NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Chapter 2:
I walked up the stairs to the second floor, knocking on the classroom door. No one answered. I looked at my watch, slightly worried I might have missed the class. But no. It was only too early for me to be there. I looked at the door that separated me and the room where I was supposed to learn about my future and the world:
"It is pathetic that the same institution promising the youth only the best, separates us from our ambitions if it's not in their paid time. Such greedy motivation to close these doors, if you aren't paid for it. I guess that's just how the world works."
I turned, ready to retrace my steps back to the main hall. It was silent, unlikely in this spring atmosphere. My left foot stepped on the first step of the stairs, shifting the body mass forward. When I tried to reach the second step with my right foot, I overstepped.
"Damn"
My body flew down the stairs in an instant, stopping at the railguard in the mid-floor. In the quiet of the pause, the impact echoed through the hallways. Some students came towards the direction I fell, probably alerted by the sound. Before I could regain composure, several bystanders already managed to spot me.
"Hey, isn't that the guy from our class, 2C?"
"Yeah, it seems like it. Wasn't his name like Kaho-... Kaho- something?"
I picked up my fallen utensils and made my way down the stairs. I could already hear the giggles of those from behind me. This was definitely destined to be a rumor, I could feel it in my bones. Ah yes, the typical rumor trope, fitting for the stage of a high school. Albeit I somewhat hoped that my profile wouldn't stand out badly. Or positively either, really. What a bother. But the probable follow up will be that no one will really care much, since I am most of the time outside their reality. It's a shame that those two didn't know my name, even though we share the same class. So that only further testifies in favor of my expectations. When my feet finally had an even floor under them, I encountered two other classmates. There was Elisea, a beauty, commonly known for her outgoing personality and kind soul. If I was hunting for trophies of love just like most people here did, then this would be probably the grandest of them all. But like I said, for most, she would be a 'trophy' not a person. It would be believable to think that guys flaunt their 'girlfriends' like trophies, and in the other way around too. With that thinking, all love becomes objective, and the subjective love becomes just a lie. Just like I have said before. Next to Elisea was her friend, Shena. She was also a decently looking girl, but unlike Elisea, she kept to herself most of the time. Nobody knew what she liked, or disliked. Or maybe I am just too ignorant to hear such information circulating around. But to be fair, such a personality is in my perspective more admirable. Keeping to yourself is a skill that must be honed more than it currently is. I walked past the beauties, heading for outside. I did not turn back, but in the reflection of the polished march window, I had seen their reflections turning their heads towards me. I'll never be able to live the rumors down, if those two get involved.
Finally, when class began, I sat down in the before desired seat. Now it didn't feel even half as good, with a few more gazes on me. One of my classmates approached me:
"Yo, ummm… is it true that you got pushed down the stairs by a girl you asked out?"
This was unexpected. Although I did somewhat anticipate overdramatized scenarios, I didn't think of it reaching this extent. I leaned back, somewhat disappointed in how prejudicial this school society is. I looked into his brown eyes, into Paulio's brown eyes. He was the typical main lead of a great story, good looks, a mostly good personality and already one of the few ones who had a regular income.
"Well, Paulio, do I look like someone who a girl would push down the stairs?"
"Uh, what do you mean by that?"
"Do I look like someone would bother with me to such an extent, that they would take the drastic action to push me down the stairs, basically assaulting me?"
"... When you say that like this, then not really…"
"Exactly. So now you understand that this specific statement is just a rumor?"
"You're right, I understand now. Sorry for bothering you, really."
I did not respond. He turned to the silent class and started the typical chatter again. Fairly, it's quite the bad thing that everybody heard what we were talking about. It may have some benefits though. My glance wandered to the chatting crowd, gossiping once again about somebody else. They really like to bring up drama. It probably is their form of fun. Once again, understandable, this is the youth after all. Conversations tend to fade to these kinds of topics, just to keep itself running. That concept is pretty uncharismatic, isn't it? Even for me, it's easy to make a conversation with a peer, so it should be as easy as to hold a normal conversation without gossiping. But when I observe it all like this and do not involve myself in the gossip, then it's ten times more interesting. The ants squirm with twice the energy if there is gossip. Isn't it weird of me, distancing myself from the concept of 'youth' yet being so interested in it, even knowing how to fit in? It's not that I haven't had a youth, it's more that a realization came much faster. The realization that it's all just so unnecessary and hollow. I don't like to bathe myself in lies. If I did, then I'd rather watch television debates.
As the clock hit four in the afternoon, I stepped foot outside. Azur was already waiting at the street corner:
"Heyo, Kahemi, finally finished? I'm sorry that I can't drink today, so I'll at least accompany you a bit further home."
"Hmm, how thoughtful."
We walked slowly, the breezing spring wind winding itself through our clothes.
"So, Kahemi, how was the day? Anything new?"
"Nothing, really. I just fell down the stairs."
"Fell down the stairs? I can't believe it! such a classical romance cliché!"
"If it was one, I'd recognize it immediately."
"It must have been pretty embarrassing for you, huh? Falling down the stairs… "
"More than embarrassing was the aftermath. I was very surprised at how fast rumors could spread, and how fast they could deviate from the truth."
"Huh, and what was the rumor?"
"Apparently they came to the conclusion that I got pushed down the stairs by a girl I supposedly confessed to."
"What, you and confessing? Nobody would really care about you, to be honest."
"Those were my words."
"Hmm, fascinating isn't it, how people make fast assumptions just to find a plausible solution. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, they'll just take it as it is."
"Indeed, fascinating."
They turned the corner and Azur prepared to cross the road.
"Well then, Kahemi, see you tomorrow at the bar!"
"If you have the time."
With that, he ran off. Only I remained, on the sidewalk. I took the typical route home, stopping at a gum dispenser on the way home. I had my last coin on me, so I bought some. On arrival, I found the room messy. It has been a long time since it was cleaned up last time. My memory can't even recall the last time the carpet could have been seen. The very foundations of the room were buried under months of wrappers and thrash, as well as paper. It was a mess. I sat down at the table and opened the book on the next blank page, looking at it for some time, then grabbed a pen and started writing:
'People are simple. They crave validation and answers. It doesn't matter if such an answer is right or wrong, as long as it's convincing. Thus, in search for answers, they make their own, satisfying their thirst for them. So, false answers spread, as long as they're convincing. Then, if most are convinced, it becomes the truth. It can't be changed. The truth is not anymore the real truth, but in the said 'false truth' most believe. As long as they are more convinced by it. It doesn't matter if the rumored try to tell them their truth, the real truth, no matter how long the rumored try to change the answers to the real truth, they'll be called liars, unless it's more convincing than the lie itself. Only in the face of a higher justice, the truth matters. But amongst equals, the truth remains in the hands of those who create the best truth. That's why the truth remains a lie in the hands of the ones fallen behind, whilst the lie of the convincing becomes the truth itself. Such, the case of truth.'