Revelations, Susan Evelyn [e reading malayalam books .TXT] 📗

consider weak making sure they are kept at the bottom of the social ladder.

After the introduction, he climbed the stairs to find an empty seat. When he passed me, I am sure he allowed his glance to slide my way. This time I caught the hint of hazel eyes, currently grey and guarded.

He chose to sit a few rows behind me, carefully avoiding the gaggle of twittering girls who were making gestures for him to join them. Good move on his part.

The rest of the class went by in a haze. Because the booklist had been handed out at the beginning of the session Prof McFinney asked people to read passages from 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' instead as he figured we would all have been exposed to the story at some stage. He asked questions about the readings. It was all a bit dreary, but it gave me time to think and to turn my mind back to memories from when I was only four years old.

I had been a wilful child - things haven’t changed much in that regard. My mother was very sick, and Dad spent all his time looking after her so I was on my own a lot.

Summer was very hot and the house did not breathe. I reacted badly to the swelteringly heat and would sit on the open window sill of my bedroom. There was something peaceful and soothing about staring at the dark sky and those tiny spots of light. If there was a little breeze, it could be felt from my second floor window as I looked down the dark empty road. Even the cats and dogs did not stir in the oppressive heat.

But there was something that did, or someone. It was the boy next door. I did not know much about him as he and his father kept very much to themselves and often went away for a long time. I guessed he was a few years older than me, but it was hard to tell because he was a long, lean, gawky kid. His arms and legs were thin as if they had been stretched, and he seemed to move with very little coordination.

I would watch him roam around their front yard, and occasionally meander down the road to the intersection before wandering back. I figured he was hot and needed to escape the confines of his room.

They had a dog too. A long limbed rangy thing of mixed heritage, quite a match for the boy. The animal seemed to be painfully skinny. Sometimes if I saw it sniffing around the hedge fence which divided the two yards I would sneak out to play with him. I was not allowed to have a pet because of mother’s illness, plus the time it would take away from looking after her.

Some nights I slipped downstairs intent on feeding the dog with some leftovers and scraps. I let myself out and whistled to him over the fence. I remember I had once been shocked when a boy’s head rose above the shrubs instead. Surprised, but not alarmed. We had said awkward hello’s and I offered him the food I had brought out for the dog. He swallowed it down in almost one bite. We had shaken hands the way we had seen grownups greet each other, exchanged a few awkward words about the heat and how horrid it was and then I had excused myself to run back indoors in case Dad came looking for me.

Now, having looked down on Alex from much the same angle as from my window, I recognised him. Only he had not been Alexander Peterson then. His name had been Alexis Petrov. I had not been able to get my tongue around it and had called him Lexie.

Maybe his father had changed their names in this society which is rapidly becoming xenophobic. Alexander Peterson could certainly blend into anonymity far better than Alexis Petrov. Anyway, I have decided it is none of my business and there must be a good reason for it. I will wait until he tells me, or the opportunity arises to ask politely.


Day 4
Dear Diary,
Today was our gym day. It’s Nan who is our gymnast but the rest of us go along with her so she can book a section of the gymnasium for practice without a bunch of juniors getting in the way on the equipment. Thursday lunchtime was the only suitable time we could block in a regular reservation.

Don’t get me wrong, the rest of us are competent in the gym, but nowhere near Nan’s standard. We don’t compete, she does. I like the trampoline and if it is not available will do some tumbling or balance beam work instead; Jem is the artistic type and choreographs complex tumbling routines on the mats incorporating streamers, hoops or balls; Vada is far more physical and performs routines suspended from the rings or she will do vault runs; Nan works wonders on the parallel bars.

We had just begun on the equipment after warming up when someone entered from the far end, the access used more by the guys. We all paused to see who it was. Lexie!

He saw us and gave a quick wave of acknowledgement before disappearing into the changing room. He emerged a short time later having stripped down to his singlet and shorts. I have to admit his well toned body looked amazing. Solidly muscled thighs, well defined broad chest and powerful upper arms have been hidden under his customary jacket and jeans.

