinched and finished my oats porridge and toast with cream cheese.

I walked to the main street where I waited to get picked up by school bus, drenched in thoughts. A few months ago, I had an accident. Two times I came close to death and both times I lived. God must favour me. Since then, things had been going well. I found a good friend when Tone moved here. Uta entered my life. Nicole was hanging in there. On the surface, everything looked dandy. However, something felt missing since the accident. When I came face-to-face with Yasu last night, his present and unexpected familiarity that wrapped me tight like an iron grip — had me thinking. What if he was the boy in my dreams? Their voices sounded similar. Their built was the same. What would it even mean if he was? I must be mad! Thinking something like this so early in the morning.

The bus arrived, and everyone hurried in. It was normal for us to be packed like sardines on my daily commutes to school.

Ahhh! Just another loud morning.

I hassled into the hallway of Vaz High and bounded up to Tone when I noticed her in front of her locker. She had braided hair this morning. She stared at me with angry eyes. Yup! I upset her. I shrunk a little and observed the hallway and noticed Cece and friends. Back in third grade, Cece made fun of my pencils, so I took her favourite mechanic pencil and chucked it out the window. Since then she had hated me like you wouldn’t believe, and I loathed her right back.

“I can explain why I didn’t show up for the show,” I said to Tone.

She slammed her locker shut and turned to face me. “Was there a crisis in your home?”

“No.”

“Were you having a wardrobe malfunction?”

“No.”

“Did you forget our plans?”

Dang! Tone wasn’t joking. What was up with the third-degree questions?

“No. Yes.” I cringed. “Don’t get cray-cray.”

Tone glared. “You’re calling me crazy? You’re just going to lie. Cool. I don’t what to hear it.”

“Tone. Come on. I’m sorry.”

I wished to tell her it wasn’t a big deal, but it was to her because I blew her off, again.

“Gothic and Goldie are fighting!” Cece said. “That’s too bad You’re about to lose the only friend you ever had.”

“Piss off, Cece!” I advised.

She walked toward us, eyes daring me. Cece was a shameless, fashionable girl who kept up with the latest trends. Just thinking about the amount of labour went into looking doll-up was exhausting. She was of short stature with shoulder-length plum hair and had two piercing in each ear.

“You have snapbacks because your boyfriend put a little confidence in you. Well, guess what? In this school, you are nobody! Just a little wannabe.”

“But I’m not your wannabe.” I fired back.

“This girl is tripping,” one of Cece’s friends said.

“You wanted to be like me since middle school,” Cece let out. “You’re pathetic. And stay away from Witt. You think I didn’t see you two heading out of the classroom.”

Cece gets jealous and short-tempered over of Witt and abhors any close relationship he had with girls around school.

“Just stay away from him.”

“I don’t think he can stay away. He’s the one running behind me like a dog sniffing for its bone.”

“You’re bugging if you think I’ll believe Witt is the one chasing your nasty ass.”

“Believe what you want. And I have a boyfriend, nobody wants Witt.”

“You mean that pathetic guy you with?”

“What?” I snapped. “You better back the hell up!”

“Or what?” she challenged. “You’ll run to him for help?”

Crowd built around us. I’m not about to let Cece flip the switch by pushing my button.

“Mind if I cut in?”

“This got nothing to do with you so bounce!” Cece snapped at Tone.

“Girl, please!” Tone brushed them off like bugs. “Nobody got time to waste on leftovers?”

“Who you are calling leftovers? Go home and take care of your drunk mama.” Cece advised.

“Girl…” Tone shook head. “You’ve about three seconds to get out of my face or I swear, I will beat you so hard even your grand and great-grandchildren will have scars.”

“What—”

“I’ll punch you out!”

“I’m not scared of you.”

“Three.” Tone counted while examining her polished nails.

“You touch me with your filthy hands, and I’ll have my dad sue you and your pathetic family for all your worth, which is not much by the looks of it.”

“Tone let’s go,” I said, knowing Cece was serious. “She’s not worth getting in trouble over.”

“Two.” Tone ignored me.

“I would listen to your friend! For once she’s not acting her usual stupid self and knows what she’s talking about.”

“One.” My friend finished.

“You better watch it, idiots!” Cece warned.

Swivelling around, she snapped her fingers in the air twice and she and her crew trudged back to the hole whence they came.

“You better leave face brag! One of these days I will kick that ass.”

“Until then, stay away from her. Sorry, I ditched you. It wasn’t cool.” I apologised.

“You can’t keep blowing me off for your boyfriend. We’re friends. Friends hang together sometimes, you know.”

“If it makes you feel better, my weekend was a complete disaster. One of Uta’s friends came over and that was the end of my weekend.” I moaned.

“Your weekend got mashed like potatoes by this guy’s visit? That’s what you get for ditching me.” She broke into laughter.

Annoyed, I crossed my arms. “Okay! I get it!” I snapped.

“Now I’m satisfied. Wait! What is Uta’s friend name?”

“Yasu.”

“Yasu. His name sounds sexy, mysterious, and dangerous. He’s like Uta, isn’t he?” She had an eager gleam in her eyes.

I sighed, knowing where this was going.

“Tell me about Yasu.”

I wanted to tell her about infected vampires. After last night’s conversation with Uta, I decided it was best not to share this information.

“I know nothing about him,” I answered honestly.

“But he’s like Uta—a vampire?”

“Yes.”

“Fabulous!” Her eyes lit up. “Tell me he looks just as fine.” I narrowed my eyes. “Come on, Ji-Hye.” She tugged on my arm.

“He is”—utterly beautiful—in a dark and cryptic way, and too arrogant. It was irritating — “You could almost get spellbound by how good-looking he is.”

“You know what this means, right?”

“I do?” I asked while reflecting on the way I thought about Yasu. That was deeper than expected.

“I can finally have a vampire boyfriend!” She beamed.

“He’s also arrogant,” I added, “A troublemaker. He pisses me off and most of all, he’s an ass.” I emphasised so it would register in her thick head and dispel whatever nutty thoughts she had.

“I like asses.” Her smile grew.

That smile meant one thing! I want to get close to him.

“They have a way of making everything interesting, you know what I mean.”

“All too well.”

“What time is it?” Tone asked. “It’s quiet, isn’t it?”

We both looked around, noticing the empty hall.

“We’re late! Darn it! See you at lunch!” Tone shouted over her shoulder as she streaked down the hallway.