OKAY. This is the last chapter before the epilogue! AAAHHH
~Chapter 14
I squealed when I heard my phone on my nightstand. I randomly pressed something on the screen, finally making the phone shut up. At that moment, I didn't care if I pressed "Snooze" or "Stop". I just needed some sleep. Some peace.
I didn't want to wake up, but I had to when I felt something happen at the pit of my stomach. A feeling that told me to go to the bathroom.
It didn't even take a couple of seconds before I was kneeling down in front of the toilet bowl, throwing up whatever I ate last night for dinner. Actually... I didn't eat anything for dinner. I don't remember anything from last night. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, only to see a person that looked very unhealthy.
Dark bags under my eyes, my face was pale and almost discolored, my lips were purple and my hair was all over the place. I looked like the definition of an alien.
Then that headache. It wasn't normal, like any other one I had. My head was burning with heat, cold, every sensation I ever felt. It hurt too much. I never knew it was physically possible to have a migraine this bad.
I brushed my teeth and walked out of the bathroom, only to see that it was terribly messy. Then all of it started to come back to me.
Wearing this slutty outfit, seeing Shayla in the mirror and Clyde.
No, no...
Clyde was just there in my thoughts, in the mirror. He was never here physically.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of pain go through my head. I hissed and sat down on my bed so that I wouldn't fall. I grabbed my phone and lied down on my bed to prevent the nauseous feeling that was about to come over me. I looked through my phone to find the contact and pressed "Call" when I found it. I pressed the phone to my ear, waiting for the person to answer.
"Mika?" The person asked on the other side of the line.
"Anna-Marie," I replied groggily. I sounded terrible.
"Oh, my. What happened to you?" She asked me.
"I'm sick. Could you come over?"
"You're lucky that your house is on the way to the clinic. I'll be there in five." I didn't have the energy to say anything, so I just nodded, even though she couldn't see.
I decided to close my eyes for a while, and just like that, I was in a deep sleep.
It didn't even seem like a minute before I opened my eyes again. I heard my door open and Anna-Marie walk through the doorway.
I felt the bed dip as she sat down and placed her hand on my forehead.
"You're not burning up, but what happened to your room?" She asked me, having a better look around.
"I don't remember what all happened. But what I do remember is that I saw myself as Shayla. Then I started drinking." She looked at me in disbelief. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders only for a couple of seconds.
"You have to let it go, Mika." She said, quietly.
"I know, but I just can't she's a part of me that I cannot get rid of," I whispered. I didn't want to go on with this talk. I know that she would haunt me sometime in my life.
"Do you want me to stay here to take care of you? If you want, I can tell Lily to be there for me."
"No, it's alright. You have patients-"
"But Lily's a doctor, too. She knows that I might have to take a leave sometimes, and she also works in the same clinic. I'll call her to make sure." She explained to me. I just nodded. I didn't have the patience or energy to argue.
I saw her take out her phone and call Lily. I stared at the ceiling. The dull blue was hurting my eyes, but I was still staring at it. It's like my life. Terrible. Dull.
I closed my eyes, just waiting for this day to be over so that I could go to school tomorrow and forget what had happened last night. I couldn't do that though. As of last night, it had to stay with me (whatever I had remembered). School?
Well, let's just say that I had to stay home for two days because my hangover wouldn't get better.
That's what happens if you drink for the first time in your life.
~~~
I was back in school two days after that night. I really wanted to be here at school since I really didn't have anything to do at home. But still, I was dreading the fact that I had to spend six hours here. The only fun lessons I thought were Math (because the teacher was absent), Biology and Photography. I still hated that Clyde was my partner. Ever since that night, every time I talked to him, I had the tendency to blush.
I don't want to remember it, but I do.
"Why weren't you here for the last two days?" Sierra asked me as we walked to our last class.
"I was feeling really sick, so I couldn't come to school," I replied. Now, that wasn't a lie. I was just hiding most of the truth.
"Oh, are you better now?" She stopped and turned me to face her. She placed the back of her hand on my forehead.
"Sierra, I don't have a fever. I'm fine. I came to school today, and I'm better." She smiled and we continued to walk.
"Good. Call me tonight, okay? I have so much to tell you. A lot happened when you weren't here." I sighed. That's what everyone's been saying.
When I'm at school, absolutely nothing happens, and when I'm not, it's like High School Musical. How's that fair?
"I'll call you, then. I'll see you tomorrow." I waved.
"You would be the only one here tomorrow. Today's Friday." I cringed at my mistake. I think everyone does that.
"Right. Bye!"
We bid each goodbye before we walked to our classes. Sierra took art, and she told me that she was always interested in it. Apparently, she loved graffiti, and one of the graffiti art on the school wall was hers. She's very talented.
