Episode 03: The Letter
"Damn! It was such a tedious day!"
Mr. Clock alarmed in his hoarse voice, "11o'clock! Engineers will be back by 12."
He took a moment, looked at me and said, "What a beautiful day 'tis!"
Did that old thing just smirk at me? I was too tired to strangle him with my witty comebacks. Last two hours felt like eternity. I have survived really long lectures on circuits and transformers but this short man ranting about integration made me question my abilities. Moreover, I had to bear the weight of that fatso sleeping on me the whole time. What's worse than being a desk ughh?!
"Being a seat."
I heard a voice behind me.
Was I thinking that loud?
"Let's not compare our struggles, we are not the same bro." I replied vaguely. Was that my comment that triggered him or his frustration from the long class, the short figure was fuming with anger.
"Yes of course we are not the same. I am trying to make conversation as I still struggle for clean air while you can't help but be a cold sarcastic piece of ugly wood! How does your fake ego fit in those skinny legs of yours!" His tone hung between sarcastic and annoyed.
Ouch.
Well I might be a little bit narcissistic but that's justified. I'm like the Kim Kardashian of the desks, but with 'he/him' pronouns. Most popular and successful engineers of this college have once laid their holy hands on me. That did earn me a reputation but very few friends, and I was about to lose one more.
Whatever we say, we all have a huge amount of unspoken respect for the seats. Seats have the strongest soul and it breaks my heart to see them holding heavy butts of selfish humans. I'd prefer to have scribbled tattoos than broken legs and foul smell.
"Well I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."
My genuine apology didn't really convince him.
"But you know I can make up for it."
He instantly knew what I was talking about.
"Shyra?" He was so excited that I was barely able to hear him.
Shyra is the real heartbreaker of the college. She even surpassed me. It took me years to earn that position and with just a smile, I nearly turned nonexistent. But I can't really blame anyone. It is every object's dream to be touched by Shyra while she is unaware of her non-living fans.
"I think I'm in love!" His sudden realization received a couple of awws from the distant seats.
Ah! Here we go again.
"You're breaking our furniture-code! We don't fall in love with humans. They are too toxic for anything serious."
I heard other pieces of wood tapping in agreement. Did he even listen? My sweet seat friend was on his own dream date with Shyra. I was about to interrupt him when I heard a sound and the door slowly creaked open.
"Isn't it too early for the engineers to be back?"
I hushed him.
There stood a brown boy, not more than 5'10, intently looking for something. I haven't seen him around, who is he?
"He's from second year", replied the desk beside me. I think my thoughts are getting louder lately.
"It's strange to see a second year student here."
They rarely visit this place, I have forgotten most of them.
He stepped into the empty room and then only I realized that the room was an utter mess. I don't know why but I felt really embarrassed to see all the crushed paper on the floor and bags scattered all around in the class. As I said, I have a reputation and these engineers were clearly ruining it.
He didn't seem to care about the mess and was searching for something specific. His eyes suddenly landed on me. I froze. Lord! Don't tell me he also heard my thoughts. He started moving towards me. The seat freaked out while I was trying to stay as calm and still as possible.
He stood next to me as the strong scent of cologne surrounded me. His soft fingers followed an ugly tattoo on my body. His other hand slowly caressed my edges making me tremor. His candid eyes and infectious smile gave me butterflies. He bent down (maybe to read something on me) and I felt his warm breath on my blessed wood. I could feel the heat on my skin.
Alright, dream over. The mysterious boy had already left for his mission. I hope no one noticed the heat radiating from my wood. I mean I'm more of a 'no strings attached' kind of a desk. I constantly preach other objects to despise humans while I'm the one here falling for one.
The seat nudged me as I came back to reality.
"Is he a thief?!"
Other seats gasped at his comment. I looked at that boy who was looking for something on the ground.
"I don't think he's a thief." I tried to defend him. What can he actually steal from engineers? I started doubting my statement when I saw him pick a sky-blue bag. He unzipped the bag and made his way through the stuff in the bag.
"Time to be a hero. Let's teach this human thief, the power of our unity!"
"What the--"
"Hell yeah!"
The guy turned around with a frown. He stared at the empty class. These dumb seats were getting overexcited. He turned around and continued with his thievery. I hate to use that word but that's what he was doing.
"Don't do anything foolish that will land all of us in trouble"
I was brutally ignored.
"It's showtime baby!"
Geez! These seats are so dramatic. They were about to scare the shit out of that pretty guy when he dropped the bag on the table.
All eyes were on him as he took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He opened the paper so carefully as if it was some precious thing that would break if it falls. I saw a heart at the back of the paper.
"What on earth is he do--"
"Shut up!"
After staring at it for a while, he let out a deep sigh. He folded the paper back and put it in the small pocket of that sky-blue bag. He smiled at the bag and his eyes shone brightly. He quickly left the room leaving me there with mixed emotions.
"It was a love letter."
I told them as if they didn't already know.
"His romance ruined my action scene."
This seat is such an attention seeker, I'm not gonna forgive him for accusing that mysterious boy.
"Okay, who's the lucky girl?"
"Why lucky?"
"Why girl?"
The topic was spicy and also controversial. Everyone was coming up with a romantic guess as it held the whole class's interest. At least now they had something worth gossiping. I too wanted to know about the mysterious boy's love interest. I just need new couples to judge, that's it.
So many emotions were flooding me as I stood there numb.
"I hope it's a boy."
"I hope it's a girl."
I hoped it was no one.
The engineers bolted into the room like a storm out of nowhere.
"Stick to the plan. Look for the owner of the sky-blue bag."
And those were the last words before a butt landed on that seat.
"Don't you dare come near me you fatso!"
A laughing figure quietened the seat while other desks and seats were paralyzed by the engineers.
"Not the arm!"
In all that ruckus, I noticed the sky-blue bag wasn't in the class anymore. I didn't feel the urge to look for it. Some part of me did want to know who the lucky person was but the other one desired his touch.
"What if he looses his smile, the spark in his eyes?"
Reality is scandalous. But why was my heart aching unfathomably? It felt like I was drowning and couldn't catch my breath. In that moment I knew I was never going to be free. It was hurting so much that I wished it was a dream.
I felt a thud and noticed a guy sleeping on me. Noise surrounded me as I breathed a sigh of relief.
"I wish to live like this forever."