KICK

Elena

Stop taking my shoes!

I pass by the commotion to continue my daily routine, which consists of waking up, eating breakfast, going to school, and walking into my form classroom to see the ‘MoLester’ duo at it again. But most importantly, sitting at my desk and studying before school starts.

If you are confused about the ‘MoLester’ duo, don't worry; me too. I have been for the past 4 years. The ‘MoLester’ duo includes two immature boys in my class-Spencer Mo and Lester See. Ever since the two boys met in Secondary 1, they have been inseparable and insufferable.

They make constant racist and pathetic jokes that may get them cancelled if put online. But this is normal, especially to all the Secondary 4 students now who have been with the duo since the beginning.

Another boy—Umar Katz—a kind of normal, quiet guy, is friends with the duo. Though he doesn’t say or do much, just existing brings the duo much joy. Why? Ask them.

I settle down at my desk quickly. I only have 17 minutes and 49 seconds until morning assembly. I should start studying now, I just hope a shoe doesn’t come flying my way like last time. However, this time, it isn’t a shoe. More of a living and breathing organism, about 6.8x bigger than a size 10 men’s shoes in UK sizing.

Liam.

Liam Stark. Another insufferable pain in the gluteus maximus. Also friends with Spencer, Lester, and Umar.

He decides to sit right beside me even though that is not his assigned seat, and he starts a conversation with a simple Hey..

Ugh. His voice is unbearable, resonating at a frequency that feels excessively high and intense, akin to an unpleasant blast of sound assaulting my ears. His face is dreadful. The way his pupil constricts when I take a small glance at him, my eyes tearing away from my studies for a beat. He looks at me like I’m a ray of sunshine entering his eye. I hate that his fovea works. Mine too, but I need it to study my notes.

Go away.

C'mon... don’t be like that. Liam takes a peek at my revision work on my table. Seriously? Additional Math at 7 in the morning?

I ignore him, as usual, and turn my attention back to the worksheet to continue integrating.

He snatches my paper and holds it against his chest. I stare at him, wishing that he will disintegrate.

Give that back! I rebuke.

His lips curl up in a smile, knowing he managed to hit a nerve. Which nerve? I don’t know. I haven’t studied that chapter yet. But I could have been much faster if it wasn’t for this...nitwit!

Because of this guy, I have been behind the schedule I set up for the whole year. I should have finished the nerve chapter by now, but I am two chapters behind! This little dolt has been distracting me ever since the school reopened this year. Following me around school, touching my arm ever so gently, and asking for my name- the dude doesn’t even know it, and it's right there on the worksheet.

Stop taking my things!

Great. Now I sound like the ‘MoLester’ duo when they steal each other’s belongings.

Before Liam can respond, the bell rings, indicating that the school should make its way to the school hall for assembly In defeat, Liam hands me my paper back. Too late, jerk.

Everyone makes their way to the hall at their own pace. Last year, Liam and his friends were always the last ones there, while I was amongst the first few to arrive.

Now, he is right beside me, the only ones in the hall.

Why are you he-

What’s your name? Liam smiles, oblivious to my frustration. Why does he keep asking this question? We’ve known each other for a month already. There is no way he actually does not know my name.

Nonetheless, I ignore him. I sit down at my designated spot and read my book silently while waiting for the rest of the school to stroll in and settle down for morning assembly. Of course, Liam sits down right next to me, at his undesignated spot. He opens up his book, pretending to read. Through my peripheral vision, I notice him staring at me...and that his book is upside down. What a moron.

The teacher soon scolds him for not sitting at his designated spot. I snicker under my breath, now the one pretending to read.

Morning assembly continues as normal. Singing the national anthem and the school song, reciting the national pledge, and random morning announcements. After sitting painfully on the floor, listening to the vice-principal’s talk, everybody makes their way to their respective classrooms after he finally dismissed us. I check my timetable for the day. An hour of English then recess.

Recess.

I find recess a waste of time. After collecting enough data on why people love recess time for my geography project in Secondary 2, the majority mentioned that it provides a good bonding experience. My gluteus maximus. I also find friendships a waste of time, I only have one friend, Paris, who is more than enough. There is just too much commitment to juggle along with studies. I usually use recess time to study alone in the classroom. Peacefully. That was until Liam.

Always disrupting my peace in every way possible.

Last year, along with the ‘MoLester’ duo and Umar, he was usually the first one out of the classroom during recess. Now, he’s right in front of me. The only ones in the classroom. Staring right through my soul as I try to remember if exothermic reactions give out or absorb heat. My face turns red as Liam leans in closer to me. Blushing isn’t an exothermic reaction...right?

