Chat Mate (Editing)

Nine: Arianna

❁ Kimberly Wales ❁

I'm sitting on the upside down bucket inside the store room with Miley, who is about to tell me something.

I grab hold of the mop on the side that kept falling as the flourescent light kept flickering and it's like I am listening to a ghost story, ready to be told.

Something-- A secret.

I watch her as she gulped down lumps of sadness in her throat several times and her face grew paler and paler.

I observed her fingers shaking and herself shivering as she burst into tears.

I went near her and rubbed her back tenderly as she spoke with choppy words.

"Ten years ago-- and I still remember it so vividly--"

"Ten years ago? That was in first grade.. Aren't you a new student in third grade?" I asked, astonished.

"Yes. But I was a student here since I was in preschool.." She continued, wiping her tears.

"W-What?"

Now I'm confused.

My face is filled with perplexity and confusion that I don't really get it at all.

"I studied here since preschool. Remember Arianna?" She suddenly asked.

Arianna..

Yeah, I remember her.

Golden kinky hair, rosy cheeks, freckles on her face, that tantalizing smile, not to mention her very pleasing and girly personality.

She's always voted as the flower of the class and nobody dares to object.

Every guy fancies her, every girl wants to be her, her life is like.. perfect.

Why is she asking me this?

"Yeah. I remember.." I replied.

She glanced at me with this hurt in her eyes and turned away saying,

"That was me."

"Don't kid me! That was some joke. Haha!" I tried to laugh but I guess she really is telling the truth.

She kept silent and she cried.

"H-How?" I asked softly.

"Rumor."

"Didn't she leave school because of family problems?" I asked questionably.

"No. I left because I was physically, emotionally and mentally tortured. Yes, I even did counseling and had psychological therapy for like six to seven months nonstop."

I tried to shut up and not interrupt anymore because I can see in her eyes that it's very hard for her to cope up and tell me everything when I keep interrupting her every sentence.

I looked at her and she really looked different.

She doesn't act, think or even look like Arianna at all.

Miley stared at me and sighed,

"It was all because I talked to Troy. He is like my best buddy. We talk to each other everyday, he walks me home from school, we did everything together.. For months, I've always adviced him things because he has a huge crush on Heather.."

"Heather as in--"

"Yeah, our best friend." She interrupted.

"Right.. Go on." I said.

"So.. the time came that there's this rumor that Heather and Troy were like a couple. Unfortunately, Heather's pretty mean according to him. Her attitude made Troy dislike her.. We talked to each other and we even shared secrets.. and then Troy told me he has a crush on me.." She explained.