A New Beginning

Chapter 4

ATHENA PARKS

-You're talentless! Snapped Blake Wincheston at our lunch table.

I sighed in annoyance, burying my face in my hands as I reorganised my memories to try figuring out how that idiot had found his place in our group. Oh! That's right! Bree! Lovely Bree had to tell him to join us because he looked so lonely. I don't recall anyone doing this when I sat alone during lunch in high school. The rule was, "You're alone, deal with it. It's your fault anyway." Not as if I could tell her that...she seemed so determined and was fighting his case. Blake Wincheston, Bree's lab partner who bumped into her on his way to the chemistry laboratory! That was so unexpected because Bree was headed there too because, surprise, surprise, they had both forgotten their notebooks! Such a funny story, don't you think?

He was such a jerk, it was written all over his face. However, if I had to say something positive about him, it would have been his looks and clothes...he was so good looking and dressed up like a prince, "Vogue", "Louis Vuitton", "Bloomingdale's", "Ralph Lauren'', "Channel", "Lacoste"...he knew it all, well he had it all which made Mackenzie really excited as she gushed all over him . I groaned, shaking my head as Blake continued speaking in his calm and venomous voice.

-James plays basketball and the guitar, Mackenzie swims like a professional, Aiden is literally a magician and plays football. Bree, of course, is a pianist and plays badminton and I am fluent in several languages...what about you my dear Athena? What do you have?

-Look, no matter how many skills you all have, we are all here aren't we? I am here just like you are Blake. I hissed. We all ended up here and that is all that matters.

I got up, took my bag and as I walked away, he muttered loud enough for me to hear him.

-Yeah you got lucky. You got here thanks to the waiting list.

Instantly, I turned back and did what I have been polishing my wrist for, for days. That's right, I walked straight to him, stared at his hazelnut eyes and all I wanted was to remove that smug smile off so I punched him in his arrogant mischievous face which made me so sick. He had it coming. "That's what happens when you mess up with Athena Parks!" was what I would have shouted victoriously if I had thrown my fist for real instead of dreaming of how it would have felt like. My reaction, my real-life reaction, was completely different from what I wanted to do. I was frozen, my back to my friends, figuring out a satisfactory way for me to respond.

-Blake...said James warningly.

-No it's fine. I replied to James, then turning to Blake I said surprisingly calm. You're right Blake. I may be pathetic as I have no particular skill or talent, but before firing all those ugly truths to my face, take a look at yourself first and be grateful that I haven't said anything about you yet. Compared to you,for me, I value your pride.

With that, I walked away without looking back, my bag on my shoulders. I didn't have a single regret eating me up inside, the scared look on Blake's face was all I wanted. I didn't know anything, but I just risked the secret card. Everyone has something to hide, and if everything went out well, he would come to my room this afternoon and beg me not to say anything. And in a second, he would tell me his secret himself, which I would use as leverage if he wanted to humiliate me again. I could be mean too when I wanted. Just as good as the punch would have been...oh...who was I kidding? The punch would have felt so much better.

As predicted, Blake showed up later in the afternoon and luckily Bree wasn't there yet. The worry in his eyes made me feel sorry for him. I was about to call it off but he said abruptly,

-Please don't tell anyone I'm gay.

-Wh-What? You're gay? I babbled.

-Yes. Didn't you know that already? Oh no...No...no, no, no!!