Memories of Azura

Body Found

Chapter 5: Body Found

12:00 NN

The bell rang for dismissal signaling lunch break. It was twelve o’clock. Somehow the twelve o’clock bell sounded like a ‘death bell’ because of what happened the last time I heard it.

I expected Reece to follow me towards the cafeteria as I walked in the hallway but he didn’t. I expected him to be somewhere in the cafeteria- sitting with the jocks in the popular tables as I joined the beeline to the counter but he wasn’t. I expected him to suddenly pop out with his charming smile as Ty casually talked about the ring but he didn’t. Somehow, I felt relieved that he was out of sight. Plus, he would just find out that I’ve lied to him about having lunch with the team instead of having it with Tyler alone- maybe that’s the reason why he’s playing no show.

“Are you listening?” Tyler Mayer slammed his closed fist in the table making me come into senses. Heads of jocks and cheerleaders turned towards us.

Varsity Party: perfect hair-dos, bikini ready bodies, abs, tan, tight fitting clothes and over flowing hormones. Drug of choice: ecstasy, steroids and/or creatine. These people populate half of the popular tables in the center of the cafeteria. People steer clear from these easily angered nose-jobbed and buffed up party.

“I’m sorry.” I’d usually lie about listening to him but this time isn’t worth the effort. “What is it again?” I asked as I glared back at the Varsity Party, making their heads turned back to their plates.

“Why aren’t you wearing it?” he asked.

“It’s too valuable. I can’t just wear it casually.” I lied not wanting to provoke Tyler’s anger. Maybe today’s one of those days again. Truth is: I forgot. I actually forgot everything. I forgot that he just proposed to me, and I forgot that he gave me this white gold ring topped with huge diamond boulder that might cost more than my car.

“What is?” Kathy asked me, placing her tray next to mine. “What is the ‘what is’?” Stacy asked before I could even answer as she sat beside Kathy. They can really be gossipy sometimes.

“The ring Tyler ga…” They cut me off with before I could even finish my sentence.

“Gold?” “Of course it is Kathy, Tyler’s not a cheapskate. Diamond?” “If it is gold, I’m sure it is.” “Then it is.” “24 k?” They exchanged statements, answering each other’s questions like Tyler and I wasn’t even there.

Rich Kids: they populate the other half of the popular tables in noticeable signature clothing that’d be much more decent than the varsity party’s and a little flashier than the nerds’. This group is the normal group. Okay scratch that. That might be biased because I belong in this group.

“Babe, I want you to wear it.” Here we go again with the endearments, demands and undeniably frustrating way of ignoring my friends mixed with showing off. I never liked his endearments, moreover- his demands.

“Do I look like I have a choice?” I fastened my eyes on the mashed potatoes on my plate.

“That’s my girl.” He wrapped an arm on my waist and planted a kiss on my cheek. I didn’t wince. I didn’t look at him. It looked like I haven’t even felt his presence, like I was alone with my plate of mashed potatoes and gravy. I love him. I swear I do but there are really times where I couldn’t take it anymore. If you think I’m being absurd, well I certainly am not. Once he forced me to go to one of Bill Dickson’s party which is known to exhibit obscene performances from strippers they’d hire- which he knows I despise. There was also last year’s summer incident where he forced me to make out with him- which required my basic taekwondo skills just to bring him back to sanity.  And there were incidents worse than those. This just another event wherein I am again in need of attending to his unreasonable demands.