I turned on the shower and watched as water filled up the shower cubicle. I didn't understand what I thought I was supposed to. I slid my glass door and stepped into the shower closing my eyes as the hot water hit my skin.
Memories of my earlier humiliation crowded my mind, reminding me I'd become a victim of bad publicity.
On the very first day of school, I was made a laughing stock. Not only to the Ceramic Bear clan but to the entire campus.
News about a trespasser in the Ceramic world spread like wild fire and in less than hours I was busted.
After I left the school's West wing that encompassed the Ceramic Bears, I walked in shame all the way to Westwood.
Unfortunately, it was during lunch hours and everybody was out in the cafeteria. I passed by with fingers and folks held out at me calling me names.
That afternoon, Alex tipped me off that in the Ferrous Tigers dorm, they nicknamed me as the milkshake bandit which didn't even correlate with the story.
I clenched my fists and rubbed them over the glass door. I was dead-mad angry and I could feel my body literally sending vibrations throughout the delicate glass. Jenny. She's the sole cause of my humiliation. She dumped my face in the milkshake she spilled making me look like a dog in front of the entire school.
'you really talk a lot of rubbish, don't you?'
I replayed her voice in my mind and the feeling was equivalent to the one you get after rubbing salt in your wounds. Terrible.
'I noticed you enjoy making pig impressions', she rolled her eyes and I think I saw a shade of blue beneath those brown eyes.
Was she wearing contacts??
Or maybe she had heterochromia?
Darn!!
Why am I even thinking about her?
I walked out to my shower basket and took out my favorite shampoo which I had drenched in my hair, dripping some of it into my eyes. I squeeked in pain and quickly washed it off. I went to the mirror and noticed my eyes had turned red.
Aaarrrggg...Jenny...she's responsible for all this. She's haunting me even at home and I can't bring myself to understand the fact that I lost to her.
Who is she anyway? Just some random pampered princess who can't even stir her own cup of tea, busy with teaparties and talks about how cool the weather is. Shady royalty. She even has ten thousand bodyguards hovering over her like white blood cells.
What does she think we are? Parasites?!
I was simply admiring her when I got ambushed and she proved me wrong by opposing the calm attitude I thought she had. She was beautiful but had a very dark attitude. Angel face, demon heart! Exactly who Jenny was.
"Carlos....Carlos...is everything alright? I sent Leilani fifteen minutes ago to call you down for dinner... everything okay???", My mother's voice echoed through the door as she banged against it with her hands. I quickly closed the tap as her fervent echoes raided through my room.
I felt my muscles strain as the water leaked making me wonder for how long I'd been in the shower.
I wrapped a towel around my wet waist just before my mother banged on the door again. I walked out and headed towards the door unlocking the it for her.
At first sight, her eyes go straight into mine, then, she lets them scavange through my body from my hair to my feet in slippers.
"Everything okay??",she repeated as her eyes returned to mine. I look into her faint green eyes and nod.
"Yes Mom....everything's okay and could you please stop eyeing me like am some stripper....I hate being stared at." I pointed at her and she raised her eyebrows at me doing the exact same thing again.
"Mom...stop it" I rubbed my eyebrows and went back into my room.
"Sorry..." She laughed and followed behind me.
"Is everything okay though??? You never miss Leilani's voice come what may....what up?"
"Ooh...I just had a rough day at school..." I picked my other towel and wrapped it around my hair.
"Do you want to talk about it..?"
"Uh...thanks Mom...am good...it's nothing...just these random highschool fights.....the wreck of new faces and all those dramatic figures...." I smiled at her hiding the part were I had to go to the principal's office.
She nodded and walked to my dresser.
She emptied it, quickly arranging the things in order and then leaning back against it.
"Sup mom?" I asked and she didn't reply. She looked in my direction and it took my focus to notice she wasn't looking at me. I tried to look behind me for anything she'd find catchy but got nothing. My eyes went back to her and her position had changed. She was standing; mostly pacing up and down anxiously as though waiting for my attention.
