Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Chapter Thirteen

Sonya

Sonya woke up and sat down on the side of the bed with her face in her hands. She has to walk to school with Shane and she again have to face people today. 'Life is sometimes exhausting. I need a break.' Sonya thought to herself. Still, there isn't anything she could do anything about it. At least not today. Sonya freshened up and dressed for the school. When she went downstairs she saw Shane was making breakfast. Shane turned in her direction when he heard her footsteps.

"Good morning." Shane said.

"Uhh… Morning?" Sonya said as if she was asking then saying it to him. Sonya was still adjusting to the idea of having Shane in their house.

"Uhh…. Yes. Good morning?" Shane said with same expression that Sonya had when saying 'morning'.

"I think it's morning. So good morning." Shane said with a smile. Sonya had a good reply for that but instead she chose to ask a question.

"Where's Kara?" Sonya asked.

"Kara left early. She had some work in her school. I guess we are both going to school together." Shane said as he passed the bowl of cereal to Sonya. Sonya looked it like Shane had just given her a whole brick in breakfast.

"You don't have to make me breakfast, I'll do it myself." Sonya said.

Shane raised an eyebrow and looked at Sonya. Sonya suddenly remembered yesterday's conversation.

"Don't worry, I can make myself cereal." Sonya said.

Then suddenly she felt like she was being ungrateful so added fast,

"... but thank you." Then Sonya gave him a smile.

"I was making breakfast for myself so I thought I should make for you to. Plus I did think you can't make breakfast." Shane then passed her a spoon and said

".. Your welcome." Shane said.

Sonya nodded. They both ate their breakfast in silence.

Sonya finished first. She grabbed her bag and blazer. Sonya reluctantly asked Shane

"You're coming with me?" Shane's eyes flashed with amusement.

"Yeah. Just give me two minutes." Shane washed his and Sonya's bowl and set aside. 'Crap. I never wash my breakfast bowl. I'm a total brat.' Sonya thought. Seeing Shane washing her bowl made her completely uncomfortable. She wanted to protest but then decided it would be better for her to keep her mouth shut. Sonya watched him picking his bag, wearing blazers and then wearing shoes.

"Let's go." Shane said.

Sonya picked up keys and they both found their way out of the house. Sonya locked the door.

They both started walking in the direction of the bus stop. Shane looked at Sonya. Sonya still couldn't digest the fact that he made her breakfast and then washed her breakfast bowl.

"You don't have to do any of those things." Sonya said.

"What? What stuff?" Shane asked Sonya.

"I mean making breakfast and such. I am capable of doing it on my own."

"Kara told me that she make you breakfast every day, you know?" Shane lifted his one shoulder.

"That's different." Sonya said almost annoyed. Kara was family. When she did anything for her, it doesn't feel like a burden. Her annoyance was clear in her voice.

"Okay. I won't." Shane said.

"I thought you didn't know any of the house work. You don't seem like the type of person." Sonya said.

"I am very good at doing house work. And that's why people say 'don't make an opinion about someone without knowing them' ."

"Yeah. It's just a saying. We all makes opinion about each other without actually knowing each other."

"Yeah. I think you're right. But I try not to judge them on that opinion. That's the least you can do." Shane said. Sonya looked at Shane. He sometimes sounded more mature than her.

"I agree with you on that. I'll try not to judge them on my one sided opinion." Sonya said as they both reached the bus stop.

After reaching the bus stop, both of them stood in silence. They didn't say anything just enjoyed the morning breeze and sun as the sunlight hit their faces. Sonya took a deep breath and Shane moved his head slightly to look at her. He turned his face back and stared into the distance. After waiting for five minutes they heard and turned to the sound of the bus coming in their direction. They entered the bus and took a seat.

"You're coming in get together, right?" Shane asked.

"Do I have any other option?" Sonya replied.

"I guess you don't." Shane said.

"Kara." They both said and sighed.

Sonya like always was sitting on the side of the window. Shane wanted to speak but when he saw that she was looking outside the window, he decided to let her have peace and silence in the morning. No one understands the value of silence more than Shane.

The bus came to their stop. Shane and Sonya left the bus and started walking towards their school. Suddenly, a thought came into Sonya's mind.

"Why are you living away from your family?" Sonya asked. She looked at Shane and saw his expression change from angry and sad to his normal one. It all happened in a flash. Sonya, suddenly, understood that she had just pinched the weak nerve in him.

'You don't have to tell me if you don't want to' this was what Sonya was going to say to Shane when Shane spoke.

"Exactly for the same reason for why you're staying here. I have to get out and start learning to live alone myself. I'm a big man now." Shane replied.

Sonya chuckled without sound.

"'Big Man'."Sonya said under her breath. She didn't want to say it out loud but she did. Certainly she wasn't intending Shane to hear it but, unfortunately for her, he did.

"Yes, Man. Just like you're a big woman now." Shane said.

