我们从去年第六期开始陆续刊登首届“北外杯”中学生英文写作大赛的部分获奖作文。本期选登的是湖北随州市第一中学王芳同学的文章。

　　-王芳

　　Hearing that Xiao Xiao was going to sit next to me, I was shocked.

　　How could it be? Although there was an unoccupied seat beside me, everybody knew we had a quarrel last term. I hated Xiao Xiao. She must have pretended to be the most pitiful girl in the world before the headteacher, or he wouldn't have placed me in a classroom corner as a punishment.

　　However, it was true.

　　She was now at odds with her deskmate, who was also her only friend. Her eccentric character made her unpopular. You couldn't imagine how strange she was. Sometimes she made loud noises in the quiet class, while sometimes she blubbered. What's more, she returned to the dormitory every night when the others were ready to go to bed. Never could we sleep before 11 or 12. That was why I quarreled with her.

　　Anyhow we had to be deskmates now. With no one helping her, Xiao Xiao moved here the next day.

　　To my surprise, everything went well in the first few days. We didn't talk much. She studied hard but had few good results. She came to the classroom quite early in the morning. It was no wonder the girls in her dormitory often complained she disturbed their sweet dreams.

　　One morning I entered the classroom earlier and saw Xiao Xiao cleaning my desk carefully. Moved by this action, I smiled, so did she. I found Xiao Xiao was also a good-looking girl when smiling.

　　That incident made us become friendly. I was no longer frosty in manner. The time Xiao Xiao fixed her eyes on the outside view instead of me was shorter, too.

　　There were all kinds of rumors about Xiao Xiao. One was that it was all because Xiao Xiao was disappointed in love so that her appearance became so eccentric and melancholy. I didn't know what kind of love experience she once had. But whether falling in love at school was right or wrong, Xai Xiao was the only victim. We should give her encouragement and care instead of discrimination.

　　As time passed, we got along much better. I made up my mind to change my attitude to Xiao Xiao. Meanwhile I realized I had played a sad role in our last quarrel. I was used as a tool to oppose Xiao Xiao by some of my classmates. Then I was punished. It was really an exciting play free of charge for them to enjoy.

　　I tried to make her happy. There shouldn't be only sadness and anger on the face of an 18-year-old girl. I believed that people were born kind. I thought Xiao Xiao was also eager to join us although she looked cold-hearted in appearance.

　　“Xiao, why don't you go back earlier after evening classes?”I asked her one day.

　　“Me? It's only because I want to escape from that horrible place. I can't stand it for one minute. They always talk about one thing but mean another. They make me sleepless all night but they complain I disturb them all the time.”

　　It was the first time Xiao Xiao talked so much with me. She heaved a sigh, then continued,“Anyway, my two fellow villagers and you treat me well. That's not bad.”

　　Then she showed me two letters full of care from her two fellow villagers.

　　I felt like throwing up the moment I read them. Xiao! Poor Xiao! How could you know what they did behind you? They cursed you between their teeth and said they wished they would tear you into pieces.

　　Staring at her gray eyes, I wasn't able to speak a single word. I decided it was better to say nothing than to tell her the truth.

　　Xiao Xiao quarreled with someone again just when I was happy for her becaming happy. I hurried there, finding Xiao standing still in the middle of the dormitory, with hair disheveled and tears on the face. I was bitterly disappointed at those who looked on without concern.A girl was still scolding her. I decided to take Xiao away. But she suddenly got down on her knees.

　　“Forgive me, please! I have never got down on my knees for you. I'll keep quiet. I swear I will! I'm so afraid of you...”She shouted and everyone was astonished, including me.

　　Her voice was so sad and shrilling that I felt as if a knife were piercing my heart. For those who were against her, what on earth do you want to do with poor Xiao?....Two days later, Xiao Xiao went away.

　　Another two days later, news came that Xiao Xiao died. She buried herself in the beautiful White Cloud Lake at the age of 18.