As he launched into a rigorous routine on the pommel horse, we all paused and exchanged glances. He was impressive. If only he showed a more outgoing nature and wasn’t such a brooding loner he would be quite a catch.

We turned back to our personal workouts but by the time we had finished, Lexie had already gone. We said nothing aloud, marking the observation with a shrug or raised eyebrow.

That was the only time I saw him today but thinking about it later, I realised just how little I know about him. I am concerned about the amount of time he is taking up in my thoughts. It’s not as if we were best buddies or anything when we were kids. There had only been a few surreptitious meetings in the summer heat that one year. By the following summer, he and his father had left the neighbourhood.

My best’ies and I went to the mall after school for some window shopping. And I don’t mean the things available in the shops, although there were a few new dresses to be tried on too. The boys were hanging out at the hamburger place, or riding the escalators showing off and calling out to the junior girls.

We had dated a few of them and nodded our hello’s when we walked past, but there was no-one who caught my attention yet this year. If anything, I found myself looking for one particular face, the one which was least likely to be there.

Vada was a little more courageous and rubbed shoulders with a few of the jocks. She has a killer smile and left a few empty hearts behind when we walked away.

There were a few wolf whistles from the new juniors but they were quickly silenced by the seniors. Vada flashed them a seductive grin as reward. It seems our reputation is still intact and well guarded. No one messes with us.


Day 5
Dear Diary,
It was our second class in English Literature. As the semester wears on, this will be our tutorial class to back up the lecture series earlier in the week.

It was gratifying to see “our” seats were empty and waiting for us even though we were not the first into the lecture hall. The psychology was working in our favour. We slipped into our seats and pulled out our notebooks. There was no time to look around when Prof McFinney entered almost immediately.

There had still not been sufficient time for everyone to get the required texts so this time the professor called on a few people to join him on the podium to act out some key scenes in different ways to emphasise a variety of possible aspects of the play.

It was a bit ordinary really. I was listening but doodling aimlessly in my notebook when Jem slipped a note to me. You’re being watched

, it read. Huh? I frowned at her and she tipped her head indicating the space behind me.

I pulled out my lipstick and purse mirror and pretended to be refreshing my makeup while having a quick look behind me. Sure enough, Lexie was three rows back and watching me intently with those brooding eyes. I only caught a glimpse in the mirror before he noticed what I was doing and quickly looked away.

I was not sure whether to be flattered or worried. After all, he could remember me from all those years ago just as I had recognised him. Although, if that was the case, why has he not approached me before? But then again, I have made no sign of recognition either. We are at an impasse.

Admittedly, I look quite a bit different to the four year old scamp of fourteen years ago. Back then I had untidy plaits bouncing down my back and a crooked fringe hiding my eyes. My skin had been blotchy and bruised from scrapes and intermittent sunburn and although short for my age as now, I had been shapelessly scrawny much as he had been.

He has changed a fair bit from the skinny kid I had met back then too, but the expressions in his eyes, and the guarded stance of his body betrayed him to me. Perhaps I have mannerisms he has recognised too.

For the rest of the class I felt as if his eyes were burning holes in the back of my head. Maybe it was all my imagination or he was too quick to be caught out again.

There was no chance to catch up with him after class. Jem and I had been stopped by a few people who wanted to organise a group visit to the local playhouse and by the time we exited the lecture hall, there was no sign of him, or many others for that matter. It had been the final class on Friday afternoon; everyone had other places they preferred to be.

The two of us met up with the others and we made plans for the cinema tomorrow. There’s a matinee double feature playing with an old swashbuckler and a current movie back to back. I have to check with Dad, but I’m sure it will be alright.


Day 6
Dear Diary
It’s Saturday morning. No classes and no home study as yet. A free day! Almost.

I had a sleep in, and then a big leisurely breakfast with Dad. Weekend mornings are when we do most of our catching up with each other if we are both home.

Now it is time to wash up and get ready for the movies. I will write more afterwards if I have the energy.

................................

Back home now but jumping at every sound. I’m sure I was followed and the sensation is still ringing alarm bells in my mind.

It all began at the movies.

We got there early, as usual, and stocked up on frozen drinks and candy. Sugar rush!


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