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•SALOME ALAN•

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Come on Salome, you're not usually this way when I beg you this much," Zara whine, pulling my hand. I turn to see her pleading face. It's Friday and we're done with our test exercise, Thankfully. Now, Zara is begging me to follow her in helping teachers mark tests scripts. The class is scanty because everyone is participating in one sport or the other, or indulged in playing games since it's free period after our last paper.

I sigh sharply and release my hand from her grip. She pout her mouth, folding her arms beneath her bust.

"I have to practice Zara, I'm sure coach would be waiting for me by now."

"And you want me to go alone, right?" Zara form a fake frown. She raise her hands in mock surrender. "Okay okay, it's fine. Infant, I'm going to help Mr. Alex. I'm going to walk to his office, knock on his fine-ass door, look into his hypnotising eyes and ask if I can help with marking scripts. I'm sure he won't turn me down." She shrugs.

I can't stop the outburst of laughter that raced out of my mouth. I cover my mouth with my hand but it doesn't aid in reducing it. Zara's face is making it more funny. She's glaring at me with raised brows, her baby face looking more cuter.

"Weirdo." I hear her mutter. She bounce on the desk at her back, staring at me while I try to subside my laugh.

"Repeat yourself Zara," I tell her between laugher. "You said Mr. Who again?"

Zara rolls her eyes. "MR. ALEXANDER," She spell in full. "You just watch and see, I'll make him-"

"He doesn't even teach you Zara." I cut through, making her realise that my teacher might not even know her name and she'd end up looking stupid in front of him. Take that from an expert like me.

Zara shrugs, a devilish smirk at the corner of her mouth. "Doesn't matter baby girl," She leans close to where I'm standing. "He's bound to fall for a cute girl like me," She sighs softly, almost looking like the leader of a group of bullies. "I know I'm not ass-full but I have my ways."

It's my turn to raise a brow at her words. I push back her head with my forefinger and she slaps it off.

"You're dreaming." I sing, peeling my rucksack off my seat's arm. "But you know what, it's totally okay to dream big," I place a hand on my chest, blinking rapidly. "I mean... You're right, you have your ways. Just know that it's Mr. Alex we're talking about here. Oh wait, Mr. Who again?" I ask and purse my lips.

Zara hisses so loud that emit the others in my class to glance at us. I'm not surprised, she's good in drawing attention to us, making people think we're the same. Are we though?

"Salome please tell your friend to keep it low." The bravest of them spit out, eyeing the both of us. I dart my gaze to Zara who looks nothing close to bothered about her indirect correction. I shouldn't laugh but I can't help it.

"Sorry Kendal..." I say to the group, it's supposed to sound apologetic but at least I said 'sorry.' My over serious classmates for you.

"Whatever," Zara hiss again. I don't bother looking toward the group because I'm sure they're already glaring at us again. "I'll surprise you Salome." She jerks up from the desk and dust her stainless skirt.

I adjust the straps of my bag on my shoulder. "So where are you going?"

Zara scratches her left brow, trying to be serious with her reply. I rest on my foot, staring at her.

"Well, since you decided to run and run like that's what you came to this world to do, I'll go and make myself useful." She states and point to the door. "With that been said, go your way and I'll go mine. Thanks. Bye."

"And how do you plan to do that?" I quickly follow behind Zara who's already walking out on me. The only thing I know that she loves doing is talking and... painting. Yeah, she's so good at the latter. "You know, Zara, it's been awhile you painted." Seems like my statement made her halt in her fast strides. She spin around to see me at her back.

"Oh, you noticed." She smirks.

I giggle softly. "Yes of course, you're my best friend so I notice every little..." I had to trail off because of the way she's looking at me. Like she's forcing herself from blushing hard but her pouty mouth and smiley eyes is betraying her. I shake my head, exhaling sharply and place my hands on her shoulders. We're now in the hallway and other students are walking and talking about what interests them.

"You should know I do care about you and everything you love doing-"

"Wait." Zara raise her hand to stop me. "Is this sort of like a confession? I've only watched scenes like this movies but not-"

"This is real. And I'm been real right now." I interrupt, smiling bashfully. The fact that we are best friends doesn't mean we shouldn't reassure ourselves of the amount of love we share. "You haven't painted in awhile Zara, why?"

