The Magic Behind Her Eyes

Chapter 5: Because The Grass Was Green

Loud excited chatter filled the air as a long banner was pulled up to building. With massive colourful letter, it read SPORTS WEEK. One of Reina's biggest nightmares which she must endure every year. Most schools would dedicate this to one sports day. Maybe two. But not Lakeside Academy. 

There would be a whole week dedicated to sports, not only that but everyone was forced to join a sports club throughout the year along with running sessions every morning. So it could be argued that everyday was sports day in their small good-for-nothing of a high school. But sports week was worse. Definitely worse. Reina walked to her locker to take out her sports kit when a small note flew out of it.

WORTHLESS. COW. DIE.

In black bold letters. She slammed the locker door shut and scrunched up the paper, letting out a sigh. Her heart would feel heavy by the sight of those words but would have no choice but to ignore them.

"Not today...Not today...Not-" she quietly whispered to herself as she made her way to the changing rooms until she nearly bumped into one of the trash cans.

The girls laughed and cracked jokes at each other as they started to change. Reina could see Clary at the corner of her eye and increased in embarrassment from her last encounter in the canteen. But she still couldn't help but look at her. To observe her. She wasn't wearing any makeup today, she wasn't allowed during PE sessions. This time, despite no fake nails, no fake eyelashes, or the full make up she would cover herself with, she still looked...Beautiful.

This wasn't a typical bully. She wasn't just popular, she was talented. She could change her appearance and behaviour depending on the situation and she always, always got what she wanted.

She would radiate confidence, look beautiful in whatever she did, had good grades, was good at sports, music, had great family and friends. While Reina would often look at herself in the mirror and no matter what she wore or how she looked like, she would feel odd. Something would always feel out of place. As if her face or body never looked how they should. This was the person who made Reina's life unbearable, for years. 

Every day someone walked past her, her heart would beat faster out of fear that it was Clary. Every day she was released from lessons, she would calculate the quickest route to the bathroom to lock herself in. Every night she would either cry herself to sleep or wake up with another nightmare.

Reina let out a long deep breath as her hands started to shake. There was no time to be having these thoughts now. Not today of all the days.

"Come on girls, hurry up!" The PE teachers yelled across the room. When everyone was done they were all taken outside for instructions, "I want you all to join in groups more than five. We're going to have our yearly Lakeside Marathon."

There was a brief pause to allow for the annoyed comments and the groaning from the crowd.

"Complain all you want, nobody hates this day more than me," Reina angrily thought to herself.

"And as always, the group that reaches to the Hilltop Creeks first, will win a special prize."

Reina felt arms wrap around her shoulders. She turned around, Clary's eyes gleaming in the sunlight, "You're mine, teammate."

And so it began.

The wind blew gently, the trees swayed side to side and Reina found herself alone with a group of girls by the lake, near the bridge where she saw that cat. Clary's hands squeezed her shoulder, hard like claws as she pushed her. She looked at her in the eyes. This was not the eyes of a human being. The level of disgust and hatred that filled it.

"What are you looking at? Hm?" Clary said calmly, her face close to hers.

One of the other girls pulled her by the hair, "what do you want us to do with her, Clary?"

"No no, let go of her hair," Clary brushed her hair to the side, her finger running down her cheek "wouldn't want to hurt this ugly face."

Reina flinched.

"What do you want?"

The other girls laughed in response.

"What did you say?"

"I SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT!" Reina yelled, slapping her hand away from her face. This time she really was shaking. She couldn't explain how much she hated talking to other people. Interacting with them. Trying to read their thoughts, having to constantly figure out what to say. Not knowing how to defend herself or how to ask for help.

"Why are you doing this?" Tears formed in Reina's eyes, "I ask you every time. And you never tell me."

Clary stood there in silence, staring at her.

"I never did anything to you. I never hurt you or your friends. Or anyone. So why..."

Reina placed her hands in her chest, as if there was something inside her that she needed to get out. She winced in pain, her eyes closed shut, using every energy she had left to stop herself from collapsing to the ground, trying to blink the tears away from her eyes. 

"You want to know why?" Clary held her arms, pulling her up to stand up straight.

"Well, let's see..." Clary looked down and smiled. She pulled some grass in her hands and threw it over Reina's face who blinked in surprise.

"Because this grass is green," she replied, a smile forming on her lips.

Reina stared at her for a few seconds, waiting for some type of explanation which she knew she didn't want to hear. She just wanted to live in peace. She was already exhausted, not from the running but because of this. Her life.

"Look over there, what do you see?" Clary pointed near the woods. Reina turned around slowly.

"Tell me, what do you see?"

Reina was shaking so much, she couldn't come up with any words. Her mind wouldn't let her.

"Okay I'll tell you. Those are trees," Clary wrapped her arms around her with her head touching against Reina's, "Some people are born to be trees, while others are born to be grass."

She paused for a brief moment before continuing, "To be stepped on."

A drop of water fell on Reina's forehead.

Her voice was quiet and slow, "So you see, it's natural for someone like me to hate someone like you. In the same way it's natural for         grass         to         be         green."

It trickled down her face, to her chin.

The words floated across Reina's head and the world around her blurred, almost like a dream. And when the sky darkened she didn't struggle as Clary pushed her into the lake which was strangely, a lot deeper than before. 

It was raining.