The Tainted Rose

Chapter six

Have you ever done something just to fit in?

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"Hey, Jaylen! Wait up." My name was being called, but I couldn't make out who was calling me since the hall was filled with students walking to their next class. Suddenly Damien stood beside me, he must've been the one calling my name.

But, Damien? What does he want? He never talks to me. The only times he has, is to make fun of me. I've always been a joke to him.

"Heeeeey, Jaylen..."

I rolled my eyes because I was sure he came to bother me. "What do you want Damien? I don't want to deal with you right now."

It was getting old having to deal with him every time he felt the urge to pick on me. At least he had been off my back since Ashley got a little thicker, not that I understood the situation because she was still thin. I felt pity for Ashley, but to be completely honest I liked not being his target. It was like getting to breathe fresh air after hiding in a bunker for years.

"You don't want to deal with me? Let me tell you something you little prick, nobody cares about you and I could destroy you if I wanted to. I could beat your black ass with ease and you would end up with a purple eye. So this is what we're going to do, you will do as I say tell you and maybe I'll make you cool; not as cool as me obviously, but just enough to hang with me." Damien explained as he pushed me against the lockers. I could feel his left elbow making pressure on my neck, so much that I found it hard to breathe.

I sighed and then continued to ask, "What is it that you want?" I could hear my voice different and a little low since his elbow wouldn't let me talk right.

"So you heard about Ashwhale right?" He asked.

"Yeah, who didn't?" I replied. My voice was almost inaudible thanks to him. His grip was so strong that I felt like fainting.

"Great! Here's what I want you to do, I want a big... no, no, no, no, a HUGE whale and then give it to me, I'll give it the finishing touches."

I can't believe that he's going to do something like that to her. I really felt bad for her, but at least it wasn't me that he was bothering.

"Ok, just to be clear, I'm gonna be cool if I do it, right?" I can't believe that after everything, I'm going to help him.

"Yeah, if you do this, you'll hang with us." I could see that he really meant it. He must really want this.

"Fine, I'll do it."

After I agreed, I could feel his grip loosening. Finally I could breathe right! I took my chance and got out of there as soon as I could before he changed his mind.

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Since I got bored during my next class, I started drawing what Damien asked me. It took me two whole hours to make that masterpiece. It was a huge whale with her face, it was beautiful. What a shame that it was going to be used for the wrong reasons. After my class was over, I looked for Damien and gave him the drawing. "Nice! You even put her face. You're even better than I thought."He was smiling from ear to ear, like a child on Christmas.

"Sooo, when are you going to use it?" I was a little curious as to when he was going to give it to her, since I started feeling bad for what I did.

Maybe I could ruin the paper somehow, that way he won't give it to her. I was thinking of taking the paper and throwing it in the trash later that day. That way I could make him think he lost the drawing, but little did I know that I had no time at all.

"Right now, we'll give it to her when she enters the cafeteria."

"I'm not sure I want to do this," I answered.

"Ohh, come on, her face is going to be priceless."

I don't think he will let it go. What have I done?

"Look, there she comes, go give it to her." I didn't want to give it to her, but since I'm a wimp and I'm scared of him, I did it.

"Hey Ashley, Damien sends you this." I gave her the paper and then I went back to Damien.

"Wait for it." He seemed psyched about it.

I could sense how she was feeling, sad, angry, frustrated, all of which I went through last year with Damien. The funny thing is that when I was going through all that, she was the only one who smiled at me and defended me. She was the only one that would look into my brown eyes and tell me that everything was going to get better. I really was a monster; I backstabbed the only person that helped me last year. After she saw it, she immediately took off running. The thing is that before she ran, I got a glimpse of her face and in it I could see all the emotions I mentioned. I felt really bad, I did such a horrible thing. The thing is that I knew how she would feel and I did it anyway.

"Hey Jaylen, come on bro." Damien wanted me to sit at the "cool" table, as I liked to call it. "Did you see her face? It was so damn hilarious and it's all thanks to our artist, Jaylen."

"Wow, Jaylen you got real talent." I heard the most beautiful and soothing sound ever.

I forgot everything I did to Ashley when Stephanie complimented me. I couldn't believe that Stephanie, the most popular girl in school talked to me. Also, I was in the table with Yoana, Rose, and Alex who were the most popular girls after Stephanie.

Oh, Stephanie! She had long, blonde hair, hazel eyes, and had some freckles on her cheeks. She was beautiful, so yeah, when she talked to me I forgot about the horrible thing I did. I was so happy, I finally got to be cool. Since that day, I always hung out with Damien and Evan.

I know you won't approve of what I did, but it was my life and I was finally happy.