Finding Nemo

Prologue

"Danniela." our teacher calls out for our attendance, one fine elementary class day.

"Present!" I answered and I immediately looked out the window to daydream. I was young then.

Nine is an age that I'd always choose to go back to. Everything was so much easier and relaxed. All I would think about were the late afternoon cartoons that I would go home to after class, my weekend music lessons and occasionally, my homeworks. Because studying is important for asians like me. If not, I'll get the beating of my mother with her chosen weapon. It'll be bearable if it's a spank with her hands. Flip flops are fine too. But that d*rn broomstick is what I'm trying to evade.

I shivered. Partly because I imagined my mom gnashing her teeth in anger if I didn't get an honorable mention, then also because of the cool wind breeze that flowed through this window.

It smells like chalk and sweat in our classroom. The wind from outside, through the third floor of our school's building is so refreshing. During my younger years, air-conditioning is not yet a thing for schools. I'm so lucky to be seated here.

Peacefully enjoying the wind and daydreaming about the cartoons that my young self was eager to go home to, I was suddenly interrupted by a small wet feeling that lightly tapped through my cheek.

What the hell was that?

I wiped my cheeks and checked. It was a small ball of wet paper. I turned to look where it came from and I see the most detestable, attention seeking classmate I ever have. Why do we always end up sitting next to each other and sharing a table?

He was holding on a straw as he looked up to evade my gaze quickly.

"Neil, please keep your spit bullets to yourself." I told him.

He then snickered mischievously and answered, "I don't know what you're talking about, Danni."

I inhaled deeply to hold my annoyance in and just proceeded to my peaceful daydreaming again. Looking out this breezy window, with my arms to my chin.

Ahhh. Peace at last.

However, my arms suddenly outstretched upward. It was Neil. He pulled it up and quickly looked down. Since I was too dumbfounded, my arms remained mid air.

"Yes Danniela? What's the answer?" our teacher asked.

This little-
I turned to Neil with my most menacing look but my teacher suddenly pressed, "Ms. Danniela, were you listening?"

I quickly looked at our teacher and began stuttering in anxiety. I don't even know what her question is. I started looking at the blackboard but I don't know this topic yet. I may have day dreamed too much.

I'm beginning to bite on my thumb nails.

"Ms. Danniela! Aren't you going to speak?" our teacher is beginning to raise her voice a little.

Neil smirked quietly as he says, "Danni seemed out of it. Where's your head at?"

I felt so furious and I blacked out so I grabbed a pencil. I waited till our teacher turned around. Then, with my young angst, I stabbed his arm with it. He yelled so loud with hints of laughs in between. He probably has gone mad with the pain.

Our teacher suddenly threw chalk at Neil's direction and yelled, "Mr. Neil Morgan! Did I tell you to laugh at Ms. Danniela?!"

"Teacher! She stabbed me with a pencil! It hurts!" Neil yells with his eyes turning red and swelling with tears.

"Both of you! Stand in the corner and raise your arms forward!" our teacher yelled and we didn't have a choice but to follow.

Sigh. This is all Neil's fault. He's so annoying. Does he have what they call ADHD or something? Maybe he doesn't get to eat well at home. Does he lack care or something? Why is he always causing trouble? I can't wait to graduate elementary and finally, leave this stupid boy's table.