Ripping Ties

Chapter 4

MAN! AIN'T THAT EMBARRASSING! "Yep, it's me Frei. We've met once again." MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST SAID THAT!

I stood there, looking at her and keeping my face from reddening. God, her face was blushing also! Was it from embarrass or happiness?! I hoped it's happiness... I could feel that some of the people in the room were also looking too. Weirdly, Maya was still there, staring at us with a puzzled face. At least her face was funny enough to distract me from further blushing.

Finally the tension broke as Freia giggled and said "Thank God! I've got to meet you again!" She was gleaming with joy and was almost tearing up. Was meeting me all that wonderful? I'd say no, but hey, that's probably just my self-loath talking.

"Woah! You guys know each other way back?" Maya said.

After wiping the small beads of tears on her eyes, Freia answered back "Yup, we're childhood friends but got separated after my dad found a job in the city." I remembered hearing that same excuse... But something was off, I remembered MORE than that excuse.

"Oh really?! Kyaa~ How sweet~! Two friends separated by fate yet reunited after some time! It's like from an anime!" Maya said. You could say that again.

While the two kept giggling and laughing, I still stood there. I should be happy to be reunited with her... But there was something pulling it down. I felt empty. Was it because my thoughts went remembering my past again?

As I returned to reality, I found they were starting at me with a confused look. "You don't look quite happy Gabe," Maya said.

"Really? I thought he would be," Freia said in disbelief. Dammit, I needed to fake it.

"Ah! No! No, no, no. I'm just still surprised at the fact we met. How long was it again? 10 years?"

"You didn't sound all that surprised when you said 'Yep, it's me Frei. We've met once again,'" Freia mentioned.

AGHHH! SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY THAT!

As I was ranting inside with my inner voice, the doors of the classroom opened fully to reveal the Popular Ones once again. They kept on chatting as they walked right in. One of them, Eliza, noticed the situation and pointed it out.

"Oh, isn't that the emo talking with blind chick?" she said. Then all the eyes of the pack fell on us. The tension was suffocating... Of all my time observing them and never got caught as their target once, this was the first time I've felt this tension from their stare. It was sickening...

"Oh hey guys! Glad you're back! Did ya buy me that bread?!" Maya shouted.

Justin brought out a bag of sponge cake and tossed it to her. Somehow, she managed to catch it in a bite.

"Fhaemps" she said, I think it was a 'thanks'.

After a moment of derailment, Kayla came to bring back the discussion earlier. "So, Freia, do you know this edgy dipshit?"

"Gabriel, what does 'edgy' mean? Is it emoish?" Freia said.

"Yeah, yeah... Something like that."

I looked back that the pack to see Kayla looking silently furious... She still wore the same smile yet I felt it was more twisted and sinister. Her eyes were sending messages, saying like "Don't ignore me!"

"Hey! I'm taking to you!" Kayla said still wearing the smile facade. This time, not only the Popular Ones, even the others were glaring at us... I knew what this meant... This was the judging phase for the class hierarchy. It was Freia's trial.

"Yes. He's my childhood friend," she replied just like she said earlier. "We got to meet again after 13 years."

"Oh really? Isn't that sweet..." Kayla said.

"Really? What's this? A cheesy romance anime?" Eliza said.

"But really Freia, you shouldn't talk with that guy, you might get his germs or something. Haha~"

Then they all laughed. Everyone laughed and pointed at me. How did that happened!? It was supposed to be Freia's trial... Not fucking me! Why were they now targeting me?! They're just fucking idiots that's why! Fucking heartless demons! They didn't care if the person was hurting from their insults! How would they if they didn't have a heart in the first place!

"Hey! Stop calling him that." As my eyes tried to scorch their putrid faces, Freia spoke up. Everyone stopped and listened, even the ever-so gleeful Maya was shocked and listened on. I could almost say everyone looked really shocked. Why? Because of what Freia did... It's a protest against to the Popular Ones.

"HUH?!... What did you say, bitch?" Kayla said, finally she had lost the facade.

"I said, stop calling him that! It's insulting!"

"Oh course it insulting! It's an insult, idiot!" Justin said.

"Aren't you guys friendly like Maya said?!"

"Hah?! Of course we are! Look even everyone agrees! Right?!" Eliza shouted. Everyone just nodded along and agreed without hesitation.

"Like hell you are!" Freia said. Everyone silenced once more. "Everyone's scared of you that's why they're just nodding along!"

The trio looked really mad and before it became more graphic, the teacher came. The door revealed behind an old man behind, our math teacher, and he told us to quiet down as class started. The trio still seemed pissed as they returned back to their seats... I could say the same for me. If Freia didn't butted in, I would've done worse.

Silence loomed, only the squeaking sounds of the marker on the board filled the heavy atmosphere.

...

...

...

As the sun colored the room orange as it sets and the bell rang for dismissal, almost everyone evacuated the room. Before leaving, Jennifer went near me to whisper "How does it feel to be pathetic while she protects you?" I tried to look at her, yet she walked hurriedly and left. What the fuck did she mean by that?!

From looking at a blank space, my eyes fell on to Freia. She was packing up her books away and her face was a bit disgruntled, must be about what happened earlier. From what Jennifer said, I started to remember how quiet and useless I was when that happened. I became disgruntled also.

"Hey... Do you know what your actions just di—"

"How could you just let them hurt you like that?" She cut me off and said that. "This isn't like you Gabe! I know you! I... Know you... What happened?"

I... was quiet. My emotions earlier slowly dissipated, leaving my mind with the ringing of her words. To her, I've changed so much that I'm defined as a different man when compared to the past me. Should I explain her the Hedgehog Dilemma I've been having? No, making her more depressed was one thing I shouldn't do. I instead did what always do when confronted with a hard question.

I said "I don't know..." and scratched my head. "I just... grew up."

"Well I don't like it! You were so strong and happy... Now you're just sad."

"Sad huh?" I was holding back from telling her about the Hedgehog Dilemma, but what she said annoyed me. The emotions came back, I became more agitated. I did a short breathing exercise. Inhale. Exhale. "Yeah. I'm sad. And always will be. So stop asking for the old me!"

I thought the breathing exercise would help, but I still managed to let out a bit anger be the last sentence. Well whatever. I grabbed my bag and left the room. Before I left, I saw her mouth was agape and her eyes were almost tearing up. I left without hearing her answer. It's for the best because she'll just cry and beg for answers.

As I came out of the room, I saw Jennifer again. She was leaning by the door... Was she listening? Before I said anything, she talked first.

"My, my... How horrible of you to leave a blind girl in a classroom on her first day." Fuck. "No matter, just leave before you make it worse. I'll help her."

I didn't say anything except for a click of the tongue and a nod. I started walking away until I got out the building. Despite the fresh air and the calming orange-stained sky, I didn't get any relief. I was still pissed. The Hedgehog Dilemma. Everyone I had befriended hated me.

I kept walking with that thought.