Limitless

Chapter 14: Afraid

t/w: a***e/bullying

"Marcus!" Katie shouted at him while he is about to leave their house.

"Hi." Marcus greeted her, she smiles widely.

"How are you?" Marcus asks her.

"I was fine, how about you?"

"Been tired, being the school president is not a chill job anyway. It was tiring. Super."

"Hm, Nothing beats super Marcus so you can do it!" She cheered him, Marcus smiles at him.

They were walking towards their school and Katie as her usual thing she is talking about her new friends, new games, new movies. and new hobbies. Marcus as his usual thing as well listening intently.

When they were near the gate, Katie suddenly left Marcus and she went for something.

"Uh you can go to school now, I have something to buy!" She said and wave her hands at him and runs towards the nearest store.

Marcus shrugged his shoulder and then enters the school by himself. Almost every day he notices that Katie keeps on making excuses so the next day, he pretended he went to school already.

"Good morning Planter!" Katie greeted the planter.

"Where's Marcus?" She asks and I gave the panter a sign telling her I went to school already.

"Ah, he headed to school already." Katie made a sad face and that made me concerned but I stand firm that I needed to find the reason why she keeps on

***

"Mom, dad..." I am trying so hard not to make any sound, I am here inside my room hearing their loud noises from the outside. I am barely living I do not know how to react.

"It is all your fault, how can we save someone else's life when you are not here!" My mom shouted.

"I do not know that was happening!" My dad shouted back.

I do not have any idea for what they are fighting for, I do not know their dilemma. The only thing I know is that they are arguing about something I do not have any idea about.

"Thylane..." My mom is knocking on my door. I opened it a little bit scared.

"I'm sorry for you to hear those loud noises." She said and hugged me.

"I'll be enrolling you at Isaac's," she said and I was so shocked when my dad suddenly shouted.

"You'll enroll her in that school?"

"Yes, and I have a plan."

They are arguing again in front of me, I am just an 11 years old little girl, trying to figure out things. They've been like this since I was little but I am still confused about what was happening.

My mom enrolled me in exclusive tutoring, she let me understand things this way. My dad enrolled me in a prestigious school to advance my knowledge. I was so drained the first time. But I am now enjoying every summer break, weekend, and holiday reading and studying new things. I get addicted to studying and it makes me feel like I am in the other world.

It became my escape.

Whenever I went home, I saw a dad with his suitcase, my mom in the study room, reading a bunch of papers. They were always busy and I am now happy that I am here receiving the same busy energy and finally staying away from them.

"Thylane, we'll be going to France next week." I got shocked when my mom suddenly said that.

I was confused. What are we going to do in France?'

"Uhm, we have a business meeting there." My dad explained and I just nodded.

Next week will be our school break, I already planned to enter another exclusive tutoring but suddenly my parents decided to go for an out-of-town vacation. Well, I wanted to unwind as well, been a little bit tired of not doing anything. It feels illegal not studying anything now.

My parents especially my mom packed my things and dad fixes our passports. All the way the plane ride I was sleeping my parents is both busy with their tablets so I never bothered asking some things that are making me curious. When we landed we immediately went to a hospital, It makes me wonder why are we heading there maybe the client was hospitalized. My mom told me to stay on the ground floor so I just said yes. While waiting I got bored so I walk around to find something. Then I saw a library I went there to read and study things about medicine, it was so relaxing, using my mind made me feel relaxed. It was pampering.

I ask questions to the librarian about the terms I don't understand, some things like a scalpel and other things. I keep on asking and she keeps on answering. I love her accent to she looks like a half-something. I wanted to ask her nationality but I keep myself silent I don't want to become a sudden investigator on someone.

When I finished reading a small book I bid my goodbye to the librarian. And when I get out I was so shocked that the hospital has much-armed personnel I raised both my hands for me not get hurt. I felt a little bit scared when the guy with a long g*n went towards me.

"I think this is the girl." He said and carried me. I saw my mom crying I don't understand why. I didn't bother asking anyway.

***

"Who are you?"

"Katie..."

"Please Marcus. You hated me so get out of my life!" Katie said and left Marcus.

Marcus just followed Katie with hi sight. He can't do anything now he's been busy before. He doesn't want to hurt her before. Only if he knows that it will make a big impact on their friendship he should not do the same action.

***

Exam week finally arrived and everyone is cramming, but not to Thylane, she is calmly sipping her ice coffee in the side corner of their rom she is on her headphones and waiting for the bell to ring. She has been prepared for this day and her classmates were still doing their part.

When the bell rings their teacher entered the room and they started the examination. everyone is afraid except for Thylane. The test papers have been distributed and everyone was shocked about the exam, everyone is having a hard time.

