Empathy

Leila

Being an empath means feeling everything emotion everyone around you feels.Reading peoples emotions is kind of like reading minds because if you hard into it you might be able to know the reason behind their emotions and at other times you might not.Empaths have to act emotionless in the prescence of humans.We have t act like we care about nothing and no one,because if ,even for one minute,we let our guard down the emotions of every other person around us takes over.Its a painful experience,and thats putting it lightly.No one knows why human emotions affect empaths this way,some people think it is because human emotions are too strong for empath bodies to contain.I think it is because human emotions are wild and untamed.

As I entered Atlantic High I had to remind myself of what it meant to be an empath just so I wouldn't lose control.As I took my first step in I was immediately bombarded with emotions,ranging from curiousity to nervousness to jealousy to joy to absolute hatred.

Atlantic High was a small school.It was the kind of school where you knew everyone's name without even trying.It also followed the high school stereotype,you know, the one with the jocks ,the cheerleaders,the emos,the nerds, so on and so forth.It was the kind of place where a fashion faux pas from the cheerleader would headline that day's gossip,and by the stares I was getting I would say I was today's headline.

I ignored all the stares and walked straight to the administrative office and right up to the recetionist.

"My name is Natasha Lane .I'm here to collect my schedule."

This is the school Natasha.No hi ,no smile,just talk when you have no choice and get out.

"Finally decided to show up ,did you?Do you have any idea how much harder you made work for the rest of us just because of you were too lazy to get of your high horse and come to school.Do you have any idea how many times I had to remove your schedule from the file cabinet only to put it back again, simply because you didn't come to school.",she said angrily.

At first,I felt bad for being so rude but then I felt her irritation and didn't care as much.Sadly,I have met her kind in a lot of my former high schools.There were always receptionists who didn't like kids and only took the job because they needed money desperately.Then,as if it's the kids' fault they don't have money,they practically pour out their anger on every kid that has the misfortune of having to visit the admin. office.Sadly,I have had the displeasure of meeting enough of her kind of receptionists in my former high schools but before I can fully dwell on their misdirected anger I have usually been sent out of school.It's not that I break school rules actually I don't think I have ever broken a school rule in my life before.It's just that ,according to the schools,my 'unresponsive behaviour' disrupts classes and my'inability to show enthusiasm' does not make for a proper learning environment.Translation:I creep them out .They always suggest that I see a psychiatrist but my aunt works as one, and she is one of the best the country has seen so if she hasn't done anything what makes them think any other psychiatrist can.Eventually,after refusing to see a shrink they make me leave. It's kinda sad really.

I collected my schedule from miss grumpy without replying her comment.Any reply would have just led to her making more comments and wasting my time.The minute I stepped out I was hit with another bomb of emotions ,me being the centre of most.Most guys were just lusting,some girls were curious,the cheerleaders were jealous that someone else was taking their spotlight and others were trying to look indifferent like my appearance in their school was not bugging them in the least but I could feel their fear.Fear that my arrival would take away something from them,their reputation or position as the smartest,most beautiful or.................... class clown?That last one was just odd who would have known that class clowns were as possessive over their place on the high school chain as the cheerleaders.The mere thought of me as a class clown was enough to make me laugh but i didn't ,I couldn't.

I kept my poker face up and waled straght too my locker.As soon as I put my books in my locker the bell rang for first period.See aunty I wasn't late.I checked my schedule,I had Literature first.I loved Literature,reading was always a lot better for an empath because we could feel what the characters in the book were feeling.I started for the literature class feeling a lot better since I now knew that I would be having my favorite subject first.The minute I walked into my Literature class I felt another canon of emotons,but at least it was smaller than those I received in the hallway.I shrugged them off ,I wasn't going to allow their pesky emotions to ruin my good mood.

Twenty minutes into the class,I was starting to prefer their pesky emotions.The teacher Ms.Wood looked like a cross between a female hulk and king kong.This wouldn't have mattered if she had any idea how to teach literature.Instead of giving us a summary of the book we would be reading or even just introducing the book she sat us down and explained to us....wait for it.....the benefit of making wise choices,because apparently a 'friend' of hers with her exact name made some unwise choices and ended up teaching a subject she has no interest in.

A few minutes later a pair of twins entered the class.I could tell they were twins because if not for the fact that they were of different gender they would have looked exactly alike.They both had light blue eyes and blonde hair.The boy's hair was cut chort while the girl's went a little past her shoulder.They both had a light complexion but the boy had a muscular jaw while the girl had a dainty sort of jaw.In summary they were both pretty gorgeous.

They stumbled in and muttered a few apologies to Ms.Wood.She waved it off and told them to simply take their seats,though her irritation was pretty obvious.I didn't have to be an empath to detect that she would give them a lifelong detention if it was up to her,but I guess their parents must be very rich or very influential,most likely both.

The door burst open almost immediately after the twins took their seats,and a girl walked into the class.A girl I had assumed I would never see again.It was not only her red hair and green eyes or the fact that her face was the perfect image of being emotionless,it was the fact that I could feel her joy and recognition.Standing infront of my class was Leila,Leila Martin.

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I can honestly say the few remaining minutes were the longest and most turtorous minutes of my life.I felt like throwing a rock at Ms.Wood's head when she didn't stop teaching even after the bell rang.

Throughout the class I went through possible reasons for Leila being here.Empaths naturally avoid human contact,so living with humans is like signing your death certificate in advance.There are only two people I know that have been desperate/stupid enogh to do this and that is my aunt and I.Well,and Leila now.

When Ms.Wood finally decided she had tortured us enough for one day, I moved towards Leila,but before I got there I was blocked by the twins.

"Hi ,I'm Evan",the guy said.

Silence.

"Um,hey I'm Evelyn",the girl said.

Still silence.

I could feel their curiousity multiply every second I spent ignoring them.Curiousity is not a natural reaction to have when someone is being completely rude to you.

"So what's your name?"

"Natasha."

I started to feelthe waves of nervousness come out of the guy.Ah,finally a normal reaction.

"It's nice to meet you Natasha",Evelyn said stretching out her hand.

I looked at it then turned my gaze back to her face.

"Okay" she said awkwardly.

I twisted my gaze to see if Leila had finished packing her stuff.She had and she was coming this way.

"Move now",she said in an emotionless voice.

The twins immediately seperated,their fear coating the air.I picked my books and followed Leila out.When we entered the now crowded hallway people parted like she was Noah and they were the red sea .To say the least, I was amazed.Before I turned to enter my next class she turned gave me a slip of paper.

"Read this"

I nodded and immediately turned because I knew if I was to stay longer I would most likely end up crying then dying.Ah,the life of an empath is so messed up.