Chapter 4: Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR: MEETING THE QUEEN

R2.

RADJAN

I try to look confident on my first day in my new school. Confidence is key to how people form their impression of what kind of person you are. I notice a lot of girls either staring at me or glancing in my direction. I am wearing my shades, maybe they think I’m blind and need some guidance? I am kidding, but it is a possible reason, isn’t it? One girl finally talks to me or at least starts a conversation.

“Are you new here?” she asks.

“Yup,” I answer, taking my shades off to face her properly.

“Yes, ma’am,” she says.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“You should say ‘Yes, ma’am.’ Call me ma’am. It’s some form of respect,” she explains.

“Wait, are you like, one of my teachers?” I ask. Of course, she isn’t. She looks too young to be a teacher. Let’s just say my sarcasm comes out when I’m nervous.

She laughs loudly. “No, I’m not a teacher. But I’m the queen.”

I turn away from her. Not worth it, I tell myself. I head straight to my next class. Something feels off right away. It is very quiet as I enter the class. That little encounter with a self-confessed queen cost me. I think I’m already late. Way to make a good first impression…

“You’re Radjan Carpiniello?” the teacher asks, looking up at me. I nod, as I awkwardly sit on one vacant seat in front of the class. “You’ve got really impressive credentials. Welcome to our school.”

I glance around the classroom to look at my ‘welcoming committee. It is the strangest scene I have ever seen in my life. Everyone just looks so sad, as if someone died. Everyone except for one girl. I recognize her right away. The queen. She beams, as our eyes meet. She bites her lower lip. I quickly look the other way.

I studied in advance for this class. I researched and memorized concepts from previously discussed lessons. I want to quickly establish myself as one of the brightest minds in this class, but I am so disappointed because the teacher just sits there in her chair. She looks as if she is composing herself. What is going on with this class? I have always hated lull hours in my classes. The kind where the teacher just wastes time talking or doing literally nothing until the bell rings. But this is way more than lull hours. What the hell is going on?

I make up my mind to ask some lesson-related questions just to get a discussion going, but before I can even raise my hand to ask, the teacher starts sobbing. Sobbing and then wailing. And no one even tries to comfort her. Everyone is like in some weirdo trance, also just crying in their seats. Some have their heads bowed down I can’t take a good look at their faces, but everyone is just acting so weird. The bell rings and nobody even tries to get up from their seats. I stand up, annoyed. I am seriously wondering if I got into the wrong classroom and this is just some emo class or drama rehearsal or something.

As I am heading out of the classroom, I hear someone call my name.

“Radjan!” I glance in her direction. “Sorry, it’s not really an ideal first day for you. It’s just bad timing, I guess. Something… tragic happened. The school, um, lost someone.”

Lost someone? Like, they died?

I stare at her blankly.

“She was dearly loved by everyone. We are all still in shock. It’s just…” she continues to explain, shaking off her tears. Her shoulders are shaking as she speaks. She looks as if she’s been crying nonstop for hours. “Anyway, I’m Celeste.”

She extends her hand, but I just leave it hanging. I simply just don’t shake hands.

So, this is the reason for all this gloominess in the atmosphere. But what’s the fuss? Doesn’t somebody die every day anyway?

“I’m the student body president,” Celeste continues to speak, even as I am already walking away from her.

I ignore and I continue walking. I bump into someone accidentally. She drops all the books she is carrying. I just stare while she tries to pick them up one by one.

“Don’t you know the word ‘sorry’?” she snaps. Oh, I know her. It’s the self-confessed queen again. I try to ignore them and keep on walking but she blocks my path. Still, I move along and try to ignore. I walk as fast as I can. I thought for sure I already lost her but she’s just right there in my path again. She is starting to get on my nerves.

“I’m not going to let you go until you say sorry,” she says, sternly.

“Sorry,” I say sharply.

“Spell it,” she demands.

“S-O-R-R-Y,” I say. This is so stupid.

“Good. And I have one more requirement before I totally forgive you. Tell me your name. I’m Mirjana by the way.”

Mirjana. So that’s the name of this childish girl.

“I’ll guess what you’re thinking right now. You’re thinking not to answer my question,” she says. “Don’t you know that aside from being a queen, I’m also a mind-reader? That’s why I am able to read your mind.”

I stare at her face, dumbfounded. Yeah, she really guessed what I was thinking. More importantly, it’s the first time I looked at her up close and she’s pretty, I guess.

I grab her books from her.

“I’ll carry these for you, queen. Satisfied?” I say to her.

“Queen Mirjana,” she corrects me.

I panic upon realizing I’m going to be late for my next class. Again! We aren’t talking while walking at the hallway. I don’t have anything to say to her anyway. It’s such an awkward silence. I guess it’s one they never really discuss in academic books. How to not act so stupid talking to a pretty girl. Oh well. Maybe I’ll just blame her for my being late again. As I finally work up the courage to open my mouth again, I notice she’s not walking beside me anymore. I don’t even know where I lost her. She’s just not around anymore. But anyway, I still have her books. Surely, we will talk again later.

