Khetum: The forgetten ones

High school. Never mercy me after all. I hated it so much. As I walked down the corridor, I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. But why?

"Hey, nerdy!" I heard, followed by a loud, mocking shout. "Nerdy here!" I looked over to see who was calling me.

"Yes?" I asked, walking toward the voice.

James, the person who constantly taunted me, was standing there

"Guess what"? He said with his usual teasing smirk. He flexed his hair and raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the attention he was getting from his friends. He was at it again, but this time... what was his game?

"What now?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral, but curiosity gnawed at me.

"Guess what?" he said, holding out a piece of paper. I took it, glancing down at it. It was a brochure for a school trip. "They've planned a trip to Egypt!" He laughed, adding, "An educational trip, huh? Looks like you're going to have fun, nerdy!" He laughed again, clearly enjoying himself. "You, the one obsessed with history!"

I sighed. Yes, I loved history. It was my passion, my daily fuel, something I couldn't go a day without diving into. But why was he suddenly so interested in what I liked?

"So what?" I snapped, my temper flaring. "At least I get higher marks without even trying, unlike you, who can barely pass!" I shot back, my voice louder than usual. "Having a nerdy brain is better than having no brain like you—"

The words hung in the air, and I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. Their stares were piercing, but I didn't care. Ignoring them, I turned on my heel and walked toward my classroom, slamming the door behind me.

"Kshhk, Kylex!" I heard Jennifer whisper from behind me.

"What now?" I muttered, still irritated.

"Are you going on the trip?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

I looked at her, rolling my eyes. "I've got no interest in it, Jenny."

"Why not? You love history, right? Egypt's full of mysteries, isn't it?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and concern.

Her eyes were sparkling. Her hair, usually tied up neatly, but this time it's fell in loose waves, and her makeup was... different. Why sudden changes?

"If James is going, then I'm not" I replied, frustrated. I didn't want to deal with him, not now.

"You're not going because of James?" she asked, her voice a little sharper. "He's just jealous of you because every girl in this school has a crush on you!"

I blinked, taken aback by her sudden outburst. Her words left me stunned, but I didn't show it. "You need to stop being so immature and focus on yourself, Jennifer" I said coldly.

I saw the shift in her expression. Her bright eyes dimmed, and her shoulders slumped slightly. I hadn't meant to hurt her, but I just wasn't interested. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" I added, my voice softening, though I didn't make eye contact. I pulled out my notes from my bag, pretending to be busy.

"It's okay... If you don't want to go, I won't push you" she said, her voice small. "It's your choice."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. She looked so hurt...

I paused, glancing at her for a brief moment before exhaling. "Fine. I'm coming with you guys" I said, reluctantly. I didn't want to see her so upset.

She looked up at me, her face lighting up. "Really? You're coming?" she asked, barely containing her smile.

I nodded, my own face softening. "Yeah. I'll go."

"Then go and register your name. We're running out of time" Jennifer urged, her voice a little more insistent now.

I could tell she was eager, but I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in my chest. With a reluctant sigh, I nodded and stood up from my seat.

"Fine" I muttered under my breath, though it felt like a small victory for her.

I made my way out of the classroom, the hallways echoing with the murmurs of students rushing to their next class. The admin office wasn't far. As I walked, my mind kept replaying the conversation. Why was Jennifer so persistent? And why was I allowing myself to be pulled into this?

Arriving at the admin's room, I pushed the door open, the faint hum of the school's fluorescent lights greeting me. The room was small, the walls lined with old filing cabinets and posters of school events.

Behind the desk sat Mrs. Watson, the administrator, her glasses perched on the tip of her nose. She looked up as I approached, and I could feel her gaze studying me.

"You here to register for the Egypt trip, Kylex?" she asked, her tone businesslike but not unkind.

I nodded, placing my hands on the counter. "Yeah, I need to sign up."

"Alright" she said, sliding a registration form toward me. "Fill this out and get it back to me by the end of the day. We need all names in as soon as possible."

I glanced down at the form, the words blurring together for a second. Egypt... the land of secrets, of mysteries. The thought tugged at me, but I quickly pushed it aside.

With a sigh, I grabbed the pen and began to fill out the form.