Chapter 6

Her name was Clara, she was a new student, who had just moved from Connecticut. She didn’t know anyone. On what would normally be a drab Wednesday afternoon. Sense sat in his desk, watching the clock, as it slowly ticked on. Soon he would be free, and the library was calling him. As Sense sat there, he noticed Clara; Clara, the beautiful new girl; The mysterious, Clara. Sense looked over for a second, and caught her glancing over at him. It was a quick glance like a surveyer looking at all the new property, or a lumberjack looking at which tree that she would cut down next. Clara’s glance peaked Sense’s curiosity. The bell rang, all the slothenly students slowly got up from their desks, and walked out, murmoring to one another about their next classes and how hungry they were for lunch. Sense did eat lunch. Every day, he would take an apple, a chicken patty sandwich, and couple chocolate milks up to the library. There he would sit and eat, in the back next to the periodicals and the old newspapers. No one would ever bother him. He would eat his lunch, and then he would find a new book to read that day. Sense liked reading, but didn’t like school very much. Not for the two parts of education, reading and writing, but more for the politics, and drama that came with sitting through a class, and feeling the other student’s eyes burn through him. Today was different though.

Sense sat at the old table in the back of the Library, reading a copy of Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. He would always start his lunch, by applying two ketchup packets, and one mayonnaise packet to his chicken patty. Then he would open one chocolate milk, and take a bite of his apple. He repeated this routine till both the chocolate milk, chicken patty and apple were gone. Then he would read. As he began reading the first line of Dicken’s Great Expectations, he had the uncanny feeling like he was being watched. He looked around yet nobody was there.

He went back to his book, and then felt that cold feeling like being watched again. As he looked over he saw nothing, but as soon as he turned to start reading again, there she was. Clara.

Sense was caught off guard, and feeling nervous, went back to reading his book.

“Hey.” Clara spoke up.
“Hey.” Uttered Sense
“I saw you looking at me in class today.”
Clara, began to blush.
“I was not”, she said, “I was just looking around, and you caught my eye. You looked so sad.”
“No. I wasn’t sad”, said Sense aggravated,” I was bored, there is a complete difference.”
“Oh.” Clara sat there a moment quietly.
“Well, I just wanted to say Hi, I guess I’ll be going…” Clara stood up, and was about to walk away.
Sense spoke quickly, “I’m sorry, I don’t talk to many people regularly, please sit down. What’s your name?”
“My name is Clara.. What’s yours?
“I call myself Sense,” Sense said.
“Well that’s a weird name,” Clara said, “ Why, do you call yourself that?”
“Well I think Clara, is a weird name.
“Oh.” Clara was annoyed, “Your kind of a jerk, huh?”
‘Why am I a jerk? You just insulted me.” Sense shot back.
“Anyway, “Clara brushed off that last comment. “What are you reading?”
“Great Expectations.”
“Is it good?” She asked.
I don’t know but I have great expectations that it will be.” Sense thought that that was a funny remark.”
“Uh Huh.” Clara said.
‘So what’s your story Clara?”, “Why did you move here?”
Sense thought it was a normal question. Clara did not. Her face turned bright red, and she began to tense up.
“None of your damn business.” Clara answered. “I gotta go.” Clara got up abruptly from the table, and said “You know what, the other kids are right, you are a loser.”
Sense was taken back,
“What?”
“Nothing, I gotta go…nice talking to you freak.” With that Clara got up.

That was the first time Sense spoke to Clara.

Sense was reminiscing about that first conversation with Clara, when the phone rang.
It was that same unharmonious ring tone. Sense began to feel that cold feeling again.

He answered it.