Thylane answered the test questions easy as 1,2,3. Like as if it was one of the easiest exams she ever took. Everyone is complaining that it was a hard exam but Thylane won't agree with them, same as through with Marcus who is quietly answering the test questions. 1 hour had passed.

"Pass your papers." the teacher announces.

"Well be checking your papers so I'll be redistributing it to you."

the teacher redistributed the papers, and they checked them.

"Who got the perfect score?" the teacher asks and two of the students stand.

with that Thylane felt that something is happening and she felt defeat. She thought Marcus did something dirty.

"Who are they?"

"Thylane Santos."

"The other one?"

"Zion Dominguez." everyone was shocked because they never imagined it happening.

"Aww, did it happen? Can you re-check it?" Zion said while giving Thylane a teasing look.

"Okay I'll re-check it." the teacher immediately get the paper and do her re-check but still ended up with no errors/

"It was a great job, Zion. Congrats."

***

Everyone was shocked by the result, everyone is wondering how did Zion get a perfect score when he barely studies. While on the other hand, Zion is just sitting at the corner laughing like there is no tomorrow, the teacher already left them and went for the meeting and the class still can't get over it. Thylane was silent and she was thinking how and why did he do that.

"Is he trying to compete with me?"

"Does he knows my plan to be the top achiever?"

"Why does he act like this?"

"It's bothering me, 1 million percent!"

Thylane's mind was full of thoughts and it was messy, even if Kattie keep on telling her stories about something and everything. She just can't focus because her mind was full of thoughts. It was full of insecurities and she doesn't know how could she do it all. She has been wondering how did Zion manage to perfect the exam when he barely studies.

Girls around the campus keep on talking about Zion's achievements but Zion doesn't care about those because he wants a congratulation from Thylane.

"Hey, Softie!" He shouted from the hallway while holding the ball, He just went from the basketball court and Marcus is following him. Seems like they had a one-to-one fight.

"What?" Thylane asks.

"I haven't heard your warm congratulations." Zion teases her as he winks at her.

"Congratulations." She said and walked away, Kattie followed her and Zion smiles like it was the most precious word he could hear.

"Marcus, one more fight!" He shouted and throws the ball to Marcus.

They had been playing basketball since earlier after the exam, in their school, it was mandated for them to take 1 subject exam every day and here they are using their free time to play and unwind. They both went to the basketball court and started playing.

"Marcus, how about this one, Thylane greeted me. I think you lose?"

"Dude, I've been winning," Marcus said that making Zion frown, what pisses Zion off more is that Marcus shoots the ball ringless.

"See, I am winning. Effortlessly." Marcus said and dribbles again the ball and shoot it for the second time, it was from the three-point area.

"Like as if, I made a bunch of effort studying at night just to get a 45 score," Zion said as he dribbles the ball effortlessly shoot it.

"I perfect the exam without even reading the whole book." He said and shoot again.

Marcus is enjoying that he is finally pissing off Zion, for the first time in his life he pisses off the great Zion Dominguez his number one rebel. Marcus is doing his things on purpose to piss off Zion even more. He knows how intelligent Zion and he is using reverse psychology for him to let it out again.

"Zion, it seems like we're never been best of friends," Marcus said and he steal the ball from Zion.

"Best of friends your a*s," Zion said pissed off now.

"Yeah, we are friends since Prep I guess?"

"We were never friends, we're just classmates BOGO."

They have been playing for 30 minutes and none of them is willing to lose and win the game, They are dedicated to winning the battle.

***

t/w: Bullying

"Who the f**k got the highest score?" The guy shouted when he noticed that he wasn't called for the highest grade.

"That b***h!" They all pointed their hands at me as if getting blamed for gaining the highest score. I never even planned to have such a grade it just happened that's why.

"You must flirt the dean, huh!" They came near me and pulled m hair.

I wanted to scream, but I do not want to make a scene. I cried while trembling. They wrote something in my uniform and then leave me there all alone, crying and asking for help.

Why do I have to suffer all these things?

***

"Thylane, Zion got the highest grade huh, feels like he wins over you." Katie teases Thylane, Thylane just shrugged her shoulders and eat his sandwich.

They walk around the school. The exam just ended and they are here enjoying their break from academics. Thylane wasn't used for this type but Katie makes sure that she enjoys whatever they do.

"Thylane, we should go to the department store, I will treat you!" Katie said excitedly Thylane just nodded forgetting to advance study. They went to the bus station and rode to the mall, while they were on their way Katie keeps on talking and Thylane just laughs a little bit when she says something funny. She might not be so used to having friends but Katie's vibes are different she feels like she is the difference she needed at all.

