After our class, I was supposed to go straight to Kaisel's room so we could go home together, but Sean suddenly invited me to take me home.
 
"Is that okay with you?" I just nodded. There was nothing I could do. It was also embarrassing to refuse his offer.
 
"Yeah, sure, why not!" I was forced to smile. He wanted to lift my bag, but I just told him I could carry it because it wasn't heavy. I looked around before we started walking home. I was really dead to that person when he found out this thing.
We smiled at each other when our eyes met. I feel awkward because I'm not used to men going home with me. Especially with him. I don’t know why I feel this way now.
 
We waited for the bus in the waiting shed outside the school. We didn't wait long because they came one after the other because the students were going home. We just sat quietly, and no one spoke to us, so I felt even more awkward.
 
When the bus stopped, I said goodbye to him. I also thanked him for freeing me from the bus fare. I was surprised when he followed me down. He even put his hand over my shoulder, so I felt a little uncomfortable.
 
"Hey, why did you come down?" I asked him to He pointed to a man restlessly looking around, as he had his right hand in his pocket.
 
"That man was looking at you earlier. He also followed you down. Just act normal and walk. Don't worry, I'm with you. We'll just mislead him so he can't follow you. " I nodded at what he said. That's why I've been feeling weird lately. I just can't find where that is.
 
We walked normally; we even got to laugh. When we saw an alley, we went in and passed by. But we could still see his shadow behind us. It was already dark, so we noticed that. We continue to misdirect him. But he seems to know the ins and outs of this place because he still follows us.
 
"Let's hurry." he said. I nodded. We walked fast so he wouldn't notice us until we got close to him. We went into the convenience store we passed to rest and get water.
 
"Here." He handed me the water he bought.
"Thanks!" I smiled. I opened it and drank it immediately. When I regained my thirst, I turned it off.
 
 "Thank you so much, Sean. I will go home now." He nodded. But he still offered to take me to the opposite side of our house because he said that the man might still follow me. I just agreed, because even I was scared.
 
We left the convenience store and started walking home to Kaisel's house. I'm sure they're worried about me because it's past eight o'clock in the evening, especially my mum. I thanked him again when we arrived at Kaisel's house before I went inside.
 
I passed Aunt Kailey and her eldest daughter, Kacey, in the kitchen washing the plates they used. I think I'm late for dinner. 
I approached them to greet them and put the bottled water that Sean and I bought at the convenience store in the refrigerator to cool it.
"Why are you late, Dee?" Kaisel's mom asked. 
"Sorry, Aunt. I just finished something. I promise it will not happen again." I apologize. I lied. That's not really true. I just thought of not telling them what happened to me a while ago because I don't want to worry about it.
 
"It's okay, dear. I'm just worried about you. Go to your room and change your clothes. Then come down to eat. " I nodded. I feel bad for myself because I made Aunt Kailey worried.
 
 "Yes, Aunt, I will. Thank you so much." I was about to start going upstairs when suddenly Aunt Kailey's daughter spoke. I turned to her and listened to what she was saying. "
 
"By the way, since Kaisel was waiting for you in your room earlier, he said you needed something from him. I don't know what it is, so just talk to him about it. " I smiled at her and thanked her before I finally climbed to the top.
I would have knocked on his door to talk to him about what we talked about, but it wasn't necessary because he had just come out of his room.
 
"You're running late again, aren't you? I already have $20 for you. What a nice business, right? " He smirked, and he held out his hand in front of me as I widened my eyes and wondered how it had happened.
 
 "Is that included in the rules you made up?" I wondered about the question because I really don't know what he's talking about.
 
"Yes, it is. I guess you don't read it. " He smirked again. I immediately took from the pocket of my cardigan the paper on which he wrote the rules he made so that I could see that it belonged. And here's here. Number sixteen!
 
I didn't read everything! This is my fault! But wait a minute... why does he have to include that? My mother doesn't even give me a curfew. But, him? Ugh! That's not fair.
 