"Ma..." I placed my hand on her shoulder earning a shriek from her.
"Gosh...you scared me Juan!!" She cried and I rolled my eyes. I hated it when she called me Juan.
"Well... you picked quite the wrong time for a chitchat and yet here you are daydreaming...." I broadened my shoulders and rested my hands on my waist, bringing my huge body over her.
"I left your dinner in the microwave...." She stated as she matched out. "I've already put Leilani to bed and I'll be joining her. I have an early start tomorrow...."
"Early start?? Again? Where are you going??"
"Where am I going? Are you kidding me?? You know very well that money doesn't grow on trees kid..."
"Does that mean you have to miss out on your children's lives ?? I was enough, please don't do this to Leilani..."
"Excuse me??? Come again please what did you say?"
"You're never home mom! You always leave early and arrive late we barely see you. Monday to Sunday it's always me and Leilani and forget about not having a father it's like we don't have a mother too...."
"You're practically orphans is that what you're trying to say?? Are you taunting me because I don't have a husband Juan Carlos?? Because I made minor mistakes which seemed to cost me my life and here I am paying for it...right??"
"Mom..I.. didn't mean--"
"Yes. That's precisely what you meant. You literally just questioned my parenting skills. Because am a single mother then am not good enough for you....you suddenly miss your dad and it's at my expense. Do I deserve this Carlos???"
"Mom you didn't understand me...I just pleaded with you to try and make time for your children. For Leilani....at least..."
"So you'd rather I sit my butt down, and chitchat with you guys until we starve to our deaths??"
"Oh my word...."
"Suddenly you're a big boy and you think you have control over the world and know every little thing. I know that feeling. Resistant to correction and always assuming to be right..." She laughed and I think I saw a tear fall down her eyes.
"Well...I never realized how my hurt got other people caught in it. Am sorry" she said before slamming the door making me want to rewind time to the moment I was with Jenny.
She was unreasonable but at least I'd put up with her gibberish unlike my mom who was sensitive over silly issues and always overreacted.
I groaned and quickly changed into my black bedtime boxers.
I grabbed my boxing gloves from the drawers on my dresser and headed for the terrace just outside my window.
The night was calm and peaceful except from a gentle breeze that kept blowing lightly, over the leaves creating a rather disturbing yet comforting sound.
I steadied my hanging punching bag and one by one, rained punches all over it.
All my anger slowly flowed out from me as I imagined the punching bag to be everything that caused me pain.
First Jenny, then the humiliation and then the scandal with the principal.
He didn't even believe me when I explained the spilled milkshake and instead charged me for open littering. Then the fight with my mom.... everything was a huge mess for me and I wasn't doing fine.
Thanks to this punching bag I felt relieved and liberated. The build up in me had dissolved and am sure was what was flowing out as sweat from my body. I regretted bathing sooner. With the intense heat I was feeling, bathing now would come in handy.
I lied on my back, on the rug right on the floor facing the sky adoring it's full emptiness. No stars tonight and yet for some reason I managed to see them. A smile broadened on my face and I closed my eyes, slowly drifting into sleep.
*********
Murmurs brewed the very moment I stepped into the hallway. Everyone turned to look at me as though I was distributing free pizza for a campaign. Mocking laughs and stares came my way as I walked to my locker. This was humiliating. Totally humiliating. Scorning cheers and praises were raised from the football players sitting on the lounge in the hallway.
I dared not to pay attention to them. They wouldn't understand me and there was no reason for me to try and explain things to them.
I settled with my plan; drop my books in my locker, carry what I needed for the next class and leave. As easy as that.
I opened my locker and immediately my peripheral vision caught sight of someone I wasn't ready for.
Jenny....
