Song: Roses
Artistes: Chainsmokers ft. Rozes
-
***_***_***_***
I peeled my eyes open and squinted from the sunlight invading my room.
It was like someone had cranked a blow-dryer at high speed and was holding it over my eyelids. Consequently leaving me with dry, crusty feeling eyes.
I stretched my arms over my head.
There was a slight pounding in the back of my head, and I considered skipping school for today. But then I remembered that I was still grounded.
I can't wait until the last few days of my punishment is over.
I still feel like my reaction on that night was rectified.
I have been doing some thinking and I came to the conclusion that maybe I was partly wrong.
But I also had a reason to get upset with my dad for what he said to me.
I sighed and scooched to the edge of the bed. Immediately, a sharp pain penetrated my head and regret washed over me as I remembered how I had carelessly chugged down the ethanol based liquid last night like it was water.
I sighed.
How am I going to get through the school day today?
After taking a quick shower, I got dressed in a pair of denim jeans, a flowy blouse with a mixture of different shades of blue, black sneakers and a light touch of lipgloss, mascara and dark blue eyeshadow.
I had eaten breakfast with my dad. Which was silent except for the 'good morning' and 'goodbye' we exchanged. I think he mentioned something about making breakfast with Bruce, our chef-who had served us pancakes and bacon along with tall, cold glasses of orange juice after mumbling a meek 'good morning' to me.
But that was all the conversation we had.
Glancing at the clock hung on my wall, I saw that it was 7:05 a.m.
I pulled my curtains open and peeked at Dontae's window. It was shut, but his curtains were slightly open. There was no sign of him though.
I guess he already left for school.
He had dropped me home last night at his house and I walked over to mine to avoid getting caught. I had to sneak into my room with the help of my new best friend who lived right beside my window. My dad's car was parked outside and I saw that the light in his room was on.
Luckily, I managed to escape into my room unharmed and uncaught.
Sighing, I headed to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs. My mood turning sour from the blooming headache.
I was still kind of angry at Dontae for what he did last night but I was just hoping that there wouldn't be any drama today.
Please let today just be a regular boring school day.
"Hey Wilma," I greeted as she came through the front door.
I gave her a brief hug and a quick peck on the cheek.
She laughed in surprise, hugging me back with excitement that I wish I had for school today.
"Have fun at school darling!"
She waved me off and I sent her a light smile as I head to the limousine parked before the mermaid fountain in my front yard.
My dad's driver greeted me with a bright smile on his wrinkling face as he opened the limo door for me.
"Good morning Pattrick."
His smile grew and he looked dapper in his neat black and white suit. He tipped his black hat courteously.
"A good morning to you too Miss Vannessa."
I laughed and gave him a pointed look.
"I told you to call me Vannessa Pattrick. No need for any formality."
He chuckled in reply as he shut the door after I was well acquainted inside the lavish limo and jogged to the driver's side of the long vehicle.
I took deep breaths to calm my growing nerves. I just have a feeling that today will be a long day.
-
***_***_***_***
My first few classes of the day were boring and uneventful. They were filled with teachers issuing lengthy classwork, droning on and on about homework and stressing about how we should prepare for the exams that were coming up.
I was walking down the hallway when I heard some girls gossiping with their hands covering their lips.
They were trying to hide but it was blatant who they were talking about as they kept their eyes on me.
How slick.
I rolled my eyes, too exhausted to say anything. The pain in my head was incessant and very annoying. They giggled as I passed before tramping down the hallway in the opposite direction to where I suppose is the lunchroom-since it was lunchtime.
Since I arrived at school this morning, I have been getting a few weird looks from people. But that had become marginally normal for me ever since Wilma and Dontae started helping me to change little things about myself.
I sighed and placed my books in my locker before slamming the door shut and heading to the cafeteria.
I was feeling a bit hungry. Maybe if I ate something then this headache would be a distant memory.
I was close to the cafeteria entrance but before reaching the two large doors that were always wide open, I stopped at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Dude you need to stop fooling around with my girl."
My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
"If you're that insecure then maybe you shouldn't be in a relationship?"
