“, read Sonnet #18 out loud for me please,”
The entire class turned to stare at the girl. Her long bangs covered half of her face and her hands shook as she lifted the book. She stood up and her lips parted to speak, but no words came out as a furious blush appeared on her cheeks. She tried again as her arms trembled, her hands clenched to the book, but still no sound came out.
“, sit down,”
Laughter and murmurs replaced the girl’s silence as the girl sat down and buried her face in her hands. The teacher sent her a sympathetic look and looked around the classroom for another student to read. Everyone tried to avoid his glance and developed a sudden fascination with their school supplies. The teacher sighed as his eyes landed on a boy with dark green hair.
“Echizen, read Sonnet #18 for me.”
“Yes, sensai.”
The girl, face still flushed, looked up and found the boy sitting next to her stood up with his book. He took one look at the pages and started to recite.
The class was quiet again, the recitation was over, and everyone was stunned at the flow of the words. The girl sneaked a glance at the boy as he sat down and felt a sudden emotion.
“Excellent,” The teacher laughed uncertainly as he wrote on the board, “Today, we will be starting a unit on the works of Shakespeare, so…”
The teacher opened his mouth to say something more, but unfortunately, the bell rang at that exact moment as everyone started to trickle out of the classroom and dash toward their freedom.
“Ryoma-sama!” Tomoka’s loud voice rushed over to the boy’s desk before he had a chance to escape, “Want to get lunch with us?”
The boy looked up and found the usual pair of Tomoka and Sakuno. He sent them a wary look, got up, and said simply, “No.”
As the two were complaining about how Echizen Ryoma is always so cold, but they will be his fan forever. The quiet girl got out of her seat and followed a few steps behind the boy.
“ and Echizen,” The teacher stopped the two as they were about to walk past the podium, “Please stay for a few minutes.”
The girl nodded shyly as the boy leaned against a nearby desk. The teacher sent the Tomoka and Sakuno a look and the two left rather unwillingly. They sent a curious look at the three was they stepped out and closed the door.
“, there’s a problem.”
“Hai sensai?”
“I know your English written work is excellent, but why are you unable to speak?”
“Sensai, gomen, I…” The girl paused as her face started to heat again, “I don’t think…I…”
“I think you just need some practice,” The teacher reassured, “Now Echizen, I want you to help to complete an original poem composition and present in a week’s time.”
“Mada mada dane.”
The boy was obviously unwilling, and turned around to leave as the teacher added his final message, “If you help her, I will excuse you for all the times you daydreamed in my class!”
The boy’s steps halted and suddenly he raised one hand and motioned towards the door.
“Come on , let’s go.”
“Yo, Echizen, practice isn’t over yet!” Horio called as the freshman regular packed up his stuff and stepped out of the court, “Why are you leaving?”
“I got some business to take care of,” Echizen said over his shoulder and continued on, “Ja ne.”
“What’s more important than practice?” Horio muttered to himself as he turned his attention back to the courts and found almost all of the regulars collapsed on the ground.
“What’s going on?” Horio suddenly got an uneasy feeling, “It can’t be…”
“Freshman, start picking up those tennis balls or you too get to enjoy this tasty, healthy beverage made by the one and only Seigaku data specialist.” Inui lifted a glass of some undistinguishable liquid, “I have combined the most nutritious edibles to create this ultimate health drink. Why don’t you have a taste?”
“Nooooo….!!!”
Echizen found himself opening the gates to a house in an unfamiliar neighborhood. He paused to check the name and stepped into the yard soon after. He raised his hand, but before he could knock, the front door opened, revealing a dark hallway.
“Echizen-san,” The girl said quietly as the door opened fully, “Please come in.”
stepped aside and held the door open for Echizen to step into the entry way. The only source of light disappeared as closed the door and the two were shrouded in darkness.
“Gomen Echizen-san,” apologized as the two navigated carefully through the darkness, “The light in the hallway is broken and I didn’t get a chance to fix it yet.”
After a few seconds, opened the door to another room and Echizen found himself blinded by the sudden light. He took a few dizzy steps and sat down at one end of a long wooden table.
