CHAPTER TWO
Meeting A New Environment
"Michael, how was school today?" His father asked when Michael entered the huge sitting room.
Mr. Alfred sat on one of the couches, he was reading through something with his phone. Michael walks forward to stand beside his dad, Mr. Alfred drops his phone aside.
"You didn't go to the office today?", Michael asked.
"I asked first",
"School was fine", was his short reply
"No details. Michael, come sit with me", Mr. Alfred said shifting a bit to create space for Micheal.
"Nothing special. Except that I made two new friends," Michael said, looking at the large TV screen. "Kelvin and Sylvester"
He remembered Michelle but immediately pushed her out of his mind.
"You mean...you didn't notice any beautiful girls in school or in your class" His father asked playfully.
"None" Michael replied waving his long fingers "Girls there are ugly and unattractive"
"Hoosh! I knew you'd be like this," Mr. Alfred muttered, rolling his eyes and smiling.
"What?" Michael looks at his father.
"Mm! Mm!" Mr. Alfred shook his head and took up his phone. "Should we go out today? I know a good location. Let's have dinner there, to celebrate your first day in school. What do you think?"
Michael stared at his dad for a while.
"Dad, I'd prefer the ice cream and a bedtime story from you tonight"
Mr. Alfred smiled widely. "I'll order your favorite immediately." His dad patted his back lightly.
Michael got up and headed upstairs. Halfway through, he met Miss Hena. A woman in her early fifties. She was the only woman Michael was close to. Maybe because she had nursed him since birth and even took care of him after the death of his mother. Even Michael sees her as a mother figure. And she makes sure she takes good care of him. For instance, the excited look on her face and the soft scream she let out when she saw Micheal coming up the stairs. She quickly rushed to meet up with him.
"Ohhh! My darling is back from school. You're welcome" She held his face with both hands as she placed a kiss on each cheek. Michael smiled softly.
"How was your first day in school?" She asked, collected his school bag, and followed him to his room.
"Boooooring!" He said and sat in the bed once he entered his room.
"It's usually hard to adapt at first, but very soon you will get used to it", She blinked at him "Nothing—else"
Michael smiles "Guess you want to hear something—probably the same thing Dad wants to hear"
Miss Hena smiles back "I'm just glad that this new school will be your best"
"You think so?" Michael asked quietly.
"Mmh! mmh! I mean, who would resist your handsome charms?"
The both of them laugh as she stands up. "Let me go ask the maids to serve your lunch. Be down in 10 or 20, okay?" she said as Michael nodded and watched her walk out.
Michael sighs heavily as he stands up to enter the big bathroom space.
* * *
In school the next day, Michael kept staring at everything around him. Everything and everyone was somehow strange to him. He couldn't understand why girls kept trying to get his attention or the reason girls walked around in front of him with their sports attire, which was pink shorts and a sky blue sleeveless vest that showed some parts of their breast areas. Or the boys who were trying so hard to find out his background, how much his wristwatch costs, how expensive his car is,, or why he wears a cap or isn't participating in any sports, just sitting and watching others.
He's not bothered because he knows they wouldn't find anything about him even if he seemed very familiar in their eyes. He asked his father to take down some information about him from the public eye. At the other end of the gym auditorium were Kelvin, Sylvester, and Michelle.
"Mich, please, can you go over to Michael and tell him unsaid he should come and join us here?" Kelvin told Michelle.
Michelle pauses and blinks "Me! I really don't want him to..."
Sylvester interrupts her "He won't. After all, he knows you. Just go and tell him so, okay?... Kelvin, pass the ball!"
Michelle took a deep breath and walked up to where Michael sat.
"Excuse me...Michael", She said softly while making sure to avoid eye contact with him.
Michael looks at her. He quickly assessed her appearance. He also noticed she was shy and scared—but he also noticed she was beautiful. Very beautiful. She was petite. Her skin was very white, and her sports outfit hugged her curves tightly. She had very long and wavy dark hair which she tied to the back. Small nose and bright gray eyes. Her lips were small, full, and pink. If gorgeous was a person, then she was it.
He didn't reply to her.
She looked up and met his eyes as she tried putting her words together to avoid stuttering, "Um... Kelvin...said...I should tell you to come to join us over—there" " she said, pointing backward while pausing for reactions.
