Chapter 1: The Brown-haired Girl

“...Lady Macbeth was the reason behind Macbeth’s downfall. Is this statement true?”

There we go again. Wasn’t it yesterday that Ms. Brookes asked the same question? Seriously, what’s gotten into her?

“Miroku Houshi, can you please give us the answer?”

Oh gosh! Not me of all people! C’mon don’t you get any other name to call? No, obviously, I didn’t say that.

“I don’t know the answer.” I flatly said, looking straight at her, no wandering eyes whatsoever.

“Then please go and grace the corridors.” She didn’t show a bit of anger like she usually does.

I nodded and walked out of the class. I could see some of my ‘class mates’ giggling and passing comments as I walked out. I didn’t bother to know what they were.

What else can they be than “shameless fellow”, “Miroku’s such an idiot”, “he’s such a dumb-ass”? Well smart-asses, I, at least, don’t pretend to know the answer like some of you do. You lot end up confusing yourselves while answering! I at least don’t waste the teacher’s time displaying such stupidity.

I stood out of the room for the whole class. Heck, I’m gonna leave school now! But even thinking about that is futile. Thinking about a break from high-school is futile let alone leaving school altogether!

“Break! A high-schooler needing a break! Go sit with your books. Internet’s not gonna teach you a thing! Leave it for a few days and get studying!” father yelled at me when I’d told him about my plan for a break.

A tyrant of a father! I think I deserved a better one! Anyway, I’d go and sit with my books as often ordered by my dear father. But after exactly half an hour books would become distant things for me. My mind would wind up weird fantasies of a different world – a world with demons, priests, priestesses, soldiers, half-breeds and what not! By the way, I forgot to mention the most important of the lot. That’d be women. Man, do I love fantasizing about them! But fantasizing has its drawbacks as well. To rise or rather to arouse is not always good you see.

School life is boring! I thought so to myself while waiting for the English class to end and the next class to begin.

“Next up maths?” I asked myself but when I didn’t get the answer I sighed.

Just then a cold wind hit my face, refreshing me. I looked for the source and my eyes fell upon the window by the stair case. Someone might have left it open. I’m grateful to whoever did that.

I gazed at the window, the sky, the clouds, the birds and...and the girl!!

“What the hell!?” I almost jumped up in surprise. “What’s she doing out of the window? Or is it in the window? Damn, what am I thinking! The girl’s very much inside.”

Has she been punished as well? And right after that. She’s damn cute!

My mind sure wanders a lot!

Similar fates have brought us together and now we shall be together forever!

“It’s too early to think that.” I corrected myself. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t go over and have a chat, does it?” I let myself get taken over by the girl’s charms. “Obviously not!” I gathered up all my courage and took a few steps towards the girl.

She was wearing the same white shirt and brown skirt as other girls of our school. But her skirt looked shorter than the rest!

“Control” I hummed in my mind repeatedly.

Her dark brown hair was being fanned by the wind that hit her face. As her hair flew in the wind, my heart seemed to fly out of my ribs. I was hell bent on talking to her at that very moment. But the thought of it was making me nervous. I jumped up at the slightest of noises.

At this rate I’ll never make it to her! The exact thing happened.

I hadn’t even taken ten steps when the bell rang, declaring the conclusion of the English class. I sighed and returned to my post beside the closed door of the class. The door opened after a few minutes and a woman in her thirties came out.

“Monday we’re having a test on Macbeth. Today’s Friday, tomorrow’s Saturday and the day after is Sunday. Two days to study. At least forty five out of hundred or your father visits the head. Am I clear, Miroku Houshi?”

She sweetly delivered the death sentence to me.

“Yes Ms. Brookes.”

You bitch I’ll kill you! Cursing won’t help, so I stopped thinking after I’d thought out that much.

She left and I entered the class. But immediately I came out.

“That girl, where is she?” I thought to myself as I looked for her at the window.

I wasn’t dreaming, was I? It must be one of my fantasies again. I sighed and returned to the class. The whole day I sat down and thought about the girl. I wanted to see her again. Luckily the teachers didn’t bother me. I already had enough headaches. English test being one of them. Home-works are always there. They’re perennial in my list of head-aches.

The bell of the History class rang. It snapped me out of my fantasies and made me aware that school was over.

I went out of the building, hit the road, waited for the signal to change and crossed over as the green signal lighted up. Then walking along the footpath I reached the bus stop. After waiting for exactly five minutes bus arrived. I got up and after some moments reached my home. I opened the front door, walked along the clean cemented path through our garden and then opened the door of the house and entered.

“I’m home!” I shouted as I opened my shoes and kept them in the shoe stand.

I forgot that mom wasn’t there anymore. No one would answer my calls. I sighed and headed up stairs where my bed room was. I opened the door, banged it shut, left my bag to sag on the floor and dumped my body in the bed.