After dinner, Francis retreated to her room, her mind swirling with thoughts about the dreams that had been haunting her lately, especially the ones involving Felix. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had genuinely fallen for him, and the dreams felt so vividly real that they left an aching longing in her heart. Francis sighed deeply, tossing and turning on her bed, her mind replaying the dream over and over, until exhaustion finally lulled her into a restless sleep.
"Wake up, you kids! You're going to be late!" her mother's voice echoed through the hallway, cutting through Francis's dreamy haze. She groaned at the thought of facing another Monday morning; school felt like an insurmountable task. Reluctantly, she dragged herself to the bathroom, splashing cool water on her face to shake off the remnants of sleep. After a hasty shower and dressing in her most comfortable outfit, Francis joined her siblings for breakfast, where the familiar sounds of clinking utensils and animated chatter filled the air. Their mother drove them to school, a daily routine that often felt monotonous yet strangely comforting.
As they traveled down the familiar streets, Francis's thoughts drifted back to the dream she had the night before. A smile crept across her lips as she recalled the gentle kiss they shared, one that felt both beautiful and surreal. The pang of disappointment hit her, reminding her that it was all just a fantasy.
"Francis!" Beatrice called from the front seat, pulling Francis from her daydream. She glanced up to meet her mother's curious gaze through the rearview mirror. "What's making you smile?" Beatrice inquired, a knowing glint in her eyes.
"Nothing, Mom," Francis replied, rolling her eyes dismissively, though she could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Really?" Beatrice pressed, raising an eyebrow. "I saw you smiling to yourself! Did you win the lottery? Or wait... do you have a boyfriend?" A teasing smirk danced across her mother's face.
"Ewwwwww," Josh interjected from the backseat, feigning extreme disgust. "You? A boyfriend?" He pointed at Francis dramatically, shaking his head with mock incredulity. "That's impossible! You look like a flamingo, like Dad said. Any boy who dates you would be so unlucky!" he added, snickering.
"Shut the f*** up!" Francis yelled, her irritation bubbling over.
"Hey, girl! You shouldn't be using that language around kids; you're setting a bad example," Beatrice admonished, shooting her daughter a stern glance that cut sharply through the playful banter.
Josh stuck out his tongue at Francis in a mocking gesture, and she rolled her eyes again, suppressing a laugh. If only Rebecca wasn't sitting between them, she might have retaliated with a playful punch.
The rest of the car ride fell into a peaceful silence, soft music flowing from the speakers as the air conditioning hummed gently around them. Beatrice pulled up in front of Josh and Rebecca's school, dropping them off with well wishes before continuing on to Francis's school.
As they drove closer, a wave of anxiety washed over Francis. She hated the idea of her mom dropping her off; it felt so juvenile. She longed for the independence that came with having her own car. It didn't help that she possessed a driver's license but her mom had outright refused to let her drive alone. Each time her classmates teased her with the nickname "Mom's baby," it stung; she was not a baby anymore, yet her mother clung to that perception. Frustration simmered beneath the surface as she opened the door and stepped out, ignoring Beatrice's wave goodbye as usual.
She could feel the weight of her peers' gazes upon her, but she was learning to ignore it. With a sigh, she pulled out her EarPods from her bag, connected them to her phone, and let her favorite playlist drown out the noise around her. As she made her way through the bustling hallways, the chaos of student chatter faded to a distant hum.
When she reached her locker, something unexpected caught her eye: an envelope slipped out as she opened the locker. Confusion etched across her features as she stared at it, wondering how it had ended up in her space. She distinctly remembered locking her locker just the day before. The only person who had access to it was her best friend, Lily.
As she tried to open the letter, Francis felt a playful spank on her backside. She immediately knew it was Lily; it couldn't possibly be anyone else. Turning around and removing her earbud, she was greeted by Lily's infectious smile, stretching from ear to ear.
"Can't you greet someone like a normal human being?" Francis said, an annoyed tone creeping into her voice. "You're going to give people the wrong idea, and I really don't appreciate you spanking my butt."
"Duh, I don't care what people think or whether you like it or not! I do what I want," Lily shot back, her defiant grin unwavering. Francis sighed and turned her attention back to the paper she had been attempting to read.