Michael only nodded his head. Michelle pursed her lips and turned around to go back. Michael noticed her backside—she was almost flawless and her legs were smooth. Some of the students around called out to her and she went to discuss with them.
Michael got up and strode over to where Kelvin was.
"Hey, guys!", He called out and smiled for the first time since he entered the gym auditorium.
The games coach walks up to them while blowing a whistle to grab the attention of other students.
"You're Michael, right?" He asked
"Yes," Michael replied, looking at him.
"Okay. The principal already gave me your medical report",
Kelvin looked at Sylvester, who mouthed, "Medical report?"
"It's okay, Michael. But its gonna be fun coming out here sometimes to watch others. Don't you think so?"
"Yeah! I'm also here with Kelvin and Sylvester"
The game coach laughs. "I see you've made good friends already," Patting Michael's arm slightly. "See you around, boy," He said and walked out to meet other students who were already gathered.
"Michael, hope I'm not prying?" Kelvin starts to say "But what was the games coach talking about?"
Michael looks at both of them. "It's a secret, okay?"
Both of them nod quickly.
"I have arrhythmia", He said.
Clueless, Kelvin and Sylvester nodded slowly. Michael was slightly amused but quickly hid it.
"A heart disease", Michael said and smiled.
"Ha!!!" Both of them gasped as Michael shushed them, and they quickly nodded in understanding. Their gestures were so cute, Michael was trying so hard not to laugh.
Kelvin and Sylvester quickly took Micheal back to the class. It was empty and quiet as everyone had gone out for sports.
"In six or seven months, I would be undergoing heart surgery. I'm still on medications for now, so I'm avoiding triggers or emergency situations", Michael explained. Looking at both faces, he quickly added. "Dont add pity to your expressions"
"We're so sorry to hear that, Michael", Kelvin said licking his lips. "I mean, we didn't expect something so serious"
Sylvester sat on his seat beside Michael, and they watched as Michael took out a small well, well-decorated box from inside his school bag.
"There's a defibrillator in my body to help my heartbeat pace, and in this box are medications I carry around. They were recommended by my primary care provider. These drugs are so expensive. I just pray that this will be over soon", Micheal said and sighed.
"So that means your heart beats faster than normal when triggered?" Kelvin asked.
"Yes. That's why I don't get involved in some stuff, you know. Running, trying to control anger—sometimes, handling the symptoms—it is all stressful. It all happens." Michael opens the box and shows them his drugs, "An inhaler, my number one dietary supplement, antiarrhythmics." He mentions more drugs in the box. "If I take them after an emergency situation, maybe after two or three hours of rest, when I wake up, I'm still the Michael everyone knows" " he said and laughed.
Shaking his head, Kelvin spoke up "Michael, this is not a laughing matter. This...is serious"
"I know. But God said to be happy and thankful in every situation, right? I'm also trying my best to see only positivity." He chuckled as he gathered the drugs into the box and put it inside his school bag.
Just then, from the corridors, there were noises and feet of students. Sports time was over and they were all returning back to class.
"Oh! Ho!" Sylvester hollered. "They are back. We have to go and get changed".
"Okay!", Michael got up and headed out with the two.
* * * *
Kelvin, Sylvester, and Michelle were walking to the school bus. Michael had left earlier. He got a call from his father and had to leave school before dismissal.
Even though Michael had told them to keep it a secret. They knew they had to tell Michelle. They've been friends since middle school and they grew up literally telling each other everything. Kelvin and Sylvester also believed that very soon, Michael would eventually start relating with Michelle the same way he does with them. And so, they told Michelle everything Michael had told them earlier. They didn't miss out on any details. Michelle was touched and she almost shed a tear. Typical Michelle to get easily emotional. Immediately, Sylvester stops walking.
"What?", Kelvin asked, stopping too.
"On a scale of 1-10, how rich do you think Michael is?" He said, "I mean, did you see the kind of car that came to pick him up this afternoon. A Cybertruck?!!!"
"That's true. School kids are always gossiping about that but I think there's no information about him. You can ask him?", Michelle said.
"Uhhh! I'm not sure he's gonna tell us that", Kelvin replied.
"Me too", Sylvester agreed.