Music & Monsters [Camp NaNo July]

01

                "I know, she's such a loser!"

                "She acts like she's better than everyone else, it's so sad."

                "Let's just face it, she's a pathetic mess."

                They were talking about me as if I wasn't even there, and they were nothing but voices. Yet their words still stung as if someone had seared a hot piece of iron across my heart.

                "She's—"

                "Stop, please!" I roared, tears already silently streaming out. It wasn't just their verbal abuse that got to me; it was the fact that they were actually there that broke me. That they were real. 

                With shaky hands, I grabbed the small orange bottle on my nightstand, the voices continuing their assault. I popped the cap open, grabbing two pills and chasing them down my throat with some water.

                To my relief, the voices fell silent one by one.

***

                I blinked open my eyes, my head lifting off where it had rested on the desk. Someone was shaking my shoulder, and I glanced around groggily, noting that everyone was getting out of their seats.

                Was the period already over? Had I really fallen asleep for that long? 

                I looked to the person who continued to shake me awake, surprised to see a boy grasping my shoulder. I took out one earbud, and watched in confusion as his expression turned to one of worry when he met my eyes.

                "Are you okay?" he asked, eyebrows lightly creased.

                "Huh? Yeah... Why wouldn't I be?" A confused note rang in my voice, and I just stared at the boy, waiting for an answer.

                He pointed to his cheek. "You have tear tracks," he stated, and my fingers automatically made their way onto my face.  I blinked in surprise as I felt my fingertips become damp, and I hastily wiped at my face with my sleeves. I could tell that my face was aflame.

                "Oh uh, thanks for telling me," I muttered, giving my face one last pat-down to make sure all evidence of tears were gone.

                "No problem." He grabbed his bag, and I did the same. I started walking out, heading towards my next class. "We were called down to the auditorium for an assembly." I could feel his lips by my ear, his warm breath gliding down the back of my neck, causing me jump. I spun to face the boy again, the blush in full effect again. 

                It was only then I realized his built stature; tall at around six ft, with a hint of toned muscle under his t-shirt. "Oh, uh, thanks," I finally managed to say, bringing my eyes up to meet his. I brushed a strand of wavy brown hair out of my own eyes,

                "No problem," he said, his grey eyes lit with something like amusement at my slight embarrassment.

                I put my earbud back in, head down to try and hide my tinged cheeks. I was about halfway down the hall when a hand was once again on my shoulder, and I automatically turned back to look at the boy once more. He ran a hand through his light blond hair, lips moving, but the music blasting into my ears prevented me from hearing anything. Instead of doing what any normal person would, I simply smiled and nodded after it seemed as if he was done, pretending that I heard whatever he had said.