Chapter Three - The Whisper
Entering my room, I immediately locked the door. My parents could come any second.
Walking slowly to my bed, I felt so weak, like I could collapse at any moment.
So I lay down gently, facing my wardrobe.
On the door of the wardrobe, I saw the calendar my mum kept for me since the day I started seeing my menses.
She said, "You're becoming a woman now, and you need to be responsible."
I smiled weakly at the memory… and suddenly, I began wondering how life would be for me if I went to school pretending to be a boy.
How would I cope with menstrual pain?
Oh my God what if I have a roommate?
Still, I whispered to myself, "I'll always find a way to survive."
I stood up to take my laptop so I could continue my research on Sterling Academy.
But then a knock came in.
It was my junior sister.
At first, I was glad it was her, but then I hesitated.
I remembered overhearing her one day crying to her friends on the phone, saying I never spent time with her.
That I was always on my phone or laptop.
I felt bad that day.
So I promised myself I'd be available to her whenever she needed me.
"Sis… sis!" she said while knocking.
"I'm coming! Please hold on a sec," I replied, pretending I was busy, maybe just coming out of the toilet.
I waited for ten seconds before unlocking the door.
"Hi, big sis!" she said, hugging me.
"I didn't see that coming," I said with a smirk.
"Will Mum and Dad let you go to Sterling Academy?" she asked.
I froze. I couldn't remember telling her about that.
"Wait… are you here because of them? Oh, they sent you here, right?"
"Huh? Look, Yelena, please what do you want from me? Because I'm not going to stand here listening to some crappy stuff you've got to say, okay? So please, just go."
I frowned. I know my sister too well, she's smart, and my parents could have sent her to talk to me.
"Calm down, sis," she whispered. "I'm not here because of them. I'm here because of you."
"OMG, Yelena, please what is it? What do you want from me, and why are you acting weird? Why are you whispering?"
"Shhh! Lower your voice and lock your door so Mum and Dad won't hear what I have to say."
Still confused, I locked the door again. She walked toward my bed.
"And what are you trying to do? Sit on my bed?" I asked.
I don't like anyone sitting on my bed, so I pulled the chair close to my reading table for her.
"You can sit here," I said, still confused. Trust my younger sister at your own risk.
She sat down, and so did I.
"You haven't answered my question yet," she said.
"Gawd, are we back to this? Please, can you just go straight to what brought you here and stop asking about Sterling Academy? I don't know anything about it," I said, looking away.
"Okay then," she said,
standing up slowly.
"You might not need what I have to say."