I took a seat by the window, placing my camera on the table and a pen in my hair. I've always put pens and pencils in my hair for as long as I remember. Putting them in my hair was easier as I wouldn't lose them. Well not at school, at least. I watched as the classroom filled up rather quickly. In the meantime, I also waited for the class to start. I desperately wanted to go outside and take pictures, but I didn't want to be with Clyde.
"Hey, Mika."
Think of the devil...
Clyde smiled at me. He smiled at me once, but that was fake. The rest were stupid smirks, but this was a real smile. It was hard the believe that he was happy to be by me. Probably still wants to know about my past.
When will he understand?
I just looked out the window, ignoring him. I wish he was gone, somewhere out of my life. I wouldn't have to have a stupid crush on him, nor would I have anyone in school know my secret.
"What do you want Clyde?" I asked him when I turned. He still had that warm smile on his face which made me melt.
Ugh... if I didn't love him though, I would definitely slap his face.
He was about to open his mouth, but I interrupted him.
"If it's about my past, then I will not tell you. Who knows if you're going to spread the word?" His face fell, and his eyes held a look of guilt, but before I could analyze it, it left as fast as it came.
"Alright, class. Settle down." I nearly jumped when I heard Mrs. Burgess' loud voice boom across the classroom. "As you know, we are going to continue going out and taking pictures of nature." I wanted to groan when everyone was about to jump in joy like a bunch of preschoolers. "And you have about half an hour to take as many good pictures as you can. They should be wonderful. Yes, you can take pictures of people, and they will be accepted if the whole class likes them."
I rolled my eyes when everyone walked out of the room. I walked slowly out of the room. I saw Clyde there, waiting for me by the door. He held his arm out as if I should take it so we could walk together. I almost blushed at that. Is he trying to use my crush on him as an advantage?
"Could you go?" I was annoyed. I didn't mean to be rude, but it can't really be taken back. "I have to talk to her." He looked disappointed for a seconds before he nodded and walked away. I sighed, feeling a little relieved.
So I turned to Mrs. Burgess and talked.
"Umm... Mrs. Burgess?" She just hummed in response as she gobbled up her doughnut. It felt like I was about to throw up with how messily she ate her delicacy. Crumbs were all over the place, and the frosting...
Anyways...
"Can't I change my partner?" A part of me felt bad that if I didn't have him as my partner, I wouldn't be able to spend time with him, and the other part of me felt that it was a relief to let him go. There were enough people who knew about my secret.
"No, you may not. This is final."
"What? Why?"
"My husband wants anal but I always say no. Same applies here." This time, I didn't hide my cringe. She was a forty-something-year-old woman who tries to act like a teenager. Gosh, she ever tries to say what she texts. "Off you go. Haha! Look at your face. Lolz." I scurried out of the room, and once I was out, I shuddered. It made me look like I was getting possessed by a devil.
I jogged onto the football field, looking for Clyde.
Okay, so he will be my partner for the rest of the year, and we have to work together. It's just about half an hour or so every day, five days of the week for like eight more months.
I can do this. I think.
I walked up next to Clyde, watching him take pictures of trees, leaves, and a couple of insects.
"So?" I asked him when he put his camera down temporarily.
"So?" He said back to me.
"Did you take any pictures?" He nodded and showed me the screen on his camera. I leaned a little closer to him to see the pictures he took.
They were all very impressive, actually. I usually hate looking at pictures of insects, but these pictures made them look beautiful and professional.
"Wow. I never thought you had it in you." I looked up at him, seeing him gazing at me. I took a step back, realizing how close we were. The proximity made my heart beat faster.
"S-sorry." He mumbled. I didn't know if it was him or me, but I swear I could have seen a pink tint on his cheeks.
I shook it off and thought it would be better to go on with our work.
"So, what else do you-" I got cut off by him.
"Um, Mika? I-I have to tell you something." His voice was quiet and he sounded serious.
"Yeah?" For some reason, I felt nervous. Why? I don't know.
"I-I was there at your house. T-Two nights ago." I think my heart stopped at that moment. He was there?
"Did you break in?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"What? No! I didn't. I wanted to apologize for breaking in before. But when I hit the doorbell, you didn't answer. And when I tried to open the door, it was unlocked. I looked around for you, and you were in your room. Drunk."
"You shouldn't go barging into-"
"I know. But I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. You... You told me about your past. Your family and what you suffered." He closed his eyes, expecting a hit from me. When I didn't move, he slowly opened his eyes.
My heart went to the pit of my stomach when he told me all that.
"You weren't supposed to know," I whispered, my eyes already feeling hot and my eyesight becoming blurry.
"I know. I thought you could tell me after you thought you would trust me if you ever would. It was clearly a sensitive thing for you, but you didn't let me not listen." He placed his hand on my arm as a way of showing concern, but I shrugged my shoulder. I turned around to walk away, but I got pulled back by him.
