Erm, I decided to split the chapter into two,
So this chapter isn't really...eventful. The next chapter I will reveal a secret.
*apologises profusely* I'm starting to bore everyone, aren't I?
I'm sorry!!! I'll post the next chapter soon.
It would be inconsiderate to post multiple works at one go,
So I'll post the next one when I wake up, because now it's night time. Sorry...
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Just get it over with.
I gulped, slowly rising from my chair and making my way to the front of the class. Closing my eyes, I prayed silently and turned so that I faced the class.
Crap. They were paying attention.
I spotted some girls at the back who were busy inspecting their appearance rather than staring at me. I decided to focus my eyes on them.
“M-my name is Melody Petrina Keyes.” It sounded like I was speaking to myself.
“You’ll have to speak louder.” Mr Reynolds instructed.
I cleared my throat nervously, “My name is Melody Petrina Keyes. I was a librarian in Velentia Junior High.”
“Go on,” Mr Reynolds smiled encouragingly when I paused to catch my breath. I really didn’t feel comfortable with people staring at me. I was too used to blending in with my surroundings. “Tell us what you like.”
“Umm… I like writing, sketching and umm…” I let out a shaky breath, “playing the piano.”
My eyes flickered to the front row people. Helen and Nathan seemed to be listening to me with interest. Strangely, I saw Nate’s eyebrows lift, then pucker before smoothening to its usual emotionless mask. Nathaniel was shaking his head and chuckling to himself, then I guessed why he laughed.
Darn. Now I’m never going to hear the end of the ‘Piano’ nickname.
“Thank you, Miss Keyes.” As soon as the first word was out of Mr Reynolds’ mouth, I quickly fled back to my desk.
Right on cue, Nathan stood up and took his place at the front. Without hesitating, he launched straight into his introduction. “Hi, my name’s Nathan Peyton. I’m one of the Peyton triplets.”
At this statement, Nathaniel cheered, “Whoo!” causing the students and teacher to laugh. Nathan smiled at his brother, who gave him a thumbs-up.
“I was previously a member of the Velentia Junior High Literary and Debating society, as well as the Symphonic Band.”
Many students murmured to one another, impressed.
“Which instrument do you play, Nathan?” Mr Reynolds asked, clearly impressed as well.
“The drums set. If not, I’d play another percussion instrument.”
“Wonderful. You may take a seat now, Nathan.” Some of the students clapped and cheered as Nathan went back to his seat. Wow, he sounds like one talented young man.
Nathaniel hopped up eagerly and practically ran up to the front. Enthusiastically waving to his audience, he grinned goofily, “Hey everyone! My name’s Nathaniel Peyton. I was from Velentia High’s Symphonic Band. I played the saxophone.”
I gaped at Nathaniel. I had no idea he was musically-inclined.
Mr Reynold chuckled, amused at Nathaniel’s hyperactiveness. “It seems the Peyton family is well trained in music. So what are your interests?”
“Melody.” Nathaniel answered promptly, then his eyes widened in horror. There was an intake of breaths in the class as everyone pinned their shocked eyes at either him or me. “Writing, I mean. Melody writing.” He quickly added before I choked on my own saliva.
Oh God, I almost got a heart attack.
Mr Reynolds let out a low whistle, “Well, I look forward to hearing one of your compositions then.”
“Yeah,” Nathaniel answered and hastily walked back to his seat.
I eventually lost interest in paying attention to the students introducing themselves. After all, it wasn’t like any of them would want to become my friend. Though interestingly, there were three girls who sat together that shared similar sounding names. Ashley, Ashlee and Ashleigh. They were like a set of non-identical triplets.
I wondered why I hadn’t noticed the other two Peytons when I was in junior high, since we all attended the same school.
You probably mistook them for the same person, Nathaniel. It’s not like you really paid attention to the students in school. They weren’t even in the same class. You were probably too absorbed in reading a book to notice.
Surprisingly, by the time the entire class had been introduced, there was still some time left. “It looks like we still have some time left before the bell rings. I shall introduce myself then. My name, as you all know, is Francis Reynolds. My birthday falls on September fifth, which makes me a Virgo. I’m twenty six years old, and I used to study in Velentia High school.”