She was in a black outfit as usual. She had a black, laced, long sleeved top, high waist buttoned mini skirt that went to about midway her thighs. She had a hat on and I'd barely see her face but from the style I knew it was her. Kris was standing next to her hugging her books. And of course, the thick man that went everywhere with her. Her bodyguard....
Kris stopped by her locker and as Jenny waited, she accidentally turned her attention to me. She crossed her hands on her chest and stared at me. I only rolled my eyes and focused on what I was doing.
"Carlos Jeffrey...right??" I turned to focus my eyes on this girl that looked like....a ceramic doll on Halloween.
She had bright red hair and had black lipstick on. Whhaatt??
My eyes quickly shifted to who seemed like her minion standing right next to her.
Another girl with intense grey dyed hair.
Do these two know they'd get suspended for messing with the dress code?
"Uuh...yeah???" I replied still confused. "Want an autograph?"
"Oh hell no!" The grey haired one replied. "Just a title deed will do..." She smiled and I quickly closed my locker.
What was going on?
"Where you headed???" The red head asked and I gave her a raised eyebrow.
"Cut it out bandit ....we won't chase after you...." She gave me a sassy wink and I popped my tongue out at her.
"He's lame like that....forgive please", I heard her voice and felt two hands on my shoulders simultaneously. Obviously...Jenny...
"We totally do sis...." The grey haired girl snapped and Jenny and turned around to leave with her friend. As if that wasn't enough, early in the morning I had to deal with Jenny.
"What do you want??" I pushed her hands off of me and looked right at her. She was equally breaking the schools dress code just like those two Barbie dolls. Only that she, looked like draculaura. The cool draculaura.
"Nothing....I just wanted to see...how you loved my comeback...."
"Tsk...get lost Jenny...." I turned around to leave but she didn't let me go. She had her bodyguard stand in front of me forcing me to turn around and face her.
"You know I could report you for harassment. You're literally harassing me!" I screamed only to earn a horrid laugh from everyone in the hallway.
"Crybaby Carlos!!" Someone screamed and another round of laughter followed.
I Clentched my fists in annoyance and glared at her. She was smiling. Darn! I hate it when she does that.
"I will walk away only so that I can spare you my comeback..." I faked a grin as I ran my hand in my hair.
With so much security it's almost impossible to even prank her. Good thing almost and entirely are two different words. The devil in me smiled and I knew it was time.
"Darling, go big or Go home" she rolled her eyes and flashed them at me immediately.
This was going to be some week.
And did she just call me darling??
Of course with a sarcastic note but darling?
"Is that all you've got?" I asked and she just stood there smiling at me. I hated when she did that. She would annoy me, anger me and frustrate me beyond measure and in return, just smile as if what she says doesn't hurt me.
Has she no feelings or humanity?
"Hey Carlos..." Kris walked to us and waved her hand at me.
"Kristen...."
"Kristin..." She coughed and I tried not to panic. She took Jenny by the hand and turned around to walk way.
"Jennifer Gonzalez....you will have to learn to behave yourself...." She scolded as they walked away only for Jenny to giggle.
So...that's her name... Jennifer Gonzalez....nice...
I turned around to walk away when my face slammed on the hard chest of her bodyguard.
"Ouch!" I screamed in his face only to get a smirk from him. He almost had no manners just like the witch he works for. They were equally alike. I groaned and walked past him to my class down the hallway.
Alex!! He's the sore cause of all my troubles. If only he wouldn't have pushed me that day at the gym, I would never have met Jenny.
Frustrated, I ran down the stairs to my class. I was having history for first period on the second day of school. Hilarious...
I walked in and fortunately no one made weird gestures at me. It's like the world in this clasroom was at a standstill and time flew past to the 3000s. I picked a seat at the corner, in the middle row and I loved my view from this end.
Interesting.
Five minutes later, the teacher walked in and I don't mean to be rude but he didn't seem perfect for the job.
He was an old man, grey hair popping, wrinkles conspicuous and did he have a hunchback?
