~The Next Day~

‘Sia, the briefing was boring,’

‘Ama, I wish I didn’t attend,’ Sia replied. 

They both walked out of the school main hall hand in hand. 

‘Where’s everyone hurrying to?’ Ama asked, seeing other students rushing away.

‘I don’t know, let’s ask,’ Sia said.

‘Excuse me, where are you rushing to?’ she asked a boy.

‘The noticed board, our finals are out,’ the boy replied quickly and ran away.

‘Nice, let’s go see,’ Ama said as she pulled Sia.

...

They got there a few minutes later, only to see an enormous crowd in front of the big noticeboard.

‘They only displayed the top hundred students’ names,’ Ama said.

‘I hope I get to see my name. Come on, let’s search,’ Sia replied.

‘Oh, I’ve found mine,’ Ama announced immediately. ‘Number eighteen,’.

‘Really, you must have done well. You are probably among the top ten in your class,’

‘Maybe, oh I’ve found yours, number twenty-six,’

‘Really? Ha yes, I didn’t do too bad, I was so afraid yesterday,’.

‘Why?’.

‘The exams were tough for me,’

‘Oh, same for me. Come on, let’s go. It’s almost time for the award ceremony,’ 

‘Okay,’.

The two girls were about to leave when they heard someone talking to another student say. ‘Check out numbers four and five,’

‘Who is that?... Wow, no way,’

Both of them turned to look, and they gasped.

‘Isn’t that Huno’s and Mia’s name?’ Ama asked. 

‘Yeah, it is. He wrote the exam for both himself and Mia and still came out top ten in the school. I still can’t believe it,’ Sia replied.

‘Haha, it’s great to be book smart. I wish I had his brain,’

‘Hey Huno, I found your name,’ someone yelled.

The girls turned their heads to their right. Over there with two students beside him, a boy and girl, stood Huno, who wore a one-handed bag.

‘Oh, I’ve found it too, number four,’ the boy beside him said.

The girl who yelled glared at him. ‘I thought you said you didn’t do well,’.

‘Ella, I didn’t. The time was not enough, and besides, both you and Richard did better than me.’

‘What you mean is if you had gotten enough time, you would have done better?’ the boy named Richard asked.

‘Maybe, here take, you guys won the bet,’ Huno said, handing both of them money.

‘Yes, I won, I won haha,’ Ella laughed and took the money and gave half of it to Richard.

‘I’m so happy I came out third. I’m still wondering how Ella did better than both of us,’ Richard said.

‘Hey, what do you mean by that?’ Ella glared at him. ‘Don’t even say what you want to say next’.

‘Haha,’ Huno laughed.

‘What did I want to say? Hehe,’

‘Don’t even say it. It’s not a simple task to get second. Wait, did Huno just laugh?’.

Both of them turned to look at Huno, who was still smiling a bit. Wondering what happened, Huno asked. ‘What?’.

‘No way, come on text David and Patricia.’

‘I’ll text them now haha. I’ll also text Julie and the others, haha. We just won another bet,’ Ella said as she typed on her phone.

‘What’s going on?’ Huno asked again. Ella pressed the sent on her phone and replied. ‘Check your phone,’

Almost immediately, Huno received messages, one after another.

He opened his phone and entered a group chat and read Ella’s message.

~Ella added Huno~

~Ella~ guys Huno just laughed in front of me and Richard. Time to pay up.

~.~ seriously Huno laughed

~.~ No way

~.~ you are kidding, right?

~.~ thank goodness, Huno where are you?

~.~ are you serious?

~.~ did you video him

~.~ wait what? Huno laughed.

~.~ Ella is this true?

~.~ That’s good

~.~ Richard, Ella is lying, right?

...

Huno kept on receiving messages on his phone. ‘Ella, what was the stake for the bet?’

‘That’s none of your business,’ Ella said and brought her tongue out.

‘Beep’ Ella received a message.

‘Time to go, Margret texted. The award ceremony has started and the vice principal has already begun his speech,’ Ella said.

‘Alright let’s go,’ Richard said.

‘Wait, I need to get to the science lab and pick up some things,’ Ella said. ‘Or never mind, I’ll pick it up later. Let’s go,’ she said, dragging the both of them.

...

‘Hey guys, thanks for keeping a table for us,’ Ella said as she sat down.

‘You guys came late. They’ve already started giving the award for the top ten,’ someone replied.

‘Oh, at least we made it,’ Ella said.

‘Where’s Huno?’ someone at the table asked.

‘He... Wait, he was with us just a moment ago, Richard?’ Ella said. 

‘I don’t know. I didn’t notice when he left.’

‘Are you serious?’ another on the table asked.

‘He just left like that?’.

~At The Same Time Outside The School~

‘Taxi!’

‘Where to?’

‘The train station,’

‘Alright,’.

~brooom!~

…

‘Welcome. What train ticket will you like to purchase?’

‘To this location,’ Huno said, handing over a paper and money. 

‘Alright. Here is your change,’

‘You can have it,’.

‘Thanks, here’s your ticket,’.

‘Thank you,’

‘Your train will be on its way in about fifteen minutes. You should go get seated now,’.

‘Thanks again,’

...

‘The train D9 will be on its way, train D9 will be on its way now’.

‘Sorry, is it alright for us to swap sit? I dislike sitting by the window,’ an old man asks the young boy beside him.

‘Okay,’

‘Thank you, oh be careful,’

...

~Dear sister Sarai, first I’ll like to thank you and all the sisters for taking care of me. If you are reading this, I’m probably on the train out of the town. I’m sorry for leaving and no, none of you did anything to chase me away. It’s just that whenever I see all of you I remember, so I hope you understand I need a change of environment and a fresh start. I probably will never come back, so I left you and everyone a parting gift to remember me goodbye. Wishing you the best, Huno~.

Huno stared out the window at the passing scenery. After a while, he closed his eyes and slept.