Glass

Chapter 4

I made it just in time for class. I slipped into the window seat in the very back of the room— placing my backpack by my feet, and my jacket atop the table in front of me. I had the whole long wooden table to myself, and it felt good to be able to breathe— even if it was for just a moment.

I stare out the window— the sun reflecting off the blinding snow as my eyes scan over the people down below. Some all bundled up, and others not— them being vampires that aren't in need of jackets. I turn my head back to the table and I notice some handheld mirrors sitting atop the tables.

"Don't touch him", a man hissed out— furiously. I look up to see a man a couple tables ahead of me standing up from his chair and glaring down at a girl who had her hand raised to touch another man's hair.

The second man looks uncomfortable. He's leaning away from the touch— curling in on himself, even though he's quite toned. I can only see the back of him, as for the first man, I can see his eyes flashing red in anger.

The two men looked like they sat there first—sitting by the window as the two girls sat right beside each one of them. The men sitting across from each other. The whole rest of the table was empty— as if these girls purposefully chose to sit beside them.

"I just wanted to see how soft his hair is", the girl argues back as if she's entitled to touch him.

All the horrible memories of my past came rushing back. The times when others felt they were entitled to my body. The times I was used for other people's entertainment. The time I had no say in what happened to my own body.

It was like I was on autopilot. I stood from my seat and I walked two tables ahead of myself. I can feel everyone's eyes on me as I stand by the man who was standing up and glaring at the girl angrily.

"What do you want?" The girl glares at me. I glare right back at her and tilt my head to the side to study her. She was human. Her hair bleached blonde, with a red coppery tone mixed in. A horrible bleach job done. Her brown eyes were angry and switching back and forth between me and the angry man who I stood by.

"Do you enjoy being harassed?" I ask her with an aggressive tone.

"I really don't think this is any of your business", she retorts. The angry man picks up his bag— walks behind me and goes to the second man. The second man scurries to pick up his bag and stands up. Seemingly wanting to get away from her as fast as he could.

I'm glad the angry man moved because I walked over to his spot so I'm diagonal from the girl. Her friend beside me on the left. My anger was skyrocketing, and I had enough of her shitty self righteous attitude. I leaned across the table and gripped her by her hair.

"Try touching him again and I'll rip your hair out by your roots", I seethed. I don't even wait for her to respond. I let go of her hair and I went to walk away before I turned back to her to gave her another warning.

"Watch yourself", I go to walk back to my spot. I can feel her glare on my back as I pass the two guys who are just standing in the walkway between the tables.

"You guys can sit with me, if you'd like. I won't harass you", I tell them as I pass. I walk the two tables down to my own and slide back into my seat. I look up to see them both sitting down at my table, just a single chair separating us.

The professor glides into the room with a mouthful of apologies because of how late she was. Everyone's eyes left me and turned to her. She goes to explain that the mirrors are for an assignment we're going to be doing. It's a self portrait. The mirror is so we can look at ourselves in order to draw ourselves. She explains that the materials we'll need are at the back of the room.