CHAPTER VI: Move and Reconstruct

“The fuck?!” Julie began to advance towards me. As she was about to tackle me, I swiftly moved aside, dragging Solar with me.

Since the floor was slightly wet from their stupid pranks, she slipped and fell face first on the floor.

“That looked painful. It seems you’re not a skilled skater.” I blankly stated.

“You arrogant freak!” I was suddenly pulled by Annah, quite harshly too.

She grabbed my face tightly, “You keep on getting on my nerves!”

“Glad to be of service.” That probably angered her more. She squeezed my jaw to the point I could feel a bruise forming.

“You think you’re something huh?!” With that she threw my face sideways and grabbed my hair.

She had a good grip on it. Her other minions took this opportunity to join in.

This is taking every ounce of patience I have.

I breathed in and snatched Annah’s hair as well.

Without a slight hint of hesitation, I pulled with so much force that some of her hair came off.

This made her release my hair instantaneously.

“AHH! Bitch! What did you do?!”

“I checked the adhesive between your hair and your scalp. It wasn’t strong enough, unfortunately.”

“I’ll fucking kill you!” She ran towards me at full speed.

Before she could reach me though, I stepped forward and raised my leg.

It precisely hit her chin, successfully making her head roll backward, making her fall on her ass.

I looked at the minions who were frozen at the sides.

When I looked beneath me, there was a cup of dirty paint water. I took their moment of bewilderedness and splashed them with the remaining liquid from the cup.

They all shrieked and looked at me.

“It looked like you all needed a drink. Being thirsty for attention and all.”

One by one they angrily bulldozered towards me.

I kicked the first person to reach me, right on her ankle. When she staggered, I quickly kneed her chest.

The next person came from behind me. She was about to punch me when I moved back and punched her ribcage.

I then grabbed the next person’s hair and spun her around, making sure that the other minions were dragged along.

I let go once the last minion standing on the sidelines tripped and fell.

I didn’t see Rebecca standing again, so she was able to scratch my face when I turned around to face her.

“You deserved that you freak! I’ll make sure to ruin your annoying face!” She was now about to punch me in the face when I leaned away. Annah appeared behind me and was about to trip my leg. By reflex, I flipped backward and managed to avoid her kick.

“Honestly. This is getting stupid.” Pissed, I took a step backward and slapped both of them with all my frustrations.

That’s one hell of a ninety degree.

“Enough, children. You’re all looking pitiful, don’t you think?” I sent them a scrutinizing gaze.

The room turned out to be a mess. There were girls sleeping on the floor, some were grunting, and some were shedding turns brought about by their growing humiliation.

I walked back toward my drafting table. The sight remained uncomfortable to look at. I closed my eyes and tilted my head upward. I bit my lip to prevent a cry of anger from coming out. When I opened my eyes once again, I disregarded everything around me.

I merely grabbed my things and proceeded towards the exit. I avoided the lying women on the ground. The spectators avoided me as I walked past them.

The bullshit just doesn’t leave me alone anymore.

I turned a blind eye on the divided looks from the people. The disgust. The fear. The admiration. The curiosity.

After everything that happened today, I can only categorize them as nothing but burdensome.

“Wait!” That was definitely Solar. After what happened, can’t she leave me alone for even a minute?

“Please hear me out!” The students present in the hallway were giving us weird looks.

I walked faster and headed to the garden. My tranquil place.

I just need some peace and quiet.

I am so degraded. All I want is to calm myself. Alone.

Once I sat down at my favorite spot, the burden and stress slowly strangled me.

I feel like there is something crawling onto my skin. Clawing at me. Dragging me down further than where I am now.

I placed my arms on the table and leaned my head on it.

And all at once, the fountain of tears overflowed.

The image of my favored memory was slowly turning into nothing but a pile of hatred and shame.

The colors and music from that time are disappearing.

The vivid organization of sequences is distorted.

How can something so precious turn into that of a fearsome eradication?

As I began to succumb into my wallow, a voice suddenly appeared.

“Hey. Are you okay?”

When I looked up, I saw a gleam of mesmerizing colors.

The eyes of the watcher were black with dancing golds. The swaying hair of that familiar rose gold.

Ross.

“Here.”

Caught up with my own appreciation of his beauty, I did not see him reach a hand towards me.

