Scars Within

CHAPTER TWO

Chapter two

“Leave me alone” I screamed as Nick dragged me to my room. He kicked my back causing me to hit my head on the stairs. “Aargh” I shouted as I felt pain in my head.

      He crouched to my level lifting my head to look at him. “Say one more word and you’re dead” he spoke harshly. He stood up dragging my hair. Ouch. He ordered me to stand up which I did out of fear. He pushed me into my room throwing me to the ground. I screamed as I felt him inside me.

“Talie, Talie are you okay” Ariel jerked me to reality. Oh it was just a dream. Ariel looked at me. I could tell she was worried. Really worried. I asked her to stay over last night when I knew I couldn’t take this on alone.

“Talie what’s wrong, you were just screaming” she held my hands.

“I am fine, just a dream” I assured her.

 “Just a dream that made you scream so much, what was it about” she looked really curious.

“You don’t need to worry yourself, Ariel, I’m fine” I can’t tell her about this. I don’t blame her for being so curious, I could tell I screamed loudly cos that dream was horrible.

“Worry” she flared up. “I think I deserve to know what made you like that, I mean……...” my alarm clock interrupted her. Bless you, alarm clock. “We better get ready for school” I changed the topic. She looked at me suspiciously. “Something’s wrong, Natalie and I’m gonna figure it out” she said so sure of herself.

“Good luck with that”

…………………………………………………

I took the books I needed for class as I thought of my dream. I need help. Some of my books fell to the floor. As I bent to pick them up, I saw a hand picking some of the books. I looked up. It was Xander. Xander hart.

“Hi pretty” he stared into my eyes. What the heck. We were totally staring into each other’s eyes. Snap out of it, Natalie. They’re all the same. I ignored what he said and took my books from him when we stood up.

 Xander was one of the most popular boys in school just like Tyler but not for sports. His parents were the owners of one of the most popular restaurant called ‘Eatlicious’, funny name right.

The restaurant was known for its very special and really expensive beef. I had only tasted it once when my dad took the whole family for dinner. And I’m talking about my real dad. My biological dad. It was way before he died.

 I really shouldn’t be thinking about this right now. I bit my lips trying to hold back the tears. Xander was staring at me. He looked confused.

“Hey, are you okay” he asked.

“Excuse me” I replied coldly. I don’t have time for this. I made to walk away but he touched my arm making me stop. “I just wanted to help” he hesitated still looking into my eyes.

“What do you want” I said colder than I sounded before. He sighed in a way that really made him look cute. Gosh I should stop this. “Have I ever done anything wrong to you, you’re always………” I cut him off “I have a class to be at, excuse me Xander”.

I let go of his hold and walked away icily. I didn’t have to look back. I could tell he was looking at me. I’m not going to trust any boy because I did that and it destroyed me, literally. I entered the class just in time, the bell rung immediately I sat down. I brought out my biology textbook and placed it on my locker, I was about to open it when someone sat down beside me. It was Tyler. He winked at me when I looked at him. I rolled my eyes and made to open my textbook.

“Can we open our textbooks to page 67 please” Mrs. Harper, the teacher said. I did so and tried to focus on what the teacher was saying until I heard someone say ‘psst’ to me. It was Tyler, again. I looked at him expecting him to give me a reason for what he did.

He turned to look at a group of 4 girls giggling and on little occasions turning to look at me. I knew they were talking about me. Why was he telling me? Why did he even care?

He snapped me out of my thoughts “you want me to teach them a lesson, my sister could deal with them”. His sister, Darcy Lacroix, she was one of the meanest girls in our school. I wouldn’t say she was a bully, just don’t go near her turf and she won’t go near yours.

I remember 3 months ago, when she wedgie bounced Timmy Quail, her ex-boyfriend after she caught him cheating on her. It was so hilarious.

I laughed a little at the thought of it.

“I’m serious, my sister can do it” Tyler looked at me with a serious face. He must have thought I was laughing at what he said.

“Look Tyler, I don’t need your help, anyone can say what they want about me, and besides, it’s none of your business” I told him with my ‘I don’t care’ face.

“Of course it’s my business, I’ve made it my job to protect pretty girls like you, Natalie” He had an innocent grin on his face just like the one nick had on the night he r***d me.

That grin brought back those memories. A tear managed to slip out of my eye and before I knew it, I was crying.

“Hey, are you okay, you’re crying” he whispered after touching my arm. I threw his hand away in anger. I’m only crying right now because of you. I wish everyone would just leave me alone.

I excused myself from the classroom and ran into the girls’ bathroom.