When they arrived at the mall they hurriedly run to the nearest ice cream shop, Katie brought her favorite strawberry ice cream.

"You should taste it, it is the yummiest ice cream in town!" she said exaggeratedly.

"You sure? I am not a sweet tooth."

"Just try this one." Katie persuaded her and she managed to make her eat the ice cream.

After that they went to the makeup store, Katie tries the eyebrows, eyeshadows, and other makeup kits on Thylane's face, Thylane never disagrees so she enjoys what she was doing on her face.

"I love your face," Katie informed her.

"It is so soft and pretty, easy to design. I hope I had that kind of face too," she said as she pouted, Thylane laughs a little.

"You were way more beautiful than I am, don't ever compare my face to yours," Thylane informed her, she then smiled widely.

"That's why I loved you so much!" She said exaggeratedly.

They entered a female dress shop and Katie always convince Thylane to try the dress that she wants and she will rate it. She is trying to make Thylane more fashionable than she is right now, Thylane is getting impatient but she still managed to smile when she is showing Katie a dress, while Katie is pretending to be a fashion galore guru Thylane is making some poses asked by Katie to do.

Katie laughs at her when she wears something she doesn't like to wear but Thylane just glared at her, but since they were friends she doesn't even care.

When Thylane went out from the dressing room wearing the red and black lace dress paired with her earrings and even put on some little make-up plus her messy bun hair. Katie was stunned when she saw her friend she even stood up to give her a clap.

"You look so pretty dangerous!" She said and jump out of her joy.

"Okay, you can wear it on our graduation ball!" She shouted again.

"Graduation is on next year we are still in our third-year grade," Thylane told her she just laughed before answering her question.

"That's near even!" Katie said while laughing.

They bought the dress and earrings, Katie found a dress for her too, she has hen style in choosing dresses she wants she got it from her mom so they didn't stay there for another one hour, they went to the perfume section and bought perfumes, she offered perfume for Thylane but she ddoesn'twant to so she just put it back on the shelves. Next is they went to the cinema they watch a science fiction drama.

After that they stayed on the bleachers eating the take-out meals.

"Thanks." Thylane speaks up after a long silence.

"Why?" Katie asks innocently while eating her food.

"Nothing, but still thank you, anyways I heard you join a startup modeling fashion show?" Thylane changes the topic.

"Yes, you should watch it is on weekends," Katie informed her and she just nodded.

"I always dream of becoming a model, but being bullied at our old school make me question my eligibility, thank God I have a super supportive mom and dad." She said and continued to eat her food.

Thylane stared at her while Katie is telling stories about her parents, somehow she felt envy from her, she has a super supportive support system, they were always there for all her wins and losses but her. She was always been criticized for being ranked 2, for not getting any better grades, for being a weataekwondodo player, for being not Kumon's first honor. somehow she felt free for a day. She is so thankful that she got Katie, as her friend.

The driver get there from the mall, they went straight home and Thylane just said no drop her at the nearest grocery store. It is still quiet far from their house but she is kind of shy at Katie.

While walking she is daydreaming about a life that Katie has. A dream of her.

What would it feel to be like Katie? Am I enough on my mom's sight if I were like her? What if I am an honor student? Are they still proud of me? Are they even proud of me? I felt envy and I am crying for my younger self, not getting the love that she deserve the love that she always looking for but never received either. At some moment, she thinks of staying away from her parents. Sometimes she is excited to enter a university today away from all this hates she always felt.

When she was about to enter their house she heard her parents shouting at each other again. They are having arguments again as their usual thing.

She decided not to go home for a while but got to her favorite bookstore near their house. She ordered ramen before entering the book store.

"Oh, fresh from school?" The owner asks her and she just nodded after that she entered and put her ramen on the table, she went to the bookshelves to look for her favorite book.

"It seems like someone's sad," the owner speaks up, and then Thylane just sighed.

"What deep sigh, I think you needed another ramen, I'll make one for you," the owner told her and she didn't bother to answer the question.

She eats her ramen first before reading her favorite book. Reading makes her mind clear, it is always been her escape from reality she manages to forget all her problems whenever she is reading it is letting her enter another dimension.

"Here's another ramen for my favorite customer," the owner told her excitedly.

"Thanks" Thylane thanked the owner before eating.

"You know what, whatever that's keep on bothering you right now, will be forgotten in the next year, don't be so drowned on the idea that it might be the end of the line. Remember that life is a series of problems that will make us grow," The owner told him that making her stunned to speak.

"Don't be afraid to lose, there will always be a next time to win," he added.