Saint. My name is Saint, followed by the surname Angel. You must be wondering why my name is Saint. Sometimes I wonder that too. But I certainly don't have a hand in this. I mean who wouldn't wonder that? Throughout my life I've been hearing stuffs... People would say things like- 'What a nice unique name...he's pretty cute...he looks like an angel... I bet he's calm and collected and good willed. He sure is a god's child... His voice is sweet like an Angel's. I bet he never swore in his life...' etc.
But why? Just because my name is Saint, why would I be desperate to become one? Why can't I be bad? Cause I've been a 'saint' throughout my life. Yes. I never swore. I never broke someone's jaw and I never hurt someone's feelings. Now does that justifies my name?
I do have an exceptional appearance and it is the only thing I love about myself. Just because I've been a saint doesn't mean I wanted so. But I ended up being like that. Isn't that a facade I've been maintaining? About being god's child huh! That old man never existed for me. Even if he did, just for safekeeping-he was there for the show-entertaining himself with our misery. I've been limiting myself to a stock character. But won't it be cool if I could be a mysterious intriguing character of a book or a drama?
"What are you writing?" Chris almost snatches the diary from me but I pat his hand away.
"You know I hardly get time at home. Why are you pestering me?" I bam my fist against the desk.
"What if I tell Prof. Adrian that instead of taking notes, you're writing diary?" He whispers.
"Nice try Chris Issac. Does your dad know you have a girlfriend who takes pots sometimes and sometimes she pleads her pretty boy toy to join her?"
"Woahh... That's a nice one." Chris slaps on my shoulder playfully but I brush his hand away. "Now take the notes so that I can borrow yours later."
"I wonder why you're studying music..." He taps his pen on the wooden surface.
"Why do people choose any particular subject?"
"Because they love it?" I make an obvious face.
"Do you love it?"
"No."
"Wow...what an answer. Makes you all the more mysterious," he clicks his tongue in half annoyance and half curiosity.
"There's nothing special to know or to broadcast about me. I'm pretty boring. Stop being nosy about me."
"That's what he said." He laughs which catches Prof. Adrian's attention, our class teacher.
"Is there something you'd like to share with us, Mr. Issac?" His eyes are now fully focused on Chris.
Chris clears his throat trying to make up the third excuse of this week. "Sir, I accidentally broke my girl's new curler. In compensation she wants me to prank and scare off her annoying neighbour or else she'll whip my ass. What should I do?"
The whole class burst out laughing. Wow Chris...that was some shit.
"For the third time this week Chris!" Prof. Adrian yells. "If you don't want to listen to my lectures then feel free to get out of the class and broom the yard."
Some students laugh again. But to my surprise Chris apologises. Maybe he had his realisation? His girlfriend works in a department store. She didn't study further after finished high school. Chris and I have been friends for 4 year now. He's mischievous, quick witted and quite energetic in contrast to my character...even though I'm suddenly unsure whether this character of mine will remain the unchanged or not.
Only 6 months are left of this year. I can't believe I've wasted the first year of my music studies by just studying. It really feels unreal...that I haven't managed to make a friend other than Chris and well...Donna. It's not like nobody wants to befriend me. But I'm pretty unapproachable and the thought of people wanting to befriend me or liking me for this pretty endearing face haunts me.
"Saint-" someone calls my name loudly. I turn to find it's Maia, one of the most attractive girls of M.H Academy... that's that the boys say. And sometimes the professors too. She has a shrill smooth voice and she likes to spend her time alone. The fact that she's single and often tries to approach me in a oddly friendly way scares me for some unknown reason and it makes the other guys jealous of me. But it doesn't concern me in the least. Oh no she's coming my way.
"Mr. Angel now you're aware of your surroundings? Now that she's heading your way?" Chris wears a terrible frown then pulls my sleeve. "Where were you when I was asking what you'll do later today? Where is your mind nowadays huh?"
I realise the class has ended already. Seriously though, where's my mind nowadays? I press on his shoulder. "I gotta go Chris. Tell her I'm busy with studies." I grab the notebook from his hand and scurry off.
"Saint wait!"
Nope. Her voice fades behind me.
"Is that him running away from Maia again?" A girl shouts in the corridor. The guy standing next to her joins her. "This is the second time this month. Everyone knows Maia Russel is hard to get and so self-absorbed. It's the first for us all to witness that she's interested in that Saint guy. He's so cold and unapproachable. They're a perfect match though."
I walk faster and finally I'm in the library. Am I really that stone faced? I start copying the notes from Chris's notebook. This is a place where a phone is only allowed if it's on silent mode and everyone else with a finger to their lips. And this is also a place where one can get all the gossips of the university. Sometimes being aware of all the old and latest gossips of this academy comes handy so I spend my time mostly here.