That voice was also very familiar.
What's going on?
I hauled my body to the two large doors until I passed the cafeteria's entrance and that's when realization kicked in. The scene before me was definitely not what I had expected to be bombarded with.
"You beat up my friend you asshole!"
"Why don't you ask him why I beat his ass you idiot!"
Oh no.
This was not happening.
Any thoughts of food were discarded and I rushed to the middle of the cafeteria where the scene was taking place.
As I reached, I saw Sean throw himself at Dontae. But Dontae was quick and dodged him before he lifted a fist to deliver a harsh blow at Sean's face.
"Guys stop it!"
I jumped in-between the two riled up boys who towered menacingly over me. I tried not to focus on the crowd surrounding me so as to not stir up the anxiety that was knocking on the back door of my subconscious.
Dontae and Sean were sizing each other up like they were a pair of wild dogs defending their prey.
I glanced at Sean. But his eyes were trained on Dontae. My head snapped in Dontae's direction and his eyes flitted to me. In that brief moment of eye contact, a large arm flew past my face.
I gasped as it connected with Dontae's face. Hitting him square in the nose. Dark maroon trickled out and I screamed.
"No! Sean, stop it!"
Dontae was quick to react and was about to fling himself at Sean when I jumped in front of him.
"Vannessa move."
I grabbed Dontae's shoulder and glared at him.
"No! I'm not going to let you guys act like a pack of wild animals."
"Funny how you're acting like one now."
I whipped my head in the direction of the voice and was met with no one other than Bella.
The swell on her jaw had gone down a bit but it was still prominent.
"I gave you that bruise on your jaw, Bella. I can give you one on your cheek too."
Her jaw fell open. Her eyes portrayed the hatred she had for me and the crowd erupted in a series of 'ohhhs' and 'burn'.
She didn't say anything more and I turned back to Sean with eyes narrowed into thin slits.
"Are you crazy?"
His face was set into unhidden anger as he glared at Dontae.
"He deserves it for beating the living daylights out of my best friend."
He sent me an accusing look and his British accent rolled strongly off his tongue.
"And you're defending him! Why are you defending this lowly twat?"
The crowd in the cafeteria around me disappeared into a blur as I glared at the boy who made my heart flutter.
I espied Sean's friend, James, who was sporting a busted up lip. He glared at me and I glared right back.
Memories of what he tried to do to me last night came back to me and I choked out a sob. It felt like thousands of spiders were crawling on my skin and I shivered in disdain.
I felt Dontae come up closer behind me.
"You idiot!" I yelled. "Do you even know what he tried to do to me?"
I forced down the tears and tried to remain strong.
"I can't believe you."
I turned to Dontae who looked like he wanted to do more damage and grabbed his arm before he could attack again.
He glared hard at Sean to the point where I thought he would throw tangible daggers at him.
Somehow I managed to pull him out of the cafeteria and down the hall. Leaving behind an angry, discomposed Sean.
-
***_***_***_***
"Are you ok?" I asked as we walked down the hallway.
Dontae nodded and he seemed to be calming down from the fracas.
"I can't believe that asshole. He needs to get his nose out of the clouds and climb back down to earth."
I didn't know how to reply so I stayed silent. I mean, even though I was angry with Sean, he was still my boyfriend. But Sean was wrong for hurting Dontae and I want to somehow make it up to Dontae.
He was my friend after all.
I think.
His nose was still smeared with scarlet and I mumbled 'wait' as we reached my locker. He seemed hesitant but listened anyway. I grabbed the first aid kit, shut it and grabbed his hand.
He groaned.
"Nessie, where are you taking me?"
"Shush," I grumbled.
I pulled him into a vacant classroom and closed the door.
I spun around to face him and he put his hands up as if to defend himself.
"Woah, Vannessa. You're not trying to kidnap me are you?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Sorry to break it to you but news flash, I'm not a criminal."
He chuckled and winced.
I took that as a sign that he was in pain.
He plopped down on a desk and I opened the first aid kit and stood before him.
"Hold still," I ordered.
