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The New me - Chapter 30

Published at 30th of December 2018 03:27:15 PM


Chapter 30

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I went down and saw Luke looking at his watch. He was wearing a black blazer suit jacket with sleeves rolled up and had a black turtle neck undershirt.

"Sorry." I said apologetically as I come closer.

The ever kind guy that he was told me "It's fine. Usually by this time they're still having registrations then next will be the mass. We'll arrive there during the welcoming ceremony so it's still good." He said standing up as we went to the door.

Today he switched his white fancy car to a black colored vintage car and as he said, we arrived there during the middle of the welcoming ceremony. We hurriedly went to register and wanted to enter straight but were advised to take a commemorative picture first.

We entered the room when the welcoming ceremony is already over and guests were sitting down. We attracted a lot of attention as soon as we stepped inside. People were speaking in hush tones as Luke guided me to our table.

"What a surprise. It's not every day I get to see Mr. Wang late." One guy from the table said to Luke then faced me. "Good evening Ms. Lin."

"Sometimes it's good to break the routine," Luke answered plainly as he sat beside him.

"Hello." I greeted the guy.

"Ms. Lin shouldn't be so distant, I am Noah, Noah Hu. I've gained some weight and now a little tan but I still have this good-looking face." He said happily trying to stick his face close.

"Stop that, Noah," Luke said as he pushed his face away.

A familiar outline then came closer to our table. It was Lily; she just came from the backstage.

"Brother Luke, you're late. You did not get to hear the welcoming speech."

"Actually we heard. We were outside when you were speaking." Luke gestured that he's with me during that time. The one who did the speech was a former teacher and Lily was specially mentioned as he gave his thank for her support.

"Oh," she said in surprise as she saw me beside him. She went silent for a second before saying, "Riri, you're here."

"As promised," I said smiling as she sat between the guys. We were sitting on a round table and two seats were still empty.

We stopped our chat when the play started on stage. It is a sung-through musical based on a novel. It is the story of a peasant and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child. The lead decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a kindly bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector. Along the way, the lead and a slew of characters are swept into a revolutionary period, where a group of young idealists makes their last stand at a street barricade. In the wake of the failed revolution, women mourn the deaths of the students.

The actors who were on stage were the current students of the school along with a teacher who acted as their stage director. As soon as it ended, someone from the crowd started the applause and everyone else did. We gave them a standing ovation for the wonderful performance. I decided to step out for a while to go for a bathroom break as I heard the crowd's approval.

"That was fantastic!"

"Gosh, I haven't cried for a while."

"They were indeed our descendants!"

"That's right, a true product of our school."

The alumni cheered. Those students exited the stage with their head held high and their teacher had the proudest smile.

When we sat down, our table was suddenly full with the addition of two ladies I haven't seen before. Suddenly a hand grasp mine under the table, I turned to my left and saw Luke giving me a comforting look. I was confused as to why he was acting like that.

"Uhm, Riri, this.." Lily uncomfortably kept looking at me and the other ladies. She bit her lower lip as if not knowing what to do while Noah kept sipping his wine as he kept watch.

Only our table had been quiet during the socializing hour. It was one of the ladies who broke the silence as she acknowledged, "Miss Lin, I see that you're well." She stirred her glass and continued, "Last year you've got health problems so we thought it's the same this year." She took a sip and smiled, "Pardon my late greetings." She then extended her hand.

"It's okay, I don't mind. Let me greet you too." I said as I accepted her shake.

The other one with her had only been looking the whole time as she slightly scoffed hearing me speaking.

"Amara!" Luke and the other lady simultaneously rebuked.

The one named Amara just shrug as she asked, "What? I was staying quiet. You won't even let me breathe?"

Looking at the atmosphere that was getting weird, I tried being the good kid "It's fine. Let's all get along? We haven't seen each other for a while after all." Yet it backfired. The one named Amara kept being hostile to me. I felt wronged.

Lily tried to settle it as she said, "Ms. Zhang and Ms. Chen, I think it's best if you stayed in your given table. This here is arranged" she glanced at me then continued "for us."

The tables were arranged according to the year you graduated and most of the tables in front near the stage were of our seniors. It's only our table that was located the same as them and with Lily's glance then I already know what she meant.

The other lady frowned as she said, "Of course, let's go Amara."

Amara held the lady's hand that was ready to leave. "Why should we? It's only a seat Rose, your family's not that all inferior to them. You don't need to suck up to her." Then she gave me a condescending look.

I was looking at them incredulously then I coincidentally met Rose's gaze.

I sighed in my heart.

"Please stay. Lily arranged it so I can see well the stage" I said a little apologetic.

"Y-yes. It was selfish of me. Sorry."She said as her voice shook a little.

I was caught in her act.

Luke patted my shoulders as he said, "Lily was only thinking of you."

"Sure enough. Still, the same kid who acted friendly with you" Amara glanced at Rose "But destroyed your piece so that she'll win the prize. Then have her family clean up after her."She said as she sneered.




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