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Eye's With Soul
Epilogue:
"Back in college, there was this guy. He was very tall — if anything, taller than most. Had a temper and quite the attitude. He wasn't average looking, but he certainly wasn't handsome either."
"Then what made you fall so madly in love with him?" Megan curiously asked.
"His brain… his philosophy — and also the fact that he constantly ignored AND REJECTED MEEEEE!" Mwale burst.
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Chapter 9: Eye's With No Soul
The classroom's atmosphere was calm, curious, and silent — with the soft sound of drizzling rain brushing the leaves outside.
Mr. Mailo stood tall in front of the whole class as he made way for Megan to introduce herself.
"Megan, go on. Introduce yourself," he said gently, with a calm and reassuring tone.
The teacher standing next to him gave her a nod of approval, and Megan confidently faced the entire class, straight and composed.
"Hi, everyone. My name's Megan — Megan Banda — and I'm looking forward to learning with all of you."
"Dayum, that voice," said a boy from the back row.
"Yes! She's so pretty too!" said a girl with big eyes up front, as the class erupted in comments about her appearance and presence.
"I reckon you'll do just fine, my dear," Mr. Mailo said. "Now, I have fatherly control duties to attend to."
As Mr. Mailo walked out of the class, leaving Megan behind, he called out, "Come now, let's gooo," as he pulled Mr. Banda's hair, who was eavesdropping from outside.
"Heyyy, I wasn't doing anything! Heyyy!" Mr. Banda opposed.
"Lighten up, she'll be fine. What are you worried about?" Mr. Mailo said reassuringly.
Mr. Banda clenched his fists tight, only to slowly let them go — looking back on the moment he had activated her after her creation… the moments he spent teaching her life lessons, watching her watch TV, and every fun memory they shared.
But the only thing on his mind now was the sharp sting in his chest, knowing those moments were soon to be nothing more than a memory.
"Is that a tear I see, dear friend?" Mailo asked calmly.
"Nooo, no, it's not," Mr. Banda opposed. "I hate youuu!" he said, gonging Mailo on the head.
"Okay… I'll let that slide this time," Mailo replied.
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Meanwhile, Megan took each gentle, hesitant step to the empty seat near the window.
All eyes were on her, but she paid no mind, taking each step as light as a feather.
(Inner monologue) "Papa… why do I miss Papa already?" she thought as she sat by the window in the middle row.
The room was calm, kissed by silence for a few minutes as Megan glanced around the class, observing her classmates.
"Your eyes still have no soul," came a familiar voice from behind her.
Megan turned to see who it was. "The boy from earlier — the one who was bullied!" she said loudly upon seeing him, sending embarrassment flooding into his skin.
"Don't say that out loud," he muttered, cheeks red as he grabbed his book and flipped through random pages.
Megan, on the other hand, continued to stare at him like she was watching a documentary.
"Why are you looking at me?" he said. "Your eyes are so weird — ughhh."
"Ohhh right, sorry," Megan said quickly, turning to face the front, an awkward silence settling between them.
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"Okay, today we're going into a little historical context surrounding the rediscovery of—" the teacher began, and the class fell into focus.
A few whispers of gossip carried through the calm atmosphere.
Megan opened her blue bag — decorated with a pink ribbon around the edges — pulled out her notebook, and began to write down the notes on the screen board.
"My eyes have no soul," Megan said softly to herself as she wrote.
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Later, the school bell rang.
"Lunch time!"
The atmosphere became lively — students chatting, laughing, eating.
Meanwhile, Megan sat still, unsure what to do or who to talk to.
She reached for her lunch box, stared at the lid, and opened it.
(Flashback)
"Okay… seeing as I don't want to have dinner alone, I've created an artificial stomach for you — one that can both absorb and digest its meals. And for all I know, I've given it no limit," said Mr. Banda.
(End flashback)
"Papa…" Megan whispered. "This is sooo weird. How am I supposed to talk to everybody? Papa never taught me about this," she muttered, her eyes scanning the crowd of students laughing and socializing.
"So many people… so much talking… so much awkwardness," she sighed. "I remember watching this in the first episode of—"
Before she could finish, a voice from behind interrupted her.
