When Words Fail

Chapter 16

P.E. wasn't that bad. Mrs. Fabroca taught us new steps that was much tiring and flexing but it was all good. I was again, the highest. I wasn't bragging or anything, but I've become Mrs. Fabroca's favorite student.

I saw Tish and I remembered how rude I was to her. When she saw me staring she smiled awkwardly and raised a hand to gesture a small wave. Wow she's so kind. Because I felt bad for what I said to her last night, I nodded and actually gave her a small smile. She lightened up a bit, maybe because she thought I smiled at her when I rarely smile at anyone – no, scratch that – I don't smile at anyone at all.

After the class, I was tying my shoelaces when Luke approached me.

"You did awesome."

"I'm very well aware of that." I replied.

"Woah. Haven't realized til now that you're so conceited." He grinned.

I very much wanted to wipe that grin out of his face.

"Bugger off." I snapped then I stood up and made my way out of his sight.

Unfortunately, he came dashing off after me again.

"Midori!" He called.

I came to a halt.

I turned and he almost bumped into me.

"What did you just call me?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

"M-midori." He stammered. I caught a glimpse of something I couldn't decipher in his eyes. "That's your second name, isn't it?" He answered.

"I don't want to hear you call me that again."

I bolted off.

I felt my head throbbing. As soon as I reached the nearest washroom, I dropped my bag to the floor and came panting and desperate for air. I clung to the sink as support since I can't feel my legs.

What the hell?

It took me a moment to realize the reason why I felt that way.

My brother used to call me Midori. He was the only person I allowed to call me that. It was kind of special for me, I allowed only him because he's the only person in the world that mattered to me and when he died, no one has ever called me Midori again.

Hearing someone call me that name hit me like a wave splashing in the shore. It somehow reminded me of him. I haven't realized that I've been crying so much until I barely see anything anymore.

I quickly dried my tears using the hanky that was in my pocket and took the time to look at my face. Toni was right, I looked miserable. The dark circles around my eyes got darker and my pale skin got paler. I could totally pass up to being the corpse bride.

I inhaled and exhaled, trying to fill my lungs with as much oxygen as I could before going to my next class. I'm already ten minutes late so another five won't hurt.

I walked slowly, calming myself as much as possible.

It was when I was rounding the corner to my next class when I heard two men arguing. The voices were familiar but I couldn't understand what they were saying. I normally don't care about some random people arguing out in nowhere but when I realized it was Luke and Toni's voice I was hearing, I stepped closer beside the janitorial materials to conceal myself as quiet as I could manage.

"You shouldn't have done that!" Toni said, his voice raising by the word.

"I slipped! I forgot to use the first name!" Luke argued.

What?

"What if she had another panic attack?" Toni said, I could mentally see him pacing back and forth.

"Don't be paranoid. Isn't it better if she remembers?"

"No! She remembers and then what? She'll be locked up and forced to take medications again!"

Did you ever had that moment when you're trying your best to stay quiet as possible but you clumsily hit something that makes a loud noise? Well, that happened.

I unconsciously bumped into the janitorials when I was trying to get a closer step towards them. They stopped talking and started moving towards my direction. I half ran, half walked towards the nearest thing that could hide me and that was the washroom, again. Only this time, it was the boy's.

There were two guys inside, one in the sink and one in the urinal, unzipping his zipper. The one in the urinal automatically turned his back against me and the one in the sink stared at me in disgust and disbelief. I turned my heel around, looking like a walking tomato based on how red I was and headed straight towards the door. Unfortunately, I bumped into Luke and Toni, the guys I've been hiding from.

"Aaiana? What the hell?" Luke said in surprise.

"What are you doing in the boy's comfort room?" Toni asked in disbelief.

I tried my best to maintain my composure and did my best to look convincing.

"I-I kind of got dizzy and I tried to find the nearest comfort room and I ended up here, I honestly didn't notice the sign."

It might have been the redness of my face or the guy who was in the urinal who exited and looked at me with a disgruntled face that made the two crawl into laughter.

"D-did you see his face?!?" Toni said between laughter.

"That was priceless!" Luke said, his back against the wall and his hand in his stomach. "Aaiana, did you see his little buddy? Was it big?"

Another wave of laughter from the two.

I rolled my eyes and snapped, "I'm glad I'm dizzy I haven't had enough time to look at it."

"Oh dear you are so red." Toni told me after he regained his composure, looking reddish himself after bursting out laughing.

"You're one to talk. You look like a tomato as well." I snapped at him.

"A hot tomato indeed." He winked at me and ushered Luke to take the separate way.

I fought any urge that made me want to take a peeler and peel of that smirk out of his face.

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Aaiana with his brother 💋

you'll meet her brother soon 😥