83I sat in the far corner of the classroom, hidden away by the shadows as silent as the grave. I listened intently as my teacher; Mrs. Russo read a poem she selected from the ones my class wrote.
"Twenty-thousand tears have I cried for you. I'm in the pit of despair, drowning in my own blood…Too many tricks and lies. I'm screaming in a darkened room, pain coursing through my body… Defeat is written all over my face. I'm falling forever, to the darkness consuming my heart. I'm falling for eternity, to the place I want to escape from… So many years have I wasted on you. I'm cutting through the flesh and bone, afraid of what is next to come… Sweet innocence never around. I'm doubling over, I'm hunching over, As my last breath escapes… Falling…"
I heard someone cough and noted the people looking around for the creator of such a dark poem. I could feel my face flushing. Why oh why did she read mine?
"This poem has so much feeling in it." Mrs. Russo spoke while placing the paper to her chest "All of you would do well to show as much passion in your work as Ms. Renier."
Suddenly all eyes crept to me. I could feel them boring into my skin. My face stayed blank as I continued on as nothing happened, minus the flush of color.
"Freak!" some boy shouted from the other side of the class.
Laughter broke out everywhere. I just shrugged like it didn't bother me.
"Mr. Mayter! Are you looking for a detention?"
"No ma'am."
"Then quiet!"
"… But it's just the truth. Just look at her! It's written all over. Who writes stuff like that who isn't looking to be made fun of?"
I quietly and swiftly picked up my black shoulder bag and walked out of the room like nothing fazed me, it just looked like I was bored. I could hear whispering as the door shut behind me.
Walking down the hallway, not a single tear fell. Truth-be-told, I was used to people calling me a freak. I knew I was different, but who were they to care? Bastards.. I reached my locker and sitting down, I pulled out my sketch book and began to draw like usual.
I don't know how long I sat there, but I know that it was a long time, since it was thirteen after twelve. Everyone was already at lunch. My picture had come a long way in only an hour and a half. It was that of a vampire clamping into some stranded girl with blood squirting everywhere. I glanced up as I felt a hand grab a hold of my shoulder. Eyes of a dark pitch penetrated my own as if trying to call forth my soul.
"What's wrong?" His husky voice asked.
"What else? I got fed up." I said while closing my sketchbook and standing up.
"What'd they do this time?"
I just sighed and looked passed him at a group of preppy bimbos tossing themselves at the school's labeled 'hottie.' His name? Allen Westwood. You could say he had some good features, I guess. 'Bout 6'3", skinny, yet built, he pretty much matches the description that most whores label 'tall, dark, and handsome.'
I heard a cough and the shuffle of feet and looked back at the brunette before me.
Ah, Kai, my best friend. My only friend. He could be a large ass when he felt like it. Everyone else was petrified of him just from looking at him. Hah.. He looked like a good looking felon out for murder. Why he's my friend? I don't even remember how it happened, actually.
He looked to what had captured my gaze moments before and let loose a soft chuckle.
"Don't tell me you've fallen under his spell now?"
"Ugh." I shook my head and ran a bony hand through my silky ebony hair.
"The day I find myself doing that will be the day I kill myself."
"Don't make any such promises…" he said while polling out a cigarette and lighter. Lighting the bud, he inhaled long and deep. He let out a breath before continuing, "You never know what the future holds."
"What? Are you, Kai Mollan, telling me that I'm going to fall in love? With pretty boy?! I am at a loss for words." I said in mock surprise.
"I never said that you would fall in love with that thing, just that you might fall in love."
I chuckled and he looked pensive.
"I think that in all fairness, I'm allowed to make this promise."
"Not while I'm your best friend." He turned to give me a hard look.
"Then, I think it's time for some serious changes." I said jokingly.
"You don't think you'll fall in love?"
"It's kind of hard to fall in love when you've lost all faith in it. I've realized that you don't need love to be happy. Besides, people in love always end up giving up their dreams and someone always gets hurt. Why bother when you can just live life?"
"Yes, but you don't live life. You wallow in it. And that's not always true about love. Some people end up truly happy." He reached down for my hand and helped me up.
"At the cost of what? I've seen what it does to people." I said while opening my locker and throwing my bag inside.
"That's only one case. You haven't experienced it yourself. When you do, your way of thinking might change." Ok, now he was really starting to get on my last nerve. I shut my locker and folded my arms while looking at him.
"Yeah, right. My mind will never be changed. Love is a waste of time and I don't need it in my life making things worse than they already are, which you already know as we've had this discussion more times than I can count."
"Whatever," he shrugged "Can we go to lunch now? I'm starving."
I nodded and turned towards the lunch room doors, missing a pair of dark blue pools of eyes watching me.
We sat at our normal table near the center of the lunch room by ourselves. I was taking slow sips from my pepsi while working on my drawing. Kai sat across from me cutting a pentagram into the table with his pocket knife. You've got to love how he gets away with that. Even the teachers are afraid of him.
My index finger brushed over a few spots to smooth out the led for better effect and I was deep in thought. Of course I didn't even notice the sudden silence surrounding my area, or the stares of envy and rage, or even the shadow looming over my head. I did, however, look up when I heard Kai's voice dangerously low asking what the hell somebody wanted. It was probably just some lowly freshmen fulfilling a bet to come over here and see if he'd live to see another day. What? It's happened before. I felt myself go rigid though, when I heard preppy boy's voice.
"I just wanted to talk with her for a minute." I looked up as he pointed at me. I raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a look like he was stupid.
"So… Can we talk?" What? I think he's lost it.
When I didn't rush to move, he sighed, and then took a seat beside me. I heard a few gasps and knew that everyone's eyes and ears were locked on us.
"What are you doing?" Kai asked while glaring daggers.
"I don't think that it's any of your business." Allen added dryly. Kai didn't take it well though and he looked ready to pounce.
I rolled my eyes.
Kai clenched his fists till they were white.
"It is when Kyra is involved."
"Ah. So it's Kyra." What, has he practiced that smile or something? Probably.. Nevermind.
Kai banged his fist on the table and I jumped at the sudden impact.
"She's off limits."
"Hey buddy, cool down. I didn't come to fight." He rose his hands in mock surrender.
"Well then buddy, you shouldn't have come."
Grabbing my sketch book, I sighed, stood up, and walked out of the cafeteria without a backwards glance. Stupid, stupid guys. They can all just die.
A/N: Thanks to all who've reviewed! I am reading through this story again since it's been over 3 years I think, since I've updated. I want to fix how awful my writing style was and add better sequences and such. I'm going to be doing this every day until it's done and then will finally start the updating process! DFL