CHAPTER 5: READY, STEADY

Carmella's POV

I readied my bag, packed my things and when I noticed that the cleaning minutes were over, I walked fast until I reached our school gate.

I should be happy with that perfect score but honestly, I felt like I am the lowest because of what she's making me feel. Why did she ever transfer here in our school in the first place if she's already the top student in America? What is she up to? What is she trying to prove?

I stomped my feet while I was standing on the aisle of the bus. I never realized too soon that it will catch a lot of the passenger’s attention. The bus stopped right in front of a lamppost meters away from my house.

I walked as slowly as I could, I even played with dust as I slightly burrow my black shoes on the soil front to back for many times until it hurts my foot. I can't even count how many times I sighed.

"I should not let this pass! I can't just relax knowing that I might not be the top student for this year."

I hurriedly went inside our house. I noticed that mom isn't there yet. I took a glance at the food that's on the table. I smiled when I realized they all looked delicious, I decided to stay in my room for a while. I will just wait for her until she comes back home. Maybe she bought something outside and she'll be back after a few minutes.

When I opened the door, it suddenly felt weird. Why did I even feel as if somebody went in my room while I was gone? I looked around and observed my room. It's neat and arranged well but why is it that I am feeling odd?

I always arrange everything, from my set of clothes, to my shoes and my stationery. I guess that is the reason why I will know if someone is touching any of my things. My cabinet caught my attention. It's a bit open with my clothes seeping through it.

When I fully opened my cabinet, I could see that there's nothing wrong with it. When I attempted to close it, a picture slowly fell on the floor. It fell upside-down and I could see it's plain white back.

I picked it up and looked at it closely. I noticed there was a cursive writing that says:

With love,

Leonard, 2005

When I flipped the picture in front of me, I saw a younger man holding a baby girl in his arms. Their background is a theme park. It made my forehead wrinkled a bit.

It's the first time that I have seen this kind of picture. Who is Leonard?

"Carmella Ruth, go down now. Don't let the food wait for you."

My mom's voice surprised me that I almost missed my grip on the picture. I looked at the door of my room and good thing mom didn't go upstairs to invite dinner.

"Yes, mother." I answered, still looking at the picture. I hurriedly buried it under the stacked clothes inside my closet as I closed it. I took giant steps as I hurried outside of my room.

I descended the stairs fast and I noticed my mother putting the white plates on the table. She also placed the spoon and fork on it. I sat on the chair but I was glued at her facial expression. She seemed to be sad and tired at the same time.

Well, like she always used to. I never usually initiate the conversation because it will make her mad even more. I just talk if she'll start to ask me about random things.

"What?"

"Huh?" I stopped getting rice from the bowl as I met her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me?" She asked as she raised her eyebrows as she met my gaze. I avoided my eyes right away as I looked down on my food. She prepared steamed vegetables and pork steak with plain rice for dinner.

As much as possible, I never showed my shaky hands to her as I reached for the pork steak from a different plate. Even if I am not looking at her, I can see her observing me in my peripheral vision. I guess what I am doing right now is weird to her.

"Nothing, mother. Let's eat." I said while forcing myself to smile to lessen the tension. She showed no reaction. Instead, she started eating silently facing me.

I badly wanted to ask about the picture I saw a while ago. Who's Leonard? And who is that young baby girl? I am sure it is not me, either. I have a lot of baby pictures inside my cabinet. Is he our relative? Is he my mom's brother? I don't know much about our family and relatives since mom and I have been living separately from them for a long time.

"What happened in school?" Her question made me look at her directly on her eyes. I can't see any favorable expression. What I am seeing is a face that thinks a lot about something I don't know about.

"I got a perfect score in my exam, mom."

I glanced at her and she just nodded a little as a response.

"You know what to do about it."

"Y-Yes mom. I will always get that score for you."

"That's what I want to hear. You just have to keep it up." I stole a glance as she said those words. Even if she's saying it, she's eating quietly. I have a lot of questions but I am afraid that she will mistook this on something else. I don't want her to get mad at me anymore.

We ended our dinner after a few minutes. I politely told her that I will go upstairs. I will have to study my lessons to keep up my pace. She agreed right away and washed the dishes in the kitchen. I hurriedly went upstairs and I even locked my room. I opened my cabinet right away and searched where I stuck that picture somewhere.

"Here it is!" I exclaimed in excitement as I found it once again. I turned my back and observed if mom would go upstairs too. Good thing, she's not yet coming. If she does, I probably heard her steps as she goes upstairs right now.

