First Promise:

The principal later reprimanded the teacher and never again brought up the topic. I was happy that I protected Mai but only then did I finally notice the rumors which were now roaming the school like uncontrollable winds.

Keen on taking revenge for Mai, I had broken every school rule and caused damage to property, used profanity and rejuvenated my status as the ultimate bully of the East Elementary school.

Worried I searched for Mai, and found her surrounded by many girls. This time, however, her expression wasn't right. I tore through their ranks and dragged Mai out of the classroom to the playground. Mai looked at me, but I couldn't tell what was she thinking about?

“Ge, did you do all those things?” Mai asked in a small voice.

I trembled inside, but I didn't lie. I didn't dare lie and revealed everything including how my dad warned the principal.

Mai looked at me, once again her expression impossible to read and asked, “Did you do all those things for me?”

I nodded my head without hesitation. Mai looked down for a moment and then hugged me. I was startled and then confused. Mai kept her head down and silently said, “Thank you.”

Somehow I finally understood why dad wasn't angry with me. Even if I did something much worse, and were punished ten more times, I would do the same once again if it was for Mai. I would do it all again for my mother. I would do it all again for my family.

Mai never again mentioned the topic, so neither did I. We still played, and I still let her win sometimes, but Mai didn't look at me the same way. If before she had admiration and curiosity when she looked at me, now she has respect alongside them.

“I believe in you Ge,” she once told me. And my heart tightened at her words. I knew then and there that I could never bear to fail her.

By the time it was November, the first-term exams were approaching. I studied like a ghost these days. Only after deciding to study did I find out that I wasn't all that intelligent. I didn't remember things quickly, and I couldn't understand many of them at first glance.

By contrast, Mai was a genius. She could easily glide through the term's portion and still play with me like always. As her Ge, I couldn't admit that I need to study harder to get better grades, so I studied in my free time. And since it wasn't sufficient, I decided to make some.

I first reduced my sleep to only six hours; grandpa told me that men could stay alive even with five hours of sleep but since I was still young I decided to sleep for at least six hours. By doing this, I gained two more hours of extra time. So I studied when Mai wouldn't be around and rested when I played with her.

Mai seemed to notice that I was up to something because I wasn't as active and frequently slept during our playtime but she didn't seem to mind it and gave me company even when I just slept.

Finally, it was the end of November, and the first term exams started. Forget about Mai; even the class teacher noticed that something was wrong with me because I usually just played with my answer sheet until the end of the examination. This time, however, I was writing something. She didn't check what I was writing but somehow looked happy that I was finally changing my ways.

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A week later I understood that life isn't so easy. There are no miracles. Even though I studied hard, I couldn't get the first rank. I only got the seventh position. My mom almost cried, and my father looked dumbfounded at my grades. My grandpa promised to buy me a new game, but my heart wasn't so calm to think of gifts.

I didn't dare ask Mai about her grades. It wasn't until the weekend did I finally buckle up my courage and asked her in a small voice. Mai looked at me confused by my weird behavior of late and told me that she got the first rank.

Her soft words were like a heavyweight punch on my pride. I was waiting for her to ask me about my grades but she didn't. After a long moment of trepidation, I asked her why she wasn't interested in my grades?

Can any of you expect her answer? She told me that I, of course, should have got the first rank, so she wasn't that curious.

I didn't want to tell Mai the truth but neither did I want her to find the truth herself. So I told her that I only got the seventh rank because I wasn't feeling well. Mai was somewhat shocked but upon thinking about my weird behavior the past few days, she told me to take care of my health.

Never in my life did I curse my inability so much. Hearing her confidence in me, I felt so ashamed that I locked myself in my room for the rest of the day. That day, despite mom making my favorite chicken curry, I didn't eat it.

My mind was repeating Mai’s words like a machine on a loop circuit. After a night of sleeplessness and self-blaming, I made a decision. Never will I ever let anyone else surpass me in anything. I will study and work harder than anyone because I don't want to see Mai’s expression when she learns that her Ge isn't as awesome as she thought he was.

I was eleven that year, and that was the first promise I made to myself.

******

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