Overlap

Chapter 38-B: Louder Than Words

<01/12/2011 - 12:59 | Saffrin Middle School (Gym), Austell, GA, USA>

Having arrived back in gym after dragging my defeated body back here at a snail speed, I just stayed standing by the wall, ignoring everybody around me while I sunk into a darker depression. I cared not if anybody could see the sadness written all over me, because I know they don't give a crap either way. Everything just felt slower. I felt slower, incomplete, and a little bit broken. I must have stayed in this state for what felt like half an hour.

Jogging right by me a moment later, Ashly's scented perfume made its way towards me. By now, my reaction to it was so different than before. I wondered what was going through her mind earlier, but whatever it was, wasn't worth risking my friendship with Lumina. Never should I have done that!

However, Ashly never totally went by me just yet. She was about to turn the corner, when she stopped abruptly, facing me with a menacing demeanor that I sure did not expect. "What are you starting at?"

My eyebrows rose up on their own, and it was obvious which way she was asking the rhetorical question. It wasn't an excuse to talk to me, but a dis against the fact that I let my eyes wander away with my thoughts, as they were currently locked onto her. While I get that people don't like to be stared at for too long, she of all people has no right to confront me on the matter. You're seriously asking me?! The nerve of this witch, to think she can treat me like a trash can, only to interrupt my own personal moment and make me look more like the bad guy? "What am I starting at? Nothing special at all. No need to flatter yourself. I'm simply impressed by your devotion to ignoring people only to act all prime later."

"Excuse me?"

"Well you can do me a favor and leave me and everyone else alone for real this time. It's what you're good at anyway."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you're so mean!" Ashly wasn't yelling, she was only surprised.

So was I, surprised that she didn't just walk away in a huff after hearing me tell her off. I've got more if she wants to hear it. "You're just another screw-up, broken like the rest of everybody else here. You either can't see that your behaviors hurts the people around you, or you simply don't care. So you and I never could be friends anyway. I only offer what I get in return." The bell was ringing as I was saying these terrible things to her, but I didn't hold back. I was furious at everything that happened, and Ashly is the type of person who started this mess in the first place. So, I did her another favor and just walked off, leading myself to the hallway for the next class transition.

The girl was obviously speechless, or else I would have heard screaming from behind me... Good. Maybe some of my depression will rub off on her. Or maybe when I prove I can totally ignore her, it will be a taste of her own medicine. Truly, Ashly is not the first person to do this to me, but she is the first person who bothered me when she did. If even she is like that, then the entire school body might be the same too. In which case, I wouldn't want to have friends like that in the first place...

But I did have one good friend. I still do, if only I can get the chance to call her. I made my move right then, going to the door outside instead of the direction of my next class. It didn't look suspicious, since others students had to travel the same way to get to their classes. It's been long enough now since the last time I tried contacting Lumina. I should have it in me to try again. Since it's still nice and cold outside, I let my shivering body calm itself down long enough to concentrate for another attempt.

It usually takes ten seconds, but I gave it forty. After such a long wait, I forced myself to stop, less I pass out trying this again. The failure to contact Lumina left me drained and breathing heavily, but my arm gripped the wall tightly in renewed frustration. Man! What is wrong with this connection? Why can't I call Lumina like before? Am I sick? Did all of the rules change? It's been nearly an hour since my last attempt, so this should be working!