Eternal Moon

CHAPTER 2

Books are like dessert to me. I enjoy them as much as I like sleeping or listening to music under the rain. But alas, the school bell rings, snapping me out of my book-induced trance. I quickly gather my things and make my way to class.

I hope to myself that I won't end up being late for class. It's something that I didn't want happening to me. I nearly break out into a sweat just trying to get up the stairs. Luckily, I came in just as the bell rang. Everyone was already in their seats, ready to do their novel studies. Scanning the room, I observe the last empty seat. It used to be a table in the back where I usually sat by the window. One of the seats was now occupied by someone different.

I looked over— it was the pretty girl from the cafeteria. She was already reading a book like everyone else in the classroom, and seemed like she was incredibly focused on it, too. I really didn't care if people sat there. As long as I had a place to sit, I wasn't worried about being embarrassed.

I pull out "To Kill a Mockingbird", and start reading from the page that I left off from. Each page was filled with words that had meaning to it. I sort of liked the plot or meaning of the book. It seemed all too real to not be true. It was like an unseen art.

My thoughts were cut short from the book. I wondered about the girl next to me, impulsive thoughts racing through my mind. I needed to see her face. I couldn't see it clearly before. I found myself glancing at her from time to time, and each time I did, she seemed to be getting closer to the edge of the desk, further and further away from my presence.

I found it strange. I thought that maybe that's where she sat originally, and that my mind was playing some sort of stupid trick on me. But no. This time, she caught me glancing. I couldn't help it. I wanted to see what was under those bangs. It riled my curiosity.

But this time was different. From the corner of my shoulder, I saw that she gave me a mean scowl. A terrifying glare, as if she wanted to get away from me as fast as possible.

As if she wanted me dead, in one way or another.

I tried to direct my gaze away as fast as possible. I was horribly embarrassed. I covered the side of my face with my palm, trying to act like I was looking around the room instead of looking at her. That was an embodiment of curiosity that killed the cat. I felt quite stupid, shuddering and cringing at the horrible encounter that I just went through.

Time passed, and yet the awkward silence didn't pass. I was dying inside. Why did she look at me that way? Why did I not stop glancing? Was it my stupidity? What did I do wrong? I made a nervous guttural gulp, trying to make wind of the situation, but that wasted all my time until the bell rang.

I looked up from my book to see that the girl was walking away, super fast. She was clenching her book and her knuckles were white. I let out a sigh of embarrassment and relief. The silence was finally gone. The pounding in my chest and head finally stopped.

I shoved all my books into my bag and walked out as well. I hadn't realized that I was sweating like crazy. It was freezing outside, too. My physical condition at the moment made me feel a tad bit of shock. If someone saw my face, they'd say that I saw a ghost. I was right. I looked ghastly, too pale to look human. I hated that encounter.

But fate had a cruel twist of events for me later. I dreaded my life as I remembered that my last block was gym. Having little to no motivation about it, I slid my feet against the squeaky floors and walked through the doors to set my bag down against the bleachers, which were on each side of the gym.

I didn't like the gym, but it was better than socials class. Our gym teacher, Mr. Belmont, didn't seem too strict most of the time. If we walked our three laps around the gym, he'd let us have free time to do whatever within the premises. I like him. He's like a handsome golden retriever with watercolor eyes. I've heard girls gossip about him before. He seems to hear a lot of things, though.

Students lined up against the back wall of the gym, and I knew today wasn't a free choice day. Ven was hyped about playing dodgeball. I definitely wasn't. There was no way to escape it, so I decided to dive head first into it rather than run away.

Standing with the line, we were all counted into teams. I had to grab a blue pinnie. Y'know, those sweat-stained stagnant jerseys that the school makes you wear when you play team games in the gym.

Mine reeked of testosterone and musk. I wanted to vomit.

Most people endured it. I tried to be one of those people, barely able to keep my composure just because of the stench. There were worse things. I didn't even realize until I moved out of the way from an incoming ball, that the game had started.

Most of the people in my gym class were try-hard, sweaty jocks who often played basketball and volleyball. If you took one look at me, I looked like the polar opposite.

A scrawny teenage boy with dark hair sputtered all across his forehead. I was not cut out for this. I looked around the battlefield which was called the gymnasium.

Again, my eyes wistfully landed on a single figure. It was her again. That pretty girl from English class. She was just naturally so good at dodgeball. I witnessed her take out at least seven other kids on my team. I didn't move. I awkwardly stood there like a pole.

That was when I became a deer in headlights. As if in slow motion, that rubber ball was being hurled in my direction. Move. I couldn't even wiggle my big toe. I just stood there like a bowling pin and let my face become flat under the ball.

It felt like I was being brutally slapped across the face. It was similar to belly flopping, but on your face. The material was terrible. Who the hell allowed these to be used in dodgeball? Before I knew it, my twig legs gave in and I fell on my back.

Mr. Belmont gave that person a penalty, who I found out to be the one pretty girl who glared at me in English. She was the one who hit me in the face.

I realized that my nose started bleeding out of nowhere. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I desperately tried to stop the flow, but everything started spinning, my vision blurred, and darkness engulfed me as I blacked out.

The last thing I saw was her rage-filled stare, just as she made her way and sat on the bleachers.

(END OF CHAPTER 2)