What She Concealed

by Jannat Bhat

“It’s not funny.”

  “And it’s not my fault that you chose to sit there. We were already in the middle of a game. If anything, you should apologize to us for the disruption you caused.” He justified.

  “Excuse me?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “You’re excused.” He said with a smile that irritated her further.

  “You think you’re so clever?” Eliana raised an eyebrow at the guy, not at all impressed by his humor.

  He smirked. “Your words not mine.”

  “How about we let a game decide that?” Eliana dared him. If he thought he could intimidate her, he could think again.

  “You want to play with me?” His smirk turned into a grin as she egged him on. He hadn’t expected this dark-haired girl to confront him like this when he’d kicked the ball hard and hit her by accident. But this chance meeting was turning interesting. “Are you sure?”

  “Why, afraid of a little competition?” She started to walk around him in a circle with the ball in her hand. She had her fair share of games she’d won in Japan with Uncle Steve as her tough mentor and was pretty confident in her skills.

  “Oh, you’re on.” He accepted her challenge. “By the way, I’m. . .” He’d begun to introduce himself but she interrupted before he could finish. Eliana wasn’t interested in knowing his name.

  “I didn’t ask. Let’s play.”

  That is how they started an innocent looking game of football. Though the guy was good, Eliana gave him that, she distracted him quite nicely flipping her dark hair around whenever he was close enough to seize the ball from her. The guy, on the other hand, wasn’t used to losing. But there was something about this girl that he found amusing.

  And attractive.

  He’s never seen eyes as green as hers and thick lashes covered them from him. Her hair was long and her bangs fell into her eyes as she moved around the court trying to score a goal. He had looked long and hard at her delicate features while she’d watched him furiously. He’d didn’t have a thing for girls with bangs. But on her, it just looked . . . right. He remembered a quote he’d read out of the blue. ‘Though She Be But Little, She Is Fierce.’

  So he let loose and enjoyed the game letting her win by making use of feminine wiles.

  As soon as Eliana made the winning score, her cell phone buzzed. She checked her message and put it back in her pocket. “I have to go.” She looked at the kids who were dumbfounded at the defeat of their idol. “You would be better off playing with someone who can actually win.” She was so elated by her victory that she’s forgotten all about her nervousness of the day ahead.

  “Is giving out unnecessary advice your hobby or a habit?” He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face at the feisty attitude of the girl who stood and stared daggers at him. Eliana decided to turn around and leave when he called out, “What’s your name?” With those tattoos and the arrogant behavior, there was no doubt he was from the south side of town. A place her father had forbidden Eliana to step foot in. He claimed dangerous and shady people lived there. It was best to not let this guy know anything about her. So without answering she rushed back home.

  Eliana lived in a nice cozy house with her father and brother. Her mother had passed away a few years ago in a car accident when she was younger and she still missed her every day. Especially on a day as important as today, Eliana’s heart clenched at her mother’s absence. Once she passed the lawn and was inside the door, she went to her room and hit the shower before dressing up in record time and going to the kitchen. Her game with Mr. Arrogant had made her run later then she’d planned.

  Her father was already at school and he would be disappointed if she came in late on the first day of her senior year. Looking at the watch she listened carefully to any sounds that would confirm Jaxon was up, but she heard nothing except the quiet buzz of the refrigerator. It was the first day of his senior year too. Come to think of it, she hadn’t heard him come in last night. The few weeks that she had been back, Eliana had noticed her brother kept pulling all-nighters. This was not the brother she had grown up with. The Jaxon she knew was punctual to a fault. But it seems her mother’s death had changed him just like it had her, which why she had run off to Japan and fled the memories of her mother that had threatened to overwhelm her.

  Coming back to the house, she still saw the ghost of her mother in almost everything but Eliana no more felt the urge to start bawling every other second. She ate her serial speedily and went upstairs to Jaxon’s room and knocked. “Jaxon?” No answer. She barged in anyway and found her brother tangled up in his sheets snoring.

  Though Eliana looked the same as her mother with her brunette hair and green eyes, Jax had taken after their father having short black hair and blue eyes with sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw. He was as heath conscious as her and spent his free time hitting the gym which kept him fit. Jax was quite good looking but barely acknowledged the fact. He was a firm believer in ‘Beauty lies within.’ The siblings were humble and modest when it came to vanities and they gave credit to their parents who raised them to be this way.

  “Jax! C’mon wake up!” She said and went to the window to pull open the curtains and let the light in then pinched his leg to wake him.

  “Go away.” He groaned sleepily and turned the other way, pushing his head under the pillow.

  “Seriously, we’re getting late. Get up!” She tried to pull the sheet but he had a tight hold on it and didn’t move an inch. “I’m taking your car if you won’t get up this instant.” He didn’t budge at her empty threat. Though Eliana owned a Mini Cooper which her father had given as Welcome Home present, she preferred to ride with Jax in his Land Rover because she hated to drive and Jax knew it. “Dad! What are you doing home?” Eliana said and Jax jumped up looking around wildly trying to spot their father. She giggled at Jax’s bed hair. “You’re hair looks like a bird’s nest.”