"Yeah, right. I dropped it there. It's an invitation to a class party!" Lily declared with an excited bounce in her step.
"Why am I even invited? I don't have anything to wear for it. I don't do parties, to be honest," Francis replied, her frustration evident in her voice.
"Well, now you're lucky! Everyone's coming… including Felix," Lily said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Francis raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, whispering, "Felix? But I thought he wasn't the party type."
"Yeah, well," Lily said with a mischievous wink, "you never know what could happen."
Caught between curiosity and reluctance, Francis's mind raced with thoughts of what the night at the party might entail.
"Anyway, let's hurry to class; I really want to skip the lectures," Francis said as she locked her locker. Lily nodded in agreement, wrapping her arm around Francis's shoulder as they made their way to the classroom.
Once inside, Francis couldn't help but dwell on the vivid dream she had the night before. It felt so real, almost ethereal. Suddenly jolted back to reality, she noticed Lily tapping her shoulder to get her attention.
"What?" Francis snapped, slightly annoyed.
"The teacher was asking a question," Lily replied, her eyes wide. Francis's face flushed with embarrassment as she realized the entire class was staring at her.
"Francis, are you okay?" the teacher asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," she quickly replied, trying to regain her composure.
"Alright, could you please come up and solve the equation on the board?" the teacher prompted. With a deep breath, Francis stared intently at the board, recalling the problem. She noticed a look of pity on Lily's face, but she felt surprisingly confident; she had practiced similar questions while studying.
Walking up to the board, Francis began to solve the equation, her movements precise and fluid. The room was filled with a mix of amusement and awe as she skillfully worked through the problem. "That's excellent!" the teacher praised, gesturing for the class to clap. As Francis returned to her seat, she noticed Felix sitting in the front row, a genuine smile on his face. What?! Did he just smile at me? I haven't seen him smile before. Did I impress him? A warm blush crept up her cheeks at the thought.
She sat down, and Lily leaned in, lowering her voice. "How were you able to solve that?"
"Studying, of course," Francis replied, pride bubbling in her tone.
"Wow! I even saw Felix smiling when you solved it! Honestly, I thought you were going to struggle with that," Lily admitted candidly.
"But I didn't! Now, can you please let me focus on the lecture?" Francis said, turning her attention back to the teacher.
Finally, the bell rang for lunch. "Let's go; I'm really starving!" Lily exclaimed, gesturing for Francis to stand. They maneuvered through the bustling hallways to the cafeteria, where they grabbed their food and settled into their usual spot at a corner table.
"This food is amazing!" Lily declared, digging into the crispy chicken with enthusiasm. Francis nodded in agreement, savoring the taste.
"When are you planning to confess your feelings to Felix? I noticed you blushed when I mentioned his smile," Lily teased, raising an eyebrow. Francis suddenly began to cough, nearly choking on her food.
"Sorry, sorry!" Lily said quickly, handing her a bottle of water. After a moment, Francis managed to respond, "I can never confess my feelings to a guy. I think it should be the other way around. And I didn't blush!"
"Wow, so you're just going to remain silent and suffer in silence?" Lily pressed. "You totally blushed! I saw it!"
"It would be better if he made a move first," Francis replied dismissively.
"Suit yourself," Lily shrugged. "By the way, I have a boyfriend," she said in a barely audible tone.
"Huh? What? Since when?" Francis asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Before Lily could respond, a tall guy with curly black hair, dressed in a casual shirt and jeans, approached and pecked Lily on the cheek.
"Babe, I've been searching for you!" he said cheerily.
"Wait, what?! You're dating Ronald?" Francis exclaimed, her disbelief evident.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Lily said, her tone tinged with sadness.
"Yo, what's up?" Ronald said, extending his hand toward Francis for a shake. In a rush, Francis stood up with her tray, ignoring his greeting as she made her way to another table, her heart racing.
Lily sighed as she watched Francis walk away. "Don't worry; she'll be okay. Just give her some time," Ronald reassured her, trying to maintain an optimistic outlook.
Meanwhile, Francis stabbed at her chicken in frustration, her face displaying a whirlwind of emotions—anger, disbelief, and heartbreak. She bent her head down, fighting back tears, when someone approached her table. Looking up, she felt a mix of embarrassment, confusion, and unexpected happiness all at once.