The result of cycling more than five kilometers under the scorching sun was that I ended up skipping school for three days straight. On the day I returned, I saw Vu drinking water with a few older students at the school gate. Had he already been recruited into the school's gang circle? It didn't concern me. I clutched my bag and walked in. As usual, my classmates treated me like I was invisible.
I placed my bag on the desk and suddenly remembered I had been moved to a new seat. The new spot was at the back of the class, and I looked around, unsure of where to sit.
Oh no, that would be too close to Vu. Could it be that the class wanted to ostracize me and were playing mind games to scare me? No matter, I've always been known for being stubborn. I figured I'd sit in the row opposite Vu, so I placed my bag down and rushed off to wash the board rag.
When I returned, Vu was already seated. I cautiously walked toward my bag.
"You sit in the row next to this one."
A classmate pushed my bag aside with just one finger, then even rubbed that same finger along the edge of the desk in disgust.
Huh? But the other side was where Vu and Le Quyen sat. Oh, it must be the outermost row then?
Our class had three rows of desks, with two students at each, so I guessed that was it. I picked up my bag and walked around Vu's desk. But the outer row already had two bags on it, which meant…
When Le Quyen entered the classroom and sat at my old seat, I finally confirmed my suspicion. I would be sitting at a two-person desk with the person who had thrown me into the water?
No one confirmed this horrifying reality for me.
I quietly slid into my seat as if laying a feather on the chair. For the entire lesson, I kept myself confined to the space of a single notebook. Every time the person next to me stretched or reached for their bag, I curled up like a frightened chicken. I either stared down at my notes or kept my eyes glued to the board. Only when Vu left the room during break time did I finally dare to breathe.
"You're really timid! Why are you so scared of him?"
I looked up and saw Le Quyen.
"Look, he seems pretty friendly!"
Following her pointing finger, I glanced out the window. Vu was laughing and chatting with some girls, both from our class and others.
"Yeah."
"He's the first person who ever didn't want to sit next to me, you know!"
"Yeah."
"He really is a gangster type. You should be careful!"
"Yeah."
Apparently, I was so sparing with words that Quyen gave up trying to continue the conversation. To be honest, I didn't care. I didn't want anything to do with delinquent students.
The bell rang, and Vu came back into the class. He took up about two-thirds of the desk, while I sat timidly in the remaining space.
Vu and I sat next to each other for a whole week without exchanging a single word. Sometimes, a few classmates would come over to chat with him and "accidentally" knock over my stuff, or shake the table and chair while joking around. I just quietly picked my things up. It was kind of sad — while Vu had already gotten to know everyone, I still didn't know anyone. Le Quyen had her own friends too, while I stayed huddled in a corner.
I went to wash the rag again — that was the duty assigned by the class monitor. Technically, every desk was supposed to take turns cleaning the board once a week. We didn't have to sweep since we had a janitor, but no one ever did their part, so I did it.
The boys' and girls' restrooms on the first floor shared a ceiling, so that day, I clearly heard Lâm Anh A's voice echoing:
"I thought that country girl was supposed to be smart. Turns out she's just diligent. Her grades are barely better than mine. During the placement test, I gave her the answers and even told Lam Anh's parents to lower her score so she could get into our class. Who would've thought…"
"Whatever. Every class needs a maid, so the class officers, Lam Anh's group, and even Le Quyen don't have to lift a finger."
"She's such a freak, totally ruins the vibe of our hotboy-hotgirl class. I can't stand seeing her face every day until the class transfer exams. Should we do something to make her drop out on her own?"
Now I understood everything. I stumbled out of the restroom and walked aimlessly. Just as I reached the door, Vu walked in, and seeing him, I instinctively stepped aside.