Her Last Piece

Piece one

“Hey, nerd!”

She stopped in her tracks, ‘what now?’ she thought. She could feel drips of sweat running down her face, her hands struggled to adjust her glasses, because even with them all she could see at that moment was blurry images.

“I'm talking to you, you do look beautiful in red” the boy chuckled.

‘But I don't even like red, what is he saying.’

“I am not wearing red.”

She looked down at her dress as though she needed a conviction that she wasn't wearing red and, yes, her dress had not changed color. It was a yellow flowery dress.

She tried to ignore the spoiled billionaire son Rowan Randolph, but it wasn't working, he had already created a scene, and she wondered why the other kids had gathered, with just that remark he made.

“Here Clara, you can have this”, she saw a boy hand over his sweater to her.

“I'm sorry for what exactly?” Clara swallowed hard, she hated having to converse.

“Ummm I think you're stained. Behind you”, Atlas' voice was calm, he was careful with his words, he hoped he chose the right kind of words.

Clara stood there frozen, all of a sudden, her legs didn't seem to function anymore.

Now she understood, oh no, she wished she would just turn invisible, only her eyes moved, and now she could see clearly how all her classmates had surrounded her, just within a moment.

“Come on Clara, take the sweater already.”

He reminded her

“You're only 13 and you already have your menses? Come on”, another boy yelled behind her back.

“Everything with her is just odd.”

A girl's voice echoed from the back.

“Hey Clare, ignore them. Come on, let's go.”

She felt the warmth of Ruby's hands around her, as she dragged her away from the scene.

Ruby was a senior and was only passing by when she noticed Clara frozen on the spot. On a normal day she'd have ignored her cousin(no one knew this). She took her to the toilet and helped her out.

.

.

.

After gathering enough courage, she shook her head out of the toilet door to make sure no one was passing by, the sweater was tied to her waist, she was already cleaned up.

“Who are you looking for?”

“You startled me. What are you doing here?”

She looked at the boy's smiling face, he was the one that gave her his sweater.

“You'll have to get used to this. By the way, my name is Atlas.”

“Get used to what?”

“Seeing my face, because guess what?”

She ignored him, he was probably playing games with her.

“Come on Clara”

“What?” She said in between her teeth, hoping that would pass a message to him.

“We're going to be best friends”

“Yeah right” she rolled her eyes at him. Of course, he would not notice her eyebrows through her big eyeballs.

“Come on, it won't hurt to have a friend, clearly you have none.”

She gave him enough signs to let her be, but Atlas was not ready to give up.

“I am not complaining”

She started to move away from him. Obviously, the conversation bored her.

“Come on, best friends?”, Atlas stretched out his hands towards her, expectant she'd grab them immediately in consent, but Clara looked at him like she'd just seen a ghost. He still held his hand out. After a while, she heaved and finally said

“Best friends”, she took his hand and shook it. Many thoughts ran through her mind, but like he said, he would not hurt to have a friend.

.

.

.

5 years later

Rowan told Clara he had a surprise for her. He said she met with him in the cafeteria right after third period.

She smiled to herself as she walked past some students gawking at her. She finally got to the cafeteria. Her eyes searched around for Rowan.

She finally noticed him, he was seated with his friends. Of course, he stood out among his pair, he always did, a bit taller and far more handsome than the rest of them. She smiled again, as he flexed his muscles.

She could not believe Rowan Randolph was really her boyfriend. Rowan had always bullied her, but he suddenly developed interest in her and asked her out. She could not believe it. She thought he was playing games and didn't pay attention until he did all he could to get her to say yes. At the end of the day, she succumbed. It'd been a week now. They'd been together

“Rowan” she muttered slowly to call his attention. He was laughing along with his friends when one of them tapped his shoulder and pointed to Clara.

“Oh” he said dryly

“You called for me?”

She raised her head up slightly, of course she did not want it to seem like she was intimidated by their presence. As she was. She then noticed two of the guys held their phones high like they were about to capture something. She ignored them.

“Ah yes, I'm done with you, Clara.”

She was quiet, she did not know if she couldn't comprehend what he said, or she didn't just hear, she waited for him to repeat himself.

“Are those glasses blocking your hearing?”

He stood up from his seat and then moved closer to her.

“What are you talking about, Rowan”. She was grateful he moved closer. She was not one to speak loudly.

She looked at his full pink lips and remembered just last week he had kissed her with those lips. It was a short peck on her lip and she'd wondered if it meant something, or it was nothing.

“How could you really think I would want to be with someone like you?; you really are naive, it was all a game.”

She started to see a blur, this happened. She was nervous, she managed to look around and noticed they were really recording, and then the other students had started to gather round. It was becoming a scene because Rowan's voice was audible.

“I-I thought you liked me” she managed to say, stuttering.

“Yeah right” one boy said, laughing, his phone still held to her face.

“Take a look at yourself Clara, you are pathetic”, he put his hands on his forehead.

She was speechless, she turned to leave, but her legs were so heavy, she gathered enough strength to take a step.

‘You are doing well Clara, continue at this pace, but faster, you have to leave, they're all staring and mocking you, F*cking move, Clara!’

Her hands were in a tight grip, and her palms had become sweaty. She took another step. This time she moved quickly, and then she was in motion.

“Wait, there is one more thing” she heard that familiar voice again. Wasn't he done ruining her day?

She stopped at the pace she struggled to take. Clara waited, her back still turned. Of course, he would not expect her to turn to face his cute face and stare at his lips while he said more hurtful words.

“That kiss meant nothing!”