02
1687 Words
Deep in fitful sleep, I felt fingers caressing my hair. They trailed lightly through it before a warm palm cupped my face.
“Elle, wake up, sweetie.”
A husky voice murmured close to my ear while a hand shook me gently. I fought to break free from Morpheus’s hold until, blearily, I blinked continually. My blurry vision finally cleared, revealing the person seated beside me on my narrow bed.
“Mom?” I croaked.
She smiled, her hidden dimple flashing at the corner of her mouth. “Good morning, sweetie pie. How are you feeling today? Did you sleep well?”
She took my hand in hers and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it.
I frowned, blinking in confusion. What is she—
Then the memories of last night slammed into me with the force of a sledgehammer.
“Hey, hey, hey,” my mother said quickly, seeing the sorrow flood my face. She pulled me upright, leaned back against the headboard, and gathered me into her arms. “It’s okay, sweetie. I promise everything’s going to turn out well.”
Tears rolled down, renewing the trails of ones streaked on my cheeks. The pain that'd ebbed in my chest began to ache and I couldn't help weeping out my distress.
“Why does God hate me?”
“Oh no, Elle,” my mom tucked my trembling chin up to meet my eyes. “God doesn't hate you. Why would you even think that?”
“It’s the truth, Mom.” I sobbed. “If He doesn't hate me, then did He make me a Glitch? Wouldn't it have been better if He had just made me human? At least I know I'm something known and not a freak of nature.”
Mom immediately scowled, her eyes flashing with disapproval. “You’re not a freak of nature, Elle. I don’t want to hear you call yourself that ever again, do you understand?”
“Then why did Tate reject me? If it’s not because of my weirdness?”
“Listen to me, Elle,” she cupped my face. “You’re not an aberration or any nonsense people are talking about, okay? You’re a beautiful, one-in-a-million girl that the Almighty gave me, and never for once did I regret giving birth to you. So what if you’re a Glitch? I don’t care and neither should you. If Tate Martell is too stupid to see that, then maybe he’s not the right mate for you.”
Unconditional motherly love shone bright in her eyes. Slightly comforted, I buried my head in her chest, my tears wetting the front of her work dress but Mom didn’t mind. She continued gently running her fingers through my hair, holding me close. We stayed like that for what seemed like an hour, although it was only a few minutes, until my sobbing eased and the pain I was feeling almost disappeared.
Perks of having a Soothing Omega as a mother.
“I have to get to work now,” Mom released me. Reluctantly, I shifted to allow her to get up.
“Should I call Mr Brendan so that you won’t be able to attend class today?”
“No,” I shook my head. “I’m totally fine now. I can go to school today.”
Mom gave me a dubious look, “Elle—”
I got up quickly, and the blanket tangled around my legs nearly making me hit my jaw on the floor as I tripped. Fortunately, Mom caught and steadied me.
“Thanks,” I smiled, holding her hands. “I want to go, Mom. I don’t think I can stay at home all alone by myself.”
“But what if you see Tate and—”
“I’d ignore them, I promise. I’d pretend they don’t exist and walk past them.”
“I don’t know, Elle. What if seeing them causes the rejection pain to flare like last night? If Ethan hadn’t brought you back in time, I wouldn’t have been able to save you from falling into the dark madness.” Mom’s eyes were glossy with unshed tears. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Ashrielle.”
I hugged her as tightly as I could, wordlessly conveying my love to console her.
“I promise, nothing will happen. You won’t lose me, mama.”
She sniffled, wrapping her arms around me. “Fine then.” She grumbled. “But you’d better do precisely all that you said, got it?”
“Got it.”
An hour later as I entered the hallway of Crimson Hedge High School, I swiftly regretted that decision. Conversations died down as every eye was fixed on me. My steps faltered a couple of times but I dare not stop.
Halfway through, the chatter resumed. The words spoken weren’t just unkind, they were downright erosive.
Worst of all, someone threw a balloon filled with some sort of stenchy liquid at the back of my head which started a throwing fiesta from practically everyone in the hallway. I tried to run away but three hefty guys from the football team stood fast, blocking the path.
