Another, Another Cinderella Story

5.

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***

“Is this really a legit virtual boyfriend app?” I ask Helen when we are seated in the back of the bus again. “I mean, it is a bit weird. I am doubting it.”

“What is weird? Of course it is a legit app. To clear your doubts, you can ask it like we did with Simsimi and he will answer you the way Mr. Google answers us. Come on, do not doubt anymore. Plus, your boyfriend is J.S. Isn’t that good? Well, he is just a virtual boyfriend, but it is still his picture there. The bad is thing is...only you know that you two are in a relationship.” She shrugs her shoulder after telling me those words.

Ookay. Points taken. I think I should ask him why did Jesus die? I am thinking that it is the only way to clear my doubts.

***

We are in our Math class when my phone vibrates. I see that it is a message from vbf asking if I ate breakfast and if I arrived at the school safe. Isn’t this creepier? Weird? How could this app text my number directly without connecting to the internet? I put it away after reading the text and concentrate on the equation I am facing. I shouldn’t bother myself thinking about it when I am having a more difficult problem here.

Why does Mathematics love to make students’ lives miserable? I pressed both my fingernails on my temples. God, give me some miracles. Why did Mr. Tyler give us an ambush quiz today. I should blame what he ate this morning for this! I open the zipper on the side of my bag and grope for the thing that makes me energetic and confident since yesterday, Justine Summers’ hankie! I bring it to my nose and inhale his scent. Oh good gods, I can die right now. Ha!

I hope that I answered everything correctly as we pass the papers to him. I answer all of the equations with Justine’s hankie covering my nose, so what could go wrong, right? The bell is ringing, signaling for lunchbreak. My stomach growls like a lioness. That quiz hungered me!

I return the hankie to its safe place when we get out of the classroom. I did not want to show to the entire school that I have a piece of Justine Summers with me. I did not want to hurt them by knowing that Justine gave me his hankie. I touch my face and giggle silently. Helen is giving me puzzled stares right now, but there is no more telling her what causes my giggling,believe me, she already know.

***

Whoah! The line of students on the counter is extra long. What has changed in this school why the cafeteria is super crowded today? This is a very unusual scenario, and it is so noisy. I shove my hands inside the pocket of my hoodie and fall in line to get food.

“Oh boy! That line was so long.” I say to Helen as we crane our necks to find for any available table free of jocks and bitches. We spot one at the far end of the cafeteria with the one and only famous nerd in the school, Edison. He is sitting on a table for four.  I do not know really if he is famous, but i know that he is friendly. We have a class together in Physics and he is the only guy in the room who did not say anything bad about my hoodie, or my skinny jeans, or act like a sex god.

“Hey Edison. What’s up?” I greet as we approach him. His attention is divided by his food and his laptop. “Can we join you here because all the tables are occupied except this.”

We are beaming our smiles at him and he seems discomforted by it. He stares at us for a minute, adjusts his glasses, then pulls the tray and his laptop near him.

“Oh, su-sure. So-sorry for the mess.” He gives us a nervous smile and collects the papers from the table. I have no idea what are those, but they seem like a web design.

“Sorry Edison, if the all tables, except this, aren’t jam-packed today, we will not be bothering you. But I swear, Ally and I will just eat and leave afterwards. We will not bother you or anything. I can see that you are working on a very important project right now.” Helen says holding his arm. He cringes by her touch and looks embarrassed. We are still in our senior year, but he is already making money by making web designs, and or coding web pages. That is just what I heard, but I think it is true.

“No, it is just fine. I am usually alone, but I am glad you are brave enough to approach me. At least I do not feel alone anymore.” An awkward smile goes out of his lips, showing us the braces on his teeth.

“Aw, so, does that mean that we, Ally and I, can be ourselves here?”

“Suit yourself. I won’t mind.”

We all shrug our shoulders and smile at each other. I start digging my food since I am so hungry already. What Edison just said saddens me. I pity him somewhat. I feel like we have a similarity, alone...and sad?

I just listen to Helen interviewing Edison about his current project. See? I do not think she meant what she said earlier about not bothering Edison or ‘anything’. But the boy is responding to her like they are close friends. Well, Helen is easy to befriend because of her sweet disposition, and there is no way you will never like her.

I watch both of her eyes grow wide as she stares above me. Even Edison falls silent and drops his gaze to his lap. I know nothing is wrong with my face because they are not staring at me, so what is the matter with them? Is there something behind me? Or is there an angel standing behind me fetching me to the Otherworld? Or maybe Mr. Death in his black habit is standing behind me with his sickle? Or worse, did I just go bald?

“What?” I ask, smoothening my hair. I do not feel something strange on it.

I look up to see what caused their shock and see myself staring into the eyes with a color similar to my hair clip.

I gasp. Gods! Justine Summers!

“So, is this seat taken or available?” He asks, pulling the chair and sits beside me.

Oh my frail heart, calm down a bit, will you?

***
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