"Why did you need to include that? And where did you get your guts to give me a curfew? " My bold question, even the truth, wants my feet to fall to the floor. Where do I get $20? My allowance for a week is only $5. So, it's possible for me to pay him right now.
"Because it's my house, my rules." His response was simple, but it made my head hurt so much. He is so mean! I thought there was still a little kindness left in his heart. But it's really nothing.
 
"I don't have any money yet. I'll pay you next time. " I sadly said.
 
"Okay, I'm fine with that. but every day it adds $1 until you can pay for it. That's called interest. If you just don't know, change your clothes. I'll go to your room after 30 minutes. " He said and went downstairs. Then it's that good! I kicked the floor in annoyance. Don't you know how you make me feel bad about myself?
 
 "Argh!" I yelled!
 
I entered my room and slammed the door. When the door closed, I leaned in there to calm myself. That's okay, Denice! He can help you, and you owe it to him. I exhale and inhale. Go! Denice! You can do it! It will be worth it in the end!
 
I dropped my bag on the seat of my vanity table, started to get dressed, and then went downstairs to eat dinner.
 
When I got down, I saw Kaisel and her eldest sister were talking in the living room. When Kaisel noticed that I was here, he immediately said goodbye to his sister.
"I'll wait for you in your room." I nodded. My eyes followed him as he climbed to the top. before going to the kitchen to do what I wanted to do. And that was eating dinner. The eldest sister of Kaisel approached me and started talking to me, so I suddenly felt shy.
 
"Hello! How are you? " She actually asked me that? Gosh! My cheeks were turning bright red right now.
 
 "I'm fine! And you, how are you? " I asked her back. I can't think of another question. I really feel shy. I do not know why. I don't know what is going on between you. But I want to apologize for my brother's teasing of you." I felt even more shy. Why is she the one who is apologizing? It's not her fault. His brother is just really psycho. And he just really wanted to piss me off.  It's not your fault. So, please don't say sorry to me. I felt guilty. Because she have nothing to do with it but she's the one who's saying sorry.
 
 "As his eldest sister. I still want to say sorry to you. Are you done eating? You should go now. He's an impatient person, so he should probably go now. Good luck to you. " I thanked her for cheering me on and I relived it. I said goodbye to her and quickly put my plate in the sink to wash it.
 
And then I went up to my room. He was asleep at the table. I had prepared for our study review, so I woke him up.
 
And then I went up to my room. He was asleep at the table I had prepared for our study review, so I woke him up.
 
"Let's start." I nodded. I sat down next to him and we started studying. The first thing we studied was social studies. It's one of the most difficult subjects for me. 
But when he taught me, it was so easy.
 
When I make a mistake, he keeps repeating it to me, and he really makes me think. He's smart, but he can't be a teacher. The students were not good when they became his teachers because he was so super strict.
 
"Hey, wake up. You still have many pages to read and memorize. " I nodded and rolled my eyes to look at it again. We go back to studying and memorizing geography. Geography is part of the social sciences. 
 
In days gone by, that’s just what we did. I could no longer sleep well because I still had a lot to study. That's true, what Celestine said to me. It's not really that easy to be one of the top students. 
 
But I will do everything to get into the top 50 students. It was all for my mother’s sacrifice and suffering. It's not enough yet. In the past few days, I also started to save money, so when we finished the finals exam, I paid my debt to him. 
 
Our final exam will start tomorrow, so we need double time now. What we are going to study now is mathematics. I'm drowsy, so I don't understand much of what he's saying to me. 
 
"Denice Chantal!" I suddenly woke up to that shout. So I was anxious to do something. 
 
"Read this, Ms. Chantal, and memorize it. Because they always shuffle the questions. " I nodded and quickly picked up the thick piece of paper he had thrown on my table. 
 