He walked to his desk and laid down the bag he was carrying. He introduced himself as Mr Maurice and I only sighed.
He announced a few set of rules for his class and I could hear a groan from the rest of the class.
A smile immediately grew on my face. I was going to love this class.
Twenty minutes down the clock and half the class was asleep.
Including the teacher himself.
I chuckled at the realisation and figured I'd use the precious time for something more interesting.
Listening to the recording Mr Maurice made about the Bryzantine empire was more of a lullaby than a lesson.
I quickly connected my phone to the classroom's WiFi and man it was running real quick.
I downloaded plenty of songs and my soul thanked me for the updated playlist.
I definitely needed something new.
I looked on my YouTube home page and saw a trailer for the upcoming black widow movie.
Immediately, I thought outside the box and landed on Jenifer Gonzalez. I smiled when it hit me. I'd look her up....and find out if she's the heir to the world's greatest empire. She sure acts like it. That would explain the many bodyguards. But no....it doesn't...because she would probably be at some more fancy school than Chester High.
Why was she here then?? Her style and the school do not match. She's highly sophisticated and even her step screams richwoman. Her scent is the most expensive I've ever smelled before and everything about her is just unique. From the hat on her head to the boots on her feet and the silver cheap seeming and yet expensive charm bracelet on her hand.
There was something about her....just something about her...
My fingers smashed in my keypad when I typed her name in the dialog box.
My heart stopped when the page loaded. The results sure caused me to burf and I quickly grabbed my bag to help myself with. I wiped my mouth and tried four search engines but like eachtime, I came out unsatisfied with the result.
Nothing came up...
This was impossible.
How was it possible??
Every eligible citizen in America was notably registered in the American catalog for the purpose of census meaning looking her up online should definitely bring something, whether with a real or fake name.
Why was Jenifer Gonzalez not coming up??
I tried searching her with on multiple websites but nothing. She wasn't even on any social media platform and that was just horrific.
I placed my phone in my pocket and ran my fingers through my hair just about the time the bell rang indicating an end to the class. I was dumbstruck to move an inch.
"Who are you Jenifer Gonzalez??" I asked as I buried my head between my hands on the desk. She walks with a bodyguard everywhere.
Not just one, an entire security team that kept eyeing her like a hawk, not missing even a second. She never took pictures and always wore a hat! To make matters worst, there was no information on her, online. It's as if.....she didn't exist!
"What are you waiting for??" The hoarse voice of Mr Maurice asked and I knew that was my cue to leave.
Without responding, I grabbed my backpack and matched out. I needed a breather... I walked to the courtyard and discovered just a tap with lukewarm water.
Impressive....
I drank some and decided I'd walk to the cafeteria for an early lunch.
On my way, I saw a black shinning limousine that immediately caught my attention. It was as if a pageant had been organised for the queen of England.
A lot of security guards surrounded the car and even had a red carpet laid over the path all the way to the car. Was the president visiting or something?
My jaw dropped the moment my eyes saw, and my brain confirmed.
Jenifer Gonzalez. She walked out of the school's west wing; the Ceramic Bear campus, walking like a model on the red carpet.
As usual, her bodyguard was with her. They walked in sync and he shielded her as though she were a celebrity in the middle of a fan attack.
She took dainty steps as her thy high boots crushed against the red carpet. He opened the door for her and she got in making me notice someone was holding the umbrella for her the entire time.
What??
The sun wasn't even scorching....
I hid behind a pillar as the car passed by. Fortunately I was able to get a clear view of her as she slowly rolled up her tinted windows. She still had her hat on and wore some shades, looking like the angel of darkness in a girl's dream.
Beautiful tool for a terrible use.
As the car went outside the school gate, I followed the trail to were it packed and I didn't even know what I was looking for.
I just stood and watched as it disappeared into the crowd, my mind still trying to find a clue to getting all the answers deciphering the mystery of the girl in a hat.
Jennifer Gonzalez.