"Hi there," the voice said warmly.
Megan turned around — (inner monologue) "My circuits…" — only to see a girl with dark, radiant skin like the night sky, sharp facial features, deep blue eyes, and soft curls tied into a bun.
"Hiii, sorry to bother you," the girl said kindly, her face painted with a beautifully awkward smile.
Megan stared for a moment before responding.
"Oh no, no, it's okay." (Inner monologue: "She's gorgeous!!!")
"Really? Can I sit next to you?" the girl asked.
"Sure, no problem." (Inner monologue: "She's insanely tall toooo!")
"Thanks! My name's Ayen, by the way. What's yours?"
Megan flinched — pa! — a spark flickering in her head.
"Ohhh, my name is Megan."
"Megan — I like it," Ayen said with a grin. "Judging by the fact you're not talking to anyone… you're new here, aren't you?"
Megan nodded. "Yes, today's my first day."
"Okay!!! That's amazing. I'm your senior here, though… but I guess that won't stop us from becoming friends, will it?" Ayen said, grabbing Megan's palms with hers.
"Errr, right," Megan nodded.
"Haha, you sure do love nodding," Ayen teased.
"Right, no, it's not like that—" Megan nodded again, causing Ayen to burst into light laughter.
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Meanwhile, watching from the far corner of the cafeteria was the boy from earlier.
"Matongo," said Mr. Mailo, "why are you sitting here alone? Don't you want to engage in some social activities with everyone else?"
(Flashback:)
Matongo stood amidst the class, everyone laughing, his face smeared with ink and red paint, breath shaking, body trembling.
(End flashback)
Matongo looked down. "No, it's not like that. I just wanted to sit here and observe, that's all… I mean, the sky looks pretty interesting — and so do the bugs. I'm fine, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself… you're single, after all."
"IT'S BY CHOICE! And how did you know that?!" Mailo exclaimed.
"I just guessed," Matongo said with a small grin.
Mailo cleared his throat and composed himself. "I see. Well then, come with me."
Matongo hesitated but stood up and followed.
"Ladies, good day to you," Mailo greeted both Megan and Ayen.
(My circuits…) Megan thought to herself.
Ayen flinched slightly but masked her discomfort with a calm smile. Megan noticed the tension in Ayen's palms.
Matongo followed after Mailo, teasingly sticking his tongue out at Megan.
"Bluhhh!"
"It's that boy from earlier…" Megan thought.
"I can see you're having a great time. I hope you're adjusting well, Megan," Mailo said calmly.
"Yesss…" (Inner monologue: "Ughhh somebody shut me down already. My system can't read this man accurately ahhhhhh!")
"I think I'll take my leave, Megan," Ayen said.
"Errr—" Megan began, but Mailo interrupted. "So soon, Miss Ayen?"
Ayen stood and smiled politely. "Bye-bye, Megan."
"Bye, Ayen." (Inner monologue: "She's almost as tall as Papa… and he's a skyscraper.")
Mailo watched her leave, then turned back to Megan.
"Okay, so… I'll leave you two to talk. Maybe you could blossom a little friendship with each other. You're already familiar, so I'll take my leave," he said, walking away.
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Megan and Matongo stared at each other in long, awkward silence.
"Your eyes are really weird… why don't they look alive?" Matongo said bluntly.
Caught off guard, Megan blinked. "Ohhh right, you said that earlier, didn't you? Well, I don't know… maybe it's part of my calm charm."
(Inner monologue: "I didn't know what to say — I just copied that line from a detective show I watched last night.")
"Ughhh, who said you could say anything cool? That's sooo uncool," Matongo replied.
(Inner monologue: "I was not expecting that.")
"Matongo, brooo!" came a rough voice approaching them.
The voice sent a shiver of tension down Matongo's spine.
Megan turned to see a student smartly dressed, hair combed, expression elegant — but with an undertone of manipulation.
"I had no idea you came back… I guess my effort to keep you away was in vain now, wasn't it?"
Megan noticed Matongo's stiff posture and quiet unease, quickly reading the tension in the air but staying silent.
And so, both were greeted by Jairus Mulenga, the Student Council President.
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To be continued…
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