Swinging the principal tag on Lewis' office door to calm my frayed nerves, I flex my knuckles. Knocking twice, I enter.

"Good Afternoon Sir."

"Have a sit. So how may I be of help?"

"I came regarding the grouping of teachers to supervise activities to be performed at the Gala party."

"I'm all ears" He said.

"Please,can you place me in another group?" He brings out a file from his cabinet and scan through it.

"So you are in Choreography?" He asks.

"Unfortunately yes"

"Give me just five reasons why you think I should let you switch to another group."

"Arggh!!!" I sigh loudly.

"I suck at dancing,I..."I begin to rack my brain thinking of another excuse but I could find any.

"You can't even provide me with two reasons. Now tell me your main reason for wanting to change group."

"I've told you. I suck at danc..."

"I said your main reason." He repeats loudly.

"The combination is worse." I blurted out along with a loud sigh.

"I don't get it." He said with a confused expression.

"I mean the combinations of the teachers co-ordinating is poor."

"You are to work alongside with Miss Yvonne, Mr. George and Mr. Alvin and I believe that is the best combination of a great team.

" You just pointed it out. They are all in Literary and Arts staffroom. I'm the only odd one and again I and Yvonne are not on good terms."

"How is that a problem?? I have always preached about unity of my staff." He said sternly and I sighed again.

"This is because of Mr. Alvin, right?"He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nooooo" I outrightly refute his claim. "Why w...would i...it be be...because of him?" I stutter while Lewis stares at me.

"Wizard!" I whisper lowly while glaring at this old man in my front but I think he heard me because he flashed me a mock smile.

"Fine, I hate him. He is just too arrogant." I reply with a huff.

"Hate is not a very nice word to use to qualify your colleague. I'm sorry Miss Erica but I won't be changing your group."He pushed his spectacles to his nose ridge. "Are you not curious about Mr. Alvin? You can use this period to satisfy your curiosity."He added.

What was that?! I'm beginning to think this man is really a Wizard!!!

"What are you?? A wizard?!!!" I said with shock evident on my face.

"My pleasure miss. Don't forget you have called me that once." He replied with another smile while dismissing my glaring eyes.

But the truth be told, Lewis is correct.

"Fine but how did you know??" I asked.
    
He cleared his voice."Miss Erica Gardener, I think you should return to your staffroom now! " He scolded trying to use his stiff disciplinarian voice but I found it funny this time around maybe because of the chitchat we just had. I chuckled and he laughed.

"Yes Sir Lewis, I'm off to work." I said with a mock salute and I stood up.

"You should never underestimate the power of a psychologist." He said with a serious expression when I was almost out of his office. I turned to him and smiled.

I had almost forgotten that the old man is a professor of psychology. I wonder why he settled for a principal. But I have no time to think about that. I have got a new mission. Await me, Alvin, the arrogant creep!

                               ¶¶¶¶¶
       
I, Alvin, George and Yvonne are in the choreography practice room. We have about 30 volunteers now and we decided that it is enough so we are moving forward to the next step which is the dance steps. We have currently been browsing for about 30 minutes now but no idea yet until something suddenly popped in my head.

"I've got an idea. Why don't we first select a nice music first before looking out for dance steps. "

"Wow! What a nice idea!" Alvin said with a smile while Yvonne scoffed but I did not mind.
    
"So tomorrow, we all come up with a song with a very nice beat then we would all deliberate on the best." George said. He is always the smart one. I guess we could have been more closer than how we are if not for the part that he likes me. I don't feel about him in the manner he feels about him. Surely, he is a good friend and I want nothing more than that.
   
"I know a very nice song, 'Feel by Gina'. Trust me the song is perfect for our choreography." Yvonne said while facing Alvin.
   
"Yvonne, I guess it is right that we have our own opinion on the choice of song for the choreography. So I think George's idea is better as we all get the chance to pick out a song and finally decide the best out of our choices." I said trying my best to smile.
    
I hate the fact that she is trying to impose her choice on us. Who does she think she is. Now I am getting paranoid! We really don't make a good team!
    "Why bother to waste time when I told you I have the perfect song." She grumbled.

