Love Mission

Audrey's drool dripped on the table in a slow slimy motion that almost looked disgusting. Her beautiful chestnut hair which splayed on the table covered the side of her face, her head was comfortably resting on her arm as she slept in class. The students, her classmates, paid no attention to her as they were all too engrossed in the teacher's teaching.

The female teacher who was known to captivate students' attention with her interesting method of teaching noticed Audrey's head lying on the table. In a bid to not divert the attention of the students, she stepped off the podium in front of the class with a pink, long, and flexible ruler in her hand. She carefully moved between the tables until she got to Audrey's table, and she hit the ruler on her table twice, causing Audrey to jerk awake.

"Sit up!" she snapped.

Audrey's eyes met with the teacher's eyes and she bowed her head slightly in apology.

"Please pay attention." The teacher said in a softer tone.

"Yes, ma'am." Audrey hid a yawn behind her palms as she watched the teacher walk away, toward the front of the class to resume teaching.

The students averted their eyes from Audrey and once again, they were engrossed in the teacher's teaching.

Audrey wiped off the small spot of saliva that had formed on her cheek, feeling a little embarrassed.

She managed to keep her heavy eyes open until the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. She lazily packed her notebooks and her colored pencils into her white backpack, tucked her hair behind her ear, and checked her thigh-high socks out of habit to ensure her scar was not visible.

She stepped out of the class in search of her best friend but she had hardly stepped out of her classroom when a loud tiny voice called out to her.

"Audrey!" Celine, Audrey's best friend called out in a high-pitched tone that almost sounded like a shriek.

"Argh." Audrey signed with an eye roll. "No need to yell when you see me, you just made my headache worse." Audrey complained the moment Celine stopped in front of her.

"What kept you awake?" Celine asked, ignoring Audrey's earlier statement.

"Are they that obvious?" Audrey asked, gently massaging the bags under her eyes with her index fingers.

"If those bags under your eyes are what you mean by obvious then yes, the whole world can see them."

Audrey signed "Restroom." she said, and they both turned toward the direction of the restroom.

"What kept you awake?" Celine asked.

"I don't know, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, there was this light disturbing me. It was like it was shining directly on my face, but whenever I opened my eyes, it was gone."

"Did you turn off the lights in your room?" Celine questioned.

"I did, but that light definitely didn't come from the bulbs in my room." Audrey glanced at Celine to see a puzzled look on her face but she continued anyway.

"It was some light without a source, it disturbed me all night long and I couldn't sleep."

"That sounds crazy." Celine said, pushing the restroom door open.

"I know right? It sounds crazy."

They stepped into the restroom, leaving the door to close on its own. Audrey turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face, she tore off some toilet paper from the roll placed next to the basin and dabbed her face with it. When she was done, she raised her head to look at her reflection in the mirror. Her eye bags were obvious and because she was not a fan of makeup and never really wore makeup, she had no way of covering them up. Plus, makeup was prohibited in their school, although few students managed to break the rule.

"I look horrible." She said to herself, pouting a little.

"Yes, you do," Celine replied, patting her back while staring back at her friend in the mirror with a mock-pity face.

" How did you even become my best friend?" Audrey asked rhetorically, shrugging Celine's hand off her back and disposing of the wet toilet paper.

"We love each other." Celine grinned and held her hand as they both made their way out of the restroom to the school cafeteria to get something to eat.

"I do not love you," Audrey told Celine, snatching her hand away from Celine's hold.

Celine's grin didn't falter, instead, she linked her arm with Audrey's, and Audrey let her have her way.

They got their food, paid, and proceeded to an empty table, carrying with them a tray containing sausage rolls and fruit-flavored drinks.

"Did you hear? An interclass quiz is coming up, I hope I'll be chosen to participate." Celine announced in excitement as they both planted their butts on the chair and placed their trays on the table. Celine started eating right away but Audrey ignored the food on the table. Taking her bag off her back, she placed it on the floor, next to her, and leaned back into the chair.

"Lucky you, I wouldn't even dream of participating. I'm still trying hard to maintain decent grades in class, I wish I were smart too." She pouted, staring at her untouched food.

"You are smart Audrey, it's just not with books." Celine leaned forward and patted the side of her friend's head, trying to make her feel better.

"Not exactly helpful Celine." Audrey scoffed.

Celine continued eating for a while until she suddenly stopped as if remembering something.

"Will Nigel be participating too? I heard the best students will be representing the school. Then I can only hope to represent my class because Nigel will definitely emerge the best." She sipped a little from her drink through a straw and continued.

"It's surprising how the guy solves difficult questions with very little or no effort at all."

Audrey only shrugged at Celine's words, sleep was hovering over her and she felt too tired to give lengthy replies.

"You are so lucky to have a smart ass in your class," Celine added.

"I'll only feel lucky if he helps me with my exams," Audrey said.

"Maybe you should ask him to tutor you," Celine suggested.

"Who, Nigel? Oh please, he'll walk away before I even get to say anything." She pushed the tray further away from herself, creating space for her to place her head on the table.

"Then that confirms the rumors I've heard about his arrogance," Celine huffed, shaking her head as she picked up her drink and drank from the bottle through the straw.

"I really don't think he is arrogant, maybe he is not so good with words, so he avoids it." Audrey defended.

"I still think he is arrogant." Celine insisted adamantly.

"Do not judge a book by its cover, Celine. Just because he doesn't have the smiling syndrome doesn't mean he is arrogant."

"I don't think he has the ability to smile at all." She snickered.

Finishing her meal, Celine pushed her tray away from herself and focused on Audrey who was now fiddling with the strands of her beautiful chestnut hair.

"You should eat Audrey."

"I don't feel like eating," Audrey groaned, raising her head a little to peep at Celine.

"Since when? You always have an appetite." Celine reacted with a raised brow.

"I just don't feel like eating today." She replied, still peeping.

"Then you'll be wasting your money."

"You can have it." Audrey pushed the tray toward her best friend, dropping her head back on the table.

"I'm full, here..." Celine picked up the sausage roll on the tray, tore the wrap, and brought it closer to Audrey's nose. The delicious smell hit Audrey's nose, sending a signal to her brain, her stomach, and her mouth. She sat up salivating, she leaned closer to the sausage, tucked her hair behind her ear so it won't get in her mouth, and bit into the snack. A funny moan escaped her lips as she collected the snack from Celine and did justice to the rest of the snack.

Celine threw her head back and laughed at her friend, her laugh earned the attention of a few students sitting close to them but she didn't shy away or stop because she was very much aware of how contagious her laugh is, and how it lit up her whole face and made her prettier.