weirdo

Ch3: Mr. Gecko

Her eyes teared up as she looked at Peter. ''Peter, please, I don't want to go to the principal's office.''

Peter shook his head. ''you cannot behave here like you do at home, Lily. You cannot bring lizards in. See, you frightened my friends and embarrassed me.''

Hearing that broke Lily's heart.

With tears streaming down her eyes she was dragged to the principal's office.

She never wanted her first day to go this way.

------

Lily stirred her cereal absent mindedly, still thinking about her first day at school.

Would things have been different if she hadn't brought that lizard to cafeteria?

She was eleven then and didn't know better...

Still, she couldn't help but think how different life would have been if the cafeteria incident had never happened.

Maybe, Peter and her relationship wouldn't have been so strained, then.

Peter wouldn't have become so distant and she would never have been labelled a 'Freak' or 'Weirdo'.

''Lily, start eating before it gets all soggy,'' said Mrs. Montague, bringing her back from her musings.

Lily nodded and started eating quietly.

''Good morning,'' Mr. Montague entered the kitchen wearing a crisp suite, ready for office. He took a seat across Lily and started applying butter to his toast.

Lily stood up and started cleaning her plate.

''So, Lily, all packed for the new day at school?'' asked Mr. Montague.

He made it sound like she was going to some far away camp.

It was just the first day to school.

New year. Yeah. But she would still see the same people. Same corridors. Same building.

So, she just shrugged her shoulders, ''Yes, dad.'' she said.

Just then there was sound of footsteps thundering down the stairs before Peter entered the kitchen. His book bag flung over his shoulder.

''Morning Mum. Dad,'' he kissed his mother's cheek and nodded towards his dad. He grabbed an apple and poured himself a healthy glass of milk. He mixed his protein powder and chugged it down hastily.

''Slow down, Peter. Why can't you come to breakfast a little early?'' Mrs. Montague asked.

''Sorry, won't happen again,'' he said, just as a car horn sounded from outside. ''That's my ride. Lily, you'll take the bus, right?''

It was the same question everyday. Either Peter ditched her at the bus stop or the door step. He always had the excuse of 'basketball practice' or 'pending project work'. But today was the first day to school. She had hoped he would take the bus with her. They would share a seat and occasionally make faces at the passersby, like they used to when they were kids.

But things change.

They weren't kids anymore.

She was not eleven nor was Peter twelve.

She was fifteen, soon to be sixteen in a month.

Peter was no longer that golden hair, chubby face Boy. He was now tall, lean and muscular. He was a badminton player and had an athletic body. He was the literature club senior head and so was among the 'popular group' in her school.