21 classes - 2 (2/2)

”Are you really that terrifying?” I asked Dia.

Jerry and Pratt were sitting across the kitchen counter. Dia and I were in the living room. She pulled her beanbag closer, held my hand and rest her head on my shoulder.

”I am afraid of flying,” she agreed. ”There was this time. I was five. We were all flying to a holiday. Mom. Dad. Both the aunts and uncles. Cousins. All of the family, except for the white haired generation. We flew into a sudden storm. Terrible turbulence. Almost crashed. But we made it safe. And I was scarred. I've been afraid since.”

Pratt couldn't remain quiet. He scoffed as he refuted.

”Come on. You're exaggerating. I was there, remember? Sure, we ran into storm clouds. Suffered turbulence. But it wasn't so bad that we'd crash. You're just weak hearted.”

”Want to try saying that again?” Dia asked softly, with a smile.

Pratt froze as if electrocuted. Grinning to hide his embarrassment, he answered.

”No, thank you. I'm fine.”

”You really did everything Pratt said you did, didn't you?” I asked Dia. ”Setting fire to that senior's bed. Terrifying all of the students. What are these two afraid of? That you'll set their beds too on fire? But they never sleep in them anyway.”

Jerry and Pratt laughed. I didn't understand what the joke was.

Dia sighed sadly.

”Oh, dear Dean,” she said. ”You have no idea. I'm not the scariest at all. You have no idea what Pratt is capable of. At least I show my anger. And I know some bounds. Not Pratt. He doesn't get angry, not like the rest of us. He just lets it all go. Until he's furious, and he's ready to blow. He still won't show it. And once he starts acting, he knows no bounds. I stopped with the bed. If it was Pratt, and he was furious, he'd probably burn the hair off and maybe a hand or two. The poor idiot would be traumatised for life. That's Pratt. Ask Jerry. Tell us Jerry. Who's the scariest? Pratt? Or me?”

Jerry cleared his throat, but said nothing. He reached for the bottle of water and began drinking from it, hiding behind it.

How was that an answer?

Even more confusing was the way the twins were looking at me. I couldn't understand why.

”Let's just talk about the drive, shall we?” Jerry suggested.

I nodded readily. The twins smiled.

”It's going to be a seven hour drive,” Jerry went on. ”I was thinking we'll drive ourselves. I can drive. Pratt and Dia can too. But Dia failed her driving test. So, it will be just Pratt and I. And I think we can manage. We'll be gone a couple of months, so pack properly. And we'll be having classes along the way. And since it's just us, we'll start whenever we wake in the morning. Sound like a plan?”

After a minute, the twins answered together.

”Sound like a plan.”

I shrugged.

”Sound like a plan,” I repeated.

”Do you want to hear how she failed her test?” Pratt asked.

Dia snorted. Rose to her feet. And began chasing Pratt.

Jerry was laughing.

I was intrigued. Was it such an interesting story?