I tried to wipe the tears from my face but it kept gushing out. Memories of how nick slapped and battered me up the first night came back. The other times he r***d me was just me reliving the first night. The first night was the worst day of my life apart from my dad’s death of course.

It’s very funny how a lot of people surround me and try to get my attention but I always tell them off, not only boys but even girls sometimes.

                 Ariel was always telling me I was lucky to have boys asking me out when for her it was only on rare occasions she got asked out. But I never wanted another friend. I only trusted Ariel and no one else. She’d been there when no one else was. I just wish I could tell her about my problems.

I looked at the mirror and noticed the tears had made marks on my face. I was wiping them off when I noticed someone staring at me from the back through the mirror. It was Xander. What is he doing here? How long has he been staring at me? These were the questions that roamed my mind. I faced him nervously.

“Umm……I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, I just saw you storm in here, crying and I just decided to check if you were okay” he looked really concerned and nervous too. Why is he like that?

 I stared into his face. Gosh, this guy is cute.

“Well, you’ve checked, I’m fine, you can now leave” I spoke really harshly.

“Maybe if you tell me what it is, I can help” he moved closer.

“I just told you that I’m fine so bug off” I pushed him backwards. He stared at his chest.

“What did I ever do to you that made you hate me so much” he moved closer than before and were one-inch from each other. Man, he is really cute. “Back off, xander” I almost shouted and made to leave when he pulled me to himself and said “is it wrong that I care about you”.

What he said kinda touched me and I calmed down, breathed in out slowly. His gaze went to my lips. He closed in like he was waiting for an invitation to kiss me.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he had crashed his lips into mine. I hesitated at first but within a very short while, I relaxed my lips into his.

Whoa. What the heck. What am I doing? I’m kissing Xander Hart right now. If it was someone else, I would have pushed him away but there was something about him that wasn’t in other boys, I just didn’t know what it was. I had found him cuter and accepted him than other boys. Yeah, that’s right. Have I developed a crush for him? No, it’s not possible. Boys are nothing but heartless and wicked animals. That thought brought me back to Nick.

       I pulled away immediately.  We stared at each other a little bit after which he let go of my arms.

“Excuse me, I gotta go” I whispered and left the bathroom feeling a little happy about myself. I heard him calling my name, telling me to wait. I really liked the way he called my name ‘na-ta-LIE’.

It made my name sound really exotic. It’s been a long time anyone managed to make me feel happy in school, except for Ariel anyways. My mind skipped back to what he said before the kiss “is it wrong that I care about you”. No Xander. It’s not wrong. I just can’t trust any boy. I’m never gonna risk that.

I just hope he doesn’t take the fact that I kissed him back wrongly. I never gonna date him. I’m never gonna date any guy. Not in this state. If he comes back to talk to me, I’m gonna tell him off like I tell every other guy so something stupid doesn’t occur.

The bell rung which meant it was lunch time. I walked into the cafeteria and searched for Ariel. I didn’t see her so I picked my food from the lunch lady and sat down at our normal table. When I said ‘our’ I meant Ariel and I. 

Ariel understood that I didn’t like being around others except for her so she risked her social life for me. She had far more friends than me and was internet-famous, literally. You wanna know why she’s so popular, well, I’ll tell you. She was a fashion queen. Most times I helped her take pictures when she was done dressing herself. She gave fashion tips on videos. That’s why she’s so famous. I was okay with that as long as she didn’t bring any of them near me. I often wondered how we were best friends when we were so different from each other. I wonder a lot of things about Ariel.

               Most times, I wonder why she didn’t get dates even when she was so, well, popular. It’s very funny, Natalie, the snob witch and shy nerd gets asked out all the time and gets attention while Ariel, the popular girl and internet celebrity gets little attention and gets asked out once in a while. I didn’t even notice when Tyler sat down opposite me. He snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Pretty, what are you thinking” he stood up from where he was sitting before and sat down beside me. “Can you not call me that” I told him really annoyed.

“Why, it’s true”. I ignored the compliment.

“Why are you even sitting here” I faced him.

“Just decided to sit down beside beautiful ladies today” he moved closer and placed his arm around my shoulder.

I faked a gag. “You are so annoying”.

“And handsome” he rubbed my back with his arm. I immediately removed it when I saw Ariel walking towards our table. Tyler looked at her and backed up a bit before he spoke. “You’re embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“Maybe” I faced front and drank out of my soda noisily so he could understand that I didn’t want to hear him talk.

       Ariel sat down opposite Tyler looking at him dreamily. She didn’t even notice me. Tyler was also looking at her. What the heck is going on? What’s going on between those two? They both kept locked in that gaze without moving a muscle. I can’t take this anymore. I’m gonna break the moment. I was going to do that but someone else did it for me.

