Chapter 123: Chapter 123 You’re Smiling I believed that she had no idea. She picks up a puzzle piece and holds it up to eye level she is studying it like it is a piece of gem.
"Do you know who the nastiest people in this world are?" She suddenly asks.
"People who love to do bad things to others?" I do not need to think to answer that.
She responds, "It’s rich brats. People who were born privileged and entitled. They got the silver and the golden spoons. But we were given the wooden one and have to struggle until we sweat blood to even live close to half a portion of their lives." She pauses to let out a mocking laugh. "And then you hear people talk about fairness and equal rights. Tch!
There is nothing like equal rights girl. It does not exist because life itself is biased and unfair. It just throws things at you, giving you no choice but to work your way through it. I did not get a chance at formal education or anything close to it. But I did encounter a few rich brats in my life who taught me the hard way to use my wits and do exactly what I have to do to survive.
I am only alive and here in front of you because I did not break and give up. I endured through it to get what I wanted even though it was hard. It did not work out exactly how I wanted it to, but I am okay. Everyone’s life is a jigsaw puzzle. How it turns out in the end depends solely on you. So my dear whatever it is, don’t even think about breaking and giving up. School is not forever. But the choice you make will be."
I am curious now what life she had more than ever. I had tried asking her once but she kept quiet and did not give an answer. I did not bring it up again even though I wanted to, realizing that it must not have been great. Which is why she does not want to recall it. Her message had been clear.
She wanted me to be strong and not give up. Here I am at school with renewed determination and enough edge to butt heads with anything that wants to try and bring me down again. "Gweneth!" Maverick calls, running to me in a flurry. "Hey wats up? How are you?" He greets. "I just heard about what happened yesterday. Are you okay?"
"I don’t want to talk about it." I deadpan, slinging the duffel over my shoulder that I carried for a change because I am tired of backpacking. My footsteps slows as I see those two boys from yesterday approaching. "I--we are sorry for what we did." The one I know as Austin spoke. My brows drew together in surprise and skepticism at the sudden apology out of nowhere. He looks like he was beaten. They are purple bruises on his face and jaw. Same with the other guy. My gaze warily shifts from one to the other.
"We have replaced everything back to how it was."
"Except the swimwear, but we’ll compensate you for it." Says the other guy. And true to what they said, everything was back to my main locker. Except for those color coded stick notes and my skeleton hairband. The textbooks are not new. Looks like they were being used by someone else before. There are color markers on several pages. My swim locker was only missing my swimwear, but it was compensated for. One thousand dollars to Maverick’s student account.
I did not expect to encounter this change. It is great, but also strange and unsettling. I am in class for first period. Math. Mr Kowalski is not here yet. I was taking the free minutes to chat Rex. Laughing to myself at the hilarious stickers and Gifs he is sending.
"You’re smiling." A voice says.
I flinched immediately I turn in the direction and my eyes clashes with a pair of green ones. He seems to be amused by my immediate reaction of fear to his presence as a grin comes on his face. He is resting one elbow on top the desk, his hand wedged to his temple. He has been staring at me like this for how long?
"Hey there, pet?"
What is he doing here? When did he come? That side was occupied by someone who wasn’t him a while ago.
The familiar panic sets in. My heart is beating faster than normal. And why is he sitting close to me when there are many other seats that are unoccupied? I inhale sharply to calm my nerves. We are surrounded but the class is not that full. I can see a lot of empty seats. I stand up quickly, grabbing my bag to go to another seat.
I find him still looking at me with that same amused expression. I find his unflinching look similar to how a merchant looks at a merchandise he intends on buying. It is creeping the shit out of me.
He stands up, my heart stills with his incoming footsteps. What is he going to do now? Hit me for going to sit somewhere else? Or slam my head on the desk?
But he just passes and goes to the other column of seats, stopping at one that was occupied and ordering the person to move like it belongs to him. Just then Mr Kowalski comes in and starts the class. I am keeping my gaze glued to the board, resolving within me to not let my eyes go sideways to the right because he is sitting at an angle that would bring him into my line of vision if I so much as peer at my right. Worse, cause our eyes to meet because he is still staring.
I can almost feel his gaze burning me and piercing me like needles. Is he not tired of it? I could not help but peer at him at some point. He has a stupid smirk on. I reciprocate with a harsh glare before looking away.