She inhale deeply and take my hands off her shoulders, her lopsided grin still intact. "Why are you so serious about it though? Huh? Okay, fine, because I don't feel like." She shrugs nonchalantly.

My face contour in a sudden frown. I open my mouth to talk but close it back, she should state her reasons. Zara paints every damn time.

"Why don't you feel like?" I have to ask because she's not making an attempt to talk to me about it.

Zara let out a funny chuckle. She glance at the passing by students then me who's looking as serious as ever. I raise my brows.

"Come on, just stop." She shake her head. "Once in awhile, people tend to take a rest from doing what they love. You can't tell me you run everyday of life because you're good in-"

"That's different." I cut off, searching her eyes like I can see the true reason. Zara is just... Never like this. The very day we met, she accidentally spilled paint all over me to show how indulged she gets when she see colours.

Her eyes widens. She fold her arms slowly. "This... It's nothing serious." She's beginning to stammer. What is going on though?

"Oh really?"

Zara shrugs again. "Yep! Like I said, I'm going to help Mr. Alex mark test scripts." With that, she turn around and walk away, her pleated black shirt dancing to the tune of her hips.

I'm baffled.

It's nothing serious, accepted. I'll just find it out myself.

"Wait for me!" I yell, excusing myself from the different combination of fragrance to meet my best friend who's almost down the hallway already.

***

"But you know I have to be in field right now, right?"

"Shuuu..." Zara place a finger on her lips, shutting me up silently as she continually peep at Mr. Alex's door from the corner we're hiding. I'm not hiding though, Zara's the one behind a pillar.

I click my teeth, "But you know you can just take those legs of yours a bit more forward and knock on his door right?" I ask, taking my back off the wall behind. We have been standing here for more than fifteen minutes with Zara poking her head to see when Mr. Alex would come out. I should tell her he won't come out. She shouldn't stress herself.

"Don't stress yourself Zara, Mr. Alex won't... " The door knob makes screeching sounds like someone's turning it open. My eyes widens and I slap my hand on my mouth, sliding behind a nearby pillar. Zara chuckles silently, sticking out her tongue to prove me wrong.

We hear the door fly open and I press my back more in the pillar. We shouldn't be doing this, I shouldn't even be here. Stalking my teacher like desperate high schoolers. I glance sideways at Zara in the opposite pillar. She's looking toward Mr. Alex's office, not caring if she'll get caught staring blankly.

"Zara!" I whisper yell. If she wants to drag me into anything, Mr. Alex's territory should be an exception. "Zara!"

She doesn't respond. Her big eyes are focused on whatever she's looking at. I mentally face palm as I slowly take my eyes to see what she's focused on.

I shouldn't have attempted this.

I should have just remain adamant and join the others in the field and run meters of race till my feet are numb and I can no longer feel myself.

Mr. Alex raise his head from whatever paper he was staring at, those honey brown orbs making contact with me like it was instructed to. I didn't run at all but why do I feel numb and breathless?

He caught me. He's standing right in front of his office, wrapped in black trousers and black button down shirt, like two button loosed.

I should look away. Yes, run. I should run.

My head stiffly turn to where Zara is standing and she's... Gone? Oh my god.

I stagger fully out of the pillar, darting my eyes forward and backward. Where and how did Zara go?

She literally left. Like... Disappeared!

I don't... When did she even-

"Salome."

It's his voice. Mr Alex. I gulp down the confusion, adjusting the falling straps of my rucksack and trying to look like a responsible student.

"Sir?" I am steps away from him, staring directly at his black shirt.

"Come here." He says. I know I should look up but it's hard. I haven't been around here for roughly a week after he said I should take a break throughout test period. It's weakening. What if he brings up how I touched his hands and how inappropriate it is?

What if he says he won't tutor me anymore because of him? I'm clueless.

"Yes... Sir." I slowly take my steps forward, my fingers intertwined in front.

Oh Zara...

The only sounds I hear is my feet, walking to meet my teacher who seems to be patient with how slow I'm walking. He's probably preparing a memorandum in his head on how foolish I acted the other day.

"I'm here." My voice is calm. Now I realise how short I am, standing in front of him with my head a tad lower than his chest.

Oh well...