I stand my ground and storm out of the classroom, footsteps following behind me. I turn back to find Liam following me. Again. Like a lost y-coordinate on a linear graph.

Stop following me, Liam. I snap at him, having enough of his bull faeces.

Where are we going? he replies.

"We? There is no we. Leave me alone."

Won’t it be better if we went together? We’ll be able to hang out more, he shrugs.

Kick the bucket, Liam.

What? I don’t know what that means, he steps closer, but please? Can I come with you? Please? Please? Please? Please?...

As the long thread of ‘please’ continues on, I clench my fist. I’m not about to punch him of course, I have embarrassingly weak upper body strength. Hence, my next move.

I deliver a kick to his shin and another to the balls.

Chapter 1

Liam

I fall to the ground, grunting in pain. Pain shoots through my body from my balls and shin. This isn’t the first time Elena Robbins has kicked me. Throughout the first month of the year and trying to get under her skin, she has kicked me 8 times. Twice a week, she has kicked my balls, shin, head, and back.

I don’t mind though. I know I deserve all the kicks and future upcoming ones. I am annoying and we both know that, but I just can’t help myself.

I was sitting at my assigned seat, thankfully right beside one of my best friends- Umar. The school had just reopened and we were getting ready for E-math class with the annoying Mr. Low. I hate his teaching methods. It also doesn’t help that my grades are shit.

Mr Low gives the class stacks and stacks of homework and expects us to learn ahead of him. The materials he goes through during class time doesn't help at all. The solutions to the math problems are shortcuts, making everyone confused but he doesn’t give a damn to explain. There are some unfortunate times when he calls on students to go up to the board to write out their solutions. He mainly calls on the ‘weaker’ students, AKA me with an F9 in his subject.

But not on the first day of school. Mr. Low decided to call upon somebody new. A girl, called Elena. I've heard her name before, but I've never really seen her.

I know everyone in my class of 2024. Well, almost everyone. I don’t know why but I have just never taken an interest in her last year. She just didn’t stand out.

This year, Elena did. Mr. Low called her up to answer some probability questions that I had no clue what the answer was. That was the first time she was called up. As I looked around the class, I noticed that her assigned seat was at the back. Walking past me, she took the whiteboard marker and wrote down the answer in one swift movement. No hesitation and the answer was correct.

Wow, she’s smart, I muttered to myself as I continued to stare at her back. Her hair. Her face. Her eye bags. Her hands. The correct answer.

I have grown fond of her ever since then. But now I have to deal with the consequences. Constant kicking and shouting. I find it absolutely adorable.

Leave me alone! Elena growls. I lift myself off the floor, maintaining my stance after the brutal assault.

Relax, El. Can’t I just be a good friend and accompany you around the school?

She mutters something under her breath before rebuking, Firstly, stop calling me ‘El’. Secondly, I am not your friend!

Before I can say anything, Elena storms off, her ponytail swinging side to side viciously. My growing desire to follow her and continue to annoy her is soon reaching its peak. I just love how she gets so agitated around me and starts pouting and yelling. Cutely. She turns the corner at the end of the hallway and steps into the girls’ bathroom. Oh

Ring ring ring, the school bell rings, indicating the end of the school day.

My favourite starting phrase in a narrative Chinese composition. It is indeed the end of the school day, welcoming all students to a weekend of rest, gaming, and maybe football with the boys. Not Elena though. I bet she will be studying the weekend away. I will not be allowing her to do that.

I wait patiently at the school’s only exit—thankfully—for Elena. My first mistake last weekend was not waiting long enough. Every day, she stays behind for an hour for consultation. And by consultation, I mean annoying the hell out of the poorly paid teacher. Just yesterday, she managed to upset Mrs Tan so much that she yelled at her. I feel bad for snickering at Elena, but she deserved it for focusing too much on her academics.

I watch as she walks out of the school’s exit and I titter at my evil plan. I run up to her and snatch her phone from her hands. Her eyes flick towards me, mouth left ajar. I look at the phone—now in my hands—to note the phone brand. An iPhone 14. Yes.

I flash the phone in front of her face, prompting the face recognition to unlock it. I open up WhatsApp to send a text to my number, saving it in her contacts.

W-what are you doing? Elena finally speaks up.

Making plans for the weekend, I say as I add my reservation plans into her calendar. Our reservation plans.

She reaches her hand out to try and snatch her phone back. 

Fortunately and unfortunately, due to our 20cm height difference, all I need to do is hold the phone above my head. And that’s exactly what I did. Elena gasps in defeat and starts pouting. Give it back, Liam!

Not so soon, El. I walk away from her, finalising the plans on her calendar.

She trails after me, frowning after multiple failed attempts to retrieve her phone.

Here, I let her snatch her phone back. "Take note of the plans