Sonya suddenly felt a rush of feelings. She felt ashamed, embarrassed and shy and awkward, all at the same time. Worst of all, her face gave away what she was feeling. In her whole life no one had called her 'Woman', and whenever she described herself as a third person she usually said 'Girl' not Woman.

Sonya felt Shane's gaze on her so she tried to cover her expressions. Although she did not do a good job, but still it was much better than showing raw expressions.

"What time is it?" Sonya asked. Her face went stoic again.

"It's seven forty-five. You're also wearing a watch. You know." Shane said looking at his wrist watch.

"My watch is running slow. So it's not showing the right time. I'll fix it once I reach school." Sonya said.

Of course, she was bluffing but the expressions on Shane's face told her otherwise that he took her seriously. Sonya needed to change the subject otherwise, that conversation would have gone in a totally different direction.

They reached their school. They started to walk for their history class. After climbing the stairs they saw Alex, Michael, Noah and Liam were hanging outside the class. Once they saw Shane coming in their direction, they all but roared with happiness. They all noticed Sonya was with Shane, walking towards them. Shane smiled and rushed straight to his friends, leaving Sonya behind. Sonya didn't mind though, him leaving her behind. Sonya saw him going to his friends. She then she eyed his friends.

They all did their man greeting with hands and shoulders. Then Shane's friends watched Sonya. Sonya reached them and the classroom but instead of looking at them, she walked straight into the classroom. 'No, she didn't forget what Shane had said to her about staying away from his friends and even though, Shane had apologised she didn't forget it. She couldn't ignore Shane, as he was living with her but with his friends, she could. Shane never apologised for telling her not to talk to his friends. He just said that she can't ignore him as he was living with her but it never occurred to him that she can ignore his friends. It was childish, yes. But everyone have some flaws in them. It was her's. Sonya couldn't help but hate Shane again.' Sonya thought as she sat on her seat.

Bell rang and Shane and his friends entered the room. Sonya kept her head down and started rummaging through her book. She didn't look up as everyone in that group settled down in their seats. Professor entered the class just after them sitting down. Sonya looked up and saw that history professor was not carrying his normal stoic face in fact he looked nervous.

"Well, Good morning to everyone." Professor said to whole class.

"Good morning, Professor." whole class chanted with rhythm. Sonya didn't speak though.

"Today we're going to talk about the Cold War." Professor said as he picked up a piece of chalk and wrote 'Cold War' on the top.

"But before that can anyone tell me what Cuban Missile Crisis is?" Professor asked the whole class. No one raised their hands. They all probably was just unaware of the topic or they were just hostile towards him after that 'lock down' incident. Sonya can tell that he was glancing in her way nervously.

"Maybe Sonya. Can you explain us what is Cuban missile crisis is?" Professor asked. 'Or probably no one really read this upcoming topic, thinking professor will explain it themselves.' Sonya thought. She straightened in her seat and started speaking.

"Cuba was an ally of the Soviet Union and received diplomatic and financial aid from it. In April 1961, leaders of the USSR were worried that the United States of America would invade communist-ruled Cuba and overthrow its President Fidel Castro.

In 1962, the leader of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, placed nuclear missiles in Cuba for converting it into a Russian base.

Three weeks later, Americans became aware of it. The US President John F. Kennedy and his advisers tried to find a solution to avoid full-scale nuclear war. But they were determined to get Khrushchev to remove the missiles and nuclear weapons from Cuba.

Kennedy ordered American warships to intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a way of warning the USSR. This clash between the USA and the USSR came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. It made the whole world nervous.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a high point which came to be known as the Cold War. It refers to the competition, the tensions and a series of confrontations between the United States and Soviet Union." Sonya explained.

It was not a big deal for Sonya. In this class she was ahead in the syllabus than her professor. He was teaching them chapter five while Sonya was doing the chapter nine. Everyone was amazed but among them, the most amazed person was her history professor. Instead of having foul expression on his face he looked proud and happy.

"Uhh. Well done Sonya. I guess you covered a whole topic for the class, if… they listened to you with focus." Professor said.

'Wow! What a change.' Sonya thought. The weird thing was she can tell he was genuinely trying. He was actually using his words wisely. He was putting efforts and he was looking like he was ashamed. He has a good reason to be. Sonya did not said a single word after that.

After classes in lunch Sonya was walking lazily to the other side of the playground talking to his mom on phone. When suddenly she turned and caught a volleyball in her hands, just in time. It came out of nowhere. Sonya looked at the group of boys who were playing before they launched this ball out of the playground, looking at her in awe. Sonya didn't know how to react and sure as hell these guys expressions were not helping her. She walked straight to them and after reaching them she throwed the ball back at them.

"Watch it. Students can get hurt." Sonya said and started walking back. She turned and saw Shane and his friends looking at her from the audience seats. 'Today is going really weird.' Sonya thought. As she left playground shuddering.