I should to look up.

Instinctively, I raise my bowed head and crane my neck to see his face. His expression. As expected, he's looking down at me, his brown eyes swallowing my entire being that makes it hard maintaining eye contact. And his hair... Those short curls that has always been this way since the first day. It's been a week, it shouldn't be bad to say I miss his eyes... Right?

Even though I can't look at them for too long.

"Yes, wait for me inside." Mr. Alex walk pass me after his straight instruction. I take my eyes from his retreating figure to the white door times without numbers. He should I should wait for me, inside.

You're done for Salome.

Letting out a shaky breath, I turn the knob open, walk in and gently close behind me. Just like my teacher is seated, I carefully take my steps forward, maintaining dignity. The scent, his scent, I can feel Mr. Alex's presence and he's not even here.

I miss this place, I must say.

Everything is still in other. Books neatly arranged in the small shelf, laptop by the side on the desk, golden glow on the sun spilling through the opened blinds and... mini flower vase on the desk.

I haven't seen that, should be new.

I walk further, my lips stretching in an unusual smile as the feeling of been here welcome me once again. I actually did miss been here, been in Mr. Alex's space. Hearing his voice and watching him either type or write anything.

The rose flower is attractive. The colour is luring that I raise my hand to touch it. The sleekly warm flowery feeling.

It then piques to me. Mr. Alex has never told me to wait in his office, except we have extra lessons. Like the soft petals are now sharp pricks, I retreat my hand from it, my head suddenly thinking of why he asked-told me to wait.

What if he wants to punish me?

Damn.

I push out a shaky breath, settling down on the seat I'm used to. The couch that always manage to wrap my body in it's comfort. I sigh softly. Should I feel happy that I am in his demesne or feel troubled that on a norm, I'm not supposed to be here?

I don't know want to feel.

Taking slow deep breaths, I slip my clammy palms down my skirt, darting my eyes back and fort to the impatience rushing through my veins. Again, like I'm on the track field, getting ready to start a race but it feels the same. Panting heavily and looking directly at the finish line. Except there's no finish line here, just Mr. Alex's pretty rose staring at me in blood red, silently telling me to calm down.

Right, I should think of something else.

Latifah's new product which is to be released next week. That's better. Recently, she has been replying my comments on her posts since my fan page has skyrocketed overnight, making me come up as her biggest fan... No. I shake my head, it isn't working. I find myself glancing at the white door, hoping Mr. Alex would pull it open at any second. At the same time, wishing he would take his time, I'm too tense to even say a word.

Chewing the inside of my mouth, my eyes roam around my teacher's desk. Tests scripts neatly arranged in files. He must be done with the marking by now for them to be this organized and aligned.

The door knob slowly pull open and I've completed forgotten the tension in me as I whip my head to see Mr. Alex walking in. He close the door behind, whiffs of his cologne clouding the atmosphere. I quickly snap my gaze back to my hands.

He draws the chair back and settle on it. I can't see his facial expression though, I'm not looking at him.

"Salome."

Here it goes...

"Sir?" I take up my head to meet his face, his eyes, the orbs I haven't seen in days. It all of a sudden looks brighter than...

Focus Salome.

I purse my lips. He's staring at me, watching me intently, it's causal but still...

"Were you going somewhere or..." He trails, looking from my heavy looking rucksack on my laps and to my face.

I shake my head, smiling. "Oh no... I wasn't."

He nods.

Please don't talk about me behind the pillar.

"Alright." Mr. Alex rubs his clean palms together and pull out of the files containing test scripts. "If you wouldn't mind, I would love you to help me with these." He turn the unmarked papers to me and I stretch to see them properly. It's grade 10 objective test scripts.

But wait, this wasn't what I expected. Or what I wanted to do. Sly Zara would have been here instead. Would I sound hypocritic if I say yes?

"Yes, I don't mind." I couldn't stop myself.

Mr. Alex nods, smiling. Again. Not a toothy kind of smile but with the way he eyes glitter with ease, I can't help my jumping heart. It's... Beautiful.

"Thanks," He place the papers and hand me a red pen. "Just start here, mark the objectives and pass to me to score the theory." He instructs. "And yes," He points to another paper filled with scribbled alphabet, should be the answer booklet. "These are the correct answers."

