my bittersweet lover

episode eight.

Lina's pov.

Waiting for her felt like forever, especially when I could hear the other students walk up and down talking happily. It was not until some ladies came into the restroom. I just could tell from the footsteps that seemed to get closer and closer.

"Did you see how embarrassed she was? Oh that plot was perfect girls ..." said one of them.

"yeah, I hadn't had a good laugh like that for quite a while, just the refreshment I needed. ...." and all of them burst into laughter.

"Maybe that'll speed up her stay here, she doesn't deserve the honor of being in a prestigious school like this, with us....", chimed another.

" Oh, I look so pretty, as always, you done girls? "

" yeah, let's go," And with that, they left, just as Mrs Hannah was walking in.

How could I not recognize her sweet tender voice as she called out for me to quickly change and attend class before the bell rang? How she managed to get

another set of clean uniform for me, I could not tell.

It looked new, I wondered where or from whom she could have borrowed it from. Probably one of the rich kids she knew. Maybe one of them was kind enough to lend it to her. I was so grateful, she was a lifesaver, the only good person I had met in my life; and the doctor too of course.

The thought of that conversation between those girls felt like a stab in my chest. I was sure that by then, the news had spread all around the school to every other student who cared to listen. Whatever happened to being your sister's keeper?

Everyone was almost done with lunch at the hall, I did not mind, it was not like I had enough money to get a lunch card anyway. I was used to it. I would have enough to buy myself a snack that day, the next day I would have nothing. The afternoon classes were not as interesting, or maybe my mind was just somewhere else.

That day was certainly not the best, not to mention it being a Monday .

"Hey Lina!! you've missed two lessons before now can you pay attention to this one at least? Or better still, please tell us what ur gazing at outside that window, it seems to be more important than what I'm teaching over here,"

I frankly had not seen that coming. I did not want to get into any more trouble, so I tried my best to concentrate in all the remaining classes. The sound of the bell signified the end of the school business for the day.

My classmates were happy, the ringing of the bell after every class was the best moment of each student every day. There was this young man by the name Paulo. He was the only guy who had never picked on me or supported the others in doing so. He was a loner, like me. Most times, he was always alone in the field, the computer lab, or in the music room.

I found him pretty cool, I considered him a friend, even though we never really talked much. The first time we did was during a group assignment, although he and I were the only ones that did all the work among the four of us.

"Hey!! Here, go do the assignment as usual. Be careful not to infect my book with your wretched life,"

" I'm sorry but you didn't pay me.... "

" Oh yeah, your money, here, have it, " she said as she threw a few dollars on the floor.

" you didn't expect me to risk touching the filthy hands of a poor thing like u with my money, did you? "Jane said, as her friends laughed.

They always followed her wherever she went. They had no mind of their own, whatever she said, they did. Her dad was a big politician who owned massive properties here and there. She and her two bodyguards always paraded around almost as though they owned the school.

If not for the fact that I needed cash to sustain myself, I would never have wanted anything to do with her. Oh well, I was used to being treated like trash this wasn't new, I thought as I picked up the money, and organized my books. It was finally time to leave. I was always the last to leave.

Going home was something I dreaded. I just felt embarrassed every time I had to walk past my fellow students who were picked up from the school grounds with expensive cars by their wealthy parents or their chauffeurs. It made me feel like a wretched daughter of a nobody. I enjoyed my own company though, it allowed me to organize my thoughts, emotions, and feelings before I got home.

By then I would have space for more. It allowed me to think about my life, encourage myself, and build castles in the air. Life must have been a bed of roses for my classmates at school. Those that were born on a silver platter. Some just got unlucky, like me.

I had no one to live for, but myself. If something happened to me this evening, I'm sure nobody would mind, aside from maybe Mrs Hannah. The streets were so beautiful at night, with the lights at people's houses and the headlights of cars driving by. Oh the clear sky, filled with tiny stars as they twinkled. Maybe one of them was my mom and dad.

I was approaching my aunt's house, which happened to be my home. It stood by itself, far along the lonely part of the street surrounded by a tall perimeter wall. The big automatic gate welcomed any visitor or member of the family. Coming back here always felt like an animal that found itself at the butcher's shop awaiting its fate.

Stacy and her brother were home, playing video games. She always got home before me. She was dressed in a beautiful, white, short, lacy dress, fancy black furry jacket, and pretty black flip-flops. Her hair was free with a nice ribbon at the sides.

Brayden was in his usual home sweatpants, white spongy sandals, and a tee. Are you wondering about my aunt? Well, she was probably in the study room, going about her business.

"You, yes you, is that a new uniform?"

"y..yes."

"where did you get it? Oh my Goodness, you are now a thief!!" Brayden exclaimed.

" oh bro, leave cut Lina some slack, will you?"Stacy intervened. She looked unbothered.

"No!! She must explain where she got it from. I can't harbour a criminal in my house."

"I didn't steal it, I......"

"...You never just admit anything, do you? Just take your useless self to the kitchen and be useful. " said he. I was about leaving when his voice stopped me from going further. "aren't you forgetting something? ".

"what could that be?"

"oh so you're asking me questions too, I'm now your mate, right? You are just a mannerless, shameless b***h, oh, and a thief too apparently. If u fail to address me properly next time, you won't like what I'll do to you, "

" oh, I'm sorry sir, pardon me. "

"Just go, your presence here makes me sick. "

When was I going to get out of this hell? "One day, all this is going to pass, you know Brayden's an ass, relax,"

I said to myself as I left the living room. "Focus on the things that matter, everything will be fine. Breathe in Lina, breathe out."

I was heading towards my small space to change before I started my chores that evening. I put on one of my usual extra buggy, extra long dresses, and my old sandals. My aunt had taken all the pretty dresses I had. She claimed that I was not worthy to compete with her princess, Stacy's beauty. She probably bundled them and gave them up to the children's home because I never saw them again.

Out there, she was a very good woman who could never be accused of hurting a fly leave alone a human being. I folded the new uniform nicely and soaked the other one before I finally left the room. I had to pass through the living room to get to the kitchen. Careful not to be noticed, I took some quiet silent steps.

Oh, the dishes were overwhelmingly dirty. It was quite ironic how they all got soiled when no one was at home during the day. Plugging my earphones on and turning the music on always lifted my spirits and made me work faster as time passed. The voice of that guy, amongst the gifted four singing in my ears felt like heaven.