An intruder in my world!

Who are you? 

[8 January 2018]

Number of days drifted off in just a blink of an eye since the terrible incident that evidently made Travis to welcome a new year with a heart that was sunk by a load of gloomy emotions. 

After almost two years, he found himself sitting behind a school desk, where a bunch of books were looking at him with nothing but mockery.  

School— according to him, it was a place that was going to make his life a living hell. He knew that it did not matter how hard he had to rough it in— eventually, he'd have to live a lie and entangle himself to the outside world— which was something he was against. 

He knew that he had a choice to get up and walk away but his 'cruel' heart had always reminded him, on many occasions, that he had once imprinted a promise into his grandmother's 'weak' heart— a promise he dared not to break. 

It was the second Monday of 2018 and the morning was not different from the other mornings. Leaning his head on the palm of his hand, Travis's eyes hopelessly watched the tree leaves as they leisurely fell to the ground, while others danced to the wind that was humming a song only it knew the lyrics to. 

The beams of the just risen sun poured through the shamelessly naked, huge window, next to where he was sitting— [he sat at the back of the fourth row]. Every ray of the sun landed on his pale features, casting a beam of hope into his soul. 

The gentle breeze that entered through the sash window that was opened ajar; pasted its cool kisses on his skin— influencing him to dwell in a memory that was as bitter as gall but adequately sweet as a vial rose. With the bittersweet combination, Travis failed to hear the bell ringing, alerting learners of the arrival of the teacher. 

Like worker ants foraging for food at sunset where no one knows of their activity, the learners deftly ran to their places and silently waited for the teacher to emerge. 

"Good morning, everyone!" 

Mr Ji, their class teacher, said almost immediately after storming inside the classroom that was awfully quiet like a graveyard. His voice boomed as it hung itself in the air and floated amicably with a trace of delight, in the depths of its echo. A wide, bright smile was pasted on his features— coming from one ear to the other. 

Everyone, except for Travis greeted back in voices that were intensely raucous, as their gazes stealthily followed the unknown individual as he entered the classroom with his head hanging and immediately stood ten seconds away from Mr Ji. 

The classroom was now embraced by a cacophony of murmurs and gasps— it was suddenly loud that it intruded into Travis's wonderland, forcing him to avert his mind back to reality. 

"Everyone…this is a new member of our family! Err…please introduce yourself!" Mr Ji informed his learners that were now paying heed to the new boy who was shyly standing next to him. He gently patted him on the shoulder, helping him to feel at least comfortable. 

"A newbie? Now?" A learner who was sitting in front of Travis whispered to his desk mate.There was sudden unrest that filled the room with intensity, that it finally reached out to Travis and caught his ears, urging him to entangle his attention with whatever was taking place in the classroom. 

"Ahem…! Please give him a chance to speak." 

Mr Ji cleared his throat, attempting to quieten everyone so the individual next to him, could speak. The learners immediately went silent and allowed their curious eyes to rest upon the shrinking violet, whose dark, dewy eyes were hiding behind the long fringes of his raven hair. 

With a face lacking emotions, Travis averted his glance away from the window, and turned out to the front, where his eyes instantly widened as soon as they fell on the familiar face. 

"Isn't that…!" 

"Greetings…first of all, I'd like to thank you all for giving me your time as I introduce myself. My name is David Chwe…!" David, the new boy, introduced and stopped briefly when his eyes locked themselves with Travis's eyes, for a brief moment that to them seemed to be eternity.

"I…I hope we will get along, thank you!" David blinked blankly as soon as he continued to introduce himself, averting his eyes away from Travis, who dared not to take his eyes off him. Abruptly after his introduction ended everyone was kind enough to smile at him, some looking at him with intense gazes that instantly made him uncomfortable. 

"There's a vacant chair! Make yourself comfortable!" Mr Ji aired as he pointed to a vacant chair, next to Travis. A lump immediately danced on Travis's throat as he watched David shuffle in his direction. Abruptly after David had sat down, Travis held his breath and forced his eyes to look at the teacher— something that he has never done before. 

The lessons began. Travis was mysteriously finding a hard time to concentrate on the words, a passionate Mr Ji said. Nothing was making sense— everything that was happening seemed to be so unreal. Instead of paying attention to the teacher, he began dwelling in a memory created on 31st of December— when his eyes had landed on David who was at that time, being harassed. 

"There isn't a single scratch on his face and he…he walks perfectly fine!" Travis said to himself, seduced by his memory that prevented him from hearing the bell as it rang— the bell that informed everyone that it was lunch time. 

He was promptly brought back to his senses by a tiny, dulcet voice that was calling his name. Raising his head, hie eyes met with a snow-white, glowing face that was gleaming apprehensively fifteen seconds away from his face, that had confusion written all over. 

"Lost again?" Jiyeon, a class representative and his 'female friend', questioned albeit throwing soft giggles that jingled in Travis's ears. 

"Ano…!"

"Don't tell me! Another secret world, right?" Jiyeon interrupted immediately when Travis was about to speak. In response, Travis rubbed the nape of his neck, releasing his eyes away from Jiyeon's face to his book that was blank. 

"Wait…! You…were not writing!?" Jiyeon exclaimed. Travis shrugged as he packed his books in his backpack. 

"I know someone who will lend me their notes, so I'm not worried!" He spat in a voice that was as deep as the fountains of sleep, manoeuvring to mask his embarkassment instantly when Jiyeon was frowning at him with disbelief. 

"It will be the last time!" Jiyeon spoke, rolling her eyes away from Travis who was now smirking. Before stepping out, his eyes darted around the classroom, looking for David who was nowhere to be seen.  

"Oh…they're already here!" Jiyeon whispered to Travis promptly after spotting their other two friends, who were already devouring their food. 

"There comes our couple!" Daniel, the one with a crazy hairstyle blurted with a bright smile as he nudged Jaden, the one with a face that was serious, as he was paying most of his attention on the banana yoghurt— the only thing he'd do was to nod his head. 

"Kevin is not coming today?" Travis questioned immediately when he noticed that the last member of their group was absent. "Yeah…his father gave him a good one, I don't think he'll join us anytime soon!" Jaden finally shifted his focus from the yoghurt and spoke in a murmur. 

"Wait! Isn't that our new classmate!?" Jiyeon blurted, nudging Travis and in response, Travis instantly followed her gaze and abruptly his eyes caught a glimpse of David. Involuntarily, his heart skipped a beat as he locked his eyes on David's face. 

"You have a new classmate?" Daniel asked abruptly, intruding Travis who was silently praising his desk mate. "Mmmh! He came today!" Jiyeon replied with a brief shrugg. 

Travis dared not to take his eyes off David, he slyly observed him as he talked to a teacher. Their conversation did not seem to be a friendly one— David kept his head facing the ground while the teacher threw at him words that seemed to be heavy. 

"Let's call him!"

A minute had passed, the group were lost in their idle talk when Jiyeon exclaimed after sighting David whose hands were clasping a tray of food whilst he rummaged for a vacant place. 

"Hey…David!" Jiyeon called out to David and did not notice coldness as it overwhelmed Travis, who was looking at her with eyes that were suddenly burning with rage. 

David turned his features at the direction of the voice that called his name and immediately, his eyes stopped on Travis who was frowning at him and immediately turned his gaze away. 

"Cold— You are so cold!"

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