Perfectly Unseen

10: perfect ailie dawn

P e r f e c t
                ailie dawn

A s h t o n
(Friday after Ailie lashed out in Debate class)

"What are you doing, Ashton?" I heard behind me as I promised Kate or whatever I would call her.

I wasn't going to. But she didn't have to know that.

I rolled my eyes, "What?" I fell back into the lockers, readjusting the bag over my shoulder.

Liam crossed his arms with an angry expression, "Why her?" His brown eyes narrowed at me.

I looked at him in confusion, "Who? Kat or Kate -or whoever?" Girls were all the same; why remember their names if they were going to be gone before I could even say it?

He shook his head, "Ailie. Why are you being such a dick to her?" He growled lowly -protectively even.

My jaw clenched. Little princess. Little perfect-had-her-life-together bîtch. She was as good as they came; beautiful and smart yet humble as hell. Always neat and never getting into trouble. She probably had two parents that loved her and a dog to top it off. She was too perfect. I admit, it bugged the hell out of me and I wanted to knock her down a peg.

"She's fun to mess with." I shrugged, my eyes staring at my arms as I crossed them over my chest. "It's not like she gets messed with a lot. I'm probably the only one who's ever even spoken badly about her." I forced a chuckle. I didn't care if it wasn't fair to her. When was life ever fair?

"Just because you have problems doesn't mean nobody else has them!" Liam suddenly pushed me angrily, "look at her, Ashton. Next time you see her, take a damn good look at her and tell me she's as untouchable as you seem to believe." His eyes flamed with rage as he smashed his teeth together and shook his head at me. "You might as well turn into your goddamn father the way you're acting."

"Don't." I warned in a low voice, my hands balling up into fists. I was not my father. I would never be that monster.

"Then stop hurting Ailie. She's done nothing to you." With that, Liam left me to my thoughts as he headed out for football practice.

I didn't know what he was talking about. Ailie was one of those people you could just tell by a quick glance they had everything they ever wanted and then more in life. She was always smiling even if she was quiet. That girl didn't have one single worry in that pretty little head of hers.

~+~+~
(The following Monday)

"Ms Dawn, can you tell us the answer to number five?" Mr Sullivan asked as she kept her head on the desk unresponsively.

My eyes narrowed as I thought about Liam's words. I tried to ignore them but she looked completely...defeated. Her arms were over her head and she kept shaking her head.

"Ailie?" Mr Sullivan walked over with a worried expression on his face. "Did you hear my question?" He frowned, not angrily but rather like he was seriously concerned.

But why? She was always so happy...wasn't she?

She shook her head, her arms tightening over her head. She didn't even try to excuse her actions. But I'm sure it was just a bad night. I bet it was something like her fûcking goldfish died.

I couldn't stop glancing over at her. Not once during the class did she look up. "Did your pet die, little creep?" My curiosity got to me as the bell rang for the next class. No answer. My eyes narrowed; why did she get to act like this? She had no worries. I knew she didn't. She was just being a spoiled brat. "Or are you just now realizing how ugly you are? You're pathetic, princess." I sneered annoyedly.

I waited for a moment for her to snap back and yell at me or something. But she didn't. She just clenched her shirt so I left, trying not to overthink it.

Ailie Dawn had a perfect life. It was perfect because she was perfect.

~+~+~
(Gym class that following day)

My eyes once again couldn't leave the little blonde alone. Her greenish grey eyes caught mine and I frowned when I saw the little blue mark along her left cheek. How'd she get that? She turned to her tiny friend who was looking as concerned as Mr Sullivan was.

"Alright, enough snoozing! Everyone up. Five minute warmup. Let's go!" Mr Carter yelled out, startling my staring as he started the timer, "Push-ups, now!"

With a sigh I quickly begun the exercise, occasionally catching a view of Ailie as she struggled almost comically to hold her body up. Almost. She was so shaky though.

"You're weak too, princess?" Her bruise annoyed me. How did she get it? God, she was fine. It was just a damn boo-boo. My eyes narrowed getting irritated. "Are you even good at anything besides being ugly? Pretty worthless if you asked me." As soon as I said it I could hear my father. I wanted to take it back more than anything.

"Yeah." She agreed softly, making my thoughts come to a halt. Why was she agreeing? She wasn't worthless. She was perfect.

"You're agreeing?" I hopped up with her. My eyes swept down her small body, landing on more bruises covering her thigh. My blood ran cold instantly -they were so familiar looking. "How'd you get that? Falling off your little pink bike?" I looked away ashamedly, not able to comprehend what I was seeing -was this what Liam was talking about?

She pulled at her shorts uncomfortably, "Yeah." Her voice was so small.

My eyes were glued to her as her friend grabbed her wrist suddenly, "What happened, Ailie?"

It was the way she asked. It was like she knew what happened. I remembered saying the same words in the same way. I could feel myself lose my breath as old memories resurfaced.

Ailie was perfect.
Ailie had a perfect life because she was perfect.

Didn't she?