Wow.

Unbelievable.

I was so tensed thinking he would warn me never to touch him again, or how I failed humbly in his test, or how I hid behind the pillar, but to mark test scripts? Wow again.

Thank you Zara.

If I can recall the way he looked at me, it was more like he expected me to be somewhere close. I tap my feet beneath the desk, my chest jumpy to the jumbles of my thoughts. He picked me, out of others.

Mr. Alex doesn't seem to notice my reaction since he's already occupied with typing on his laptop while I'm holding a red pen between my fingers, unable to accommodate the sugar rush roaming through my body. With pressed lips, I stare down at first script in front of me, smiling at how outlined and accordingly neat the handwriting is.

"Okay..." I exhale sharply, smiling as I mark the first answer correct. "Brillant..." I say to myself. This person seems to get most of the answers correctly. Well, with a teacher like Mr. Alex, you're bound to come out with flying colours, except you want to Salome yourself.

My eyes somehow look up to see Mr. Alex concentrated in what he's typing. He let out a heavy sigh and like he knows I'm staring, his brown orbs look up from the screen to me. He smiles again and the sound of something fall made me realize I had dropped the pen I was holding.

"Oh careful." Mr. Alex bend below, pick up he pen and give me.

"Th-thank you." I stutter, collecting it from him. His fingers brush against mine and I feel the familiar warmth from the first time I stupidly hold his hands.

I really should stop thinking of his hands and mark these papers.

***

"I'm done..." My voice is low and relaxed. I didn't want to utter that statement, that I'm done marking the scripts. I don't want to leave.

Mr. Alex rubs the side of his neck tiredly, closing his laptop shut. We have been in total tranquility since he handed the pen to me and like a responsible student, I kept my mouth shut and marked-the-papers.

"Here," I arrange the papers in the same line and hand it to him.

"Thank you." Mr. Alex says, place the papers by the side of the desk, his eyes on me the whole while.

I purse my lips and nod. I have a list of what I love doing, remind me to add 'marking scripts for Mr. Alex' to it.

He look up the wall clock and my eyes follow. 2:33pm.

Coach would scold me for missing practice. But... Do I mind? I doubt.

"It's past lunch time, sorry I kept you for too long."

My eyes widen. "Oh... It's okay, I'm not really hungry."

Mr. Alex chuckles softly, vibrating sound emitting from his body. I watch him drag out the drawer and pull out a credit card.

"Here, buy whatever you want." He stretch the golden card to me. I open my mouth, slowly taking it from him. I was expecting...

"But sir... You don't need to..."

He stare up at me and my words trail off.

"I'm grateful Salome, accept my gratitude. " He tells me and smile. I want to decline but that smile... It's shutting me up silently.

"Okay... Sir." I slowly get up, holding the card with utmost care. "I'll be... Back." Walking towards the door, I low key wonder why Mr. Alex is been all smiley and somewhat friendly with me. It's... Satisfying, making me not want to leave.

Maybe it's because I scored high in his test and he just doesn't want to tell me.

"Salome."

I stiffen, my hand on the door knob. Gripping the card tighter, I take my time looking over my shoulder. "Sir?"

"Your hair..." He nod to the bantu knots on my head. "I like it."

That's all it takes for me to fall. Don't get me wrong, I'm on my feet, but I can't feel them. Mr. Alex is staring at me, at my knotted hair. It's a simple complement, the type anyone can say casually and I'll smile with a small 'thank you' but why does it feels so... Different?

"Th-thank you sir..." I barely heard myself but he noticed my mouth move and tells me, 'you're welcome.'

With shaky hand, I struggle with the door knob, open to my size and gently close it behind me. If coach finds me right now, he'll drag me to the field when I'm still trying to stand properly and feel my feet again.

Me feeling this way is foreign. It's weird.

Releasing my back from the door, I take one step, then another, and another. It's scary feeling this way, that I can't feel my legs.

"Alexander Junior..." The black words at the bottom implies Mr. Alex's full name. Junior. Cute.

Taking a last glance at the white closed door, an uninvited smile form on my lips as I walk down the hallway.

Feeling this way might be foreign and scary but I love it. It's warm.

I only hope it would last long enough.

__________________________

I pray so Salome, I pray so...
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