Miss Cloudwalker (COMPLETED BUT MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 8

  Yugen: a profound awareness of the universe that triggers a deep emotional response   

I didn't dare look at Mia. I knew she would sense my stare and notice me. She might be nice to me in school, but out here, in the real world, I doubted she would care. There weren't any kids from our school to experience her fit.

I watched quietly as Mia hugged herself and ducked her head. Carmen glanced at her and then said something to Lyria. The two disappeared into the bathroom. Lyria blew a strand of hair out of her face, only for the red-brown strand to fall back onto her nose.

She turned around to take a seat and that is when she noticed me. Our eyes met and she offered me a tight-lipped smile. She did the one thing I dreaded: she approached me. Lyria stood across from me and raised a perfect eyebrow.

"Come on."

She led me outside and I followed reluctantly. We walked around the corner and stopped up against a brick wall. I watched in silence as she pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Lyria puffed.

"Mia always thought Ethan was hers," her voice was soft and silky.

"Yeah?" I murmured, looking away. She can have him if she wants.

"I met Ethan in seventh grade, he was a sixth grader. The second I laid eyes on him, I was intrigued. I could feel his pain. I always thought I could turn my life into a teen fiction. I was attracted because I thought I could heal the pain," she put the white roll back into her mouth, and back out, breathing smoke, "seventh and eighth passed, and he was in the same grade as me now. The next thing I knew we were Freshmen at Eclectic academy. Immediately, the popular crew had eyes on me. I almost joined, until I learned how much Ethan hated them. I dodged them as much as I could, pretending to be a nerd. I was shy, smart, and was always careful."

Lyria breathed out more smoke. My gaze followed the gray as it curled into the cool air. Her green eyes followed it as well. Then she sighed and leaned back. Her head rested on the wall.

"Ethan and I had every class together and we were considered as friends. Sophomore year came, along with Mia. She was gorgeous, smart, and talented. She wasn't interested in the popular crew, unlike me. I wanted to be them, but I stayed low so I could stay with Ethan. He liked her from day one and one month later, the two were dating," she snorted, "I was forgotten."

I glanced back at her. Lyria met my gaze and dropped the cigarette. She crushed it with her toe. She pulled her sweater tighter around her.

"I still followed Ethan like a puppy and listened while he would say how much he loved her. Summer came and Mia lost her virginity. To the star quarterback, Nico. Despite school not being in session, everyone knew within days. I saw Ethan at the park, dark circles under his eyes and a wet face. I tried to pick up the pieces that Mia left. He looked me in the eye and told me to back off. I tried over and over, but Junior year came and he ignored me. Mia was officially apart of the popular group. She had no shame for what she did to him. Second semester, I found myself apart of the group too. I soon became Carmen's best friend and then Mia's."

A silence surrounded us. A cold wind was shuffling trash along the street. Neither one of us looked at each other as she took a deep breath.

"I found out Mia still had an infatuation with him. She didn't understand how someone couldn't like the popular people. She was like me, but so much more... manipulative. She wanted him so she could get what she wanted. Then, suddenly, Ethan was part of the popular group. A year later, here you are. Stealing him from both Mia and me."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked quietly, glancing at her.

She glanced down at me and sighed.

"I'm telling you not to be Mia. I hope you aren't with him because he interests you in ways no other guy does. He's still innocent and Mia was his only girlfriend. Please don't break his heart, I can't see him falling for the wrong person again," Lyria murmured. She patted my shoulder and then walked back to the cafe.

I stood quietly and bit my lip. As if I wanted to be with Ethan. She didn't seem to realize just how un-innocent he was. For God's sake, I was with him only so he can get back at Mia. Then he plans on shoving me onto my knees, too.

I sighed and walked to my car. I got in and drove home. I just wanted to curl up in my blankets and cry away the pain.

☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁

I got home and was surprised to see my mother home. She was singing a song as she stirred something in a pot. She took a scoop out and tried it. I watched from the bottom of the stairs. She actually seemed... not like a workaholic.

"I love cookies, cookies, cookies. Mmm-mmm-mmm!" She cooed and scooped the dough onto pans. She turned towards the oven and noticed me. Her eyes crinkled at the corner as she smiled, "you're home late, Sera! Come and help me make these!"

I pursed my lips and dropped my bag on the stairs. I walked over and she immediately shoved a tray of unbaked cookies into my arms. I placed it in the oven. She hummed a song as she rolled balls of cookie dough in sugar. I sat on the counter.

"I didn't know you could cook or bake," I commented.

"Believe me, I can't. Cookies are easy when they're from a pizza place," she explained. I followed where her finger pointed to several empty cookie dough cans. I couldn't help but smile. Maybe it was smarter to have a cook in this house.

"How was school?" She asked absentmindedly, placing the sugar cookies into the second oven. I shrugged, it was crappy, "I know there is a boy from the way you are acting."

I pursed my lips. Yeah, why is everyone mentioning Ethan? Or a boy? Clearly, nobody knows what a jerk he is on the inside. Lyria thinks he's innocent and broken, and Mia thinks he's the most exotic ice cream in the freezer aisle. Clearly, he hasn't been an ass to anyone but me.

Then I thought of how Lyria said he shoved her away. He's been rude to her as well, when all she wanted to do was help him.

"Yeah, I suppose there is," I murmured.

"Is he cute? A nerd or a jock? Sweet or goofy? Exquisite?" My mother laughed, leaning against the counter and looking at me. He's not cute, he's hot. My eyes widened at my thoughts, oh my gosh, "gorgeous?"
I blushed, "apparently. A jock and a nerd, mysterious."

She smirked, "looks like you got yourself a good one. What's his name?"

"Ethan Jonelo," I sighed. A frown bloomed on her face.

"I know a couple, Sarra and Grayson Jonelo. They don't have any kids though, I thought they had a son," she shrugged, "whatever."
I blinked at her, Ethan's parents? I wondered if he met them again if he would leave me alone. I blurted it out before I could stop myself.

"His parents left him as a little kid!" I nearly shouted. My mom and I stared at each and our jaws dropped. Then she scratched her head and laughed.

"What a small world."

Small indeed.