Chapter 8

Riding home on the tram Rin feels a gamut of emotions. There’s an overwhelming feeling of relief that the day has finally ended and that it will most likely die down from here. However, there is also feelings of remorse and guilt as she knows in the back of her mind that she was the reason that the fight between Santana and Brad started. 

“Are you sure you don’t need to go to the infirmary your arm looks swollen.” said Mari with a look of concern. 

“No. I’m just hurting from the hard fall I took to the ground. It nothing more than scratch.” lamented Santana. 

“Well can you tell us more about what transpired between you two?” inquired Pepperidge. 

Santana looks down at his robot in silence as if he was replaying the events in his mind. 

“Very well then; we will table this discussion for now. Are still well enough to fix the robotic prop or do you want to continue tomorrow?” asked Pepperidge. 

“No. I’m fine I walked from the West wing to get here. Might as well while is still have to go get back for my next period.” Santana said nonchalantly. 

“Ok. Well let me get my alan wrench in the back. You two want to help us with Santana’s project?” as he walked away from the table. 

He then turns around and all he sees are two chairs rattling and the door shutting. 

He looks to Santana and all he can do is shrug his shoulders in confusion. 

The two girls make their way to their next class of the day. However, this time they have to separate classes so they go different directions. 

Rin yells out “See on the ride back home!”

Mari nods her head and paces fiercely to her destination. 

Rin walks into her Photography class early to avoid the droves students who would see her walk in. She then places her head on the desks as she doesn’t want anyone to her face when they walk in. 

The door slides open with a young woman with a voluptuous build and tawny blonde hair sauntering in thereafter. 

She puts down her purse when she turns around to see Rin. 

“AGH!?!” the woman screams in terror before she realizes who it is. 

“Well, Mrs. Finsterwald I was expecting you so early.” said the woman; startled. 

“Well Mrs. Paisley; I’m trying to keep a low profile today.” said Rin covertly. 

“Why! What happened did you stalk another boy again. I told you Rin you have to get—“ the woman says before Rin interrupts. 

“I’M SORRY BUT WHY DOES EVERYONE MENTION THAT?” Rin stands up from her desk. 

“PLUS I WASN’T STALKING AS WAS FOLLOWING HIM IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT HIS INTERESTS ARE. YOU KNOW TO FIND OUT HOW TO START A CONVERSATION?!.” Rin sits back down after yelling at the woman. 

“Well, if you say so deary!” says the women patronizingly. 

“I say so!” retorts Rin. 

“All I’m saying is you got to get know someone through interaction sometimes. It’s ok to observe but you’ll never really know unless you experience.” says the woman. 

Rin looks over from the woman’s direction dissatisfied and begins to pout like a little kid. 

“You know when I was your age I had a fear of approaching people too.” says the woman fold her arm’s. 

“However, it wasn’t until I got into photography that I became comfortable with people.” says the woman leaning over to look at Rin.

Rin still pouting looks back to the direction of  the woman. She sighs in annoyance and looks into her reflection in her desk. 

“I just want to go back to the time before all of this. When I was in the background unnoticed to the average person.” said Rin; sulkily. 

“Well think of it this way; the more people you interact with. The more opportunities you will get in the future.”  said the woman optimistically. 

“Well, I guess.” said Rin as her head hangs low in sadness.

“Well, did the interview with school go well? I’ve been wondering since last week when you told me.” said Paisley positively.

“Well, yeah. It went pretty well all things considering.” said Rin smirkingly. 

“That’s great! I knew you had what it takes to get an interview. Now you have a chance to go to the school of your dreams.” Paisley rejoiced. 

Rin sits in silence as Mrs. Paisley claps incessantly at the good news she shared.

“I bet your mother is all smiles? Isn’t she?” she says humorously. 

“Well she doesn’t know”says Rin with her head down on the desk. 

“WHAT!?! What do you mean she doesn’t know? This is a once in a lifetime moment and is one that could be detrimental in developing a life long career. Why doesn’t she know?” Paisley asks worryingly.

“Cause I never told her.” Rin muttered

“WHATTT!?! Why not?” said the astounded Paisley. 

“Well the school that I applied to is in New York City. A ways away which is hella scary.” says Rin with her top lips furled to a “U” shape. 

“Also, I don’t want my mom to worry about paying the tuition.” Rin says as she lets out a deep sigh.

“Well Rin; how will you even know if you can afford to go if your mom isn’t apart of the process. I mean she is the one footing the bill for this school here.” Paisley mentions in a surely tone. 

“Yeah; I guess you’re right but she already has so much on her plate. I just don’t want to overwhelm her.” Rin says in a weary tone of voice. 

“Hey deary; you’ll never know until you ask.” says Paisley. 

“I’ll think about it.” Rin responds in a defeated tone. 

Rin is sitting on tram looking down as Mari is still ranting about what happened today. 

“OMG, I FEEL SOR HORRIBLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY! I SHOULD’VE NEVER TOLD YOU SBOUT EMMA AND BRAD.” Mari says frantically. 

“Well you should be! If it wasn’t for your big mouth none of this would’ve happened in the first place!” Rin says in disciplinary tone. 

“I know, I know. I’ll try not to be a gossip.” Mari says in agony. 

Rin looks at her phone and touches the wake button on her phone. 

Coconoko begins to wake up like nothing happened. 

“Hey Coconoko!” Rin speaks into phone. 

“Hey that’s not cool! You said you would only put my on rest if I began to glitch.” winged Coconoko on speaker. 

“I need you to have an outfit picked out for me.” Rin says over the phone. 

“Ooh. That boy you stalked finally ask you out?” pokes Coconoko. 

She blurts out “Well I guess you like to be in sleep mode!” Slowly inching her finger to the sleep button. 

“NOOOOOO! I’M SORRY I WONT MENTION IT AGAIN!” Coconoko whined. 

“Well; in that case I need you to find me an outfit that is professional yet fun.” says Rin. 

“Wow! What for? Going to another college interview?” asked Coconoko in a sort of candid excitement. 

“Something like that.”as she hangs up the phone. 

She thinks about what Mrs. Paisley said and thinks “If I can carry some of this burden on my shoulders I will.” 

Reminiscing about her mother and how much she sacrificed for her. She looks toward her phone scrolls to “Creepy Businessman” in contact list and clicks.