“Uh… hey Ty didn’t see you yesterday at the party” Xander sat next to me. Why me? Well, it’s kind of obvious; we just kissed in the girls’ bathroom so of course he thinks he’s my friend now. I’m gonna burst his bubbles anyways.

“You can’t just si…….” Tyler interrupted me.

“Yeah, I kind of had to stay home” he turned away from Ariel, finally. Thanks Xander. Although you are setting in for a heartbreak.

Ariel looked at me smiling sheepishly. Wow. Soon enough, girlfriend.

Xander kept talking to Tyler diverting our eyes towards them. “Stay home, why, what for?”

“Well I had to show up at our family dinner so I didn’t really have time” he explained.

“Oh” Xander mouthed. “Well, you missed out, it was a crash”.

 I looked at him; his blonde hair curled backwards making his blue eyes pop out. Man, he is handsome. Nah. Just cute, really cute. I stared at him for a long while as he kept talking until someone snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Someone’s drooling” Tyler smirked in a really annoying way.

“Must you always be annoying” I said awfully pissed. He laughed instead of noticing the fact that I was really mad. Is he crazy or just mentally derailed? I let it out.

“Will you just shut up and let me enjoy my food in peace, snorter boy” I called him the nickname given to him by Billy the school bully. That was when we were still in the 5th grade. He always bullied Tyler. Most times he would hang him from his underwear on the lockers. Everyone would laugh but not me. I liked Tyler then but not anymore. He would cry while hanging and snort in the process.

That’s why he was called snorter boy. But no one has called him that in years.

He looked at me. I could tell he was really hurt by what I said. I breathed out trying to make him understand I didn’t mean it but he didn’t exactly get that, did he?

“Sorry, I’m gonna leave you since my presence disgusts you this much”. His voice was broken. Man, I messed up.

“Tyler, I….” I tried to apologize but he cut me off.

“Don’t worry about it, I get it, you hate me, you are not actually the first person to feel that way about me” his eyes watered.

 What the heck does that mean? Don’t really care right now. Gotta fix it, anyway. He’s crying, really. What have I done? I get the fact that I get hurt most of the time but I never wanted to hurt others. I wonder what memories I stirred up in his head.

“See you later, man” he waved at Xander before leaving.

“Thanks a lot, Talie” Ariel looked at me. She looked really mad but why.

“What do you mean” I asked her confused.

“Thanks for making him leave” she said in a sarcastic tone.

“Do you like him or something” I asked her not minding the fact that Xander was sitting next to me.

Ariel ignored me and kept eating her food while Xander looked at me puckering his eyebrows like he was expecting an answer to a question. What the heck.

“What?” I asked him stressing the t-.

“Why’d you do that, you just hurt my cousin” he started eating his fries. Wait, cousin. I really didn’t know. But why weren’t they at the family dinner together like Tyler said.

“Really, your cousin, if he was your cousin, how come you didn’t go to the so-called family dinner yesterday” I asked.

 He thinks am stupid. Cousins, really.

“that’s because it was their family dinner, as a family, together, they don’t all stay together, Tyler and Darcy lives with their grandpa while their parents and Zoey stay in California” he explained.

Zoey was Tyler’s younger sister. I had seen her once when Xander was playing with her in Eatlicious. Very cute girl, actually. I never knew they were cousins.

“Oh” I mouthed.

“So his parents came to his grandpa’s house and they all ate dinner, together” he added.

“Well, whatever, I didn’t mean to hurt him, it was a slip” I turned away from him and started munching on my food.

“A slip, as always” Ariel said off-minded. Is she still mad? Okay, she definitely likes him. Confirmed. It’s very funny, actually. Ariel’s in love.

“Hi, Xander” a group of cheerleaders passed by our table giggling and waving to Xander flirtatiously as they walked. Xander didn’t even pay them any attention. He just kept eating his food. I guess that’s what if feels like to be popular. You have got everyone at your beck and call. I

I don’t blame the girls though, Xander is really cute. I sometimes wondered why he talks to me of all people, the ‘snob witch’. There were plenty other girls he could talk to. There was Kira Merante, one of the prettiest girls in our school, Noelle Xavier who was the best friend to Kira and also very pretty. There were couple of other girls like that and even the cheerleaders. He could have chosen one of them but why me…...

It’s still bothers me.

“What you thinking about” Xander touched my shoulder.

“Nothing that’s your business” I shrugged his arm off. What does he think he is to me? I mean we’re not even friends. We shared one kiss but that doesn’t make us friends, does it?