When I looked at it, a handkerchief was placed on top of it.

Again, a pink piece of cloth with black borders and gold linings.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Him and his colors.

He froze and looked at me confusingly.

I shook my head in dismissal of the previous thought.

“I don’t need it.”

“Say that to me when your face does not remember the tears anymore.”

Surprised, I was not able to utter a response.

I touched my cheeks and felt the damp skin, a reminder of my discomfort.

I swiftly wiped away the remaining moisture from my face.

While doing so, he lifted the hand holding the handkerchief.

I thought he was going to put it away, but he did the thing I was least expecting.

He gently tapped my dampened cheeks with the cloth.

It was soft. Like a caress.

I couldn’t move and all I was able to do was watch him with wide eyes.

Once he was finished, he straightened up and placed the handkerchief into the palm of my hands.

“I know that the traces are almost unidentifiable, but when the time comes that your tears cannot hold on anymore, use this without any reluctance.” He warmly smiled at me and left.

I was unable to utter anything.

I was only able to divert my gaze when I felt a slight stinging pain from my cheek.

I forgot that I was scratched there. When I looked at my arm, there was also a long line evident.

I was bewildered when he came back holding a wet cloth. He also grabbed a mini first aid kit from his bag and sat down on the seat near me.

He calmly cleaned my scratches.

I was completely frozen as he treated my wounds.

“I also don’t mean to intrude but I think your friend is really concerned about you.”

He pointed towards the entrance of the garden and there I saw Solar standing nervously. Behind him was Ross’ friend, Haru.

Without taking my eyes off of them, I said, “She’s not my friend.”

“That’s not what she thinks, though.” He replied.

I looked at him and couldn’t help but question his motives. For what reason was he being so nice to me? Even after all the things that had happened.

“I can easily know what you’re thinking. Why am I intruding?” He smirked at me.

“I originally thought of it as being nice but intruding has a nice ring to it.”

And with that, he laughed. Whole-heartedly. He finished what he was doing and leaned on the chair.

“Hmm… Let’s just say that I am intrigued about you?”

“Don’t tell me you like me?” I gauged at him.

“Okay, I won’t.” He even winked at me.

I was appalled. What’s wrong with him?

“Your face is a little red. You should fix that. I just might think that you like me.”

“What the?”

“Hey! Haru! Solar! You can come closer. She doesn’t bite.”

I scrunch my face at the term he used.

“Why do you keep on meddling?” I annoyingly spat at him.

“Looks like you needed a friend.”

“I told you already. She is not my frien-”

“I never said she was. I just said you needed one. It doesn’t matter if you want one or not.” He shrugged.

“You just leveled up from meddlesome to ignorant. Good job.”

“Thanks. It was a pleasure.”

“You like to satisfy yourself, don’t you?”

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me, “Of course.”

My jaw literally dropped. Before I can come up with a rebuttal, Solar came running towards me. When she was near enough, she immediately jumped onto me and engulfed me with a hug.

“Um…You’re too close.” I tried prying her arms away from me but alas, she just hugged me tighter.

“I’m so sorry for everything. I was also not able to do anything for you today. In the end you were the one who helped me.”

“Who said I was helping you?” She suddenly loosened her hold, so I was forced to look at her.

She was wearing a sad expression on her face.

I averted my gaze from her.

“Dia.”

“What?” Solar asked hurriedly.

“Dia. My name. It’s Miradia Clementia Alluren.”

All of them looked at me in shock.

Solar looked like she won a trophy with that happy face of hers.

“Is this a re-introduction?” Ross interrupted.

“No.” I glared at him.

He smiled and lent his hand, “Rosso Fierlow. You can call me Ross.”

He snatched my hand and shook it on his own when I didn’t bother to reach out to him.

It was warm. His hand.

Before I could enjoy myself with that warmth, Solar stole my hand from Ross’ grip and held it between her hands.

“Solar, although I think I already shared my name on multiple occasions! I’m still happy to be friends with you!”

“We are no-”

“Umm, I’m H-Haru. Harulian Percsimond. I-I hope it’s okay…”

I looked at him and he began to quiver.

“Hm. I’ve been forced all day, as if I can stop you from doing the same.” I directed my gaze into the sky.

I could tell that he felt relieved from my peripheral vision.

Thus, my world began its reconstruction.