A mysterious yearbook

Canteen

The next day Mona and her friends are standing in line in the school canteen.

“I am so hungry!” Ti proclaimed “I haven’t eaten all day!”.

“Let me make a prediction, the person in front of us will get the last creamy bun. That always happens somehow.”

 Ti looks at Mona with an angry smile: “You just cursed us!”

After waiting for ten minutes the girls manage to secure themself one of the day’s last creamy buns.

“Seems like I was wrong.” Mona said with a relieved face.

When they walk to the other side of the canteen they see their usual spot is barricaded with some red-white tape. A big black bucket is sitting on the table. Every second, they hear a droplet of water falling in the already half-full bucket.

“I heard the school is facing some budget cuts.” Ti said as they went off to find another spot to sit. Luckily there was an open spot by the window and the girls decided to sit down.

Maidtrons

“Have you heard of Maidtrons?” Mona asked her friends.

“I can’t say I have” Ti answered while Serena shook her head.

“They are these really cool new maid robots. They can vacuum, serve you drinks and even greet guests when they enter your home.” Mona told them enthusiastically.

 “Robots? That sounds cool, but I doubt they will ever come close to being like real maids. To be a maid you need to have a heart, no computer chip”. Ti speeches to the group passionately.

“It's not like I have any prospect of becoming one either then.” Mona joked while she was stuffing her mouth with the last part of her cream bun.

“I believe in you Mona, you just have to work really hard and good things will come to you.” Ti answered.

Mona looked away, since she doesn’t believe in all the woolly stuff Ti just shared. “I guess I will be okay.”

Science Class

Maid robots would be so cool… Serving as a maid during the day, saving the universe at night. That sounds like an adventure manga I want to read. She could be equipped with large rockets or maybe even a jetpack so she can fly through the sky. And her weapon can be hidden in her duster so she has quick access to it when the evil professor will attack the mansion. Why can interesting things like that never happen to me? Being at this school, trying to become a maid is so incredibly boring. Maybe I can start drawing this manga myself, that would be interesting. Sadly my drawings look like those of a three-year-old that confused a toothbrush with a crayon. Why does life have to be so difficult…

“Pay attention Mona!” The teacher screamed at her. 

“I have asked you the question this question three times already! So answer me, what atoms make up a water molecule?”

Serena tried to desperately communicate the answer to her, but Mona shook her off.

“No idea really, but I have a question for you teacher, what do you know about Maidtrons?”

 “How dare you Mona! You are disrespecting me!” The teacher shouted at her. The teacher understandingly was really mad and decided to give the girls detention. Poor Serena looked like she was about to burst into tears since this was the first time in her life she was having to go to detention.

Mona reassured her with a sarcastic voice: “You just have to be silent and read some books, sound like you would be right at home.” Selena looked really embarrassed after that. Mona, only now realizing what she did apologizes to her friend for getting her in trouble.

 Detention

At the end of the day, Mona and Serena went to detention together. Serena was shaking with fear while entering the science teacher's classroom.

“Welcome back girls. Please pick a book from the bookcase and sit down. Be quiet, I have grown-up stuff to do” 

The girls went to the bookcase to look for some books to read. Most books were 1000-page thick books about science. “The origin of species”, “Double helix”, and “The selfish gene”. Boring, Mona thought. When looking for a really thin book to read, a book in the corner with an orange cover piqued her interest. When she picked it up, she saw the title “Robotics club yearbook”. 

She hadn’t realized the school had a robotics club and went to ask the teacher.

“The robotics club at this school? We don’t think we have one.” The teacher looked really nervous all of a sudden. They recognized the yearbook Mona was holding and told her to put it away and forget about it.

Telling Ti

After detention, Mona and Serena decided to tell the story to Ti.

“There must be something going on here Ti! The teacher is hiding something.”

“Mona, please, your daydreaming again” said Ti with a sigh.

“This is the most prestigious school in the country, I am sure nothing strange is going on. Please show the teachers some respect.”

“You are probably right Ti” Mona said.

“Sometimes I just wish something exciting would happen here. Some kind of adventure. In the manga, there is always some kind of mystery going on the characters need to solve. The only mystery we have here is why I got ever accepted at this school.” Mona said self-deprecatingly.

“I told you to stop with that Mona. Be glad you got here and make the best of this opportunity. Pay attention in class instead of getting Serena in trouble.”

Mona suddenly realized how obnoxious she must be to her friends. Mona said she was sorry once more, and then suddenly excused herself and went on to play some video games at the dorms to take some rest.

I told her yesterday?

The next day Mona went off on her own to the bookshop to buy Serena a book.

“Do you have any of those detective novels Sir?” she asked the shop owner.

“I am not much of a reader myself, but I need a present for a friend. I got her in trouble”.

 “That is really thoughtful of you young lady, on the shelf in the back we have quite the selection.”

 “May I recommend the book called: I told her yesterday? I think it will be a great gift for your friend.” Mona paid for the book with the little money she got left from her allowance.

The dorms

“I am sorry I got you in trouble yesterday Serena, so I bought a gift for you.” Serena blushed a little and accepted the gift.

"Friend” she whispered. 

Luckily this time Mona was able to understand her. For the rest of the day, Serena spends all her free time reading the book. Not that the book was that good objectively, she certainly had read way better books, but since it is a gift from a friend. All through elementary and middle school, Serena hadn’t managed to make many friends and felt really lonely. But ever since she met Mona and Ti, her life has become a lot more interesting.

Serena falls asleep while hugging the book. Mona grabs a blanket and pulls it over the sleeping Serena. “Sleep tight, friend”.