"Did you hear too?" A faint whisper coming from a guy pulls my attention. The girl sitting across to him replies, "Everyone's talking about it."
"So it's true then?" The guy asks again. This time a third guy joins their conversation. "That's probably the case. He's been gone for 3 months now. Now that he's back-I wonder how things will be."
Who are they talking about? I am sitting three rows of desk away from them and they don't seem to mind me. Perhaps...they too think that I'm cold, just like everyone else. But who's been gone for 3 months? Think Saint! Oh how would I know anyway... The first 3 months earlier this year I was absent, totally. I didn't attend a single class. That's another reason why I'm still lagging behind. But Chris will surely know. I'll definitely ask him about it later.
The sessions end and I meet Chris outside. "So no plan for today either?" Chris asks putting his hand around my neck.
"What about you? Today's your 2 years anniversary right? Surely you'll spend the evening with her-wining and dining."
Chris grins. "You remember things of me more than I do. And you do it for free. How will I live with this Little Angel?"
"Stop calling me that. I'm not a child anymore."
He ruffles my hair. "What does it have to do with age? You're my best friend. I can tease you all day."
"You're only alive because of this tiny excuse, you know that?" I glare at him.
"Don't give me that menacing look. You'll scare this boy," Chris pouts.
"Let's head home alright. You always win anyway."
"So we're going to your place then," he says.
I pull his hand. "Hey, when did I agree to that?"
"Funny you think that I need permission. Besides," he shrugs, "You should consider yourself lucky cause I have decided to spend an hour with my best friend today in the arcade. I'll spend money on him before I spend them on my girl. How does that sound?"
It's been long since I last went to arcade with him. I think I need to unwind a little. "Sounds alright. It's not my money so why would I refused?"
"Always so cold and pragmatic huh." He smacks my arm. "As the name goes, you're not really saintly to me."
"That's right," I smirk. "The cold angel doesn't like to be unguarded."
••••
Around 6, we arrive in the arcade. I thought Chris was joking but he really meant what he said. "Tell me you miss spending time with your saintly friend like you used to, don't you?" I start the game dropping a coin in the machine.
"This flawless teaser is himself getting teased hm?" He points to himself making a dramatic face. "How very ironic."
"Unwinding once in a while a rule written somewhere in my diary."
"I'll steal it oneday I swear to god Saint. What you write there I want to know."
"First defeat me then I'll think about keeping my diary unlocked." Well I can be studious, I can be cold and I can be occupied with myself all the time but when it comes to the games of this arcade, I give it my all. I played every one of these with Chris.
After 2 rounds of losing Chris huffs in frustration. "You're giving up already?" I poke him in the ribs.
"Being a sore loser is no fun Saint," he grumbles.
I think about asking him about the recent gossips of our academy of which I caught a wind earlier. But a loud bang on the vending machine whisks our attention.
"Damn it! Today's really bad. Even this stupid thing doesn't work. I shouldn't have seen that woman's face first thing in the morning!" The guy catches us staring at him. He's fair but his forearms are a bit tanned. He's got sweat dripping down his neck and the sides of his forehead. He rubs it off with the back of his hand. The veins in his arms are bluish. He has a pair of dark Amber brown eyes perfectly adorned with the thickest group of lashes huddling together. The black mole just a little above the left side of his lips makes him face appear complete. His eyebrows are a bit wide and uneven at the ends but the density and the curve of it suits his structure well. His nose...it's the first thing my eyes caught. The way he was yelling seconds ago...I didn't expect his nose to be this small, pointy and upward. It's cute. Wait...did I just think that? Ugh!
"Hey...why are you spacing out again?" Chris tugs at my sleeves. But that guy's gaze lingers on me. He's coming towards us.
"Like what you see? Must be the first time staring at a guy as handsome as me."
His demonic smirk sends tiny quivers down my spine. Damn him... narcissist and daunting. But Chris defends me. "Don't talk to him like that. I bet you have no idea that he's recently the most pretty face of M.H academy. Everyone calls him the angelic face these days."
"Angelic face huh?" The arrogant guy scoffs at Chris in a way as if I don't exist and he can't even see me. "Don't most angels end up becoming a devil?"
What is this? A videogame or some drama series? Real life is way more different. Doesn't he know that? I can't help replying to his cocky remark. "They say don't judge a book by its cover. Now I get its proper meaning. Indeed...a luscious outer cover doesn't make the book all praiseworthy."
He chuckles cockily. "So you do admit that the outer cover..." He stops to open the soda can and takes a long full gulp. His Adam's apple bob up and down as few drops of the soda rolls down his long slim throat. "...is luscious?"