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2024-10-29 19:42:56‘I don’t think there’ll ever be a bigger freak than him,’ Sabrina said whilst staring in Sineas’ direction during lunchtime. Their lunchtime was held just outside the school building at the hundreds of tables beside the statue of The Thinker, a few yards to the right of the entrance. There were about a hundred or so tables scattered here and there on the lawn where students could sit in groups, pairs or whatever number suited them. Sabrina was sitting with her two friends; Doreen and Clarissa. Sineas was sitting at a table ten feet in front of theirs. He was having lunch on his own.
‘Do you remember what he did in class?’ Doreen said, bobbing her head back and forth with laughter. Her black hair smacked the table over and over again, frequently revealing her bulbous eyes and exaggerated lips.‘That was just a mistake, Doreen,’ Clarissa said, keeping her attention on her apple.‘Don’t tell me you’ve got a soft spot for the weirdo, Claire,’ Sabrina rolled her brown eyes at her. They matched her brown one-hundred-percent cashmere sweater and silky-chocolate brown hair. It moved like a wave when she tilted her head to the side.‘He’s not a weirdo,’ Clarissa responded. ‘I actually spoke to him this morning before class. He’s just…a little shy.’ She took a large bite from her apple. She seemed more focused on eating than the discussion.‘Poor, Claire,’ Sabrina shook her head pitifully at her, ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about boys it’s that no matter how “shy” they are, they’re all the same when it comes to girls.’ She took out her mirror and made a few adjustments to her eyebrows. She smacked her lips and pouted. ‘Let me give you heathens a demonstration.’Doreen’s light blue eyes widened. She cupped her hands over her mouth. ‘Oh, my gosh, Sabrina,’ she gasped, ‘Are you going to..?’She nodded her head as she stared mischievously at Sineas who was currently taking pea-sized bites from his sandwich then placing it back on the table.Clarissa said, ‘Sabrina, I don’t think that’s going to work on this guy. Besides, he’s still new, and innocent.’ She sighed, ‘Just let him be.’Sabrina grinned as she stood up. She said, ‘Oh, my dear. Remember Larry? You said he was shy too. I made him fall for me in one conversation then broke his heart in the next. Or do you remember Spencer, Donald, Victor or Derreck- with a “k” ? The only difference between them and this guy is the skin colour, but like I said before; they’re all the same.’Much to Clarrisa’s disapproval, Sabrina made her way towards Sineas’ table, her step as seductive as ever as she swayed her hips rhythmically like an overpaid supermodel.‘Hey, cutie; you think I can join you?’ she asked Sineas with her hands placed at the edge of his table, her fingers turned towards herself.
He looked aside. He was starting to feel uncomfortable already. He decided to shrug. She sat beside him, at least an inch away. He cringed. Her perfume was very powerful, and not in a good way. She giggled whilst breaking off a piece of his ham sandwich before it made it halfway to his mouth. He placed it back on the table. He was now more uncomfortable than ever.‘It’s Sineas, right?’‘Yeah,’ he whispered.‘What?’ she leaned in closer.He cleared his throat but with much difficulty. ‘Yes.’Doreen and Clarissa looked on curiously.Sabrina giggled playfully. ‘I was just telling my friends over there how hot you are.’He looked over at her table. Doreen waved at him but Clarissa turned her eyes back to her food. He grabbed his sandwich again. He successfully stole a nibble from it then placed it back on the table. ‘I think my body temperature is just fine,’ he replied.She giggled again and nudged his shoulder, ‘Tee-heee-he! You so funny! So, where do you live?’ she asked.‘At home.’‘I mean, like where exactly?’‘In a house.’‘Ummm…o-kay, where’s the house?’‘At home…look, are these questions going somewhere?’She smiled then looked dreamily at him. She placed her head on the table and stared into his eyes. ‘It’s just that I don’t think I’ve ever met a guy like you. Each time my eyes meet yours I just…I feel overwhelmed with this desire I just can’t explain. I love you, Sineas.’He cringed some more. ‘W…why?’‘Well, I don’t know. It’s just that I’ve been in many relationships with guys that’ve treated me like trash but when I look at you, Sineas I see someone different. I see a guy who knows how to treat a lady well. That’s the guy I need right now. I need you, Sineas. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine.’The cringing continued. He tried to stare back at her but his neck was jammed. He looked at her with the corner of his eye. ‘I think your words are misplaced,’ he said.‘Excuse me?’‘Just because you’re attractive it doesn’t mean everyone will be attracted to you. I also doubt that it’s possible to love what you do not know.’Her eyes dilated. Her gaze did not depart from him. Her eyes had adopted a strange look.He cleared his throat, with a little boldness this time. ‘I think your version of love is just another four-letter word for lust.’She rolled her eyes twice at him as she violently jerked her body upwards. ‘Pssht! Whatever, dude.’ She walked back to her table.Doreen and Clarissa had been waiting for her. Doreen was clapping her hands excitedly in anticipation. Clarissa held the pulp of her apple to her mouth, nibbling the edges.
