ANARCHY AGAINST ORDER (ON HOLD)

4. Restless Souls

'I was rejected,' Neo said and closed her eyes, not being able to bear the sting of abandonment. Her once proud soul, fallen; the once self-assured smile dissolved.

The only question coming to Anarchie's mind is probably one that everyone would wonder if they knew about Neo's rejection- why?

Anarchie voiced it hesitantly, only to be met with an anguished silence from Neo.

Then-

'My parents had come to the Reunion Ceremony. My dad- he looked like a kind man with intelligent eyes hidden behind large glasses and my mom looked like a stern lady- stern but someone who looked like would love me. But they took one look at me and looked away, as if they were disgusted, as if I was a disgrace. My confidence fell; I felt fear for the first time, and uncertainty. Then they looked at each other and said the dreaded words- "We reject."

'I asked them too you know? I asked them why. You know what they replied? They said that I looked like too much of a... I can't even say it. They said they can't accept me because they would be ridiculed at having a daughter who looked like a "dumb cheerleader". Okay, who said cheerleaders are all dumb?!' Neo laughed mirthlessly.

'I tried to explain them- I've never had to explain myself to someone- and it was so hard. I tried to explain that they're being too quick to judge. That, they don't even know me. You know what they said?'

Anarchie shook her head wordlessly, struck dumb by Neo's story.

She continued in the same half-bitter, half-longing tone. 'They said that they didn't want to know someone who uses obscene amounts of eyeliner.

'That was what I was reduced to Anna- a dumb cheerleader who only cares about her appearance. My safe place humiliated me in front of everyone.' Neo finally broke down.

'How could they do that to their child? Now, I know that I may not even be their kid, but they don't right? They did this knowing that I was their kid. They left me because they thought that I was dumb because I use eyeliner; have you ever heard anything stupider than that?' she looked frustrated.

'That's why I decided to dress up sexy and behave as they assumed I do. I don't care what anyone thinks of me now,' her eyes were blazing with tears and something else that Anarchie couldn't place. 'I will have my revenge and they won't see it coming. I will behave like a dumb bitch just to see the shock on their faces when they realize that I was the cause of their downfall.'

'I will have my revenge.'

*****

The light twittering of birds woke me up and I saw Neo lying in the fetal position with dried tear-tracks running down her face, into her hair, across the bridge of her nose. Clearly the last night wasn't a dream- Neo really was rejected and now she wanted revenge badly.

I let her sleep as I made my way down the stairs.

Mom and dad were at the table. I was surprised that they hadn't come to knock and call me down as they usually do. With a growing seed of doubt, I sat down. Was it possible that they had heard me through my door? Did they also look unusually somber?

But no, it was just a figment of my imagination. Dad gave me a smile as I sat down and mom placed my usual scrambled eggs with toast and black coffee in front of me.

Maybe I was being too paranoid.

'So, where's your friend? Isn't she coming down?' mom asked.

'Nah, she's sleeping in late. I decided not to wake her up- she seemed stressed yesterday,' I lied. Truth was, I didn't know how to deal with everything she told me yesterday. Also, the fact that her motives would be driven by revenge from now on scared me. Neo was scary smart and, she was ambitious and persuasive enough to chase her motive relentlessly and succeed.