Pause (Published)

Chapter 5: Challenge Accepted

Chapter 5: Challenge Accepted

"Singing in the rain! I'm singing in the rain!" I hum at the top of my lungs and purposefully spin in circles in front of our school building as the heavens open up above us and the water pours down, soaking me from head to toe.

I glance at Bell who is ducking her face as if embarrassed by me. She hides behind her hair when some of my fellow students laugh and point at me as they walk past. I don't pay any heed to it.

I grab Bells by the hand and pull her into the rain with me as I encourage her to live in the moment and participate.

"Aqueela, people are staring," she points out and ends up walking back to shelter, under the protection of the school's roof.

"We are the people!" I call back and continue on living spontaneously. "Singing in the rain!" I chime again, unashamed. "Oh, I'm singing in the rain!"

"You're going to be crying in the rain too if you don't shut it," Mason mutters from beside Bells. She rises to my defense and shoots him a dirty look. He catches it. "What?" he throws his hands up in the air, exasperated. "Just look at her," he defends himself as he points to me with certainty, "she's not normal. She's...weird."

"Aqueela isn't weird, she's just different. She loves life and appreciates the small things," Bells retorts in an irritable manner.

Unfortunately, I don't help justify her statement as something suddenly dawns on me. I run out of the rain and place a hand on Bell's shoulder to support myself. "Oh, no! Now I need to pee. Need to pee! Need to pee! Need to pee!" I say and jump up and down whilst doing so. "Come with me, Bells?" I pout in pleading.

Bells and I always go to the bathroom together and it infuriates Mason to no end because I have a weak bladder and always drag his precious girlfriend away from him.

Then again, he should know that he can't spend every waking moment of the day with Bells. He's a 'Bell' hog. We're in competition for her attention.

Mason gives Bell a deadpanned stare, referencing back to the fact that her defense for me isn't holding up. "Yeah, and that's not weird at all," he says sarcastically as his eyes briefly stray from Bells to me. "You sing in the rain, why don't you just pee in the rain too?" he asks rudely and scornfully.

I ignore his presence (having been doing so for a while now) and his incessant cursing as I grab hold of Bell's hand and forcefully drag her down the school hallways with me.

All Mason's football friends pitch up just in time to keep him company. 

"You know, I was trying to set you up with one of my mates and when he asked where we got you from, I couldn't answer because I forgot the planet's name!" Mason calls after me as if desperate for a reaction, but I decide that he doesn't deserve one for such a lousy insult -- even he can do better.

I scoff aloud when we are out of the maggot's hearing. "I know I've said it a million times before but I really hate your boyfriend," I tell Bells, annoyed.

Bell throws her head back and laughs. "I think that's the fourth time you've told me that, and that's just today, but enough about Mason, what's happening in your life? Why haven't you called 'sexy, hot manager dude'?"

I shrug and seek out an excuse. "Been too preoccupied." I take the liberty to remind her, "And I don't have his number," I send her a sheepish grin, "remember? I ripped it."

Bell rolls her eyes. "I forgot." She changes the subject, "What have you been preoccupied with anyway? Stalking Taylor again?" she grins deviously, sending me a knowing wink.