What the mask hides.

9

Lexa looked at the ring she placed in the palm of her hand, holding back tears. Why did the world think she didn't feel pain? She grabbed it with her index finger and thumb, to carefully observe the jewel that had so stopped her in her tracks:

- Why? - he asked in a broken voice - Do you like to laugh at others? At other people's pain? I bet you've done it all behind our backs. Is it for the money?

Clarke walked over and tried to grab his cheeks:

- Let me explain.

- Don't touch me... - she lowered her head to hide her sad face- I'm tired of you taking me for an idiot, you already have the reason why I don't trust anyone, you lie- Clarke shook her head- you laugh, you hurt and you only think about yourselves

- Lexa, I swear the last thing I want is to hurt you two. The day I woke up in the hospital I was scared, I had nowhere to go, I'm alone. She wiped away her tears, at least the green-eyed girl was listening to her. - My mother is Abby Griffin and she's in jail. My father, Jake Griffin, doesn't know I exist. I didn't lie to you about that. Lexa, the only thing I've lied about has been my marital status. I was honest about everything else.

Lexa held up the ring that her sister's wife must have worn:

- How did you get it?

- On the plane, I sat next to your sister and your sister-in-law- Clarke lowered her head in shame- I complained because I didn't want the seat that was assigned to me and Alicia offered to let me have hers that faced the aisle, they were both kind to talk to me, they told me how they met, just moments before the accident Eliza showed me the ring- she cleared her throat- I said that I had never seen anything like that and something so romantic to get married shortly after meeting each other, she was so kind that she let me try it on that was when everything happened and the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital, with you by my side

Lexa sat down on the old couch in the small office, resting her elbows on her knees and covering her face with her hands. Believe her or not? She had shed crocodile tears over her sister's death. Who was to assure her that she wasn't acting now?

Flashback

It was finally the last year, Lexa was starting to apply herself in her studies, sometimes with the help of her sister Alicia or some classmate who gave her notes. Even so, she was antisocial by nature , so during recess she sat alone in the dining room, no matter how much her sister insisted that she sit with her and her friends. In her hands she had a book, she hated the food they served that day, well like most days, lately she barely ate, losing a lot of weight. A brunette sat next to her, drawing the attention of the green-eyed girl who slowly looked at her out of the corner of her eye:

- Do you like to philosophize?

- I'm not a Harry Potter fan

The girl started laughing:

- The philosopher's stone is not - he laughed again - philosophizing, you are in my philosophy class

- I prefer to keep my opinion to myself- he looked back at the book in his hands- go bother someone else

- You have a very negative aura- she nodded, somewhat interested in Lexa- I think you're going to be my new project

Lexa leaned back in her chair and slammed the book shut, seeming to be restraining herself from screaming. Did that girl not understand when she told her to get out of her sight? Apparently not:

- My name is Costia

- And my name is I don't give a damn what your name is.

Costia shook her head, pulled out a notebook and began to write things down. Lexa tried to look, but Costia hid it from her: