I shrugged on my backpack, wincing as the straps dug into my bruises.
I stood up from my chair, black spots dancing in my eyes. I was exhausted. A night of getting hit by my mom, plus studying for tests the next morning, did that to you.
My older sister, two years older than me and in her last year of high school, laughed in my face as she passed. She grinned maliciously and stuck her finger right on my shoulder, where one of my newer bruises lied. I hissed in pain, but didn't fight back. My mother hated me, my father abandoned me, my older sister despised me. Out of my entire family, only my younger brother, two years younger than me, had my back.
After Dad left several years ago, Mom... changed.
She hated me out of everyone else the most, forcing me to work a job to support everyone. She didn't even deny it; but she did deny why she hated me. I knew, and everyone else knew, that it was only because I'd inherited my father's genes: wavy blonde hair, like caramel, and sky blue eyes. The rest of my family had straight brown hair and matching eyes. When Mom looked at me, she saw my dad, and she couldn't handle it.
Opening the front door, I stepped out into the warm spring air and sighed, the back of my neck beginning to feel like an oven. I was forced to wear big, loose sweaters all the time to hide the bruises, despite how hot and stuffy they were.
I wrapped my hair into a tight bun on top of my head, put on my well-worn sneakers, and started on my way to school, albeit grudgingly. I was excited to finally get back to school, after Spring Break, but definitely not excited to encounter my bullies again.
•≈•
The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the day, and I sighed, trying to muster up enough energy to pay attention.
Our teacher, Ms. Roy, sat at her desk, waiting for everyone else to file in. As the last student took his seat, I opened my eyes, waiting for Ms. Roy to start talking about the upcoming quiz.
I took school very seriously; it was my only shot at life, basically. I dreamed of going to a good college and furthering my education enough to get a good job, earning enough money to move far away from my family.
But, before Ms. Roy could start talking, the door swung open again. I barely caught a glimpse of a muscular guy I'd never seen before with short dark hair before he walked past me and went into the back row.
"Students! I hope you're not all brain dead after Spring Break. Do you remember my name?" Ms. Roy joked.
All of the students chorused, "Ms. Roy!"
Instead, not paying attention because that's just the kind of luck I have, I called, "Good morning!"
Everyone stared at me. A blush crossed my features and I hid my face in my arms.
I heard a familiar laugh from behind me. said loud enough, "She is so stupid she can't remember her teacher's name" so that everyone in the class could hear her, but not Ms. Roy.
I turned around, anger inflaming me. Usually I just sat and took their verbal abuse, but I was too exhausted to deal with this today. I turned to her, eyes narrowed.
"Hey, Daisy? Are you a clam?" I said sweetly, taking a comeback out of one of my favorite books.
"Yes!" Daisy exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes, knowing what she was thinking. Daisy thought I thought she would say no, so Daisy wanted to take me by surprise. Needless to say, I wasn't startled.
"So, why aren't you shutting up?" I smirked.
She floundered for a comeback, eyes darting around to all the watching classmates, cheeks turning pink.
But my triumph quickly faded. I realized that I had let a glimpse of my real personality, under that quiet kid, show.
I turned back to the teacher sadly. I wish I could let the real me out all the time, but if Mom knew... I was worse than dead.
•≈•
After chemistry, I went to my math class.
My best and only friend, Nicole was in that class with me. It also turned out that the new kid, Jason Parker – Ms. Roy introduced him as – was in both my classes as well.
I still hadn't gotten a proper look at him, and my curiosity heightened the more I caught whispers about him. Using my not-so detective skills, by the way all the girls whispered and swooned over him, he must've been hot.
During math class, I heard a loud snap before the bell rang, signaling it was over.
I was about to walk out of class with Nicole chattering at my side, when a large hand gently touched my shoulder.
Tingles rolled down my spine. Gasping, I whirled around.
Jason Parker, the new student, stood right in front of me.
My jaw dropped, my eyebrows jumping up to my hairline.
Holy... He isn't hot, he is hotter than the sun! I thought.
Neat black hair, a clean-shaven, chiseled jaw, and captivating blue eyes, like two miniature oceans encased in thick eyelashes. If you looked up 'handsome' in the dictionary, the definition would just be a picture of his face.
I swallowed, my throat dry. It seemed as though everything was in slow motion. All sounds were muffled. It was just me and him. Jason's mouth moved, which allowed me to admire his full, rosy lips, but I couldn't hear what he was saying.
"Um, Earth to Emma? Emma?" Nicole asked.
I ignored her – not on purpose, but nevertheless I ignored her.
"Emma!" she snapped, light brown eyes confused, turning my head towards hers.
Finally, I returned to my senses.
"Um, yeah, what's up?" I asked absently.
Even facing her, my eyes shifted to him, roving up his figure. Muscular legs clad in dark jeans, and a lean, powerful torso slightly straining against the fabric of his denim button-up. I could've sworn I started salivating.
What the heck is happening to me? I'd never been this affected by some random guy, ever!
I forced my eyes back up to Jason's face and saw a lopsided smirk. My cheeks blazed with embarrassment.
"I asked you a question, Emma."
Mortified, I cleared my throat and brushed a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "W–Which was?"
"If I could borrow a pencil," he said slowly, smirking, obviously enjoying my unease. "If you aren't too busy eyeing me like a piece of chocolate, of course."
My eyes bulged out. Quickly, I tried to come up with an excuse, stammering and stumbling over my words.
"Oh, u–um... I wasn't eyeing you like a piece of chocolate!" I protested hotly. "I was looking at you," I continued firmly, "because you look super hot."
I froze.
"Wait, no, I meant to say, isn't it hot in here, or is it just me, because this stupid weath– sweater is so stuffy!" I laughed nervously, lies falling out of my mouth one after the other. "Uh, I was looking at you because you look so much like– like my long-lost friend... of a friend! I mean since he's long-lost I haven't seen him in a while, so I wouldn't be able to know if you look like him or not, but you're just how I'd picture him! Exactly! S–So, um, anyway, I went to talk to you to see if I could borrow a pencil, please?"
Good job, I told myself. He won't suspect a thing.
"You realize I was the one who asked you about borrowing a pencil." His eyebrows were furrowed, and a small frown of confusion had made its way onto his face, but amusement danced in his blue eyes.
"Oh, um, yeah, I knew that!" Laughing weakly again, I rummaged through my backpack and handed him a pencil. "Okay, well, welp, it was nice talking to you. Whew, you are so hot– Oh no. Um, I just meant your temperature is really high, maybe you have a fever, you should go to the nurse," I blurted out as Nicole dragged me away from him and down the crowded hallway.
When we turned the next corner, Nicole stopped, eyebrow raised, mischievous grin on her face.
"You so like him," Nicole told me dryly. "You realize that, right?"
"Pfft," I scoffed. "Me? No."
She rolled her eyes and sauntered away.
"Thanks for keeping me from saying anything else embarrassing!" I called after her.
She waved a hand dismissively, not even turning to look back at me.
Sighing, I began heading to my next class, a deep red blush still lodged deep in my cheeks.