The Legacy of Seán – Part 1: The Orphan’s Plight

Chapter 1: The Special Student | Episode 3

During the meal time Kevin found his way to the canteen for a hot cup of milk and some biscuits. He was almost starving as he had headed straight for the school from the railway station without taking a break in between. The little exercise with the stool had left him feeling even more famished.

Miss Tabitha, popularly mentioned as Tabi by others and Mr Murray was busy serving the meals to the hungry students. They looked up in wonder as Kevin approached them with his order. 

‘Milk and biscuits only! Are you sure you’re gonna make the rest of the day with that much food in your belly, young man?’ Miss Tabi asked the boy.

‘I…I am not that hungry actually,’ Kevin replied politely, despite the rumbling protests from his empty stomach. 

‘You’re a new face here. What’s your name? asked Miss Tabi to which Kevin promptly replied.

 ‘…and which grade?’ she asked again.  

‘Um…eleven,’ answered Kevin in a low voice.

‘Eleven!‘ Miss Tabi’s eyes almost popped out in surprise. She pulled the spectacles down from her forehead to the nose and leaned over the counter to take a closer look at the size of the boy. ‘Are you joking?’ she asked with an air of disbelief. 

Kevin shook his head to mean ‘No’.

‘Good Lord! Isn’t that the munchkin who crash-landed into the senior class today?’ Mr Murray joined Miss Tabi now for better inspection of what seemed to them as ‘a new pint-sized toff’ in the school. 

Chuckles and guffaws filled the canteen as the other students found the fact to be somewhat amusing. Adding to that, someone in the group playfully mimicked a swooping rocket with a comical hand gesture and completed with a resonating ‘plop’ sound effect to suggest a crash landing.

Kevin blushed and his ears and cheeks went red again.  They now looked like a pair of ripe tomatoes. His age, physique and academic endeavours were in a perpetual competition of their own, transforming him into an unintentional comedy star every time he leapt a class or two. Senior students had always considered him as a ‘wee intruder’ into their domain of giants while adults took him as a ‘precocious prodigy’ who defied the laws of growth.

‘May I have my order please?’ he asked again, with extra politeness. He just wanted to appease his growling stomach before going back to his class.

As Miss Tabi prepared his order, discreetly observing the boy from the corner of her eyes, Kevin couldn’t help but notice that other pairs of eyes were also locked onto him from all around. He started to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Kevin took his tray of food from the counter and looked around to find a suitable place to sit. He wanted a quiet corner. But each one of the tables was full. However, he noticed one empty chair at the corner table.

As he moved through the canteen with his tray, intending to take the seat, he noticed an older student was sticking out his leg from under the table with the intention of tripping him over. Almost instantly a female voice was heard from behind, ‘Hey, look out!’

Fifteen-year-old Annabelle Williams from the ninth grade was standing in the queue just behind him and observing Kevin quietly. She sensed his discomfort and decided to make him feel more at ease. So, after collecting her tray of food she followed the boy and saw the prank.

She firmly reacted and scolded the prankster. 

‘What do you think you’re doing, Leo? Trying to trip someone is not cool. Show some respect!’

‘Sorry, Annie. It was just a joke.’ After apologising to the girl Leo hurriedly left the place accompanied by the other boy he was sitting with.

The girl turned towards Kevin and introduced herself, ‘Hello, I’m Annabelle Williams. You can call me Annie.’ 

‘Hi, I’m Kevin Seán Allen. Glad to meet you. And thanks for the warning,’  said Kevin with extra politeness.

‘You’re most welcome. Actually, I have been watching you for quite some time. You seemed to feel a little uneasy. Are you okay? Are these people bothering you too much?’ she asked with a friendly smile.

‘Oh, no, not at all. It’s just that I am new to this place,’ Kevin replied. The boy was instantly touched by her friendliness and warm personality.  

‘Don’t worry, Kevin. We were all surprised to see you here. We’re a friendly bunch once you get to know us,’ Annie assured him. ‘Come, let’s sit over here. Nobody’s gonna disturb you if you sit with me,’ she pointed to two empty chairs at the table where Leo was sitting.

Kevin felt a bit relieved. He was longing for someone more friendly to talk with. This older teenage girl seemed more approachable to him.

‘Why did you take only milk and biscuits? There’s a whole load of stuff out there. You can try their pumpkin pie and the tarts. And oh, there’s an assortment of other continental food too,’ Annie suggested. She herself was carrying a load for herself – a tray full of delectables that no one could resist.

‘Thanks, Annie. But I am fine with this much for the time being,’ replied the boy.

‘Oh, c’mon Kevin. Here, try this strawberry tart from mine. I’m sure you’re gonna love it,’ Annie passed the pot full of dessert to Kevin who gladly accepted the same with thanks.

‘You are not from this town, are you?’ asked Annie. 

‘No,’ Kevin replied, after taking a sip from his glass of milk.

