People often quote that time ticks faster whenever a person is happy. Her ride with Eli falls under the category though she won't ever verbally admit. Even so, her frowning face was sufficient proof. Her frown became defined when they drove past the colossal steel gates of Aurum University. He headed to the west where he must have planned to drop her because she noticed a lady in black standing at the 11th lamppost.
She recognized her at first glance! It was Aster, beyond the shadow of doubt. Now, she wondered when he texted her friend during the whole ride.
Was she really that absorbed to the moment?!
SHAME!
She got off before he hit the breaks. Thus he caught her wrist which earned him a death glare. In spite of her aggressive struggle to break free, he did not loosen his grip.
"I'm not the only one worried about you, you know." he reasoned, smiling gently.
That darned look, she inwardly hissed.
The urge to stomp her feet in rebellion swamped her inner thoughts, distracting her from giving him a sarcastic comeback. This is what she feared! In such a short amount of time they continually spent, he already possessed the power to move her heart causing split-second indecisions.
"Thanks, Eliseo. I'll take it from here." Aster chimed in.
His light squeeze to her wrist before releasing her hand had tempted her to beg him to stay. However, she lacked courage and was filled with pride so the sole thing she did was watch him go. Aster observed her, discerning right away what her eyes behold. Though they were devoid of emotion when Care faced her.
"Keep Ivy as your company for a while. Do I have to spell out the mess I'm in? I don't want you involved." Care instructed, acting distant.
"I didn't ask this from you! I'm fine, I really am! Please! Please stop before you get hurt more!" Aster pleaded earnestly.
A smile curved on her lips as an assuring gesture but to Care, it was a sharpened knife lunged to her chest. Through Aster's phony façade, she formed a stronger resolve. She must move forward unbending despite what awaits her in the bitter end.
"See, you did enough. You let Mandy taste her own medicine. Point is, I don't care about them to allow you lose your reputation! It's partly my fault, anyway, because I let them ---"
"This is precisely why I seek vengeance! Did you hear yourself, Aster?! You blurred the line between getting used to the abuse and being genuinely okay. Then, you ask me to let you suffer in silence? It's cruel for you to look me straight in the eye and demand that!" she intercepted, yelling at the top of her lungs in frustration.
Passersby sauntered eager to eavesdrop on their conversation. They were baring scars in the wrong place. However, for the two best friends, the surroundings including its people fade in oblivion. Both of their heartaches blinded each other's conscious mind.
Scrambling for the right answer, Aster realized she had none. On the other hand, Care was pretty convinced her friend was tied with her victim blaming notion. After all, she behaved like her before.
"Well, fine! I'll turn a f*cking blind eye but in return, do the same. Feign ignorance while I fight tit for tat against those shameless pricks." Care declared in gritted teeth, taking her hand back forcibly.
That summed up their conversation with a clear outcome: they picked the complete opposite approach thus there was no way they'd come to agreement.
Throughout her morning classes, Aster was physically present yet mentally absent as a result of being bombarded with the memory of their heated argument over and over again.
Should she have responded differently? Would it have ended better if she heard Care's sentiments first regarding her bullying situation? Perhaps, was it the mood that guaranteed the outcome?
UGH!
"There's no way to tell." she murmured to herself.
Lunch came which aggravated her already chaotic head. Feelings of dread led her into walking to the POD office. She knew Aragons were meeting the guidance counsellor Ms. Sanz. As if destiny was teasing her, she recognized the middle aged woman along with Helena Aragon striding across her direction. Obligated to show courtesy, she bowed slightly when she exactly passed by her. As a result, the attention of the head of Prefect of Discipline lingered on her momentarily. An odd glint sparkled in her eyes Aster found impossible to decipher.
"Nobody could help a person rejecting the help herself." Ms. Sanz whispered just loud enough to be heard by her.