At The Corner Of My Heart

(Chapter-5) Changes

Norah's pov

Troy Gilson Jacobs,the eldest son of the owner of Jacobs Bakery chain and my ex-classmate in primary school, who was nothing less than my enemy, is the one for whom I've managed to flatten my ass for the 2nd time in a row today.

What do we have against each other?

To keep it brief, we're literally foes of each other. From the very first day of my primary school to the day it ended, the butthead didn't let me live in peace for a single day and had managed to get on my nerves in every millisecond of my life.

There was no particular reason for this however. We just didn't get along. He had never left any opportunity to poke his shitty hand into my business.

Honestly, the last day of my primary school was the happiest day of my fucked up life. I was so delighted by the fact that I won't see this asshole in my life again.
But no, now I'll have to see his puckable face for more 4 years!
Like I said: God has really something against me!

--

While these thoughts were running through my mind, we were staring at each other with utter shock and disgust. After a few shitty seconds, we squealed in unison, "You monkey!...You donkey!" - Well, these are the nicknames we gave to each other since we couldn't bear hearing each other's name.

However without wasting my precious time, I headed into the classroom, giving him a loathy look.

After entering the classroom, I looked at the list where our alloted seats were mentioned.
While I was searching my name, I saw another familiar name on the list - Alice Natthalie Peeters.

"Alice!", I exclaimed in a low voice.

Alice was my only best friend at primary school and she always kept every secret of mine and always defended me from any mean comments that my classmates had passed because of my shity background.

And miraculously, her seat was placed in front of mine!
"At least there's someone to support me in my hell", I sighed with relief.

Well, I didn't knew what was coming up.

--

Alice was sitting in front of me throughout the class but we didn't exchange a single word.

In the lunch break, while I was walking past the restroom next to the canteen, I heard some girls gossiping that caught my attention. It was because they took my name. Well, there could be other girls of the same name as mine as well, but I was sure that they were referring to me as I saw Alice there too! I didn't even imagine that she would be hanging out with those brats she once despised of.

Not caring less about that, I went in to greet her.
I missed her of course.

When I said, "Hi Alice! How have you been doing?", she literally didn't speak a single word. Well, this was awkward but
I was more spite at when one of the girls muttered, "She's the freaking illegitimate child, isn't she?" and another, "Eww! Stay away from her. She may bring bad luck to us." and, Alice was just standing there, completely mute.

I didn't know what to do. I was hoping for Alice to at least say something. But she was just standing there, acting as if she didn't know me.

Where is the Alice who defended me in everything? Where's the Alice who didn't care about my background? Where is the Alice who always stood by me in my hard times? Damn, where is the Alice who was once my best friend? God, what have you done to her, I want her back..Why is she acting like this?

Then finally I spoke, "Who gives you all the right to speak ill of me without any proper knowledge? And for your information, I'm not an illegitimate child. And Alice, why are you standing there silent? You know everything about me right? Why don't you say them anything?". And that was all I could speak as my voice was breaking.

At this, one girl stepped towards me and said, "Without knowledge? No kiddo, we have much knowledge about you. Alice told us everything about you and adviced us to stay away from you. Now, by looking at you, I can confirm that you really do seem like an abandoned kid. No manners, no friends, hahah".

What! Alice told them these! Am I hallucinating? How can this be true? No, Alice can never do this to me... The Alice I knew would never in a lifetime think of me like this.. No, please someone tell me this is not real.

Thinking of every possible way to convince myself that this is just a dream, I stood there, staring at Alice.

Nonetheless, I couldn't convince myself, this was reality after all. How can someone change so much in just 3 years? Why do my loved ones always end up hurting me?
She was the only one I had except my Grandma and now, she's gone too.

My eyes were beginning to tear up but just then, someone called me from behind, "Nory, What are you doing with these spoiled brats?
Won't you join me for lunch?"
It was Troy.( Well, the restroom is unisex)
 

My eyes widened at this.

I had never in my life expected this from Troy. How come he's not insulting me and instead is helping me to get out of this mess.

Eww! I'm getting goosebumps!

Whatever, the assholes went out of the restroom and I followed Troy to the lunch table, gawking him with a dubious look.

While being seated on a chair, I asked Troy, "You aren't playing any tricks on me are you?"

Troy glared at me in response and simpered,
"You should be thanking me instead of doubting me."

I tittered, "Oh yeah, thanks a lot but a monkey like you could never be trusted."

I should really be dreaming right now. How come people change so drastically? The Alice I know, isn't the Alice I knew anymore and the Troy I know isn't the Troy I knew anymore. Or, did they swap their bodies? Maybe U-U

____