There is an equation written on the board. That’s the first thing I notice upon entering my next class. It’s a linear equation. The old teacher can’t help himself but badmouth the class. “I told you to study in advance for my class. This is such an easy problem and no one knows how to solve this? And you call yourselves students?”

He seems so disgusted by the mere presence of the class. But he is right. The equation on the board is so easy to solve. I get up and answer it as calmly and fast as I can. He looks a bit surprised but doesn’t say anything. I don’t have to look at my classmates’ faces to know I’ve impressed them.

As I am heading to the gym to try out for the basketball team, I overhear a conversation with some guys who I’m guessing are members of the team. They wear their basketball jerseys like crowns.

“I feel really bad for Dan,” says one of the guys. “If you guys could only see it. It was so heartbreaking. He really just hugged her dead body for as long as he could. He kissed her over and over. He didn’t want to let go…”

“That’s so sad, dude,” answered the other. “But we can’t really blame him. This is so unexpected. Yesterday, Anna was just here, disrupting our practice, being cute and sweet, and just like that she’s just… ran over by a car? It’s so horrible. They say she didn’t even make it to the hospital alive.”

Okay so someone died horribly in this school. It’s bad, but is it really so uncommon? Accidents happen all the time.

“I think Dan really loved her. I’m actually worried about him. I am scared he won’t be able to move on from this.”

I had to stifle a snort. That is just so dramatic. Love isn’t like that, morons. My mother left me but I never once shed tears over her. I’m not weak like my father. I think he believed so hard in love it became his downfall. I don’t want to be like him. Never. These guys are just so weak and annoying.

They are still talking about the tragic accident even when they are already on the court waiting for the tryouts to officially begin. “Mind if I join you guys?” I say. “In basketball, I mean, not in your drama talks.”

One of the guys looks at me, surely scrutinizing. “I got this, dude,” he tells his friend. “Let me put this arrogant guy in his proper place.” He throws the ball to my face with so much force I’m pretty sure he is trying to hit me with it. But I calmly catch it easily. Then I throw it towards the ring. Swish! Of course, it goes in. I never miss an easy shot like that.

They look at each other, looking very much impressed.

“What? Is this the first time you guys see a shot go in?” I tease. “Weak. Give me more balls to shoot.”

The tryout becomes my show in no time. I make shot after shot to the amazement of everyone in the audience. I don’t even notice right away we already have an audience. It is quite a big-sized crowd for a basketball tryout. I scan the faces of my new admirers, and to my surprise, I see her. Mirjana. She is beaming at me. She is watching me. She’s here. I can’t explain what is going on with my heart. It is beating so fast as if it is chasing a moving train.

The coach and the other players eventually come in and of course, the coach invites me to practice with his team, as I expected. I feel so full of energy the whole time because I know Mirjana is watching me. I even try to look in her direction every time I make a shot. Well, if she thinks she’s a queen, let’s just say I’m also the king of the hardcourt.

It comes as no surprise when the coach tells me I’m the only one who did well in the tryout and I’m going to momentarily replace someone’s spot on the team. I smile. It first day and I’m already a part of the basketball team. Too easy.

I am lost in thought leaving the gym and still smiling to myself when Mirjana approaches me.

“This is the first time I ever see you smile. I’m so shocked to find out you know how to,” she jokes.

“Why were you watching the practice? Who were you watching?” I ask, nonchalantly, feeling my face burn with embarrassment.

“You,” she answers. Wait, she was watching me practice? Like checking me out? “How about you? Who were you trying to impress?”

I was not trying to impress anyone. Was I? Why was I looking in her direction every time I made a shot then?

I don’t answer. I don’t know how to answer that.

“That’s fine,” she says. “Right now, you won’t admit it to yourself. But time will come…”

I watch her walk away, transfixed. What just happened? I think maybe I should ask her to come to eat with me somewhere? But only because I’m hungry already, no other reasons. But she disappeared so fast. I swear it feels as if a split second has passed and she’s already gone from my sight.

“Radjan, hi!” It is Celeste. “Come, join us. I’m heading to the cafeteria. I want you to meet my friends.”

I hate the word ‘friend’. If there really is such thing as ‘friends’, why did my father’s ‘friends’ let this happen to us? Why did they neglect him in his sorrow?

I follow Celeste to the cafeteria. Partly because I am hoping to see Mirjana there. She disappeared so fast. Maybe she just went inside and I didn’t notice. But I don’t see her anywhere.

“These are my friends: Brittany, Denise, David, Vladimir, and Akio,” Celeste quips. Akio stands up and gestures a salute at me. “And guys, this is the new student, Radjan.”

“You’re my man, Radjan. My greatest basketball idol in history. I am so truly impressed with your skills,” Akio says, kowtowing at me. Everyone laughs. I fake laugh with them but my eyes are still searching for Mirjana. She’s got to be here somewhere. Akio insists I order food for myself and he’ll pay for it. I don’t really like owing anyone especially since I’m pretending to be rich but who can really say no to free food? I still don’t order food for myself. So, he just doubles up his order and gives me one of them. I don’t reject it. Not because I’m already very hungry, but just, you know, to be polite. Yeah right, Radjan, to be polite. I smile to myself as I feel my stomach churning…