‘He said it back, right?’ asked Doreen cupping her hands over her mouth.‘Nope. He’s gay.’Doreen dropped her hands and face in great disappointment.‘Really?’ Clarissa said looking surprised.Sabrina said, ‘Has to be if he’s willing to turn down the hottest girl in Malrich High.’‘Maybe you’re not as irresistible as you think you are,’ Clarissa commented whilst staring curiously at Sineas.Sineas stood up. He looked straight at Clarissa. ‘What? Do you love me too?’ he said before picking up his lunchbox and heading towards the school building.‘You see that? Don’t you guys see everything wrong with that kid?’ Sabrina said pointing at Sineas as he walked off.Doreen and Clarissa broke into loud and deafening laughter.
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Psych 8. Aftermath
When the annoying, dying robot finally cried, Sineas could hardly wait to place his foot on the pavement outside the school premises. He quickly packed his books and stuffed them in his backpack and headed for the classroom door. He flexed his shoulders boldly as he made his way to the exit of the school building. His salvation was only a few metres away. He had made it halfway towards the door when he found himself facedown on the hard floor. He felt his wisdom tooth shake in gripe. He reached his index finger into his mouth to check if it was still in place as the multitude of spectators laughed.‘And the freak show continues.’He looked up. It was a boy about twice his size. He was wearing the school sports jacket; blue with yellow sleeves. It was covering a white t-shirt. Sineas thought the boy strangely looked like his father when he laughed, revealing an uneven set of teeth. He had short, black hair and a hardened face; the face that seasoned athletes usually have. Sinea
Psych 9. Poison Child
‘A boy?’ she eyed her suspiciously.‘Yeah, he…eew! Mom, no!’ she had noted her mother’s apprehensive look.‘Good,’ she let out a sigh of relief. ‘Boys are trouble.’‘And yet you married one.’‘Sweetie, I married a man. That’s what you need…at least twenty years from now. Anyway, what about this “boy” is troubling you?’‘Well, some of the kids were picking on him and…’‘Why?’‘I don’t know. I guess he may be a little awkward…’‘Awkward?’‘Different. He’s different. He sits alone and he’s a bit of a klutz…’‘Stay away from him.’‘Mom?’‘I said keep your distance, Claire,’ she spoke sternly. ‘He seems like the sort of enigma that hails Charles Manson a hero.’‘What really vexes me about him is that he didn’t lash out when they bullied him or cry as most kids would do. It’s almost like…’ she also frowned, but thoughtfully, ‘like…’‘Like he’s been through worse?’ suggested her mother.‘Yeah, yeah, how did you guess?’ asked Clarissa.‘I once
Psych 10. Charity Case
Breakfast was very quiet that Tuesday morning at the Murphy’s house. It was cereal, but this was not the cause of the silence.‘Aren’t you going to say something, Sin? You didn’t even say good morning to me.’ Aunt Janice was in her infamous nightdress. She had not taken a shower yet.‘Good morning,’ he mumbled. He was poking the cereal like he was searching for an evasive cockroach that had fallen in. He was wearing his leather jacket and a white t-shirt and blue jeans. A pair of black Nikes concluded the gear. Aunt Janice reached for his hand as it lay idle on the table. He slowly pulled it away.She sighed, ‘You know I only want what’s best for you, right?’His eyes narrowed as he stared into his bowl, as if he had finally found the roach. ‘Does this cereal taste strange to you?’ he asked her before taking a mouthful. ‘The taste is a little familiar though,’ he snapped his fingers in an effort to remember. ‘Of course!’ his eyes lit up, ‘It tastes exactly like betrayal.