Once again, the class cheered in appreciation. Mr Reynolds waited for the noise to die down before he resumed, “I used to be part of the Debate team. My interest is books, literature and I love chocolate chip cookies.”
Chocolate chip cookies? How random.
The shrill bell then rang, Mr Reynolds immediately dismissed us and first period came to an end.
***
“Where’s Melody?” Nathan asked, picking up a french fry.
“My best guess would be that she’s lurking in the library again.” Nathaniel replied, chewing on his burger thoughtfully.
“How would you know?” Helen raised an eyebrow.
“Logic. She used to be a librarian, her nose is always in a book and she’s probably too shy to come to the cafeteria where she’d be surrounded by people.”
“You seem to know a lot about her.” I commented casually, tossing my salad around with my fork, ignoring the table full of girls behind us who were shamelessly batting their eyelids flirtatiously at my brothers and I. Despicable. It was a good thing that my brothers had the sense not to fall for every pretty face they saw.
Nathaniel stiffened for a fraction of a second, and I seemed to be the only one who noticed it, before taking another bite out of his burger and swallowing. “You know, the cafeteria’s menu ain’t half bad.”
“Naturally, dad just had to sponsor a cook.” Nathan sighed.
“Don’t change the subject, Nathaniel.” I interrupted, stabbing at my tomato slice until the juice oozed onto the lettuce leaf.
“Huh?” Nathaniel stared at me, puzzled. So much for the connection triplets were supposed to have, where we understand each other on a profound level. “What subject?”
“I asked you a question.” I clarified.
“You did?” Nathaniel blinked, “That wasn’t a question. It was a statement.”
“Just answer it.” Technically, he was right. It wasn’t a question, but I had expected him to say more about it.
“Uhh… well, I have been picking on her since I was around ten. It’s natural that I’d learn bits and pieces about her?”
“And it doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure out the reason, Nate.”
“Wasn’t asking you, little bro.” I yawned, bored out of my mind. As some older students waved and acknowledged us, I would lower my head and take a sip of my lemonade, pretending to be busy with drinking it. I hadn’t really been making an effort to getting to know some new students, preferring to keep to my brothers and Helen.
“I’m not your little bro, Nate.” Nathan frowned, annoyed. “Stop calling me that. I was only born three minutes after you.”
“And it’s still three minutes, nevertheless.” I recited my usual lines when this happened. “Thus, you are in essence, my little brother, like it or not. So deal with it.”
“Ugh, at least you weren’t so obnoxious back then.” The memory was like a slap to the face, and it would never fail to zip my mouth shut. Call it Nathan’s trump card if you want.
“I’m done with my salad.” Picking up my tray, I dumped the remaining contents down the bin and walked out of the cafeteria.
“Nate,” Nathan, Nathaniel and Helen called out to me in unison.
“I’ll be fine.” I assured them. It really wasn’t Nathan’s fault. The Peyton triplets always had their little quarrels between one another, but we never let it get too far. Technically, I was opening myself up for this one.
Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I decided to go somewhere quiet. The library would be perfect.
I jogged up three flights of stairs and headed there, gently pushing one of the glass doors open and feeling a cool rush of air blast on my face.
I paced up and down the aisles of shelves and randomly selected a book. The Best of Edgar Allen Poe. Great, morbidity would surely help me lighten up my mood all right. Leaning against a window, I flipped the book open to any page.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" —
Merely this, and nothing more.
I slammed the book shut, recognising the poem as ‘The Raven’, earning myself a few disapproving stares from the other students. That would definitely not be of any help to my mood.
“The waves beside them danced; but they out-did the sparkling waves in glee. A poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company. I gazed - and gazed - but little thought what wealth the show to me had brought.”
I snapped my head up at the sweet voice. Someone was reciting Wordsworth. Needing to satisfy my raging curiosity, I put my book back where it belonged, and followed the sound two rows down from where I stood.
I peered over the side of the shelf, and saw a beautiful brown-haired girl sitting against the shelf in the wide aisle, a book resting neatly on her lap. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, I sucked in my breath when I realised who it was.
I fled.
