Shattered hearts

2- Naked Truths

A cold and aching pain stretches from one side of my face to the other, pain bolting through.

That was a painful slap.

I feel a stinging sensation immersing and a red glow burning on my cheek. A shiver radiates through me as I'm pushed violently to the ground.

I can't do this anymore.

"You know I never even liked you, i was just pretending to be your friend because I felt bad for you. You're like a train track that bullies just walk all over. It's pathetic," she explains. My vision starts to blur from the tears emerging in my eyes.

"You should like boys, it's weird you don't. You know my sister thought she was a lesbian at one point but she's straight, it's just a phase. When you get over it you'll look back on this and be disgusted."

The words tear into my skin like a knife, cutting deep into my heart and sawing it in half. Anger fuels me but is soon taken over by sadness as tears stream down my face and drip to the floor below me. The floor I've been staring at for the last few minutes.

"You're so pathetic. What a crybaby. This is just a waste of time," Millie's friend spits, walking off. I look up for the first time in awhile, her black hair swishes side to side as she prances down the corridor.

My body is aching in pain, a stinging sensation still beaming through my cheek.

Nonetheless, I have a big and important day tomorrow.

~

My quivering hand floats hesitantly over the doorbell. I pull out my phone with the email plastered across it.

'Millie Kaneko' sent 4:35pm yesterday

Dear Aiko,

Regarding our project tomorrow here is my address.

42 #### street, ### ##

I'll see you at 10:30am if that's fine with you.

From,
Kaneko

This is the place.

My finger presses firm onto the button finding mere satisfaction from the push.

Faint footsteps arise in her household as well as the bark of a dog.

The door creaks open and my mouth almost floods open in shock.

Blue ripped jeans hang down her legs paired with a white cropped top with a butterfly centred in the middle. Silver rings cover her fingers and pretty silver necklaces bang around her neck.

Her golden brown hair curls down past her shoulders, parted in the middle with strands falling down her face.

Finally paired with a pair of black socks covering her feet.

"Hey.."

"Hey come in," she comments and the wind no longer brushes through my hair as I step into her house. It's a nice house, not too big but not too small. Decorated well to match an aesthetic. Very cosy.

"Your house is so nice," I add, turning my head to flash her a smile.

"Yeah yeah, let's go upstairs before my sister comes and annoys us," she states and leads the way.

Her room is covered head to toe in posters. Fake vines hang across her ceiling along with fairy lights lighting up her room. I spot a poster of a few musicians and smile, it's accompanied by a few sport and travel posters too.

We actually have a lot in common.

A double bed is situated in the middle of the room resting on top of a pistachio green carpet. It matches the plants scattered across the room and on top of a white desk which rests situated up against the right wall. A large window covers the left.

"Your room is so cool," I complement and she shrugs.

"Let's just get this over with?" She asks. Her voice is calm and soothing, like she has no stress in the world.

"...sure."

We work for about an hour collaborating ideas and creating a planning sheet. The aim is to create a poster incorporating each other's personalities and interests.

This should be fun. I get to learn more about her while doing school work.

She lays back on her carpet and I do the same.

"...more about me. How about you Aiko?," she starts.

"Tell me something you haven't told anyone before."

I pause for just a second. Something I've never told anyone before...

"Your name," I finally mumble.

"Huh?"

"Millie."

Our eyes drift and lay dozed on each other's. I almost get lost in the fluorescent blue haze. She looks confused, but anticipated, as if waiting for me to say more. So I do.

"I've always thought it suits you. I'm not the type to think too deeply about others so I've never said anything."

"It suits me? How come?" She questions, her voice makes my heart melt.

"It's a beautiful name."

The silence is almost deafening. A slight mumble escapes her lips.

"What do you mean?" She asks and I move to stare back up at the ceiling.

"I've never been too fond of my name. It means bright. I wouldn't describe myself as too bright, not just academically but physically too. Plus it's more commonly used as a boys name and I hate to be deceived as a boy," I explain and she listens in silence.

"It also means beloved." Millie starts, "Its a good name, rolls off the tongue. Fun to say and I do think it suits you." She starts, "In my opinion it's sounds better used for a girl than a boy anyway."

A smile creeps over my face.

"Your turn," I start, "Whats something you've never told anyone before, Millie?"

I turn my head facing hers and watch as she stares at the ceiling and thinks.

She chuckles.

"When I was little, like really little, I had this friend. He was about a few months younger than me and a teacher made him cry. For the rest of my time at that school I always held onto that. The anger I felt towards the teacher that day. At one point she was my English teacher, I was the top of the class. She was so nice to me but I hated her with a burning passion," she explains, "I still do."

I laugh slightly.

"It's not good to hold grudges," I say mockingly and she grins.

"Yeah yeah, your turn."

"That reminds me of this one time in primary school when I had this teacher for history. She was horrible to everyone in the class and no one liked her. One day I got my grades back and I had worked so hard on that assignment. I put so much time and effort into it and I still failed." I start.

"I was so mad I snapped and pushed my table over in anger then stormed out of the room. I had detention for a week because apparently it was like dominos, my table hit another and they all came crashing down. One kid hurt her leg and didn't come to school for a week, it left a big bruise. I got in so much trouble and I was so mad."

Her laugh spreads a smile across my face.

"It's not good to hold grudges," she mocks, trying to replicate my voice but failing, instead letting out a little chuckle. I scoff.

"Your turn." I comment.

She pauses for a second, almost like she's weighing up whether to tell me or not.

"I don't judge," I say, hoping to add some reassurance to her decision.

"It's a bit embarrassing," she starts, "I won't even admit it to myself..."

"Well, you have to tell me now. I'm curious."

She lets out a huff, "Fine but don't rush me," she states and I nod giving her my full attention.

"Well um..." she stutters, "I'm gay."
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Hope you enjoyed <33

Word Count: 1282

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