ing the next class, w

middle-aged man. He was known to have a good sense of humor and was

s compared to others, and liked t

es that flew by in a happ

ing exercise. Alina didn't know if this was li

on Alina's face as she

e music

towards the door. Alina stood up, turned to

Alina's teasing, so she re

ince Yana refused, Alina decide

he students rushed to the stairs, and soon the hallways wer

her classmates, hoping that s

me from the same class huddled together. The boys and girls stood i

morning exercise

ments on stage, and Alina focused he

g exercises finished,

heir classrooms. The hallways and stairwells were packed with s

ng. A cool breeze wafted past her, cooling her exe

passed by Alina and wh

That's

she such a snob?" As the students moved past Alin

eliberately passed by

decided to enjoy the view instead. 'The

she let out a sigh of relief and w

oor, she heard noises comin

r in front of him and read it with a smir

r to Alina. She braced herself and took a dee

, and every time I do,

and hid the paper behind him, a look of guilt evident on his face. The ot

now it was evident that the paper in his ha

she decided she should probably say someth

n the stage and struggled

asked, "If you take something without asking, that's called steal

ht it would be funny, and with his friends' encouragement,

caught, the boy

-esteem. Even if they realized they were in the wrong, t

gs to him. What's the big deal if I read it out loud? Leo said nothing!" The m

n at home today? Yes, it's true that I gave this to Leo, but I think everyone s

le my letter to make fun of me without my permission. Did

gled to think of a retort, but his mind

because of Joseph from Class 125. What's the big deal?" Cary Hu was Eddie's friend, and when he saw

vent would unfold. They heard rumors about Ali

s dying to know, the students all leaned in to hear her an

ly amused by it. Their words couldn't harm her. "When did I attempt to commit suic

! You attempted suicide; that's why yo

lized because of that? I fell down the stairs by accident! That's how

onder she had been followed by strange looks

one of the boys

hy family. Besides, I have a cute seatmate. Why would I do that because of some boy? What's so special a

er but said nothing in reply. Her ex

he day was English, wit

t. There have been rumors about Alina sprouting up from nowhere. None of them was true. She asked for leave because she fell down

rrupting them from

students realized that they ha

d at her with

led back to his seat as soon a

teacher, then bent down to pi

l stopped ringing. When Yana saw her,

a's desk for the love let

oks. We'll be dictating words in Unit Seven." The second bell h

Dictati

them! Could we secretly

nt to take the risk!

war

the boys behind her. She just shook her head with a smile and brought out her notebo

t she hadn't gotten a chance to review Unit S

second b

ks. We'll begin wi

learn. Alina managed to write and memorize fourt

tion. For every word you get wrong, you need to write them out twenty times and have the

nts answered une

, so she waited for the other students to

ed to be effective. Repetitive writing would

group leader? If everyone's notebook has

as immaculate. Alina was able to understand most of what he was say

in her seat. The fourth class would be H

hroom. Because she didn't know where the bathroom was, she turned

to go to the washroom tog

na was determined to refuse her offer. However, when she reme

eat! Now I don't have to worry about not

n as they reached the hallway, Alina slowed h

ed along the back of the teaching building. Ther

Yana had agreed to come with her. Otherwise, it would've been impo

nd Alina quickly found an empty one and entered

at rumor about Alaina? Sh

rd anything about

ted to commit suici

serious? Why wo

because of Josep

! Is sh

chool today, and I saw her

e've been exhausted from studying so much, while they have

through the back door. We got in because we were qua

chievers. No wonder I don't feel like stu

oor and walked o

m. When Alina finished washing her hands, she didn't

oom. She looked to see if it was Yana, and

d away from her. Another girl washing her hands k

ng about me,' Alina thought. She

As soon as they passed her, they all huddled together and whi

nced at her watch and noticed there was o

?" Alina entered the washr

n Alina thought that Yana had left her, a faint

e you doing there? Did you forget to bring

f with the rail bolted to the wall, but she still

I'm just on