Untitled by Sherlene

“The first remedial class is so boring…” I muttered. I was waiting for my mother to take me home. After ten minutes, she was not at the front gate yet. “Why is she taking so long? I hope that she is not waiting at the backgate!” I murmured.

“Hello, Jane,” a lady said, with a big smile.

I swivelled my neck. “Who are you? I do not know you,” I replied.

“I am your mother’s friend. Your mother is ill and she has instructed me to take you home. So, please follow me,” the lady replied.

I was immersed in my own thoughts. “Is she a kidnapper? She wants to kidnap me just because I am a rich girl? But what if my mother is really sick? Anyway, when I saw her this morning, she was perfectly fine.”

Without hesitation, I ran back to the canteen toilet. In the toilet, I took out my phone and called her.

“Hello? Mother! Are you ill? Someone said that you are ill!” I blurted in a breath.

“No, I am not sick. Just wait for me at the front gate. Do not talk to that stranger,” she advised firmly.

I walked back to the front gate.

“Hello, my mother is not sick at all so I will not follow you!” I glared at the stranger.

“Seriously, your mother is ill and she is now waiting for you at home!” she shouted whilst forcing me to go with her.

I was unwillingly to go with her. She held my hand tightly in a vice-like grip. I prised her fringers off my hand.

“Stop doing that!” the lady shouted.

I tried to keep my composure. A few seconds, an idea flashed through my brain. I stepped on her foot.

“Ouch!” She let go of my hand. At that time, I saw my mother, coughing and sneezing away. She trudged on.

“Mother!” I shouted. “She is the stranger that I was talking about on the phone!”

She walked towards the lady. “I told you that you do not need to pick up my daughter. I am not that seriously ill."

I became crimson red. “Sorry. I should not have stepped on your foot if I knew that you are my mother’s friend," I said, embarrassed.

“It is okay,” she replied. My silly smile started to spread all over my face.

Whenever my mother is not free to fetch me, this lady, Aunt Wong, will come and fetch me. And I would not need to worry about being kidnapped since I already knew that Aunt Wong was my mother's trusty secretary from the incident.