Thorns & Roses

Chapter 3- Damages

Tell me what you need from me now
I'm not what you need to be now
Cause I'm done with it now
No more damages
-Tems

The Chess Pieces, is not just like any other website. It runs on students submissions. Submissions which are made anonymously. Identities are covered, under the hood of false names. It is said, that whatever is posted on The Chess Pieces can make or break a person. Well, it definitely shattered my heart into tiny, beady pieces.

My alarm, annoyingly woke me up. I remembered the events that unfolded yesterday and they made me want to curl up and force myself back into my blissful dream state.

I didn't go for supper last night. I was too humiliated to go and it's not like I had friends anyway. I immediately regretted it, cause I was starving this morning, which meant I had to go to the cafeteria for breakfast no matter how hard I tried to avoid going.

I kept long in the bathroom, Immersing myself in the icy, cold water. My uniform arrived yesterday so I wore it on and pulled my hair in a bun. I didn't miss my knee high socks and my Jordans. I had them all on, including my butterfly rimmed glasses.

It was almost time for breakfast. The sun was rising, and it's rays were casting over the empty bed opposite mine. The one which belonged to my "twin". Two people shared a dorm, so there was no way anyone would find out about my secret.

I was going to be myself, just for this week. And by the following week, my evil, badass self was going to appear, as my "twin". I packed my notebooks, my sketchbook, my calligraphy pen and other stationary into my backpack and set out.

The cafeteria dripped with vibrancy. Every corner was bustling. The chubby lunch ladies were serving and the rowdy students were walking all about. Some were eating, standing in the lunch line and attacking the vending machines. Most of all, the scent of the food wafted around and it smelled good, making my tummy rumble.

As I made my way to the lunch line, a minimum number of people stared at me. Almost everyone was glued to their phones. I wondered if there was a new post on The Chess Pieces or something. I was expecting to be stared and laughed at, but that barely happened. It was as if I didn't exist.

We sat in houses. So after I got my chocolate oatmeal, honey-glazed waffles and sliced strawberries on my tray, I found the only seat available on the Phoenix table. It was at the end of the table, opposite some random guy. Behind him was the Phoenix banner, our symbol, a malicious looking bright flame.

I set my tray down and took a seat and began picking my strawberries. I looked up, just to get a glimpse of the guy, and surprisingly realized it was Xavier! I should have known it was him. He was possibly the only guy who wore beanies.

"What the hell, you son of a bi-" I started to yell causing some people at the table to look at me.

"Oh calm down Harry Potter, you're not angry that I ditched you on the tour? Are you?" He scoffed.

"Well duh? You left me all alone. What if I got lost? Huh? You would have been blamed for kidnap and you would probably be..like..like..rotting in jail..yeah!" I fumed.

"Gee. I wonder what jail's like." He said sarcastically and rolled his eyes. "First, you're not a baby, and second, this is a school. If you got lost, you, could, just, ask, for, directions." He said slowly, like I was some baby who wouldn't understand.

"Well YOU left me with a blank sheet that I thought was a map. And wait... Have you been to jail?" I asked curiously.

"It's none of your damn business and secondly, It's not just any sheet. You'll find out soon enough. Hope you didn't throw it away."