I'm just going to ignore her.
     
"What do you think Mr. Alvin." I ask. Yvonne looks up to him while pouting. She slowly moved closer to him while pouting and blinking her eyelashes which I think are fixed flirtatiously. I don't think anyone noticed how close she was to him.
     
"Don't you think I am right, Alvin?"She asked while batting her fake lashes flirtatiously.
   
'Alvin?' Wow! They are already on a first name basis.
    
"I have a favorite song too, Miss Yvonne..."Alvin starts but was cut short.
    
"Call me Von. It's the shortened form of my name. All my friends call me that." She said while flashing her teeth at Alvin and lightly touched his arm leaving me shocked. This Yvonne is something else.
    
"I guess I actually prefer Miss Yvonne better than Von. I'm not insulting the shortened form of your name though. Like I was saying, Miss Yvonne. We all have our favorite songs so it is fair that our favorite songs compete. I go with Mr. George and Miss Erica's idea." He said, deliberately stretching the last part of his sentence or so I thought.
   
"So it's three against one. See you tomorrow, Miss Yvonne. George, let us go and grab lunch." I said and George stood up giving a slight bow to Alvin and Yvonne.
    
I am very sure Yvonne would be glaring at the back of my head now so I decided to turn my head back out of curiosity and I was right. I flashed my brightest fake smile at her and kept on walking.
                               ¶¶¶¶
                     CLARISSA'S POV

I, Kelvin, Kelvin's elder sister and only sibling, Melvin and some other students are waiting in the waiting room for our parents to pick us up when Melvin starts a discussion. I love and admire her since she is nice, lovely and compassionate.
    
"What do you love doing during your leisure?" She asked me with a smile revealing her cute deep dimples. She is so likable.
     
"I love watching movies on Netflix mostly Alvin and the chipmunks. I am a big fan of that animation." I replied with enthusiasm.
    
"Seriously" She gave me a very tight hug. "Oh My Gosh! I'm so excited. At least someone agrees with me on that." She said while playfully eyeing Kelvin.
    
"It's childish! I don't know what you two love about the animation."Kelvin grumbles
   
"It's way better than your 'Superman' series." Melvin replies while rolling her eyes and I chuckle.

"Who is your favorite character?" She asks.
   
"Alvin." I reply enthusiastically and she gasps.

"We really have a lot in common." She said and I smile.

"Why don't we test that out?" I asked.

"Fine. Let us say our next best animation of all times at the same time. 1...2...3 and go!"

"The Indomitable" I say

"Elena of Avalor" and she says at the same time.

"Wow! I love The indomitable series too." Kelvin exclaims and I smile widely because I love it when I and Kelvin have things that joins us together.
     
"You don't like it, you are just obsessed with it. He has the cartoon books littered all over his room, under his bed and in his bathroom."
   
"Nooo. I arranged them neatly in my room." Kelvin argues.

"We both know that is a lie. Don't tell me you are shy because Clarissa is here." She teased him and I blushed. I fidgeted with my fingers on my lap which is smoothing my skirt. I glanced at him and I could see his bright pink cheeks too.
   
"Erica, why don't you come for a play date at our house. You, I and Kelvin could have a play date that is if it's fine by you." Melvin asks and I look up.
    
"Of course. I would love too but I would need my mum's permission to... Oh, speaking of the angel."
   
"Mum!" I scream and she rushes to me.

"How was my baby's day?" She asks while her head us buried in my neck.

"It was fine. What about you?" I asks.
     
"Not that fine." She replies as she breaks the hug leaving me missing her scent. Apart from her expensive cologne, there was this natural scent mum has that I could locate anytime and anywhere. She scents of love and care. That sounds odd, I know but that is what emits from mum's body.
   
"You just zoned out." Mum says while snapping a finger in front of my face.
   
"I know." I reply. " Why was your day not completely fine."
   
"There is this colleague of mine who is annoying." She replies, still squatting.
  
"Should I get her fired?" I ask with a chuckle.
  
"I would be so indebted to you Miss Issa if you do so." She replied.

