CHAPTER 9:AFTERMATH OF THE SHOW
1258 Words
The sun shines bright and birds chirped rhythmically. It smelled like flowers in the back garden of the school as if to mask the scent of taboo and fire in the air from the tension just a day ago.
“Mphm.. Mphm mphm.. Mhm..”
Ashley muffled as she chewed nodding along with what ever I’m saying as if I hadn’t slapped the wits out if her yesterday. She swallows her full mouth.
“What happened to this lazarus guy?”
Her question caught me off guard as I soon realized that I hadn't even thought about him at all ever since the incident. I still felt guilty for not defending him during the showdown with my seamstress.
“I heard he was grounded but that's just about it.” I said gulping down the water that tasted bitter in my mouth thinking about everything that went down in that dollhouse.
“grounded? How niche.” she snatched ripped half of my sandwhich and ate it, her eyes rolling back in delicious bliss.
“you make such good sandwiches but I think it's kinda bitter.”
“there's some anti-fat powder in it. Mother's orders.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth went agape. She quickly gulped down some water and gasped with water drooling down her chin. “who does that!? You can't savor the food and stretch your stomach with that.”
“savoring ain't the point. I have photoshoots remember? Nobody likes a doll bulging with cotton. They like it just right, a doll slim and beautiful.”
Ashley lunged towards me and cups both of my cheeks, I winced as her hands touches my face. Her brows were furrowed, she seemed upset as she spoke.
“I am so glad I hadn't misunderstood the clinic incident yesterday. Because if I did, I would've slapped you by now. You're so broken it just hurts.”
Our gaze locked on to each other not bothering to pull back. The silence felt like an hour, with the wind gushing softly and students walking by sometimes. It all broke when a girl walked by us.
“Doll.”
I froze, the word hung in the air with my my knuckles turning white by how tight I clenched by fists. Ashley turned to the girls direction who was already walking off. Laughing along with her friends.
“It's just Becky. Don't mind her.”
“One of the top donators in the school, huh?”
Ashley sighed and sat back down before skimming her notes for the upcoming quiz after lunch.
“I heard she f****d a teacher to get her high grades.” she whispered with that smile of hers that would probably would be the death of her one day.
“You're playing with fire.”
“Oh please, the fires not allowed to be burned. I'm the wood that would say so.”
Ashley went back to her notes as if she hadn't just dropped a gossip bomb in the middle of lunch.
“Her father is the owner of that mall downtown, right? The one with loads of merch and designer brands?”
She looked up her eyes sparkling and nodded. She then threw her notes to the side as she talked about everything Becky had done to countless of people. Her mouth felt like a machine spasming with spittle occasionally flying to my face. She would wipe it down, apologize and continue to talk as if it were the only thing she could do.
I watched her mouth rapid fire with 'did you hear' and 'apparently' at this point she wasn't an Ashley, she was my contrast, my mirror. She was messy, loud and unpoised, it felt like looking at a mirror. The world became fast and undoubtedly made me anxious.
“Shes just that type of goddamn doll that thinks she's the seamstress just because her father holds the fabric.” she rolled her eyes before crossing her legs. I let out a chuckle which made her eyes lit up like a child finding affection.
“Look at you being a poet now.”
“I learned from the best!”
RIIING!!
We both stood up as we walked towards the classroom. The corridor was filled with students talking and shoes clacking on the tiled floor. Ashley was grinning on our way to the classroom and I raised my brow. She turned to me still grinning.
“Ya ready to hit the test?”
“I was born ready.”
The classroom was filled with the chatter of students talking about notes and predicting questions with some even rushing around to borrow notes. The whiff in the classroom was filled with the stench of sweat and that sweet incense of air conditioning and air freshener. I slid into my table, the plastic chairs coldness seeped through the skirt and into my skin. Ashley stuffed her notebook into her messy bag before giving me a thumbs up. I give her a shy smile as the professor entered the classroom. Students rushed into their chairs and the classroom fell into that uneasy silence.
“Okay, look at your own papers, dolls.”
I felt myself twitch despite the professor usually using it as a term of affection for us. Affection. It is the thing used to borrow or barter in exchange for the dolls core.
In the Mondragon household, it is just the prettier term for manipulation where they coax you into doing things in exchange for that warmth that you have been starved for your whole life.
Thwack!
The papers slammed on our tables. I took the paper and analyzed the questions. It felt as simple as cooking rice.
“forty-five minutes.” Mr. Arden's voice rang out with that professional tone. He was leaning over his table now scanning the room in case someone would reach down for a little sneak peak. “Don't even dare to look anywhere else. I don't want pea-brained dolls moving up a grade. Only you, your ink and your contract.” silence rang out for a few seconds before his voice rang out one last time.
“Now!”
Papers ruffled, people dashing to write their names and some dashing to start answering first. Pens scribbled on paper like scribbling on contracts that determines your grade. And possibly, the future.I began to write, the answers spawning on my head like a routine. I felt my neck hair rise up. I knew Becky was watching, waiting for the Mondragon princess to fall from glory and fail a grade 9 test. I continued go write, watching the strings guide me.
40 minutes passed but it felt like a year with the same people in the same school and in the same life. I stood up and walked towards the front table, inserting my paper beneath the stapler before walking back to my chair. I looked at Ashley whos completely hunched over her desk her tongue sticking out at the side of her mouth in frustration. I let out a low chuckle before relaxing in my chair, letting all the stress out.
Buzz..
I slowly leaned my phone under the desk, quickly unlocking my phone and headed to messages, occasionally looking up to make sure Mr. Arden isn't watching. The artificial light hit me hard under the dim desk.
‘I'm watching you. My little doll.”
I let out a soft gasp as I quickly placed my phone back in the bag with a slow rustle. Who sent this?
- Writer
