She called it a birthmark. For some, she would say it's a scar. Either way, it was a patch of skin on her wrist that just didn't look normal. It was a tad lighter than her warm, russet skin, shaped and twisted in a spiral of sorts. Or a spiderweb. She was always unsure. So were her parents.
Wendy Anquoe stopped caring at one point what the origins of her marking was. It became just another part of her, one that was easily ignorable or forgotten; like the black of her hair or her incredibly boney fingers. She preferred to stick to more explainable things anyway.
Which is why she sat in her school's library. Her pencil tapping rhythmically to her side. AP Calculus homework reflecting itself in her brown orbs. She squinted down at the problem for a mere second before her pencil explained the answer that her mind had formed. It was quick. And definitely correct. She moved on wordlessly. The classical music in her ears zoning out the rest of the world.
And one guy didn't seem to like being silenced. A piece of paper the size of a fingernail came flying her way. Wendy ignored it as it pecked her forehead.
It took the second one for Wendy to bother eyeing the guy. She knew who it was from the beginning but actually seeing Alex sitting there, smiling like a hyena, didn't do anything to soothe her annoyance.
She frowned and returned to her work. He didn't seem to understand her denial of his attention, so he continued with the paper throwing.
One piece. Another. One at her face, one at her pencil, one at her pencil bag on the desk. A never-ending storm of just pure rudeness.
She was about to pack up her things and leave, when someone interjected for her.
"Oh hey Alex," chirped a friendly voice. The voice drew Wendy's attention up to see the red-hair of her best friend--Ari. "Your homework seems to have been ripped up into shreds. Might wanna tell Mrs. Lontin what happened."
Alex gave Ari the fakest, polite smile he could offer before turning around. Finally gone.
Boys. Another one of those unexplainable things Wendy avoided.
Ari took the seat across from Wendy without asking. "Gosh, what an ass," she murmured.
Wendy took out her earbuds. "Thanks," she muttered back, still very focused on her homework.
"Which class now?" Ari quickly changed the subject, taking a peek at Wendy moving on to the last question. "You gonna be done soon?"
"Mmhmm." Wendy turned towards her calculator and punched in a series of equations.
"Since remember we have that thing..."
"The ASB meeting about the expansion of the parking lot," Wendy finished for her. "Yep."
"I'm going for the Junior Prom theme vote, but whatever floats your goat."
"Isn't it 'boat' not goat?"
Ari shrugged. "Whatever floats your goat."
Wendy chuckled, penciling out her final answer.
"You been here all fourth block?"
"Mmhmm."
Ari leaned back. "James didn't text back by the way," she sighed.
Wendy dropped her pencil. Partly because she was finished, partly out of intrigue. "Seriously?" she exclaimed, packing up her things.
"Yeah..."
"Now, that's an ass," Wendy said. She stood, Ari following close behind. As they passed, Ari made sure to stare Alex down to make him as uncomfortable as possible. Wendy held in her laugh, unable to resist the amusement of seeing Alex squirm
YOU ARE READING
Happily Ever After
Fantasy"You knew my mother?" I asked, curious and slightly offended that she didn't say anything earlier. Arista smiled, her tail wading back and fourth in the water. "Yes, I did. We met when we were children by a mere accident. But, unlike most people, sh...