I don't want to inform her that I saw something in my cabinet. It might add to the stress that stacked her thoughts already.

I looked at the picture as if memorizing every detail. I have a lot of questions in my mind but I am afraid to ask my mom about it. I remember just now. The cabinet in my room used to be mom's. It's already fourteen years old and it's kind of old already that she decided to transfer it in my room. I never thought that I was seeing an unknown picture inside when I do the cleaning once a week.

I guess, I will be finding answers myself. If mom can't tell me about Leonard, I will have to find it out for myself very soon. I got the picture ready and inserted it inside my wallet.

The next morning, it's another day for our endless activities. Our English teacher faced us with folded arms and raised eyebrows. Good thing Hope and I are seatmates.

"Is our teacher married already?"

"Nope."

"Oh, I guess I know the reason why she's being like that." We both giggled when I got what Hope meant by what she said.

"Yeah, she has no love life that's why she loves to make us suffer by letting us have endless group activities and seatworks.

"Okay, class. Enough with the chitchats. I want you to form a group of two. I will assign Carmella Ruth as the leader of group 1 and Elise Hope as the leader of group 2. As soon as we heard our names, we looked at each other, giving weird expressions. I can't easily accept that we'll be forced to be rivals in front of our classmates.

I felt like my heart beat very fast. Of all my classmates, why will it be Hope? I don't want to see myself working against someone I am considering my best friend now.

"Because Hope is still new to our school, I want you to cooperate with her. I want to remind everyone again that I always treat group activities seriously."

I swallowed as I took a glimpse at Hope who was also looking at our teacher as she nodded.

"Start going to your desired group and have someone from each group pick a paper that explains the rules. You can also see the things you need to do for your group activity there.

I can see that Hope glanced at me as if she's worried about what's happening. I came to her and held her hand and looked straight into her eyes. I bit my lower lip to somehow hide my frustrations.

"Let's do this! Fighting!" I even showed her my closed fist as I smiled. Well, deep inside, I don't like the idea. I guess our English teacher already heard from our Literature teacher about Hope. I have a feeling that she also wanted to prove Hope's ability to herself. I was like being placed in a hot seat because of our teacher's decision.

We were tasked to stand in front of our classmates. I am standing beside Hope but we're two meters away from each other. Our teacher let my classmates decide whom to choose as their leader.

My other classmates started to go to Hope while some of my close friends went to me, as expected. I never thought the whole class would also be divided so evenly.

"Carmella we are one, babe." One of my best friends since primary years stood behind me without a doubt. We had a slight fist bump as our sign of friendship.

"Aren't we, always?" My other friends said as they put their hands on their hips as they began to say similar things too. It made me chuckle as I nodded. My other friends joined behind them as they lined up behind me.

When I looked beside me, some of my quiet classmates greeted Hope in a timid manner. She welcomed them all wholeheartedly as she showed her positivity and good vibes.

"Hope, don't be nervous. We will help each other." I heard our classmate Jessie motivated her as she started to stand behind her. She nodded as she smiled. I can see that they even held Hope's hand for moral support.

"We can do this!" One of my shy-typed, nerdy classmates who joined her, too. I don't know if I can last this sight anymore. I secretly rolled my eyes because of what I am witnessing right now.

We are forty-two in class and for this activity, it should consist of twenty members and one leader. Our teacher grinned as she folded her arms and nodded. I think she's pleased with the distribution of the members for each group for the mini-skit she prepared.

"Well, I guess the group one and two are evenly distributed. Very well, let's begin."

I assigned someone from my group to get the instruction paper from our teacher's table. I am the leader of group 1. We were tasked to perform a skit from one of the famous scenes of Romeo and Juliet. I got really nervous when I knew that my group would be the first to perform.

I looked at my team member and I looked at him sternly. That's really too bad. I am somehow hoping we'll be the second to perform so that I will see how Hope managed some of my classmates. Now, the pressure is really on me.

"Wow, our teacher is not serious, right?"

"Yes, everyone. You have ten minutes to prepare, a minute or two to wrap things up and another 10 minutes to present your skit in front of each of your classmates. The winning group will get a score of thirty to the graded recitation for today and the losing group will get twenty points. I wish everyone good luck."

"Everyone, please gather in one, big circle. Let's start planning for the mini-skit." I can hear the gentle voice of Hope but shows authority. I also looked at my members and nodded at them as I smiled. We did the same as we started to form a big circle as well.

This is when I realized this shit is getting real.