Peculiar Interest

Chapter 3

Lonely. The first word that pops up in my head when I sit down in the lunchroom. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this way. I already missed my old life back at Riverdale. At least I had friends to sit with and no one made fun of me just because I was from a small town.

Not that I care what others think. It's just that no one wants to talk to me in fear that they'll end up becoming outcasts just like me. My parents make enough money to deem us upper middle class citizens, but even then, I'm somehow poor and lack the superiority of those with way richer parents.

I've spent a good portion of the school year just like that. Pushed around and mocked. Anyone who knows me is aware that I'm capable of defending myself, but while their taunts don't affect me, I can't physically take a whole group on just by myself. I end up going home with bruises and ripped clothes and end up getting yelled at by my dad who's always quick to assume I'm the one who starts the fights and sticks with that idea no matter how hard I try to convince him. He just tells me to grow up. And the teachers aren't any better either.

Now, I've just accepted that this is my life. I try to think positively by telling myself that I only have two years before I'm out of here. But the loneliness is getting to me. I've tried meeting people outside the school, but somehow one way or another they find out that I'm the outcast at my school and avoid me. As each day goes by, I spiral more and more into depression. At this point, I can only wonder what I should do.

---

"Class, we have a new student today," the teacher announced in English that day. She pointed towards the unfamiliar girl who smiled and waved at everyone.

"Hi! I'm Amelia!" she said cheerfully, "I hope we can all get along!"

The teacher ushered her to an empty seat two rows from mine. To be honest, I never really did think much of her at first. After all, just like everyone else, she would soon come to hate me. All I could think at that moment was "Oh. Just another person." But, she wasn't just another person.

That day during lunch, while I was eating, from the corner of my eye I saw a tray slide next to mine.

"Hi."

I turned my head and saw Amelia sitting next to me. And past her I could see a group of girls face-palming.

"Hi," I mumbled and continued to pick at my food.

"I'm Amelia. You?"

"Reggie," I replied without looking at her.

"Reggie," she echoed, and then said "Why are you all alone? Don't you have any friends?"

"No, and you shouldn't be talking to me."

"Why?"

"Trust me. For your own good it's better if you just pretend I don't exist."

She didn't say anything and looked around as if she were contemplating on what to say. Then she opened her mouth and quietly asked, "I'm not in any danger by talking to you, am I?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Then I don't see why I can't talk to you."

Obviously, all I said wasn't enough to scare her off, so I decided to tell her exactly what was going on. "Look. If you really wanna talk to me, then you may as well kiss your social life goodbye because no one's gonna wanna talk to you. It's practically a sin to associate at all with me."

She grinned as if amused by what I said and sighed, "I don't care what others think. I don't think it's right to leave someone alone with no friends. But if you don't mind me asking, why exactly do people think of you so negatively?"

"Because I don't have a moneybags for a father like they do," I muttered and picked harder at my food.

She laughed out loud. "Are you serious? Are these people stupid?" she cried. She laughed for a good minute or two before finally saying, "Well, if that's really the reason, then there's no way I can pretend as if you don't exist. It makes me wanna do the exact opposite." She held out her hand. "Friends?"

I stared at her hand. I didn't want to accept it. I really didn't want to make someone else go through what I was going through. But at the same time, I really needed a friend. I was sick and tired of being an outcast and having no friends. 

"Come on. Just give it a shot, will you."

I looked at her for a few seconds, and then shook her hand.

After getting her lunch, we began talking right away about ourselves. We found that we had several common interests, and I found out that her parents were largely involved in the music industry and that she moved to New York to live with her aunt since she didn't want to get involved. In her, I found the peace in my heart that I'd been longing for all this time

---

The rain poured down heavily that day. Thunder roared as if the world would blow up. Quite frankly, it was the perfect weather for that day, because it's one of the worst days of my life. The street was empty with just me and Amelia staring at each other face to face, tension filling the air.

"Reggie," she said somberly.

I gulped.  I dreaded what was about to come. I knew it wasn't going to be good.

She sighed and looked down. I couldn't tell if it was tears or rain running down her face. "Let's break up."

At that moment, it felt as if my world had fallen apart. I tried to act all cool about it, but the words echoed in my mind and consumed me. I was already going insane. I grabbed my hair with both of my hands and tugged so hard it felt as if it would rip off my scalp.

"Why?" I cried. "Why does it have to be this way? Was everything just a lie?"

The pain in my heart was too much. It hurt so bad that I didn't want to live. I just wanted to disappear. I felt so betrayed and hurt. At this point, she was my world. My everything. And now I had lost her. She turned around and walked away, leaving me standing all alone in the rain. And there, for the first time in years, I was crying out loud.

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A/N: Pardon the delay! Its hard to write during exams x.x But I promise my uploads will be more timely once summer vacation starts this month :)