"Don't shorten my name, mum. You know I hate it."

"No I don't." She replied with a smile.

"Yes you do." I said firmly and she ruffled my hair.

"I hate this too." I said frustratedly.

"I know that is why I did it." She replies with a smile. I attempt to arrange my hair but I fail so I just give up.
    
"Why don't you introduce me to your adorable friends." I had almost forgotten they were still here.

"Mum meet Melvin, my friend. Melvin meet my mum." I said with a smile and Melvin extends her hands shyly.

"Ohh! What is with this formal greetings? Come in for a hug." Mum says as she hugs Melvin. What was I even expecting from my typical Miss Erica?
    
I could hear Kelvin mumble a "Shouldn't I be introduced first?" with a grumble and I chuckle.
   
"Mum meet Kelvin, my best friend and Melvin's younger brother. Kelvin meet my mum."

"So this is the Kelvin?"

"Ma?"
     
Mum faces my blushing face with a teasing expression, a slightly raised eyebrow and rounded lips that were ready for teasing. Oh, this is going to be embarrassing. She hugs Kelvin and I am thankful she decided not to tease me or so I thought.
  
"Clarissa has told me a lot about you. She says she loves staying on the swing with you,loves eating on the same dining table as you, she even told me that you are handso..." I could take no more so I cover her mouth with my tiny palm pleading with my eyes. Thank God she was squatting if not I would have not been able to achieve that.
    
"Mum please let us go home. I'm tired." I whisper lowly so that only her could hear and she nods.
    
"Bye Kelvin, bye Melvin!" I wave and I and mum stroll out. Her with a teasing and amused expression and me with a blushing face.

                               ¶¶¶¶¶
    
"Melvin invited me for a play date at their house. Can I go?" I took a quick glance at her so as to see her expression but it was blank so I turned my head back to my coco bread adding excess strawberry syrup and a very very little ketchup.

"I don't know them so I don't think it is safe." Mum replied while stirring the corn soup on the table. She always does this habit when she is thinking.

"Mum, please!!!!" I begged while giving her the cute puppy face. She turned to look at me and smiled.   
   
Finally she stopped stirring the soup.
    
"You know I can't resist that, right?" She asked in between bites of coco bread.
  
I keep on giving her the cute puppy eyes till she finally gave in.

"Fine, I agree so stop giving me that face. I would speak to his mum and we would set a date."
   
I jumped out of the dining chair I was sitting on. I hugged her violently and she chuckled. It was so easy, I never knew she would agree easily. On a normal basis, we would have argued back and front before one of us gave in to the other. I wouldn't really call it an argument, it's more of pointless bickering. This is what makes us friends.
    
"I love you to the moon and back!" I replied sincerely and I could feel her smile against my back and this us because I have a very high sensitivity. Sometimes it comes out as an advantage and most times a disadvantage. If my eyes are closed and I'm in a dark room, I can feel your presence about twelve feet away. If I'm walking pass a place, I could count how many people are there both hidden and those in an open space without looking up. And just now while I am hugging mum, she added more ketchup to my coco bread with her left hand knowing that I don't really like ketchup on my coco bread. She does not know I noticed and I won't tell her too. Though I guess she knows. I would just scrape the top off. Also, have I told you about my sense of smell. That is the worst! I can scent your perfume or odour from a long distance meaning that when I'm in a room with those having bad body odour or mouth odour, I can smell it from a distance. This is the main cause of my headaches. That is one of the reason I prefer attending senior classes because they all try to smell good by using deodorants.
I also have very sharp eyes. For instance, I noticed while in the cafeteria today, a girl who I don't know her name smartly exchanged the sausage roll on her plate with her friend's own while she was buckling her canvas. I noticed that Melvin was shifting from one foot to another today at the waiting room. It seem like she wanted to use the ladies room.

It also didn't skip my eyes some minutes ago when mum put my pill into my coconut drops. She tried to hide this by backing the sink but nothing ever skips my eyes. It's the pill my doctor recommended for my headaches. I have stopped taking them recently because I'm not a fan of pills and mummy does not want to force me to use them do she secretly puts them in my meal.

