Three Lifetimes - Chapter 26

Authors note: Im having a low grade fever right now, and Im still in the middle of vacation!  the Norwegian weather isnt being nice to me today as well  I want to eat sweeeeets~~ hukhuk

My parents left me in the care of a young teacher named Miss Diedre. However, since most of the children could not speak her name properly, she opted to be called Miss D.

It was rather interesting to be around a bunch of potatoes. Although my mind was already very mature for my age, I could not help but follow their toddling movements as I tried to fit in.

Miss D started the class by introducing each one of us. She didnt make us introduce ourselves because I could see that many of my peers were actually crying as they missed their parents, or were shy to even look at anything other than the ground. In contrast, a couple of children in the back looked extremely arrogant, and fabulously well fed if I had to say so myself.

When it was my turn to be introduced, I stood up promptly and arrived in front of Miss D. She seemed surprised by my quick feet, and I beamed at her. She stroked my head with affection.

This is Bob she started her introductions.

Ryle, I hastily cut in.

Bob Ryle

Ryle, I cut in again. Then before she could open her mouth again, I added, Please call me Ryle, teacher.

Miss D looked amused. Well then, class, this is Ryle Knight. Say hello.

Hi.

Hello!

Hmph.

Different reactions were met with the introductions, and I myself felt entertained by the fact some children already behaved so pompous at such a young age.

A certain corpulent potato who looked both menacing and pompous was introduced by Miss D.

Everyone, this is Gary Sanders. Say hello to Gary! Miss Ds bright face contrasted to Garys huge frown.

Hello.

Hi.

He looks scary! One potato named Edrie pointed out, and Gary immediately released a killing intent. The children looked terrified.

Gary, stop scowling! Miss D admonished as she stroked his back. She turned to the potatoes. Class, its not nice to say those things to people.

But its the truth! Edrie pushed. Ah, children were always so terrifyingly honest.

If you only know how to say bad things, then rather dont say anything at all! Miss D spread her words of wisdom. Go Miss D!

Most of the children were confused. It was as if I could read their minds. Whats so bad about being honest?

For example, would you like it if I said you were ugly? Miss D shifted her little chair to where Edrie sat on the carpeted floor.

But Im not ugly! Edrie was furious.

What if I said it was the truth? Miss D had a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Im not ugly! Edrie repeated, clenching his tiny fists. I was rather impressed by his confidence.

Yes you are! One of the girls named Amy giggled. Edrie looked crushed. Children were so brutal and they didnt even know it.

Im just saying what if, Miss D tried to smooth things over. Would you like to listen to someone calling you ugly even if it was the truth?

Edrie looked down, his eyes red. No.

See? Miss D smiled gently. So you shouldnt say those things to other people cause itll hurt their feelings.

Edrie nodded sullenly, as he stole a quick glance at Amy. Amy stuck her tongue out at him and he made an ugly face at her.

I was old enough to be given a room of my own, and I happily dove into the comforters after my parents surprised me one night.

I used to sleep in the same bed as my parents, and although I missed having their warmth beside me, I was still relieved I had a room I could call my own.

This will be your new room, mother said affectionately, as she opened the door to reveal blue walls and a huge bed that was shaped like a race car. It wasinteresting. I was allowed to change the interiors once I was older, right?

Do you like it? Father asked as he looked at me expectantly.

Sure, I said vaguely, not wanting to hurt their feelings. They both didnt seem to hear the hesitancy in my voice, and they went away with pleased expressions.

In the middle of the night, the walls were shaking.

Thinking it was an earthquake, I woke up with a start. I hopped off the bed and dashed towards my door. It was then I heard banging against the wall and muffled voices that sounded suspiciouslyerotic.

.

NOOOOOOO. MY VIRGIN EARS.

The walls didnt stop trembling, and I could not fall asleep anymore even as I placed pillows over my ears. When an hour passed and things were getting even more steamy, I was left with no choice.

I went out of my room and opened my parents door. How unfortunate that our rooms were just side by side.

NOISY! I shouted to be better heard.

The movement on the bed stopped abruptly, and my father turned around in shock. When my mother saw it was me, she covered herself quickly with the sheets and accidentally kicked my father in surprise. He rolled over the bed and onto the floor, with his naked butt kissing the cold air.

I felt myself burning red.

Thanks, I said sheepishly and closed the door to their room.

Sorry for interrupting your happy hour, father and mother. Your child needed to sleep properly in order to grow.

Kindergarten was actually a really fun and relaxing place to be. Our classes were held five times a day in a week, and happened only in the mornings from 8am to 12pm. The things that Miss D allowed us to do were very simple. She would bring papers with cartoon drawings for us to color, or she had us work on our penmanship and start games. We also had role-plays and projects, mostly done as a group activity to enhance cooperation. Once a week we also had a movie day, where Miss D would start playing Disney movies on the flat screen tv in the classroom. We also had nap time!

There were only 15 children in this class, and we all became friends quite fast. It was actually fun conversing with them because they always said and did the silliest things.

One kid named Tim told me he had an imaginary friend, and that certain imaginary friend liked me as well. It was creepy, but I just played along by saying hi to the imaginary friend who was supposed to be standing beside Tim. Another friend I had was named Lily, who loved putting glue on her hands just so she could wait for it to dry and peel them off. Her table was always full of white strips of dried up glue. Maria, another oddball, always claimed she was a goddess from Heaven. I wouldve believed she was the same as me, except for the fact that she also claimed to be a mermaid.

One person who did not get along with anybody, however, was Gary. When Miss D would tell us to group ourselves, no one would go near him. I didnt really bother with him as I thought he had his own emotional problems, but I understood why the other children did not like him. He was a bully who liked stealing crayons that a person was still using. He liked throwing gum at a little girls hair and vandalized anyones drawings, with mine being no exception.

He made so many potatoes cry, I wondered what his problem was. Even Miss D could not do anything with him, as her scoldings merely passed from one ear to the other.

When we entered level 1 of primary school, I was already seven years old. Many of my friends were still in the same school as me, including Gary. We also had new classmates from various places, and so our population grew to forty-five students.

With the newcomers dominating the population, our class became rowdy and Gary seemed to take advantage of the number to increase his notoriety. He even gained a few underlings who were following him because they feared him, and many of the students would start cowering upon seeing him.

I didnt want to intrude or scold him for being a bully, as I simply thought this character of his would come to pass. He had not yet physically hurt anybody, and his insulting words were incredibly lousy that I would just roll my eyes.

However, his growth rate was unfathomable. As the years passed, he started learning cuss words from television and would hurl ludicrous expletives to anyone who dared defy him.

When I saw him making a girl named Kina cry as he called her names during recess, I could not help but butt in. I caught the hand that was about to slap her face.

Stop doing this, I said as menacingly as possible. I could no longer bear to see children cry.

Oh? He scoffed at me as his rotund belly started jiggling with mocking laughter. As if you could! Two of his underlings jeered at me.

I could see him forming a fist with his hand, and although I was a child right now and had no power, I knew of techniques and pressure points to make up for my lack of strength. I sidestepped the fist, grabbed his wrist with my right hand and twisted his hand back with my left. He fell on his back against the ground, writhing in agony.

My classmates were speechless by this display. Some looked at me with horror while my friends from kindergarten looked at me with happiness, pumping their fists in the air and doing a victory pose.

Why you! Gary tried to get up, but he had a hard time due to the fact that gravity was winning against his fats.

I looked around the classroom and saw a bit of fear in the childrens eyes. They were most probably afraid of Garys retaliation, and how this would affect them in the long run. I sighed. I guess I had to be the one to clean up my own mess.