"Leave me alone." My voice was heavy with hurt, sadness, and anticipation. I just wanted to cry to let everything out.
"Please, don't cry." My tears took that as a cue to roll down my cheeks when I shut my eyes closed. I felt his thumbs caress my cheeks and wipe the tears away. I felt his forehead on mine. "Mika, look at me." I didn't do as he said. "Please?" I shook my head. "Fine." He sighed. "You know what? I realized that I liked you since the past two days. I don't know how. I don't know what happened, but I do have some feelings for you. I couldn't stop thinking about you ever since that night." That almost made me open my eyes. Almost.
"I don't believe you." I didn't want to look at him. I didn't want to see his expression when I looked so broken.
"You don't?" I shook my head. Then, he did the thing I least expected.
He kissed me.
~~~
"Alright then, class. Why don't we connect the cameras to the computer and see what we have here?" Everyone nodded their heads. Some even shook theirs, even though they know that they don't have a choice. "There we go."
I recognized the pictures as Clyde's. The insects, flowers, leaves and so on. He didn't take any pictures of people. What would he have taken a picture of? A picture of a person taking a picture? Nah.
Everyone liked his pictures, and so did Mrs. Burgess. That got him applause from the whole class.
"Now we have Victor's." When I looked at him, he sent a smirk and a wink, which made me twist my lips in confusion.
The moment the picture popped up on the screen, I felt my face heat up. I covered my cheeks. Of course, they felt as hot as the Sun. The pictures were still really good though.
The first picture was when Clyde was showing me the pictures he took, and that moment we looked at each other. I could feel eyes on me. I put my hoodie over my head, but that just allowed more attention my way.
The next one was when Clyde and I were touching foreheads. Not to lie, I thought I looked ugly with my tear-stained cheeks that were on fire. Some of the girls in the class cooed as if it was a picture of a cute puppy.
No. No, "awww". I looked terrible. Clyde would look fine any day... But that's not the point.
There were other pictures in between like more greenery, but then the last picture made me cover my face with a book. It was when we were kissing. I could still feel the tingling feeling on my lips from about ten minutes ago.
This was when I heard almost all the girls in the class either squeal, coo, or do something in between. I groaned.
The light was switched on, making my red cheeks visible to every corner of the classroom. God, that was so embarrassing!
"Still want to switch partners, or...." Mrs. Burgess teased me.
"I-I'll stick with my partner." Right at that moment, the bell rang, and I thought it would be better to take my time before I got out of my class.
I got a lot of:
- "You guys are so adorable!"s
- Or, "He's a keeper."
- And even, "Date him, or I'll kill myself."
The last one sure did leave me pale, but I didn't comment on the other ones. I walked out of the classroom, only to be pulled into a chest. Of course, Clyde.
I bit my lip and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.
"I'm sorry about-"
"No, it's alright. I should be sorry. I made you cry. I realized that you and Shayla are nothing alike. But I do have feelings for you." He mumbled. It was a good thing that no one was around. I just nodded, not knowing what else to say. "So? Any plans for tonight?" A smile formed on my lips, anticipating something good.
"Um, no. I don't."
"How about we go out for dinner?" I tapped my chin.
"I don't feel like going out." His face fell, looking disappointed. "How about my house? Pizza, you, me, and Netflix? At eight?" The smile brightened his face once again.
"Sounds good to me. I'll come back right from work with a box of hot, cheesy pizza." He winked and reached for my hands. That small action made me blush and feel really jittery.
"Great. I'll be waiting." I winked, watching the corners of his beautiful blue eyes to crinkle when he chuckled. I got the courage to stand on my toes to press my lips to his soft ones. Though it only lasted a second or two, it was still magical.
I let go of his hands, waving shyly at him. Once I was a little farther away, I turned around completely, looking back at him. Just like I expected, he was looking back at me. He blew me a kiss, and I only giggled.
I never thought that this would be how my life would go. I thought that Chris would be there my whole life, dominating my past, present, and future. But I was wrong. This is my life, and I dominate everything.
I got a date with my crush and I got a really good friend who I never thought I would be with. I was a slut, and I still might be in some ways.
Now, I'm a normal girl going to a normal school with a normal life and a crush on a normal guy. My name is Mikayla Park, and I used to be the slut of the school.
This is my story.
~~~~~
T.T
The book is almost over! Just the epilogue and it would be over.
This is my favorite chapter in the whole book. I honestly love how cute Mika and Clyde are together.
Well, constructive criticism is recommended.
Any shower thoughts?
Well, I will post the epilogue in a couple of minutes, my fluffy muffins (you choose the flavor ;))
V O T E
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