The bell rings, signaling the time for recess. Both Mauire and Opal waited outside the cafeteria for their new friend, Ume. Eyes scanning the hallway just to catch a girl who was stumbling in her way while her glasses almost fall from her face.
"There she is!" Opal said to Maurie with surprise. Boy, the girl looks like a mess. Someone who got stuck in a stampede and trying to fight for their dear life. The two of them quickly rush to the scene, pushing people to pull the other as Ume let out a surprise gasp. "...Opal...? Maurie...?" She let out as she panted, trying to catch her breath from all that pushing and trying to stop people from squishing her. "Thank goodness! I thought we wouldn't get you!" Maurie said with relief,
"She's right... You're too small for your age which makes it more difficult for you to get out or be pulled away in situations like this..." Opal replied too. Ume adjusted her glasses and straightened her pigtails as she looked at the both of them, "I'm really thankful that you guys saved me... Man, I thought I was gonna die in there...!"
Opal and Maurie laughed at Ume's words. Clearly amused by the other's suffering earlier. "Don't thank us," said the girl with brown skin and curly hair, "We're friends and it's just right for us to help you!" Maurie nodded as she took Ume's hand, "Come on now! Let's go get out food and I'll introduce almost everyone I know in this school!" Ume followed the two of them as they entered the cafeteria. "Oh! Actually, I have a lunch box with me. I'll just find us a table while the two of you get your lunch."
Maurie hummed before shrugging, "alright! Wait for us okay? Don't eat without us!" Ume laughed before answering, "I won't, don't worry."
[A few moments later]
"Woah, your mother made that!? You're so lucky, Ume!" Maurie said with surprise as she saw the girl's lunchbox. "She's right. We have to bear with this stinky lunch from the cafeteria." The other agreed. "You think so...? Well, you guys can have some." "Sweet! Thanks, girl!" Ume smiled as she shared her food. Opal though, was watching the two of them then asked Ume a question. "So, are you feeling comfortable in our town? No one hold a grudge to you, right?"
"Uh... Actually, there's this boy I've been annoyed with. I'm sure you guys know him. The one with the scar on his cheek?" Ume took a bite of her sandwich as the Opal spat out her drink. "R...really, now...? What did he do...? If you don't mind to tell..."
Maurie butted in, her face lighting up as she understood what Ume said, "Oh! Is it about the time where you first introduced yourself to our family?!" She laughed as she remembers everything while Opal was left dumbfounded. "Wait, what happened? Tell me everything!" Ume avoided eye contact, clearly embarrassed by the memory as she tell what had happened.
"Basically... We were introducing ourselves and our family. But that boy was being annoying and kept throwing remarks so I got pissed." She hid her face in her palm as she got second–hand–embarrassment again. Maurie joined in and continued the conversation, "She asked what about James's parents and he straight up said dead...!" Maurie laughed again, wheezing as she wiped a tear. Almost falling down from her chair.
"Yeahh... I guess that is something he would do..." Opal sat awkwardly as she took a bite of her lunch. Still processing why James did say that. "I think I've missed a LOT of context here. Tell me more about what happened between you and James!–"
"Are you talking about me." James appeared behind them which makes them yelp in shock. "James!? Ever heard of a personal space!?" Opal yelled at him. "Personal space doesn't matter if you're talking behind someone's back, woman!" He retorted back. He glanced at the girl with glasses and immediately recognised her, "Hey, it's the Asian girl who visited us. What's your name again? Amy?" "Ume." She corrected him, "Ume Schmidt."
"Have you eaten, James?" Maurie asked which makes James nod. "Yeah. In fact, me and Mark were just about to head out of the cafeteria. I'm just waiting for him to finish." Opal rolled her eyes with a scoff and then turned to face him, "You guys were together again? When are you going to socialise like a normal teen? Hell, you don't even spend time more with your last ex..." James frowned again. She and him had always been beefing with each other,
"Oh please, it's not like you're any different. You have an expensive name yet you have such poor manners." Her eyes twitched and she clenches her spoon tightly it could almost bend. James saw it which makes him grin with proud painted in his face. "If you don't mind, I'll excuse myself. See ya around, guys." He spun his heels and went to his one and only best friend. Immediately dragging him out before looking back and sticking his tongue out to Opal who was now grinding her teeth.
"How childish of him..." Ume muttered quietly. "I know right? He's such an enigma." Maurie heard this and raised her eyebrow, "Enigma? What do you mean?" Opal took a bite of her food and swallowed it before answering Maurie's confused question.
"He's such an enigma. Half–human, half–idiot." She said as if it was obvious before heading back to eat.
****
"See you tomorrow, Opal!" Maurie waved goodbye with Ume on the school bus as it drives off while Opal was also walking away towards her house. "What an exhausting day..." She said to herself. She continues walking on her way home before stopping outside of a one story house. She entered inside and found her mother making dinner at the kitchen.
"I'm home, mom!" She greeted her mom who greeted her back with a kiss on her forehead, "Did anything today at school?" Her mother asked. "Hm? Uhm... Well, I made a new friend!" She sat down by the table as she watched her mother cook, "That sounds good."
"It was exhausting today though...! Man, I just wanna lay down for a while..."
"Manners at the table, Opal. And who taught you how to talk like that? Fix it, young lady." Opal goes quiet with embarrassment and nodded her head. Ah... She was so used to talking with her friends that she forgot that it's her mother right now who she was talking to.
"I'll let this slide. For now. Why don't you help me prepare the table while I ready our dinner for tonight? It's your favourite." Her mother said with a smile. "...Sure! I can do that...!"
The mother and daughter are together that evening with a lovely atmosphere. The both of them were laughing and talking about what happened to their day. Opal grew up not remembering who her father was or what happened to him but as long as she got her mother, she's sure that everything will be alright. After that, Opal washed the dishes and then watched some shows in the television with her mother who was commenting everything she saw wrong at the TV.
"My... This woman is so gullible, ain't she? She still wants her husband who was already cheating on her. Such a shame. Tsk tsk." Opal chuckled and said, "Mom, that's just a TV series! I'm sure it's not real!" "Still. People like her exist, y'know? And I hope you don't end up like her..." She laughed again at her mother's comment, "Don't worry, mom. I won't."
"That reminds me. It's already 10:00 pm... Isn't it past your bed time, Opal? You should go to sleep now otherwise you'll be late tomorrow for school."
Opal glanced at the clock and her mother was right. "Oh... I should probably get going then. Goodnight, ma." She said as she stood up and stretched, "Goodnight too, sweets." Her mother answered back. She walks to her room and closed the door. Inside, the wall was covered with a hot pink wallpaper with black butterfly patterns. Postere and photos were hanged by the wall and at the corner of the room, her bed who was messy with pillows and plushies was seen. The room might be small but to Opal, it was enough.
She opened her closet and took out her pajamas. A white t–shirt with a big avocado printed on the front and black pants that is comfortable enough to sleep in. She changed her clothes into that before laying flat on her bed. She yawned as she stared at her ceiling. Something was bugging on her mind though, why did her mother said that to her? She was too young to think about some things like romantic relationship to talk about that. All she wanted was just to sew clothes! Become a fashion designer and make food clothes! Opal always dreamt big and her mother knows it. It's a shame that she doesn't see it as something big and kept telling that it's just a hobby.