Chapter 8: Misunderstanding
RING... RING...
The bell signaling the change of classes had just rung, marking the end of Mr. Gunawan's math period. Kevin strode toward the boys' locker area, his pride still smarting over this morning's math grades.
He yanked open locker number seven.
Bang!
"Where is it...?" Kevin rummaged through the mess inside his locker. His hand felt around the bottom compartment. Empty.
"What are you looking for, Vin?" Dimas asked as he took off his jersey at the locker next to him.
"My sports shoes. Have you seen them?" Kevin glanced around frantically. "The limited-edition pair I just wore last week!"
"Maybe you left them at home?" Dimas replied casually as he put on his white school uniform.
"No way! I definitely brought them this morning!" Kevin clenched his fists, his chest heaving harder and harder.
Right then, Rey strolled through the locker hallway. A small towel hung around his neck, and he carried a black sports bag.
His eyes met Kevin's. Already boiling from the math quiz results, Kevin immediately stepped into Rey's path.
"Open your bag!" Kevin barked, pointing at the black bag in Rey's hand.
Rey stopped. His face remained perfectly calm. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't pretend you've lost your memory! My shoes disappeared from my locker!" Kevin shot back, his voice rising. "You're the only one who's had a grudge against me all day!"
Dimas stared in shock. "Hey, Vin, wait..."
"A grudge?" Rey curled his lip into a sardonic smile. "Why would I take your shoes? Our feet aren't even the same size."
"That's just an excuse! You're holding a grudge because I challenged you to that math bet, right? Or because of what happened with the chili sauce in the cafeteria yesterday?" Kevin stepped forward, glaring at the new student in front of him. "Open your bag right now if you really didn't take them!"
Rey tilted his head slightly. "What if I don't want to?"
"Then you're the thief!" Kevin shouted.
Several other students in the locker room stopped what they were doing. Aris, who was straightening his shoelaces, looked up and watched the drama unfolding in the middle of the hallway.
"An accusation without evidence is slander," Aris stated flatly from the corner of the room. "Your accusation is only ten percent valid right now, Vin."
"Can you shut up, Ris?!" Kevin snapped without looking back. His gaze remained locked on Rey. "Where are my shoes, Rey?"
Rey let out a long sigh. He placed his sports bag on the long wooden bench in the middle of the room, then pulled the zipper all the way open.
"See for yourself," Rey said coldly, holding the inside of his bag up to Kevin's face. "Are your shoes in here?"
Kevin bent over and looked inside Rey's bag. There was only a neatly folded change of clothes, a water bottle, and a pair of Rey's own shoes, much smaller than his. Kevin's limited-edition shoes were nowhere to be found.
Kevin blinked. "Huh...? Why aren't they in there?"
"Because they're not," Rey replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you really think I'm that bored, with nothing better to do than hide someone else's shoes?"
"But... but my locker was locked!" Kevin complained nervously, embarrassment creeping up his neck. "If it wasn't you, then who else could it be?"
"Ahem."
Dimas cleared his throat softly behind Kevin. His face had gone deathly pale.
"What's wrong, Dim?" Kevin snapped, turning around.
"Vin..." Dimas pointed toward locker number nine, right next to Aris's locker. "Those... aren't your shoes in my locker?"
Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Huh? How'd they end up in your locker?"
"This morning... you told me to hold on to your water bottle, remember?" Dimas whispered, his voice getting softer as he scratched his perfectly unitchy head. "Then you tossed your shoes into my locker because yours wouldn't open yet. You forgot?"
The locker room instantly fell silent.
Aris nodded slowly. "Correction: the accuracy of Kevin's accusation has dropped to zero percent. His senility rate has increased by one hundred percent."
Kevin's face turned bright red, far redder than when he'd eaten chili-dusted meatballs yesterday. He stood frozen in place, staring at his sports shoes sitting innocently inside Dimas's locker.
"Dimas..." Kevin called softly, his voice heavy with menace. "Are you trying to die?"
"I swear, Vin, I forgot!" Dimas cried, instinctively backing up two steps.
Rey picked up his bag from the bench and casually zipped it shut. Then he walked toward Kevin, who was still standing there, paralyzed with embarrassment.
"Well, Captain?" Rey taunted softly, brushing Kevin's shoulder as he passed. "Find your precious belongings?"
Kevin swallowed, unable to meet Rey's eyes. "I... I just jumped to the wrong conclusion."
"Was it a wrong conclusion, or do you actually think about me every second of the day?" Rey whispered, stopping right beside Kevin before looking up into his eyes.
"Like hell I think about you!" Kevin shot back, his voice cracking slightly. "Don't get so full of yourself!"
Rey let out a short laugh, the kind that made Kevin feel even hotter. "Next time your brain is running slow, don't go accusing people without thinking. Apologies are easy, but once you've lost your dignity, you can't buy it back."
"Rey!" Kevin called, turning around as Rey walked out the door.
Rey stopped in the doorway without looking back. "What now? Going to accuse me of stealing your towel?"
Kevin bit his lower lip. His pride battled fiercely with his guilt. "Sorry... I was wrong."
Rey turned slightly and flashed a thin smile—extremely irritating, yet somehow different from usual. "Accepted, Captain. Next time, wear glasses too so you won't be so blind."
The locker room door closed, leaving Kevin to clutch his own hair in utter frustration.