He sighed and continued eating his food. I guess he’s gotten used to that. Me always telling him off. I really don’t have a choice; boys are stupid……

But in a way, Xander doesn’t deserve that. He always tries to talk to me but, well, I’ll say am not really inclined in that aspect. You can’t blame me. I was first r***d at the age of 14 so what do you really expect. Lost my best friend before that. Can’t take it all in. Dad, I need you. I wish you were here now.

He’d know what to do. He always does. Best dad there ever was. I’ll always love you.

I can’t do this. I looked beside me. Ariel wasn’t there anymore. Where’d she go? I need her.

I didn’t even know I had started crying. No. Not now. This is so embarrassing. At least our table is hidden enough. Not hidden, just secluded. I chose it so I wouldn’t have to see people or be interrupted by anyone. It’s helped me a lot.

Xander wrapped his arms around me pulling me into a hug. I didn’t pull away. I need this, a lot.

“Is it about your dad?” he patted my dark hair softly.

As he mentioned my dad, tears crept out from my eyes more than before. He pulled me closer placing a kiss on my forehead. I smiled a little as he did that. Maybe he isn’t so bad. I hugged him back touching his shoulders. He wiped my tears with his fingers softly making my insides tingle a little.

“It’s okay, Flower, you don’t need to cry anymore” he spoke lovingly as he slowly pulled away.

Wait up. Let’s back up a bit. What did he just call me? Flower. Where’d that come from?

“What did you just call me” I asked with my voice still broken from all the crying.

 “I want to call you Flower, don’t you like it” he smiled as I turned to look at him.

“I don’t know, Flower” I said with a straight face.

“It’s the kind of name people like you deserve special people” he played with my hair pressing it backwards. Man, he is getting me. I gotta stop this.

Ariel sat down and I immediately removed Xander’s arm from my shoulder cleaning myself and shrugging a lot. Xander looked at me with a ‘seriously’ look on his face. He can’t blame me. Ariel is gonna start teasing me any minute from now. Xander whispered into my ears.

 “You can’t hide from the fact, Flower”. I moved away a bit facing him.

“What’s that supposed to mean” I said audibly trying to stop Ariel from saying something stupid.

 Trust me. Ariel really gets on my nerves a lot. She thinks it funny but it’s not. I remember one time when we were at a party. That would be 3 years ago. I was 13. Yes, 13. I was dancing alone minding my own business when Ariel started talking about me on the stage front where everyone could hear and see her.

Let me narrate that part to you.

“everyone I want you to welcome my bestie, Natalie, as you know she loves comedy so can we all welcome her to the stage as she tries to amuse us” She welcomed me to the stage as she stretched her hands. Is she crazy? I asked myself as I looked around embarrassed. She knows I’m crowd conscious. Uhhh. This will be awful. I hate it when Ariel is like this. She acts insane at times.

“Uh…. Guys, I’m kinda...” Someone cut me off immediately by shouting my name.

“Natalie, Natalie, Natalie” Everyone started shouting my name until I stepped onto the stage.

“Guys, I don’t think this is necessary” I said nervously with my face facing the floor.

“Make us laugh, freak” Billy shouted as everyone immediately laughed.

I left the stage out of shame and shyness running out of the hall. Ariel got me into this. I’m gonna kill her when I see her. Really. Must she always be so annoying?

“Natalie, why’d you leave like that, it was just a joke, and I didn’t see it as an insult” She looked innocently touching my shoulder. I shrugged out of her touch as I stared at her angrily. I can’t even sum up how angry I am right now.

“What?” She said in the same tone.

“Ariel, what were you thinking, you got me humiliated, not to talk of the fact that you know how shy I am in front of people” I asked clearly annoyed.

“I just wanted to help get over your shyness, that’s all, I never knew you’d take it this way” She said with an apologetic look on her face.

I can’t stay mad at this princess for long. But I gotta make her feel bad for what she did.

“oh, so you thought you were helping me by getting me embarrassed in front of everyone” I crossed my arms making her get that I’m so mad.

“I’m sorry, Ariel, I’m just trying to be a good bestie, I knew am not good at this, being a friend” She said with tears gushing out from her eyes slowly.

I can’t take this. My bestie’s crying. No way. She wronged me but I’m not gonna leave her this way.

“Ariel, stop it, we’re outside” I said moving closer to her.

She cried more in a really funny way. Ah, what the heck! I hugged her wiping her tears. She smiled suddenly pinching me.

“Ouch, Ariel, why” I asked surprised ………...

“Ha, I knew you’d fall for it, such a softy” She laughed heartily as I stood in bewilderment looking at my crazy bestie.