Psych 11. Apples
Clarissa smiled and sat beside Sineas. She moved her desk even closer. She was wearing a light green jacket and a white dress underneath. Like yesterday, her hair was pinned behind her into a rabbit’s tail. ‘Hey,’ she said beaming at him.‘H…hey,’ Sineas replied. He was just as bewildered as the rest of the class.‘Clarissa...’ Justin began, ‘The drugs you’re taking; can you hook me up?’She ignored him. She was busy opening her book, arranging her stationery on her desk. Everyone just looked on, looking thunderstruck. With all those eyes on them, Sineas felt even more awkward. He turned his eyes to Justin.‘Keep those eyes somewhere else, kid, not here,’ Justin warned him. He lowered his eyes into his book.Mr. Sawyer cleared his throat. ‘Now that we have solved that issue, the numbers are still unbalanced, but nevertheless; Sabrina, you can join Justin’s team.’She got up in a tsunami. Her eyes were stuck on Clarissa. She did not retract them as she made her
Psych 12. The Stranger
‘Say what you like but Justin’s right, Claire,’ Sabrina joined in from nowhere. Doreen was standing right next to her, arms folded and wearing a vile scowl on her face. ‘I thought you could do better,’ Sabrina continued. ‘We all did. Now you’re picking this kid over your own friends?’ There was a sign of grief in her voice.Sineas could only stare into the nothingness of the table. He was twiddling his thumbs under it.Clarissa shot to her feet and her nose almost touched Sabrina’s. ‘So you think I’m just going to sit tight and watch all you bullies make fun of Sineas like that?’ she hissed. They had finally drawn the attention of the entire school.‘You even know his name?’ Justin laughed scornfully as he pulled the girl deeper under his arm. She smiled. She seemed to be enjoying it. Justin rubbed his boxlike jaw. He walked to Sineas’ side, pulling the girl with him. She had an enormous grin on her face.Sineas was still twiddling his thumbs under the table. He wasn’t p
Psych 13. Hoops
The voice, to Justin, sounded more like a man, or a rather hoarse-voiced woman. At this point, he could no longer guess. His mind was dazed and so were his eyes. ‘Justin,’ he answered. ‘And who are you?’‘Necessity,’ the stranger replied.His eyes came together to form a squint. ‘What kind of a stupid name is that?’‘A necessary one.’Justin began to hear the sound of steel on concrete again but this time it was more of a light tap. It was coming from between the stranger’s feet. ‘What…what’s that?’ he asked the stranger, pointing between his feet. The boldness and audacity in his voice was abandoning him. ‘I said what’s…’‘You look like a strong, young man. Are you an athlete, Justin?’ the stranger asked him. There was a certain calmness in the stranger's voice.Justin nodded robustly, ‘Rugby…basketball…’‘That sounds like it takes a lot of stamina.’He nodded quickly.‘Good. You see that house over there, Justin? Way down there?’ the stranger asked him,
Psych 14. Doctor Darren Jacob
Sineas had just finished taking a shower. He threw on a red t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, a pair of white sneakers and he was good to go. ‘What are you watching, Aunt Janice?’ he asked her as he descended the wooden stairs, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder.She was wearing an orange blouse and her black waitress skirt. A shower cap was on her head. She usually took a shower just after Sineas. ‘Good morning to you too, Sin,’ she said without taking her eyes off the screen. ‘Come take a look at this,’ she beckoned towards him with her hand, still keeping her eyes glued to the TV. Her other hand was occupied with a half eaten slice of toast. ‘Oh, Breakfast is on the table,’ she informed him. Moments later he returned into the living room carrying a plate with three slices of toast and scrambled eggs. He stood behind the couch as he ate. ‘So, what’s up?’ he asked her shoving a slice of toast into his mouth.‘You just missed it. There was a commercial with second-ha
Psych 15. Conflicted
‘I said how is your new school treating you?’ Doctor Jacob asked him. He pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose. Sineas was certain he had seen that move done in a movie. He shrugged. ‘Not bad, not bad,’ he answered the question.‘And…define “not bad”.’‘Not bad means not bad, Jacob,’ he replied in a harsh tone.Doctor Jacob made a deep sigh as he placed his notebook aside. He placed his hands at the edge of the desk. He said, ‘Sineas. We’ve been meeting in this same room for eleven years and yet you still don’t trust me with how you feel.’ There was a certain faintness in his voice.He crossed his arms quickly. ‘Should I start at the very beginning, Jacob? Because I think you and I both know you’re fully responsible for my mother spending an entire decade at Breechwood Asylum.’‘Sineas, my boy…’‘I think “Sineas” is just fine, thank you,’ he said glaring at him.‘Okay…Sineas. The only reason your mother is still in that place is because she
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89. Heaven's Delight (Part II)
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88. Heaven's Delight (Part I)
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87. Busy Bee
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86. The Informant
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85. Priscilla Murphy
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