Mary's Innocence

Violet eyes

“Two days! Two days and everybody already knows who you are! And who are your foster parents anyway? Clarice hasn’t been shooting us her snobby glares for awhile now.” Vivian frowned in thought.

“Liz and Will Taylor.” Mary whispered quietly.

“Liz and Will Taylor, the retired English couple? With estates all over England, them?” Vivian practically screamed.

Mary nodded jadedly, watching her friend’s expression flock from shock to excitement.

“Holy shit! You’re fucking rich!” She jumped up and down in discovery.

“It’s not my mon-“

“Do you like live in a mansion with a dozen maids?” Vivian interrupted.

“Yes, but –“

“Ha, I knew it! I think you might be the wealthiest girl in the school! Aaah, now that explains the headmaster’s speech this morning.” She grinned wickedly.

Mary immediately covered her hands over her face with a groan. “What did he say?” She muttered wearily.

“It was so weird! He just summoned everyone to the assembly hall and gave us a long took about how the school didn’t tolerate bullying, so if anyone was caught doing it, they would face serious consequences – possibly even expulsion.” Vivian recalled, scrunching up her forehead in concentration.

Mary didn’t know whether to be relieved or embarrassed. All she knew was; Liz certainly made quite an impression on the school’s principal.

“But what is strange is, Mr Crawford is famous for being a slacker – he slips all his work to the deputy head. But why he would hold an assembly just to help you is just odd, because he normally never sticks his head into any student related matters. Therefore, coming to the conclusion that your parents must be somebody rich or famous.” Vivian sighed.

“Well, I guess being a tell-tale is better than being a student punching bag.” Mary yawned, stretching her arms above her head.

“Hmph,” Vivian snorted, “tell-tale? I find that hard to believe, especially when you never depend on anyone for anything!”

Mary glanced at her friend with a smile. It was shocking how she knew her so well, and in such a short time too.

“But since you’re filthy rich, why do I always see you walking? Don’t they have chauffeurs or something?” Vivian raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“I’m used to walking. Besides, I feel bad if I have to take their car, my brother and I have already caused them enough trouble as it is.” Mary shrugged.

Vivian let out a sigh and draped an arm over her shoulders, “you, my friend need to stop looking down on yourself. You always degrade yourself into something unworthy – like rubbish. Mary, you need to know you’re smart, nice, funny and beautiful – Uhhh, once you lose the grandma glasses.” She slapped her on the arm, and reached out to tug off her thick lenses.  “I can’t even see your eye col-“ Vivian paused, then exhaled sharply.

Mary stared back at her in puzzlement; “what?”

“Mary, your eyes!” She gasped, still staring unblinkingly at her.

Mary blushed, and quickly slipped on her glasses again. “That’s why I don’t like taking them off.” She mumbled - she hated drawing attention to herself.

“Mary your eyes are violet! Oh my god, you’re like an endangered species. Other than Elizabeth Taylor, only you have violet eyes!” Vivian screamed like a madwoman.

“It’s not that big of a deal.” Mary muttered, wanting to shrink into a shell at that moment.

“Just wait until Victor sees them. He’ll be so far gone that he probably won’t even remember his own name!” Vivian chuckled hysterically.

“What’s that I hear about me?” A deep masculine voice asked.

Both girls whipped their heads around to face the man himself.

Mary couldn’t help but admire his good looks at that moment; he was like a magnet, pulling her eyes to him. His short auburn hair was slightly ruffled from the breeze, creating a tantalizing windswept look, while his icy gray eyes glittered beautifully from the reflection of the morning sun.

Momentarily stunned, Mary opened her mouth to speak, but to her amazement – nothing came out.

“Wait until I see what?” Victor questioned impatiently, crossing his arms over his firm chest, his taut muscles flexing attractively. 

Vivian smirked and reached for her glasses, but Mary instinctively ducked out of her reach. “Show him!” Vivian wailed like a small child.

“No, anyone but him.” Mary said firmly.

Victor growled. “What? Anyone but him?” He took two quick steps towards her, until they were standing face to face, close enough for their bodies to touch. “What’s there to see? I don’t see anything special. You’re practically a girl in a boy’s body. Sorry, but cross dressers aren’t my type.” He sneered cruelly.  

Hot fury trumped over her senses, and Mary was struggling to remember why she was feeling so bad for him before. “You – “ She froze when he suddenly ripped off her glasses.

Their gazes locked, and her violet pupils were like a suction, sucking him into another universe.

Victor couldn’t breathe; his heart had stopped the moment he looked into her eyes. The glasses fell from his hands, landing with a clink on the ground, simultaneously shattering the fragile moment between them.

Mary averted her eyes first, the wind whipping her hair to the side as she picked up her ancient frames. Sliding them on her face, she looked down, still feeling the weight of his gaze on her.

“Told you.” Vivian grumbled, but her voice was like a whisper in the wind.

Mary couldn’t even explain the strange tension if she tried.

Victor coughed loudly; “apology not accepted, you told.” He smirked, but his voice was hoarse and his eyes unfocused.

Before Mary could even register his words, he was sprinting down the steps, his white shirt flapping furiously in the wind. It was a good twenty seconds later when it finally clicked. “What?” Mary yelled. She could barely keep her fists down, much less her voice.

“What did he mean? Don’t tell me you actually went and surrended?” Vivian yelled from beside her.

Mary didn’t answer, but her whole body was shaking with anger. Her patience for him and his games was wearing thin, was he really going to push her until she snapped?