The Populars

Chapter Nine: True Self

++Chapter Nine: True Self++

"If you can't be yourself, you are nobody!" -Unknown

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It is a Friday night, and instead of going out partying like Keelian and Jade want to. I decide to go to a production of Grease, performed by my city's theatre company. To be honest this is what I would rather do every Friday night, instead of out searching for some fun with my drunk friends.

I like music.... No I love it. I love it in all shapes and forms; I love musicals, operas, symphonies, and simply playing an instrument. In fact I play four instruments, guitar, flute, piano, and violin. None of my friends know that, and I would rather it stay that way.

Music is too much something Clara enjoys than Clara Stone likes. I always make sure that everything about me fits into the Clara Stone category, not the Clara part. Being mean is simply easier, and I prefer the easier route.

I look over at my mom who decided she wanted to drive me to the musical. I could have driven myself, but I guess it is almost a tradition for me and my mom. Whenever I go to one of my musical events, she drives me.

"What are you thinking about, Clara?" I hear her small and sweet voice ask.

I shrug my shoulders, "Just how good the musical is going to be!" I exclaim enthusiastically.

Yeah, when I am not surrounded by people I am actually happy. When it is just me and my parents, I am myself, but the second a third party comes in I am not myself at all.

My mom grins, forming wrinkles in her forehead, "I am glad, you are excited sweetheart," she says.

I stare at my mom, her dark brown shoulder length hair is just like mine, naturally curly. My mom wears her hair straightened normally, but since she didn't work today she left it natural. I examine my mom's face, from her freckles to her thick eyebrows. I get most of my looks from her, the only thing I have from my Dad is his electric blue eyes.

I bring my gaze away from my mom and out of the window, at the darkness. It is only around nine o'clock and dark out? I am already beginning to miss the summer months!

My mom flicks on her turn signal, and pulls into the theatre's parking lot. It is fairly quiet, since the show doesn't actually start until nine thirty. I like arriving early though, because I still have to find my seats and pick up my tickets.

I bid my mom a quick farewell, and pick up my bag off of the ground. I pop open the door, and leap out. I slam the door shut, and give her a quick wave. I sling my bag over my shoulder and stroll towards the theatre. I spot some movement in the shadows, and I instantly tense up, what was that?

I am wearing jeans and a sweater... I could get murdered. I could get murdered before I even see grease! Isn't it supposed to be one of those great musicals, that everyone needs to see once in their life?

I look back to where my mom's car was temporarily parked, to see it gone.  I sigh, well if there is a murderer out there I guess I will just have to deal. I turn back around and feel my body collide with something.

I quickly jump back from the figure I accidently knocked on the ground. It looks to be a man, and a tall man at that. He is dressed in black trousers, and a black hoodie, that is pulled over his head. I can't see his face, but I am assuming he is a bit upset that a five foot five girl just knocked him on the ground.

"I am so sorry!" I exclaim, apologetic.

I extend my hand out to him, and he firmly grabs it with his glove covered hand. I give him a small smile, as I hoist him up onto his feet again. He winces in pain as I help him up.

"I am such a klutz, but it's dark and my mom just left me and I got scared that someone was going to kill me, so I just kind of started to panic and walk not looking where I was going." I say, quietly.

The man's face comes into view, but he is wearing sunglasses so I can't see his eyes. I frown, who wears sunglasses at night? The man smirk's at me, and I swear to god I know that smirk...

"It's fine," he says in a husky, deep voice.

"No it's not, do you always get knocked to the ground by short girls? I am really sorry, I could have broken your back of something," I say quietly.

He chuckles deeply and shakes his head, "I am not kidding, it is fine! Thank you for being so... uh apologetic, nice to see that some people still have manners," he says quietly.

I smile genuinely at the man, "I know right! I don't actually know any nice people, all the people I know are rude and disrespectful. The issue is that if you are nice, people expect things from you, and I guess that's why so many people aren't nice," I say quietly, trying to pretend that my statement doesn't relate to me in anyway.

The man nods his head  sadly, a frown present on his lips, "Very wise of you to say.... I agree with you on everything," he says.

I start to hear a  lot of cars pull into the parking lot, and then I remember that I have to get my tickets. I quickly readjust my bag, and shoot the mysterious man a small smile.

"I got to get going, but it was nice bumping into you! I hope everyone in life is nice to you... or some nice thing like that happens to you!" I exclaim quickly, as I start bolting towards the theatre's doors.

I pull open the door leading to the theatre and slip in. I march over to the theatre's ticket box. Why did that man look so familiar, even though I couldn't see his eyes? I swear I knew that smirk, and his voice sounded so similar to someone else I know, but I can't put a finger on it.....

ASHER JOHNSON

I stand there out in the cold speechless. Did that actually happen? I slip off my sunglasses and onto the bridge of my nose, as I stare into the theatre Clara just entered. Does Clara have a surprisingly nice twin sister?

She just knocked me to the ground and then apologized. Haven't I seen her do that to people at school before? She has knocked them straight to the ground with her elbow or something and she would strut away! Why is the Clara I just saw so different from the one at school? They can't possibly be the same person, can they?

Why is Clara even going to a musical in the first place? Doesn't she hate music? I heard someone say that she was in band from grade six to nine, and she quit because it was 'too boring'.

I wrinkle my forehead together in confusion, maybe Liam is right.... Maybe there is something more to that girl than her manipulative, selfish exterior. Maybe inside her there is a heart of gold, that is hidden through layers of toxic sludge.

I have to figure this out, I have to figure out Clara Stone. I am making that my life destiny, because I had originally made my life destiny to make her life a living hell. So if I am wrong on my facts about her being selfish, manipulative, rude, mean, and a bully, I will have to change my mind.

Tonight I didn't see any of the usual Clara stuff. I saw a nice, genuine, and polite girl. I swear to god I almost fainted when she apologized to me. I guess there is much more to this girl than I thought, and I plan to find out just what that is. 

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Is Asher on to Clara? Do you like Asher's POV or nah?

Hope you liked this chapter! :D

-Misaxx