Helpless, I was pelted until the bell to the first subject of the day rang.
“That’s what you get for having eyes on Tate, Glitch.” Regina laughed, cruel and smug.
Everyone dispersed, leaving me dripping in the hallway. I dashed into the bathroom. Seeing myself in the mirror however, it took everything in me not to cry.
I was in a terrible state.
The floral blouse Mom recently purchased was ruined, its cream color turned to a yucky stain of dark brown. The light green pants I wore under were no better; wet and soiled. My curly hair that I’d managed to tame into a low ponytail was disheveled and reeky. My makeup smudged.
I tried to clean the stains but to no avail.
I head to the locker room for a quick shower. When I was done, as I got to my locker, I was appalled to discover that all the clothes in my locker were gone. Including my PE.
Anxious to get to class before the period ended, I hastily washed the soiled clothes. The foul odour reduced a tad so I put them on after squeezing them as hard as I could. I ran out of the locker room, nearly colliding with the janitor as I hastened to my Literature class.
As I opened the door, interrupting the austere Mrs Hayden in the middle of her passionate talk of Shakespeare and she daggered a razor glare at me, I knew promptly that I was done for.
“Get. Out.”
“I’m so sorry for coming late—”
“I said, get out.”
“But—”
“Now!”
I flinched at the lashing command, my hands gripping the straps of my bag. Tiny giggles broke out from the students in the room, and my face burned in reaction.
Throat bobbing as I swallowed a lump, I turned out of the class and closed the door behind me.
“Where was I before the Glitch’s uncultured interruption… Oh yes….”
Standing a few feet away from the door, I stared at my feet. Numbed. I didn’t know why I felt hurt. The ill treatment wasn’t new, I should have gotten used to it by now, right?
My shoulders slumped. Mom was right. I shouldn’t have come today. I wondered if I could sneak out without anyone knowing—
“What are you doing there?”
I jerked, startled by the sudden voice.
Striding towards me from the end of the hallway to my right was a tall, slender man with hair the shade of wheat. I shrank backwards against the wall, chilled by the cold, slate-blue eyes that watched me with a tiny frown.
“Why aren’t you in class? Your clothes are wet and why do you smell like a sewer?”
Colour blotched on my cheeks. I lowered my shameful gaze to the floor, tongue glued to the roof of my mouth.
“What? You can’t talk?”
“I-I came l-late and Mrs Hayden s-sent me out.” I managed to stammer out.
“And why do you smell so awful?”
My throat clogged, and tears rapidly gathered in my eyes. I licked my dried lips, parted them but I couldn’t compose the words needed to explain the mortifying scene.
“You know what? Don’t say anything. Follow me.”
“Huh?”
Dumbfounded, I blinked, staring at the man who was already walking away. Stopping when he was five feet away, he glanced behind his shoulder, brow c****d in question.
“Not coming? Until you’re okay going through the day in those clothes.”
“Coming!” I bolted to him.
The man took me to the nurse’s office. Knocking on the door, he opened it before a reply came. Ms Opehila blinked, surprise reflected in her face as she got up.
“Mr Williams, what—”
The man cut her off.
“Get her some clean clothes, she stinks.”
He spun on his heels and left, shutting the door behind him.
Ms Opehila and I stared. I was shocked that the new principal would actually do this.
“Come with me.”
Taken to the bathroom, the petite nurse handed me a beautiful brown dress and clean underwear that surprisingly fit. I thanked her.
Stepping out, Mr Williams was waiting for me.
“Sir, I-”
“Let’s go.” He gestured, already moving ahead. I hurried, my short legs trying to keep up.
Mrs Hayden looked like she had been forced to swallow a full chicken when Mr Williams took me to her class. She tried to sputter out protests but one look from the principal and she became melted wax.
Throughout the day, students seemed to avoid me. Treating me like air. Like I wasn’t worth their terrorizing.
I was glad, my heart lightened with warmth.
Until school ended…
- Writer