"1. A car dealership uses the linear model y =-1100x + 25000 to what will the value of the vehicle be 5 years after purchase?"  because I'm too lazy to read all of the questions in number 1 because it was really long. I went strategy to the last question. 
 
"What will the value of the vehicle be 5 years after purchase? It was $19,500. " I keep putting it in my brain so I won't forget it tomorrow.
 
"Hyung?" I heard someone say, while I'm busy memorizing the possible questions that will come out on my final exam tomorrow, I looked up to see who it was.
 
"Where's, hyung?" He said. I looked for his older brother. He slept next to me because he was tired of teaching me. I promise I will do my best to make the best cookies for him tomorrow. 
 
I said his older brother was asleep, so he just lowered his voice. Even though he was angry with me, he still followed what I said. 
 
"What do you need from him? I'll just tell him as soon as he wakes up. " He shook his head. 
 
"Nothing." Then he ran back to his room. I checked on his brother once again. Why does this man have pretty eyes? Why does man have a nice eyelashes? Even his nose was so pointed. Why did God make him so perfect? Argh! It's too unfair!
 
I just went back to what I was doing. I need to do everything to be among the top students this semester, so I don't have the guts to rest. 
 
"Denice, wake up! You have an exam today. " I heard someone shout at my door. 
 
"Coming." I shouted back. I stretch my body to wake up my spirit while rubbing my eyes to clear my vision. 
I went straight to the toilet to take a bath and clean my body. After taking a bath, I put on my uniform and tied my hair in a ponytail. 
 
As I do every day, after I fix myself, I greet the people with me at home before sitting down and sharing breakfast with them.
 
"Eat a lot, dear, for your brain to live and work." Aunt Kailey said after she put some dishes on my plate. I thanked her for what she did. I love you so much, Tita Kailey!
 
"Good luck to both of you." My mum wished us luck while we were in our shoes. I hugged her tightly before we finally said goodbye to them.
 
When we left their village, we immediately boarded a bus, because it will only arrive then. Just like in the past, he wore his earphones close to his ears while looking outside. 
 
I took one of his earphones and put them on my ear. He didn't take it off to my ear, he just looked at me and didn't say anything.
 
After a minute, we arrived at school, so I put his earphones back in his ear and I was the first to go down because I was the one in front. 
 
"Good luck on your exam!" he said before we finally parted ways. while walking into our room. I remember the ones I reviewed last night, so I won't forget. I know I answered the questions well because I studied almost everything there. 
 
The next day, I still did the same. Wake up early, take a bath, get dressed and eat after going to school for exams. 
 
We only have half a day today like yesterday because of our final exam. It's the last day of our final exam for this semester. 
 
After answering our exam papers, we will check this immediately, so I will have a chance to see my scores.
 
And after checking the exam paper, they will record it. Then, at last, they will release the results for those who made it into the top 50 students throughout the semester.
 
"Chantal, Denice." Ms. Su called my name. I immediately stood up in my chair to approach him and get the results of my exam on his subject. 
 
"Congrats, Ms. Chantal. You are the one who got the highest score on my subject. Well done! " I didn't quite understand what she said, so I just nodded and thanked him. I just realized what he said after seeing my score. What? 98/100? Is this real? 
 
When Ms. Su returned all the test papers to my classmates, she stood in the middle to announce that I got the highest score in her subject.
 
Some of my classmates congratulated me, but some of my classmates also wondered how it happened that I got the highest score. 
 
And not Celestine or Mira, because they are the ones who usually get it. I just don't pay much attention to it. 
 
I'm happy, but at the same time, I am a little disappointed in myself because I know I can't do this without Kaisel's help. Celestine congratulated me. I thanked her for her greetings. 
 
"Denice." I looked at the person calling my name. 
 
"We were just wondering why you got the highest score. It's just surprising because, you know, the person who always got the lowest score is now getting the highest. Unless he cheated, right, guys? " Lyka said. I looked at each of my classmates. They all agree with what Lyka said.
 
 
 
 
To be continued