3 The pink stone

Eventually, Mona settled down when the class ended. Although she didn't receive her phone, she was relieved as her legs were already stressed.

Then, the history teacher walked in, Mona loved history, history was her favourite subject. She loved to know about the ages and how things were done in the past. 

This time, during the lesson, she concentrated on what the teacher was explaining, she asked some questions and jotted down every detail of what she could get from the teacher.

The school closed by noon, Mona and Gina located the bus station as she believed that Mr Ken would be passing that route. 

Besides, she had not collected her phone and he didn't call for her to receive her phone back. 

Mona wasn't so bothered about the phone because it was the phone that would make Mr Ken see her again.

At the bus station were the girls waiting for Mr Ken. 

Minutes passed by, killing Gina's patience, so she informed Mona about her departure and entered the next bus after failing to persuade Mona to come along.

Mona, still standing, watched the bus drive past her, slowly regretting her decision to wait for Mr Ken.

The girl played with her feet and looked around, waiting for Mr Ken. 

Then she began to doubt the possibility of him passing this route to his house. 

She muttered in her head for him to come. After some time, she gave herself a countdown. 

If only she knew he wouldn't take the bus home, she wouldn't have sent her car away. 

Another bus settled in front of her and after ruminating, she took steps forward to leave as she had lost hope in the man coming. 

However, before entering the car, she looked around again, with hope. And then, she sighted him with a beautiful white lady. 

Mona felt something wash through her whole body after seeing how cheerful he looked with the woman by his side. 

Yes, she was his type. While she was just a young black girl he'd never admire. 

She proceeded into the bus when her eyes met Mr Ken's.

"Mona," the man called but she had already entered the bus, so he had to untangle himself with the woman by his side and race into the bus. 

Mona didn't hear him call out to her. In a bad mood, she settled on a chair on the bus. The bus accelerated forward. 

"Here, Mona," his voice interrupted her thoughts; she jerked off.

Mr Ken? She wondered if she wasn't hallucinating. How could he possibly be on the bus? 

Questioning herself, she looked behind her and there he was sitting, indolently on the chair. 

"Have your phone and don't repeat that in my class," he warned. Silence was her answer. 

Mona was dithered. She didn't know if she should ask who the woman was. 

Until the bus stopped at the last bus station, she didn't question him. Kenny climbed out first before Mona followed. They both lived in Daliy Hills. 

The silence 

Thirty minutes was the time that took them to get to Daliy Hills. After Mr Ken climbed out of the bus, Mona followed and they walked in silence again. She didn't even check her phone, all that bothered her was the lady he was with earlier.

Mona suddenly realized that Mr Ken wasn't ahead of her anymore. When she looked behind her, he was already entering a gate that led to a building that was probably his house.

She needed to be sure as she wouldn't sleep with those thoughts and questions ringing in her head at night. "Mr Ken!" She ran to him, so he placed his full attention on her.

"Yes, Mona. Anything wrong?" He asked. His bag was hanging on his right shoulder and resting on his left waist with his hand on the bag.

Mona scratched her temple, dithering. "Never mind," she told him without turning around. Kenny knew what was in her head but acted as if he knew not. 

"Okay?" He said and took another step to go in.

"Wait, Mr Ken." Her hand was extended to him as a stop sign. "The lady from earlier..." she paused and lowered her head.

"Yes, what about her?"

"Is she your girlfriend?" Mona, with a grimacing face, didn't raise her gaze.

"Do we look good together?" He asked.

"No," she replied with her gaze still not coming up. After receiving his silence for more than a minute, she looked up.

"She isn't my girlfriend, just some admirer." As if waiting for her to look at him, he elucidated.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, why so ecstatic about it?"

Mona's face lit up; she wanted to jump for joy but then, she questioned herself. Did he have a girlfriend? She suddenly looked sombre. 

"Nothing really, just the way she was acting with you, your real girlfriend would be angry if she saw that," Mona asked indirectly.

"Hmn" he nodded. "Maybe when I do have a girlfriend." His words satisfied her.

Mona hid her smile. "So that means Mr Ken is single?"

He didn't reply, instead, his eyebrows creased. "Don't flirt with me Mona, I'm your teacher!"

"But I wasn't," she answered. Was that called flirting? She eyed the figure in front of her, who was giving her a disgusting look. She looked away.

"Never ask your teacher if he's single, it's a sign of disrespect!" Pouting, he said. Mona frowned.

"Is it a crime? It's just a question, always acting like you know everything," she muttered.

"Really?" He raised his brows.

"Truth be told me, Ken, you are so annoying!" She almost spat at him before walking away.

The man gasped and pointed at himself. Did she just talk to him in that manner? 

Fortunately for him, her class would be having mathematics tomorrow. She'd face the penalty for calling her mathematics teacher annoying.

Kenny watched her walk up the hills, imagining how he'd make her apologize.

…

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to punish the girl the next day as she didn't attend school. She skipped her class. 

Mona was so eager to learn more about Daliy, so she pleaded with her parents to take her to the museum as she wanted to know more about the pink stone Mr Francis mentioned during history class.

She wanted to see it face to face, thus, she skipped school and went to the museum.

She was supposed to wait till the weekend but her eagerness couldn't let her.

Mr Ken was, of course, disappointed that he wasn't able to punish that black girl.