Curious to know the origin of this talented new kid, she asked again, ‘Where are you from then?’ 

‘Um, from a far place. I was born in India, but now, I live in England,’ Kevin replied hesitatingly.

‘Wow! Are you an Indian? But you don’t look like one to me,’ Annie’s eyes widened and she became more inquisitive. The boy certainly didn’t have that typical Indian look.

‘Well, I’m an Anglo-Indian,’ the boy finally revealed his supposed ethnic heritage that he had heard from his foster parents.

‘That’s great! I’ve had a few friends from India before. They were so nice. It’ll be great to have you here to hang out,’ Annie said excitedly.

‘Thanks. I hope so,’ the boy said in an anticipating tone. He had started to like this older student after the brief incident at the canteen and hoped for a friendship too.

‘So where are you staying? In the hostel?’ 

‘I’ll be staying with Mrs Gupta at the Henderson Cottage.’

Annie was thrilled to know the new boy would be staying at a known place nearby. But, wait. Mrs. Gupta never had any children. Then how come this boy was staying with her? Annie grew a little suspicious.

‘Mrs. Gupta! I know her. Her husband Mr Henderson was a British citizen. Is she your mother then?’ 

‘Uh…no. She’s not my mother. She is a friend of my parents. It’s just that…I will be staying with her as a paying guest,’ Kevin replied.

‘Ah, I see. As a paying guest. Mrs. Gupta is a very nice lady and has always been kind to children. I bet you’ll like her,’ Annie said. After a few moment’s pause, she asked again. 

‘I hope you won’t mind. What do your parents do, Kevin? Do they stay in England?’ The girl couldn’t hold her wonderment any more. 

To this question, Kevin hesitated a little. What should he tell this new friend about his foster parents? Should he share the truth or deceive her just as he did before with other students? After a brief thought, he replied, ‘They don’t stay here. I mean they stay far away and travel a lot.’

‘That’s great! It means you get to know different places a lot, don’t you?’ Annie said enthusiastically.

Kevin did not answer. He gave a faint smile and nodded a little without making eye contact with the girl. He was hoping no further questions about his family would be asked. 

Fortunately, Annie soon changed the topic of discussion. She now aimed to make Kevin feel well-informed and connected to the place. She eagerly shared details about their school, the quirks of their teachers, the companionship among the students, and the charming aspects of their town.

As the day ended, everybody went back to his or her respective abode or hostel room with only one conversation topic on their lips – the arrival of a specially talented student with strikingly handsome looks in their school. By that time most of the students in the school had come to know about his unique ethnic background and the news of his stay at the Henderson Cottage as a paying guest.

Kevin had a unique boyish charm that made him exceedingly adorable and attractive, especially to the girls. On that very first day in his new school, he was particularly noticed by a few older girls who talked a lot about him on their way back home.

Tara Swinson, Emma Fox, Alison May, and Sophie Gray, aged between thirteen and fourteen, were known for their adventurous and mischievous spirit within the school. Their curiosity about boys and their playful approach to teenage life often set them apart from their peers. They had a knack for spotting uniqueness, and when they encountered Kevin, the thirteen-year-old prodigy, they couldn’t help but find him irresistibly charming and a subject of gossip. 

‘I couldn’t believe this! How could a boy of thirteen make it to the eleventh standard? There must be something fishy about this,’ doubted Sophie. She had been sceptical about Kevin right from the beginning of her encounter with him during the break. She was not ready to believe in what the Principal had said about the boy unless and until she experienced it herself. 

‘Yeah, I agree. I bet we’ll find out more about him as we get to know him better. Maybe he’s just a regular student like us,’ Tara added.

‘Who knows? But I heard he’s some kind of nerd. Like, top of the class in some subjects,’ Emma shrugged.

‘But have you girls noticed one thing? The boy looks like a prince. I mean, he must be from a distinguished family, he’s got that air of mystery about him,’ Alison remarked, who was quite impressed with Kevin’s looks and attitude.

‘I overheard him talking to the teacher once, and his accent is so refined. I don’t think he is from India,’ said Tara.

Emma nodded. ‘I noticed that too. He’s got that European aristocratic vibe about him.’

‘Yes, maybe. But one thing’s for sure, Kevin definitely made quite an entrance into our school,’ chuckled Tara. ‘Remember, how he proudly walked into the premises with that turbaned man holding an umbrella over his head? The boy surely looked like he hailed from a royal family.’ These four spirited girls couldn’t help but be fascinated by the enigmatic aura that surrounded the young teen. They were eager to uncover the story behind the special new addition to their school who looked princely in every aspect, setting the stage for a whirlwind of teenage intrigue and obsession. Little did they know that behind Kevin’s handsome and charming appearance lay an astonishing fact, hidden like a buried treasure in the depths of his soul: he was an orphan with no parental lineage to boast for.

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