  “Get a life, El,” Jaxon said irritably. Though Jonathan Bennett was not someone to be afraid of and loved both his children dearly, he had ingrained a sort of mannerism in them which made the two siblings give him the uttermost respect and love. Both as their father and head of the Imperial High School.

  “If we’re late today, Dad will kill us. Now go get ready. I’ll wait for you by the car.” She finally succeeded in pulling the sheet and Jax cursed as he fell off the bed.

  They reached the school well before their appointed briefing in the great hall because of Eliana’s need to be punctual and she let out a sigh of relief. “Great, now we’re early,” Jax said once he reached his locker. They had collected their locker codes and class schedules from the administration department on their way in.

  “Better early than late.” She said happily looking at the few other students around who were busy talking among themselves. “Living in Japan has ingrained that in me.” Eliana went and opened her own locker number 77, which was expectedly empty at the moment. She was sticking up a smiling picture of her mother when she heard a locker open behind her and turned around. Jaxon was leaning against his own, swiping away at his phone while another guy was staring inside his locker besides Jax.

  “Are you kidding me? Are these supposed to be lockers or shoe boxes?” The guy said. “Why are they so small?” He was of average height and lean body with straight blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a nice friendly face. He removed his jacket, crumpled it up into a ball and shoved it inside the locker. “There, see, it’s full already.”

  “It’s not that bad,” Eliana said trying to defend the property of the school run by her father.

  “You’re right, it’s longer in length at least.” The guy responded after several seconds. His laughter lines showed when he smiled at her.

  “Good. It means I won’t see your face when I open it.” Jax muttered and opened his locker effecting blocking the guy from him.

  “Hey, I’m Carter Hayes. Just transferred from Jefferson High.” He said and held out his hand. Eliana shook it politely and intr
oduced herself. “Eliana Bennett. I’m new too.” Eliana had heard about that school and it wasn’t where the elite went to.

  “Woah, are you related to Mr. Jonathan Bennett, the headmaster, by any chance?”

  She smiled. “I’m his daughter.”

  Carter whistled. “Good for you.”

  Eliana looked at the locker hiding her sibling who hadn’t bothered himself with pleasantries. Jax wasn’t much for words. He was more of action speaks louder than words kind of a guy. “And that’s my brother Jaxon.”

  “And I’m Mia Sanders.” A girl with sandy brown hair which fell just below her shoulders, heart-shaped face, bright blue eyes, and a petite frame, carrying a sweet smile came up to Eliana. “It’s good to see some new faces around here. Especially Jaxon’s sister.”

  “Hi Mia, I’m Carter and this is Eliana.” Carter said.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mia,” Eliana said warmly.

  “You too!” Mia said happily. “Hey Jax! Weren’t there supposed to be four new transfers this year?” She wondered aloud. “That’s what I heard from Mrs. Reed at the administration.”

  Jax shrugged. He and Mia had known each other for a couple of years now and were good friends.

  “We should head to the briefing.” Carter looked at his watch and Eliana collected the books she needed then made her way to the great hall with Mia accompanying her.

  Eliana swiftly took a seat and waited for her father to take the stage. As he welcomed the old and new students alike, she was extremely proud of the way her father was respected for his intelligence and the reputation he had made globally for himself as an academic expert. Eliana aspired to be like him as much as she could. She went back to her locker in a hurry to get her phone before the bell rang. She’d accidently left it in there before the briefing. Mia and Carter had already left for their separate classes. Jax said he’ll wait for her outside room 101 as per both of their schedules. She reached her locker and saw a guy standing against it, holding his forehead with his eyes closed. She waited a few moments but didn’t see him move. He was as still as a statue. So she went to check. She stopped a foot from him and was taken by surprise seeing his face. “You!”

  His eyes flew open at her voice. “You.” He repeated.

  “What happened to you?” She asked. “Why are so abnormally still? Don’t you have a class to attend?”

  “Can you get me the nurse?” He spoke in a low tone.

  “What’s wrong?” She asked.

  “I can’t feel my . . .” He said softly and fell to his knees.

  Eliana panicked. “Hey!” She stooped down and laid a hand on his shoulder but the guy didn’t respond. “Just hold on. I’ll get the nurse.” She took off in search of the school clinic and the guy she’d left behind stood up, looking at her retreating back with mischief clear in his grey eyes.

  Eliana ran into her father instead.

  “Eliana, is everything okay? You seem quite unsettled.” Her father gazed upon her with concern. Looking at his daughter he felt emotional. He had missed her very much.

  “Dad. I just saw a guy in need of urgent care. Something’s wrong with him.” Eliana explained and led him to her locker hurriedly. Reaching there she found it empty. Where did he go? She thought and looked around.

  “Well, where is he?” Jonathan Bennett asked Eliana.