He couldn’t help but look around this unfamiliar home. It wasn’t Japanese or even Western. The living room was decorated with landmarks from all over the world. The Great Wall of China is painted to flow from one wall to another. Perfect replicas of the coliseum, the statue of liberty, and the Eiffel tower adored the shelves, it was truly a room full of history and culture.
“My parents are international journalists,” said as if she read his mind, “They always bring back souvenirs from countries they visit.”
Echizen nodded as he returned his attention to the table and reached for his books. His hands paused as his eyes passed the table: there were ten cans of Ponta lined up neatly next to a line of bonsai plants.
“Ponta?” Echizen sent a questioned look toward the girl, “For me?”
“Um…” The girl suddenly looked slightly embarrassed again, “I heard you really like Ponta and since you are helping me, I thought I should prepare some in case.”
“Hmmm…” Echizen nodded as he grabbed a can and snapped it open, “So what subject do you want to write your poem on?”
The girl got out a pen and piece of paper. She paused a moment before replying:
“Loneliness”
“Horio!” Tomoka called loudly, “Where’s Ryoma-sama?!”
“Echizen? He left about an hour ago.”
“What?!!!”
Horio covered his ears as he gulped down another bottle of water and still could not get the taste of Inui’s new health drink out of his mouth. He reached to refill his water bottle as Tomoka hit it out of his hand.
“Sakuno and I are looking for him,” Tomoka said clearly, “So, WHERE DID HE GO?”
Horio took a step back and fainted. Apparently the effects of Inui’s drink had not yet worn off and the two girls were left without answers.
“, have you finished the poem yet?”
Echizen found himself in that eclectic room again, the house was quiet as handed him a piece of paper. Echizen glanced at the sheet to only find the word “Fight”.
“New title?”
“Hai,”
“Then let’s start working…”
Normally, he would be frustrated to start over, but somehow with her, he didn’t feel the need to question her actions. Echizen watched the girl put down a few words and felt his attention waver again. The room was silence except for the occasional scratch of the pencil on paper and suddenly something clicked.
“Where are your parents?”
“In Italy,” replied with a bitter smile and added, “I think…”
Echizen immediately regretted asking the question, he could read the pain in her eyes even as she looked down and her bangs covered much of her face. There was a story there and he might just have salted her wound.
Echizen found himself daydreaming in English again. The class was even more boring than usual. The poems his classmates came up with were unoriginal and a drag to listen to. He looked to one side and saw leaning on one hand, listening attentively to the poems. There was something different about her today, something is different. Oh yes, her long hair was pulled back and her bangs were parted on one side with a simple bobby pin. For the first time he could see her face clearly, and he became so mesmerized in her features that he still sat there long after the bell had rang.
“Ryoma-kun!”
Echizen didn’t stop walking, he didn’t want to face those girls, not now. He didn’t want to keep her waiting, no, he must hurry.
“It’s -san isn’t it?”
Echizen’s footsteps stopped as he wielded around to face the granddaughter of his tennis coach. A brief silenced passed before he turned and resumed walking along the side of the school, ignoring here completely.
“You like her don’t you?!”
’Do I?’
“Another new poem?”
Echizen was curious. What’s with this girl? She wanted to change the poem again, so they are both faced with another blank page. He grabbed another Ponta, snapped it open before replying.
“What’s the title this time?”
“Confidence.”
“, are you ready for the presentation?” Echizen asked as the two waited outside of the classroom, “it’s almost your turn.”
“Hai,” The girl sent him a smile and took a deep breath, “I am ready.”
“But…” Echizen looked around and found no slip of paper for her to read from, “Where’s your poem?”
“It’s here,” pointed to herself, “Poetry is about capturing a moment, an emotion, and my poem captures the last week of my life. That is my presentation. I have experiences loneliness, I have fought, I have gained confidence, and that is the true purpose of my poetry.”
Echizen suddenly realized. Yes, she is more confident, so confident that everyone is sure to notice. This was a girl who was able to break out of her shell, and what an amazing girl she was.
“Good luck,” Echizen said quietly, “I…will wait for you…”
gave one last smile, opened the door, and walked in. Her aura was radiating with confidence and everyone was surprised. Echizen watched from the doorway and gave one his rare smiles.
’I want to be part of her life, forever.”
Written by Amiya
September 17, 2008
[1] Sonnet #18 by William Shakespeare