Sparkle

Julie's POV

Time: 5.15 am.

A typical morning. the windows of my room are opened by my mom. this is her usual thing when she comes to my room.

"why do you want to put this bamboo cover every time !?"

the annoyance of her voice made me smile.

I have covered my balcony with a large bamboo shade. I lift when I am in the room most of the time. and I use it to cover the bright sunlight I get into my room.

she lifted it and the light sunlight dripped into the room.

errghhh... School!

I'm tired to get up as I slept two hours ago after finishing my studies for the upcoming exam. this is normal me. I stay awake passing midnight as that is the time which I feel alive. I do get enough sleep though. you will know-how.

"get up, J. you will be late for the school van."

I go to the school by a school van just like the other few students in the lane.

"so drop me at the school by yourself."

yeah.. why can't she huh. haha.. just kidding I love to travel by the school van rather than with my mom.

"that's not an excuse. get up. you should eat before you leave."

morning breakfast is something I love to skip through.

I got up from the bed. went to the balcony for a while. mom gets me milk ever mornings. I drink it on the balcony. still, the sun has not arisen much brighter I looked at the sky and it was making a warning that heavy rain would show up.

'Please not today.'

I always enjoy this little moment out here, every morning except the rainy days. I have planted few flowers in pots and have kept it around the balcony to make it look more alive. I've seen the other houses with flowers like these looking really nice to be seen.

a little flower bud was blooming. a little rosebud. that literally made up my day and I went into the room closing the door to prevent getting the slight cold into the room.

I went to the washroom with my towel. stopped at the mirror. I have this habit of admiring myself in the mirror every morning though I don't see a beautiful one in me. I got what I deserve to get anyway.

I'm glad no one is seeing me honestly.

I have long black hair up to my hips. I just really do maintain with more care. it is tied up on my head with a messy bun and my pajama was as normal.

I brushed while checking up my face. wrinkles, dark circles, additional pimples; this is me anyway. I quickly ran to the shower. water is cold. I prefer not to use hot water in the morning except on the days I feel I'm in need of a hot water shower.

I quickly added my favo-baby body wash which I haven't skip in five years.. we all have that childish habits in us which we can not deny that we still got them even after a very long time. within five minutes I was ready to dress up. I dot wash my hair if it is not needed as it gets time to dry up.

yeah I know, I could use a hairdryer :). but not in the busy mornings like these. it was never an option for me.

I opened the wardrobe and took my white neatly pleated school uniform which is long up to my knees or half of it. most of the brown countries like ours do have certain codes for school uniforms. which makes the day easier, because there is no competition in picking up the best outfit to wear to show off. especially not for the mornings I have. again not an option for me.

I put on the dress over me, as I heard my mom calling out my name. I took the comb and made one braid as quickly as possible. I turned around and checked whether it looks fine.

'great. no, any second chances.'

I got the ability to braid fast ever since I grew my hair. I had to make two braided when I was in the junior section and then as soon as I became an intermediate the head ace of braiding two has vanished. so now I do it quickly and more neatly.

sunlight has begun to fill out the room's space. I let it fill until I leave the room in the morning. and then I drop the bamboo shade halfway, to avoid it coming throughout the day.

I took the bag with only a few books in it and checked whether all the necessary things are there. all there :)

I took my tie and put it nicely. all done.

I grabbed the bag and came downstairs where my mom was making the lunchbox which I was supposed to take.

" go eat your breakfast.soon. you get only 5 minutes."

it was 6.05 am. and the school van was supposed to come at 6.10 am. I'll be going to the school around 7.15 am if I don't meet traffic on the road. countries like our morning traveling's tragedy are getting stuck in traffic. you don't know where or when.

I ate two bananas with one bread slice buttered. which was is more than enough for my breakfast.

I went to the shoe rack and grabbed a pair of white socks from its drawer and put on my black school shoes. as soon as I finished it the school van appeared. 'peep' it signaled us.

"US" !?

I kissed my mom and she gave me some money for my day.

"I have my geography class till 7 at nick's."

I made a reminder and ran to the gate which was still closed and I opened it.

from the other side of the lane, which means the front house of ours too opened its gate.

the tall boy as usual with a slight smile on his face came out as I came out of ours.

he was hanging his bag on his left shoulder and ha a sack of books too. It looks like an exam.

I have lived my whole life here and never attempted to talk to him who was always pleasant and cute, unlike other guys I see. he is tall and thin. not a built body I should say but a well maintained. but should say we have said good mornings and hi to each other lol. that's all.

the thing is we go to the same school van to school. so we both see each other every day. but now he is not going to school as much as he is about to sit for the senior exam at the college.

van's door opened. he stood aside until I get in as always. His perfume is always the same. not a strong one but a good one.

I got in and sat. it had enough space. what I like in this school van is, it is not getting too crowded any day.

he sat next to me as always. this was our usual thing since I was in grade 6. now I'm in grade 11.

"hi. good morning," he said!

"hi. good morning. you got exams ?" so I felt I'm blushing.

" yeah.. last subject. how're your studies going." he had bright eyes. talking direct at eyes. who...

"uh... um.. well bit hard. but OKAY. Not gonna be bad I suppose." I had to sit the junior exam this December.

"guess you have your exams on august," I said looking at the books on his lap.

"yeah as usual. I won't go to school today. it's the last term test." holy crap. that hit me kinda hard.

"ahh.." I am dead sure I had this question mark on my face.

"oh, that's bad." I managed to say. what else am I supposed to say huh?

"will ya miss me ?" what !! okay he asked it with a smile on his face.

" should I. I dunno. will see.." I said with the same kinda smile on my face and looked at him.

" hehe.. just kidding. you won't," he said raising his left eyebrow.

he opened a book and looked for something and I looked away and stared outside from the window.

strange. I felt an uneasy thing in me. is it because he is not gonna come to the school van? no way... we even hardly talk. but I will miss his perfume though. whoops, my mind started to get messy and I was trying to focus myself on something else. I looked at my fingers as they have begun to sweat.

"So. Bye." I suddenly looked at him. most of the students have begun to get down at their schools. we both get down together as our schools are situated face to face.

" Bye. Good Luck with the exam. Do well."

I said as it was the only thing I had to say.

"thank you.. and you too. do well." he put his books into his bag and the van stopped. we both stood to get down. the van stops a bit far from the school so I usually walk to the gate.

"is it okay if I walk with you," he asked as soon as we got down.

"I'm not coming in the evening uncle." I at the same time told that to the driver of the van. I turned and said " yeah sure."

we don't usually walk together. as we didn't want to I think. I always walked in front. and always noticed he walks behind slowly and at the pedestrian cross, he crosses the road to go to his.

I was a school prefect until grade 11's first term and really strict rules were around us. for example we were restricted to have relationships. no social media for us and always had to be role models.

we got released from the post as we get exams in December. typical Asian countries I should say. I study in a girl's school and he studies at its boy's school which is close to each.

I have seen him as his school's prefect on some occasions. but no more since last year.

"do you spend so much time to braid your hair" I touched my hair being curious whether there was any problem with my hair.

"No. No. it looks fine. I mean beautiful. just asked." oh he got what I thought.

"no, I'm used to doing it within two minutes now." I smiled looking at the ground.

students walked passing us. and I felt like some are looking at us.

" see you later then," he said at the pedestrian cross.

I waved saying nothing. I couldn't tall anything honestly. I nodded.

I walked into our school with a smile on my face.

I wish "today's gonna be a good day."