"Ok doctor."
I pursed my lips and poured some isopropanol liquid onto a clean cotton. I began dabbing the solution in and under his bloody nose when he grabbed my hand and just stared at me.
It was silent for a beat or two before he spoke.
"Why are you so interested in such a douchebag like Sean?" He queried. "You deserve way better."
My heartbeat sped up momentarily.
I glanced down at my hand that was in his grasp before pulling it away. The little cloud-like material damped with the powerful isopropanol liquid and his blood sat in-between my index finger and thumb.
I sighed and lifted the solvent to his nose.
"Maybe I deserve someone like Sean after what I did to you years ago."
Dontae chuckled. But it wasn't a chuckle of amusement. It was bitter and forced.
"Don't do that," he said.
"Don't do what?" I asked.
"Don't beat yourself up."
I huffed and gingerly dabbed the cotton solution on his nose.
He winced slightly and I grimaced.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "You got hurt because of me."
I glanced up to find that he was already looking down at me. Pursing my lips, I quickly returned my focus to his bleeding nose.
"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault your boyfriend is so blind and dense."
I didn't say anything as I placed the bloody cotton into a clean plastic bag before pouring more of the clear solution onto a fresh cotton.
Dontae sniffled as I brought the cotton up to his nose. But he didn't wince this time as I finished cleaning him up.
"Don't say that, Dontae. He's not so bad once you get to know him."
"If being punched in the face is how someone gets to know that guy then I don't want to know him or even be close to him. As long as he keeps his distance then I won't have to hurt him."
I shot him a disbelieving look.
"You did beat up his friend Dontae, what do you expect him to do?"
He disregarded my question as if it was never asked.
"Why are you doing all this Nessie?"
I bit my lip but continued to focus on what I was doing. It was silent for a while and I could feel Dontae's unwavering gaze on me.
"I needed a change." I mumbled.
"You don't see it, do you?" He asked softly.
"See what?"
"That you don't have to change who you are."
Huh?
My light brown eyes rose up to meet his shiny, dark brown orbs.
"I know there's more to you than you let on and I know there's more to the story on why you're doing all of this. I don't know the whole story..."
I froze my movements as his intense stare pinned me in one place. I feared he could read me like a freshly copied book.
"But just know that I'm here for you if you need me. If you ever want to talk or if you just need a shoulder to lean on."
Really?
My breath caught in my throat.
It was like everything around me disappeared. Suddenly, the dull ache in my head was a distant memory and so was the stress of this torturous day.
I could make out the tiny freckles scattered along the slope of his nose. The brown in his eyes suddenly varied in colour and there were three different shades swirling in them. All unique. But beautiful nonetheless.
I don't know how long we were there. Just staring at each other. But strangely, I was content with it.
Bam!
A loud sound along with a squeaking noise sound caused us to jump apart like a bag of hot coal was spilled onto our bodies.
I swung my head behind me to look at the classroom door with wide eyes, suddenly very wary, and Dontae jumped from the desk and to his feet awkwardly as he too studied the door.
But through the small window built into the classroom door, I saw that the hallway was empty.
He scratched the back of his head and I looked down at the damp, fluffy cotton that was now mostly soiled with red.
"You better get back to your prince charming," he mumbled.
I blinked rapidly and put the messy cotton into the disposable bag. Hurriedly, I began to pack the contents of the first aid kit back into the pouch.
"Y- yeah. Right.
For some reason, I refused to look at Dontae.
"We have a study session later... so I guess I'll see you later then?"
"Yeah. I guess so."
Dontae left the classroom quickly and I picked up the first aid kit and followed suit.
When I exited the classroom, he was already halfway down the empty hallway. As I stared after him, I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it.
His ego was already big.
I hugged the pouch and sauntered up the hallway to my locker. Suddenly, something bright and pink appeared in my line of vision. It looked like hair and my face scrunched in confusion.
Why does that look familiar...?
But when I rounded the same corner, there was nothing there.
That's when a thought crossed my mind. I pulled out my phone and checked the time.
It was still lunchtime, so what class was Dontae talking about?