LUMINESCENCE [Reynico]

track 17: overdose

R

I popped the bubblegum in my mouth and chew. My mouth tastes sugar and candy. I stand on the best-selling section of the library. This is one of the reasons I love Saturday. You can tumble about pretty much anything you want in your life and you choose to go out on a library and read a book. I flip a page of the rom-com novel I'm holding.

Ah, love--it is the smell of books. I close my eyes and picture myself walking on a town called paradise. In my dream, I'd be barefoot. I am wearing the whitest Sunday dress as I stumble to the great library and read a book to myself.

Life goes on, it gets so heavy. Those are pretty words I'd never forget. Don't you just love mornings? Summer, I mean. No one particularly loves school since it's all about keeping cool and maintaining a high self esteem.

"Excuse me?"

I turn around to see an average boy, wearing round spectacles, holding a school book. He reminds me of Malcolm suddenly, the boy who is best in science and of course is best in spying on everyone else. He knows every student's story. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask if your hair is natural."

"Um, yes?" I respond politely. "Is something wrong with it?"

"No, it's just... You're just--"

I open my mouth to let him finish his next word. Yes?

"You're really pretty."

"Oh." I say quickly, a little in a hurry that he might jump at it. I have a boyfriend. "Thank you." I blinked, self conscious.

I remember the feeling of being born... I remember the feeling of being human. None of us really tries to over think of living like them. When you're normal, can you actually go on a day without realizing how that life bores you? When you breathe the air in your lungs, have you not noticed of how life is cruel that you're just dependent and vulnerable when you could have been more? That this life chose you?

I tried so hard to be hidden, to stay undercover, but it wouldn't work. People were starting to get a glimpse of what I truly was: a misshape.

I grab a hard-cover of The Selection. I check the clock and realize my boyfriend is not here yet. It fills me with joy that I have enough bubblegum to chew with. I walk onto the cashier like a normal person. The customers eye me, one by one, as if they are a bunch of vixens.

The lady in the cashier, wearing a jumper, raises a brow. "You're taking this?"

I nod at her and smile. Everything sounds so--ordinary. So quiet. The people near in line wouldn't stop chattering, and that's when I've realized how people bore me.

"That'll be zero buck for you." The lady says, handing me the book. Her smile lingers in her face, while the customers, whose attention focuses on me, turns swiftly to the cashier woman.

"Excuse me?"

"You can ask that guy wearing black." She says, as I take the book from her.

I turned around and saw Nico standing against the wall. He grinned softly when I got closer to him, our bodies standing inches apart. I punched the book in his shoulder.

"You're so annoying." I bite my lip to restrain myself from laughing.

"And you're biting your lip."

"That doesn't mean anything, Nico."

"Reyna, I always know when you're lying." He takes my hands. "Right now you just want to kiss me but you don't, because you always hate the attention."

"You know what? You're right about that." I smirk. "But you're a little mistaken." I place my hands around his neck, not to mind if The Selection hard-cover gets a little warped. "I don't care what other people think. I don't care about the attention."

"You're really doing this?" Nico laughs, shaking his head. He slips his hands around my waist.

I lean forward to his ear and whisper, "I think the idea of flirting with you is not so bad, so deal with it." I can feel him breathe under me.

He looks at my side. "What, you want to make out here? 'Cause I'm down for that. How was your weekend?" He kisses my forehead. He brings me towards one of the library's racks where we can be alone.

"Never been better." I smile as I place a peck on his nose. He smells so good it hurts. "Go on, kiss me. It's free."

"Alright, I love you. I always have."

"Shh. Don't say anything."