  “He was right here,” Eliana muttered, looking up and down the corridor. “I saw him myself.” The bell rang overhead signaling the start of classes.

  “Looks like he’s not here anymore. He must have gone to the nurse.” He said getting her attention.

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Isn’t today your first day, Eliana? You should be in class. We don’t want you to be late now, do we?” He looked at her over his rectangular glasses.

  “Yes, but. . .”

  “Go on.” He pressed her. He would not have her being late on her first day.

  “Okay.” She got her phone and walked in a rushed pace and entered room 101, to her first class of the day, Advanced Literature. Though she was just a few minutes late, the class was in full swing. She felt warm lifting her hand and knocked lightly on the door. Her teacher, Ava Diaz turned from the board towards her. She was a few years older, with dark wavy hair tied in a ponytail, golden skin, a lithe frame and brown eyes that looked at her with deadly scrutiny. Eliana’s heart beat wildly against her chest. She was a good girl and hated being scolded.

  “Eliana Bennett. You are seven minutes late.” Ava Diaz stated.

  “I’m sorry, I was. . .”

  “I didn’t give you the permission to speak.” Ava spoke to her cuttingly.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Diaz.” Eliana lowered her gaze in shame at her tardiness. She glanced at Jax, who was seated a few rows over giving her a questioning look. If only someone could have helped that guy in the corridor, she wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.

  “Cut her some slack, Ms. Diaz.” Eliana heard someone speak, intruding in the tension-filled room. “Maybe she got sick and needed the nurse.” She knew that voice and turned to see the same guy she had left at her locker looking perfectly fine not a hair turned the wrong way. He grinned at Eliana whose mouth fell open from disbelief. So he made her late on purpose, she cursed him from the inside. So immature! She fumed. Nothing less could be expected from someone like him.

  “Julian Rivera. Speaking out of turn will get you nowhere but expelled.” Ava’s glare had turned to Julian in full force and back at Eliana. “If you’re late again, do not bother to show up. Now be seated.” Eliana found an empty seat between the arrogant guy and a redhead. Unhappily, she took that seat before she got scolded again.

  “Literature in not something to be taken easily. I’ll be giving you group and individual projects that needs to be completed by the end of each semester. Based on the creativity and your perspectives, the best student will receive a cash prize, along with recognition and a permanent place on Imperial High’s Wall of Glory, for all to see. Don’t think of it as a game. It’s a competition. Do not hasten these project for if I find any mistakes, there will be no second chances.” She said seriously and looked at each of them to get across the importance of her information. “Any questions?” The students shook their heads. “Very well.” Ava picked up a sheet of paper and started to assign them into groups. Before she could continue, she gets an urgent page to report to the school reception. “Please excuse me.” The students conversed among themselves while waiting for her return.

  “Good that you finally arrived, or she would have fried us alive. The first few minutes she waited for you and made it the worst time of my life with those cold eyes.” The redhead next to Eliana shuddered, as she looked at her, once Ava was out of the class. “Am I supposed to be this scared of all the teachers here? I wasn’t expecting this when I transferred.”

  “Never fear when Julian is here.” Mr. Arrogant answered jumping up from his seat instead and Eliana made a face at him which he caught when he turned to her. “Good to see you again.” He winked at Eliana, annoying her.

  “What are you, HE-MAN?” She looked at his posture as he continued to stand as some kind of a superhero.

  “No. But I’m pretty close.” Julian said.

  “Don’t think I forgot what you did. That was a stupid prank.” She snapped at him.

  “Stupid? That was a brilliant prank. It was so brilliant that you easily fell for it.” He vexed her.

  “Hey, I heard you and Jaxon are siblings. Is it true?” The redhead wanted to know from Eliana. “Ms. Diaz asked him about you at your absence earlier.”

  “Yes, that’s right,” Eliana confirmed. “I’m Eliana by the way.”

  “Oh, I’m Naomi Clark.” The redhead said nodding. Eliana’s first thought was how pretty Naomi was. With her fiery hair, delicate pink skin, dark blue eyes, and a small, willowy frame. “Looks like we’ll be working in groups for the whole year,” Naomi said. “I hope I get paired with someone who won’t torture the
new girl.” Eliana smiled at her obvious unease to comfort her.

  “Don’t worry, I’m new here as well and I sure as hell hope I don’t get paired with him,” Eliana muttered the last bit and looked at Julian in irritation.

  “Afraid that I’m better than you?” Julian looked down at her. She was so small she barely came to his shoulders.

  “As if!” She huffed.

  “In fact, I’m willing to bet that we’ll get paired together.” Julian said confidently. Eliana didn’t know while Julian was standing he had a peek at the sheet Ava had left on her desk.

  “You don’t know that for sure.” Eliana looked away from him. “You could be wrong.”

  “Bet on it with me then.” Julian urged.

  “Excuse me? Are you a student or a gambler?” Though gambling was no big deal where he came from. At least that’s what her father had said. “I’m not doing this.”