SAVANNA
CHAPTER 4

I opened my eyes as a glare-creating light peeked out from behind the window curtain of my room. Mom's noise wasn't heard this morning. I glanced at the wall clock that showed at half 7 am.

I fell asleep earlier last night. James came home when Mom told him he was on his way home. After that I went to bed because I was so tired.

I pull myself out of bed and out of the room. The atmosphere felt very quiet. Even the door to my room is still closed.

Tumben Mom is late waking up.

I opened the window welcoming the sunlight, the birds chirping making me smile involuntarily. My mind was refreshed when the morning breeze hit my face.

I went back to the kitchen and saw a clean dining table. I opened the fridge and started to prepare breakfast.

Krieet.

The voice coming from the main door was heard. Spontaneously I looked and found the father with a shabby appearance like a sleep-deprived person walking straight towards me.

"Hello my pretty boy". Greet my father with a forced smile.

"Oh, you're home?". I asked with a surprised face because he finally showed the trunk of his nose at home.

"yeah. Where's your Mom?". Her question now diverts our conversation.

I glanced at the closed door of the room followed by my father looking back. Without another word, my father turned around and left me for the room where Mom was still inside.

I shrugged my shoulders and continued to make breakfast. The mood was silent again.

Plaque!

Amidst the silence of the morning, the sound of a loud slap from inside the mother's room was clearly heard. Mother's cries began to fill the small room.

"Why are you still showing up?! Huh uh?!". Excited Mother.

"...".

The silence felt again.

After a few minutes, I started crying again. I was frustrated to hear the sound of it finally choosing to leave breakfast on the table and run towards my room. I grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom. Just in this place, I can't hear the sound of their quarrel. I tightened the water tap and the cold spill flushed all over my body. Not felt, the heat in my eye spilled, flowing along with the droplets of water that fell more and more.

After the shower I typed in some messages for James. However, until I finished getting ready with my uniform there was still no reply. I took a deep breath and grabbed the cat-shaped piggy bank on the study table. I opened the piggy bank and took some money, then ordered a taxi online.

"I'm leaving!". My screams interrupted their commotion.

The mood was silent again.

I just smiled cynically watching their silence towards me. They no longer see their children who have gone to school.

.

.

.

.

.

After arriving at school, I quickly walked to class. It was too early, so the class was still quiet. Only a few kids were in it. I'm looking for James' whereabouts, but he's invisible, too. Maybe not yet arrived.

I sat my body on the bench lazily. Some children greeted me but I responded with a forced smile. This morning my mood was very unstable. I put on a headset and drowned my head on the table, trying to avoid the interaction some of my classmates were having.

"Hey! Looky. Isn't that James?". Asked someone who made me suddenly wake up and look at my classmates who looked at each other out the window.

I followed them and found James walking hand in hand with a beautiful woman by his side. Looking at that scene, my mind became more and more chaotic. I try to think positively. Maybe it was his cousin, or maybe his other family. Who knows?.

Time passed by slowly, while listening to the beautiful chanting song from my headset, the sound of the class door ringing rang. I looked at the door and found James walking closer. I greeted him with a smile while taking off my headset.

"Morning baby". Say hello to me with pleasure.

"Morning". Greet James briefly and sit beside me.

Cup.

I kissed her cheek at a glance and she looked surprised.

"What's wrong?". Ask wonder.

"It's no problem, I was a little surprised by your behavior this morning". His answer made me frown.

"Forget it, it's not a lesson soon". James said now while reaching into his bag, and took out some books.

His behavior looks strange, he's not usually this serious.

"You don't want to explain that woman to me?".

Without further ado, I immediately said the question that had stuck in my heart. Our classmates were suddenly silent and started to put up their ears. Even though their behavior seems to be busy with their own world. What losers!.

"Oh! You see?". James said more and more misbehavior and even asked me again.

I shrugged both shoulders and tried to cover up my curiosity which was now mixed with worry.

"Babe... She's Ashela. New kid at this school. He's my mother's friend's son. Just moved from London. So Mom told me to help her socialize in this place, she happened to be about the same age as us, so she moved to this school. That's why we left together this morning".

James explained it smoothly and at length to me. I glanced at my classmates, some of them nodded as if they were already looking forward to this answer.

"alright. Is he in our class?". Asknow.

But before James goes back to explain, the creaking of the classroom door again sounds featuring our homeroom teacher along with a daughter who looks a little different to us.

The class is now focused on him. Including myself.

"Please introduce yourself". Said our homeroom teacher.

"Morning, my name is Ashey Ashela. You can call me Ashela, I'm moving from London, thankyou!" The same student James told.

I nodded, and occasionally glanced at the smiling James towards Ashela.

"Well, Ashela please sit on the bench of the second row on the right". Speak to our homeroom teacher kindly.

I watched the girl walk over and spread the charm of her smile, and ended up right in front of James and me. I noticed her who had just greeted James with an 'unusual' and James responded with a brief smile. That made me so disturbed.

I snorted in a huff, making James turn around and notice me who was upset. He just chuckled and grabbed my hand from under the table and rubbed it. Instantly the angry feeling turned to be happy because of this sweet treatment.

The science subjects started and went on very boringly. I occasionally glanced at James who was focused on the material described by our homeroom teacher. He himself was a science teacher. From the beginning, James was very interested in these subjects.

I'm glad to see her very serious self. Makes me want to tease her, but I realize this is not the right place and time.

The crane! The crane! The crane!

The sound of a resting bell was pounding. Makes me sigh happily, so do some of the kids in this class. We cleaned up the learning tools and one by one the students in this class began to leave the room to the cafeteria and other places.

"James, let's go to the cafeteria". That voice stopped my work putting books in my school bag.

I glanced at Ashela who was staring at James with a sparkling gaze and it made James misbehave.

- April cn