To Love A Pauper

"Jason is a disgruntling scum," Donald reasoned out loudly. He speaks with so much hatred for Jason.

His mother over heard all his monologues while In the bed room. She came and ask Donald what the annoyance was all about. Though Donald tried to deviate from the reason that makes him worry so much but his mother was smart and persistent. Donald started shedding tears profusely. One could tell from his look that he's being traumatized emotionally. He narrated what transpired in the school earlier to his mother. He cried and mourn his father once again.

"I wish dad is still alive!" Donald said.

His mother console him and encourage him, "Be strong my son; You can get to any height without your father."

Donald took his mother's advice and stopped crying.

***

While Sandra was in her bed. She thought about the Donald-Jason incident in the class earlier. She asked herself many questions about Donald: 'Is his mother actually a poor fish seller? Why did Jason have to scorn him that way? Why do I care about him? Am I in love with him? No! No!! No!!!' She said punching her pillow lightly and rolling on the bed until slept off.

***

Due to the fact that donald was treated with derision by Jason, Donald only walk into the classroom with less confidence and speechlessness. He stays quiet in the classroom in order to abstain from whatever may ridicule him further.

One morning, Donald was sitting in the classroom with absolute quietness when he thought of calling the mathematics teacher. Immediately he took a step out of his desk, he hit his leg against another desk by the side and he began falling. He quickly grabbed Sandra's waist who was standing in his front for support. Sandra turn around to give him a resounding slap before even realizing it was Donald.

The sound from the slap caught the attention of all the students in the classroom. Some of the students exclaimed in surprise while some laughed annoyingly. Sandra gasped when she realized it was Donald but she quickly wore a serious look. "Fuck you pauper!" Sandra yelled.

Donald being pissed and astonished, "Sor... Sorr... Sorry." Donald managed to stutter with a fluttering body.

Sandra angrily and briskly walked to her sit while Donald stood still, watching her in awe.

Donald lied over his desk with his face down through out the rest of the time in school that day. He immediately walked out of the classroom when school dismissed. Jake rushed after him. "Hey man! I think she later felt guilty," Jake speaks from behind.

"To hell with whatever guilt she felt!" Donald replied angrily.

"Calm down man! With the way she stares at you always, I think she is in love..."

"With who?" Donald cut in.

"With some guys," Jake inflected

"It better be man," Donald said.

***

Sandra and Clara have been in an awkward silent ever since the incident. They both entered into Sandra's car when her driver arrives. There was a pathetic silence in the car for quiet sometimes.

"When will you stop being presumptuous?" Clara broke the silence.

"I wasn't presumptuous over that. How could he grab my waist in such manner?" Sandra fired back.

"Really? You and I know that he was falling and he had no alternative than to grab you like everyone in his shoes would do," Clara said

"You have no idea how degenerating it is to be held in such manner in the public," Sandra claimed

"Whatever, he deserves apology!" Clara said ending the conversation.

Sandra got home that day with ample guilts in her mind: 'I think am wrong. But how? He grabbed my waist in the public. Did he planned the whole thing so he could touch me? But I can't apologize for that, it will be ridiculous of me to do that,' Sandra thought to herself.

***

The following day was Wednesday and the week was for revision. Donald lied to his mother that he was having headache and stayed at home because he don't want to set his eyes on sandra.

It was already 9:00am, yet Donald was no where to be found in the school. Almost all the students noticed his absence especially Jake, Sandra and Clara. Sandra felt so uncomfortable about Donald's absence but she don't know how to go about asking of him. She wore an expression that conspicuously depicts uneasiness through out the day.

Thursday also passed, Donald didn't come to school still. On Friday Donald was still absent. Anyone could see how depressed and absent minded Sandra had turned out to be. Jake also worried a lot. He could be seen with an expression of displeasure. He went to sandra and Clara. "Where is your friend Sandra," jake teased.

"My friend?" Sandra asked out of confusion.

"Donald," jake cleared her perplexity.

"He's not my friend," Sandra replied with a shy look.

"I also want to ask you about him; have you seen him?" Clara asked jake

"No, I don't even know where he lives. I think he is absent because of the slap his friend gave him that day." Jake teased again as he stand up and head back to his sit.

Sandra gave him a terrible look while Clara laughed so hard.

***

It is Monday and its the week of examination. Mr Caleb came into the class with mathematics question papers but to his astonishment, he couldn't find Donald. "Where is Donald Benjamin?" Mr Caleb asked.

The class went into sudden silent as everyone turned to check Donald's sit.

"Am here sir." Donald replied from the doormat while entering the classroom.

"Stop coming late for exams!" Mr Caleb warned.

The question paper was shared and the students in the same sit with Donald peep to copy his work but he didn't stop anyone. After the examination, Donald submitted his answer sheet and headed home immediately.

"Why are you avoiding everyone?" Asked Jake who was already waiting outside the classroom.

"Am not avoiding anyone," Donald replied without looking back at Jake.

"You can't lie to me man, I know its because of what happened that day. You have to let go," Jake said.

"Let's talk about something else man," Donald said changing the topic.

They chat about every other thing including all that happened the days Donald wasn't in the school until they bid each other farewell.

Though Sandra wasn't satisfied with the fact that Donald rushed out after the exams but she felt relieved for at least seeing Donald in the exam hall.

***

It was the day of results collection, all the students were made to queue according to their classes before Mr Matthew, the principal came to the stage to address the students. After the principal's speech, the students from first to third position in every class were given befitting gifts. Donald emerged in the first position while Jake in the second position.

While Donald and Jake where going home as usual after the school dismissal.

"Donald is happy now, I think is the best time to just tell him sorry about what happened the other day," Clara told Sandra.

"Hope if I tell him sorry, he wouldn't do something ludicrous?" Sandra asked.

"I wouldn't know. But if he scold you or says anything vilifying, you deserve it. Infact am calling him right away... Donald!" Clara called out before Sandra could say another word.