JanTom: Complete Opposites

c н a p т e r o n e

Dedicated to : Asmethyst
I promised I'd dedicated the first chapter to you. This is probably weird and you don't remember.

Chapter One : Indifferent

People said I was weird.

Because I like horror, because I love the occult, because I love anything creepy and mysterious. People were frightened of me, and so whenever I'd come close they'd run away in fear I might cast a spell on them.

So everyone was always on their best behaviour whenever I was around. I could see in their eyes the fear, the disgust, the anxiety in fear that I might curse their life.

Sure rumors are natural, it's bound to happen. At first I tried denying it, but I realized that people will believe what they want to believe. And so I let the rumors run free, until up to the point where I was known as the witch girl of Class 2.

No one wanted to sit close to me. They said my curse would be passed onto them. That they'd never look in my eyes or they'd be bestowed great misfortune. I was the plague, I was the outcast.

At first I wasn't used to it at all. I'd cry on my sleep and wished that the next morning would be different. Yet it never changed.

Until I got used to it.

Just thinking about it makes me pissed, but I know that someday it will get better. That I'd be recognized as a person somehow.

"Janna, why don't you invite your friends?" my mother asked across the kitchen counter. She was humming an unknown yet lovely tune whilst she fried the tempura for breakfast.

I stared by the window with an empty gaze. I rest my hand under my chin and mumbled. "I don't have friends."

"How about you ask Marco? Why don't you invite the kid?" my mother suggests.

   
     Marco Diaz is the kid across the street---which I unfortunately, babysit. Don't get the wrong idea; he's not some toddler or some stupid kid that picks its nose and eat it. He's twelve, and rather a kid with a sassy tongue.

     He's the smartest of his class---which he quote-on-quote "filled with monkeys." I generally didn't like him, just because I disliked children--instead, I despised him.

    Well, our relationship is complicated. It's love and hate, really.

      "I'm not on babysit duty," I murmured, less enthusiastic as the day goes on with nothing eventful happening. It'd be fun if I suddenly become a hero or if aliens suddenly invade the world with a zombie apocalypse. That'd be rad. Then again, this is boring Echo Creek I'm talking about.

     The only thing that gets people riled up is gossip and sneaking their noses up someone's business.

      
       The delicious aroma of fried tempura enters my nostrils and I get entranced with it's savoury smell. I hear my stomach grumble in hunger, then my mother suddenly pipes up too happily. "I forgot to tell you."

She grabs the plate of tempura and rice, then placed it on top of the dining table. I stood up from my seat near the window and followed, taking a seat across my mother. She smiles and hands me the platter of rice. "A family is going to move next door."

   I furrowed my brows in confusion, then took the platter of rice and scooped up enough for me. "Why would anyone live there? I thought it was going to be demolished?"

    My mother takes a tempura, then continues. "The old owner decided to sell it; apparently, the husband of the family moving in, had just gotten promoted and transferred here---not to mention their child's school is closer."

  
      "So they have a child," I say to no one in particular. We said our prayer before meals and dined in. I take a scrumptious bite and my mouth waters with the crispy yet tender shrimp tempura in my mouth.

"This is delicious mother," I say as I took another bite.

     My mother clasps her hands in delight. "I'm glad you like it! I hope that our new neighbours would have a kid your age."

     
       "Why so?"

"So you can finally mingle with people your age," my mother then pouts, knowing that she was a bit upset I didn't care about being all alone. "--you can't just stay all by yourself, you know?"

      "I can and I will continue to be so," I frowned at her.

     She sighs, looking at me in pity. "Oh Janna. You're going to grow old all alone, you know? As your own mother, I'm worried."
     

New neighbours huh? It's none of my business really.

JanTom : Complete Opposites
August 7, 2020
© Thegirlwithevilface