you all must lead lonely lives
5am An alarm clock irritatingly buzzes. The suns rays haven't even begun to stream through the windows yet when a seventeen year old boy wakes up with a start. Standing up groaning, he tries to shake off the sleep thats refusing to leave his system. He finished studying at three in the morning despite the fact that there weren't any tests to study for. He knew that he shouldn't have done that but he felt so incompetent if he wasn't ahead of the class or anyone else. Looking at the walls of his room, he studies the plaques displayed proudly on it. "Best in Math" "Best in Science" "First Honor" "First Honor" "First Honor". He heaves a sigh. "Its for the best" he reassures himself, "People envy me for being smart. Then he reaches the door to the shower and prepares himself for the long day ahead.
6:30am She arrives at the office wearing her usual black ensemble. Putting her bag down on her desk thats as neat as a pin, she reads a note posted on its side. "Dance is not just a subject to pass, but an art to be learned." The thought of her mediocre students enter her mind and her face forms a scowl. They all would recieve low marks this term. "I demand nothing but perfection" she mutters swaying her body to the ballroom music playing lightly on the background. A smile touches her lips. "More than fifty years of age and I'm still good at it. Much better than those giggling fools." She danced every night in the arms of different men to make up for the loneliness of not having a husband. Upon realizing this, she stops and convinces herself that she's happy. Then, she grabs a stack of index cards for attendance and makes her way to the room for her 8am class.
7am There are two unmoving figures staring off into space. One a student, the other a teacher. The both seem pleased but when you look into their eyes you see a hollow look of longing and despair as they wait for the clock to turn its shorter hand up one digit.
Its funny how people try to fool themselves with superficial happiness.