My doctor calls all this heightened sense organs after some sorts of physical tests she conducted. The reason? She says there could be a lot of reasons for an heightened sense organ but we should be rest assured since it's not an illness rather an ability. But I don't view it in that light. Because this heightened sense organs makes me hear, see or smell things I want to pretend as if I'm unaware to. No one knows about my heightened sense organs except my immediate family of course which includes mum, grams, gramps and Uncle Justin. Though this heightened sense organs serves as a disadvantage, it also has it advantages. A lot of advantages too. Thinking of it brings a smile to my face.

"Why are you scraping off the top part of your coco bread?" Mum asks bringing me out of my reverie. That us when I realised that I was subconsciously scrapping out the uttermost layer of the coco bread.

"You added more ketchup." I replied dryly and she gasped.

"How did I think I could be smarter?" She asked rhetorically and I smiled.

"Then you must already know that your pill is in your coconut drops?" She asked with an unsure facial expression.

"Bingo!" I replied as I munched the coco bread while struggling to keep my hands clean.

She shook her head and smiled. "You are always you"

                               ¶¶¶¶
    
"Goodnight pumpkin pie." She showered a lot of kisses on my face and turned off the table lamp.

"Mum" I called out in the dark when she was almost out of the door and she turned.

"Can you read me a story?" I asked and I could feel that she smiled. She turned on the table lamp.

"Which story would you like me to read to you?" She cooed in my ear making me giggle.

"Anyone" I replied and she went over to my tiny pink bookshelf. She settled herself under the blue duvet and cuddled me while wrapping me with her body and my head on her shoulder. I can never get tired of this position. She looked at me asking if I'm ready and I nodded then she opened the large print book.

"You never know who you really are until you are in a dire situation. So was the situation with a lovely beautiful girl called Mirabel..."

"Is she as beautiful as me?" I cut mum short out of curiosity.

"I don't know but the story states she is beautiful so she might be more beautiful than you." This made me pout while I fiddled with my little fingers that were on mum's chest."But it does not mention that she is intelligent therefore you are better than her because you've got the BB. Your Gram calls it the Double B..."

"What is the meaning, mum? I cut her short again.
    
"Beauty and Brains. So you've got the Double B sweetie." She cooed again and I smiled with twinkling eyes. She always knew the way to turn things around to make me smile.

So she continued the story and I kept on cutting her short to ask questions I know is silly but she did not get angry rather she answered all my silly questions tactfully bringing a smile to my face each time. She is the best and will always be the best. I could hear her silent yawns while reading the story suggesting that she is tired so even though I am not sleepy at all I pretend to sleep so that she can also go and sleep and it worked. She returns the book neatly to the bookshelf and I felt her pause for some minutes.

My eyes are not open but I feel she paused to look at the sky through the open window. It's one of her hobby. When I asked her while she loves staring at the sky in the night, she told me she envies how peaceful and worry free it looks. After some time I hear the sound of the closing of the window and she moves over to the bedside, she said a quick prayer while placing her hands on my hands that are under the duvet and she turned off the table lamp before getting out. Not forgetting to say her usual mantra, "I love you baby."

I know her routine after this. It happens almost all nights. She sobs silently for a long time and after a while I would hear the flipping of pages amidst her sobs. After reading for a while, her sobs would quieten down. I guess the books she reads brings her some sort of comfort. And eventually the slow and steady flipping of pages would pull me over to the sleep world. Most night, I pretend to sleep so that she can go to sleep because I know she might be tired but she won't tell me. If I had not pretended to sleep, she would have kept on reading stories and cooing to me till I fall asleep despite she been tired.

I can hear it now. The sobbing has started. I could not help my own tears from streaming down. She behaves all fine never dropping the strong woman act till she feels she is alone then she breaks. I wonder what could be the cause of this. By tomorrow morning, she would be back to smiling, laughing, teasing and occasionally cracking jokes when she cried out her eyes a day before. I have never spoken about this to anyone before but I guess I would soon tell grammy. I can't bear to watch this every single day.

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