Toxic (18+)

Toxic || 2

2 July 2017 

I looked around the hall and I could see hundreds of new students sitting around me. Most of them looked too nervous to talk to, I looked towards the girl who was sitting just by my side and decided to make a conversation with her. 

"Hey, I'm Ari." I held my palm towards her for a shake. She looked surprised when she noticed my hand in front of her and almost instantly, shook it with a nervous giggle. 

"Hi, I'm Niya." Niya looked fairly shy and I just knew that we'd be great friends right then. Although, my intuition could've been completely wrong because I had f****d up so many friendships of mine because of this so-called intuition I get after meeting any new person. 

"Excited for college?" I asked her, looking at the slow-moving line as everyone registered for admissions. 

"Scared actually." I smiled at her to make her feel comfortable around me. 

"I'm pretty excited. I wanted to get into this college for so long and now that I'm finally in, I just can't wait for it to start." I knew I was coming out way too excited and that I should tone it down a few inches but I was feeling on top of the world today. I had been sleepless the entire last night and the excitement wasn't just leaving my body anytime soon. 

"You look like a person who will settle in perfectly here. About me, I'm not so sure. I have never actually left my family and I feel so scared already." She looked embarrassed of admitting to the fact that she was so scared. 

"Hey, it's alright, we will get our rooms together. You have no reason to be scared, we are going to have a lot of fun." I smiled at her reassuringly and she smiled back at me. 

"Another loser, f**k this place." Somebody groaned from behind me and Niya and I both turned back on instinct. It was a guy, he was fairly handsome and was sitting there in a sweatshirt and loose jeans. 

We weren't sure who he was talking about at first but as we looked at him, he was already staring at us with an irritated expression. Niya turned back, tucking her chin down as soon as she saw his face. 

"What are you staring at, you loser? I'm way out of your league." He looked straight at me with a pissed expression and I swear to god, I was angry enough to kill this guy right there. 

"Yes, you're. Bullies are not really my type." I bit back snarkily and I could sense that we were grabbing the attention of the people around us. I could feel my heart beating fast with the adrenaline rush I was getting but I needed to stand up for myself. 

I wasn't going to be bullied the first day of my college and neither was my new friend. I could see the disbelief on his face like he didn't really expect a comeback to his rude oncomings. 

"Yeah? And what is your type?" He smirked at me, getting up from his place. My heartbeat skyrocketed as he started making his way through the chairs towards where we were sitting. 

Oh god! I really hope that he was not the violent kind, I have learned martial arts for a fair amount of time but I never had been in a real fight. I gulped uneasily. 

He was standing right behind where we were sitting and I looked up at him with a neutral expression although, on the inside, I was completely freaking out. 

"What? Cat got your tongue?" He tapped at my shoulder as I was avoiding looking at him. I couldn't have stayed quiet now, so many people were looking at us, if I didn't speak now, I might as well have sealed my fate as a loser in this new college. 

"Anything but you." I looked him square in the eye, even though it was the worst comeback I could've come up with at the moment. 

"Makes sense, loser. Already told you, way out of your league. She seems like your type." He looked at where Niya was sitting and then smirked back at me. 

Niya looked visibly discomforted by his presence and I knew that his words were having an effect on her and I'd be lying if I said that his words didn't impact me at all. 

"I am not a lesbian," Niya spoke in a small voice and interrupted my line of thought. 

"See, she is not a lesbian. Even a loser rejected you, what does that make you? A double loser?" He laughed at me and I heard a few chuckles from all around me. We were now surrounded by some people who were enjoying our bickering more than they should. 

"Funny how bullies like you end up in law schools. You can only ever make the system worse. I bet your daddy got you in the college because with your pea-sized brain, it seems unlikely, you could have got in by merit." There was a silence as the words rolled out of my mouth and I knew I was taking it too far but I needed to defend myself. 

I spoke without thinking though, there were many people who got in through other quotas, they paid more fees but they were still just as much part of the college. And it was almost instantly that I realized that I'd spoken way out of my way. But I couldn't have taken back my words now, what's spoken was spoken. 

"You do realize that you have dug your own grave, right? You not only made an assumption about me, but you also belittled many other folks who might be attending college through other quotas. My assumption about you did stand correct, you really are a loser. Better watch your back after what you've spoken, so publicly." He gave me a sweet smile and I looked around and it almost felt like everyone was staring at me, judging me. 

The first day at my college and I just had to say something controversial, what's wrong with me? 

"Good luck, loser." He gave me a wave before strutting away like he owned the college. And he might as well have because this stunt definitely bought him allies and me some enemies. 

I was fuming with anger. 

I was red with embarrassment. 

I looked at Niya and even she was avoiding eye contact with me, I picked up my bag and left the hall, to find the nearest washroom. 

I locked myself up in a stall and held my head in my hands. "Way to go, Ari, way to go!"

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