At the beginning of the new term Amethyst joined the class, she cheerfully introduced herself, she has glowing long locks and beautiful eyes a few guys in the class said wow under their breath, she looked like the typical popular girl in teen movies . She wasn't bothered that she had to sit at the back of the class next to Damien. Even though she was new to the class it was pretty clear Damien was an out cast. Amethyst wanted to make a good impression though as she didn't want a repeat of her last year, she wanted to be liked.
Damien was a strange child, he never had a friend and no one had seen his parents not even his teachers. During class he would usually sit alone and barely spoke to anyone, if he was asked a question he would stare blankly into their eyes until they walked away, he didn't even seem to recognise his own name when the teacher called it out.
Despite Damien's peculiar behaviour Amethyst was determined to gain a friend, and constantly tried to engage in conversation. After many months they had gotten close, Damien still didn't talk much but he seemed to enjoy Amethysts company. After all that time Damien hadn't smiled once, no one had ever seen him smile. Eventually Amethyst asked him why he never smiled, was he upset? or was she simply not worth smiling for? Damien just said he hadn't ever smiled and didn't know how. It sounded ridiculous, but it was believable, when ever there was a school photo he didn't smile, not a single joke made him smile or even smirk. He occasionally chuffed when Amethyst told him child hood stories but that is the closest he came to laughter or smiling.
A group in the class came to realise that the strange child had become acquainted with Amethyst and were quite jealous. As Damien left class a small crowd formed around him and began mocking him. Saying he had an emotionless face, and pointing out how strange he was not to smile. Saying that he was depriving Amethyst of happiness and that she didn't deserve a freak like him. Damien said nothing and walked away, he didn't look at anything or anyone but the ground.
The next day was the last day of the term so there were no classes, just activities around the school. Damien approached Amethyst and she gasped. He was wearing a wooden mask, it had a great big smile carved into it and rosy cheeks, the eye holes were so small that his eyes were barely visible, a blood red ribbon secured it to his face. Although Amethyst was extremely unnerved by this thing on his face she chuckled and hugged him, she had never hugged him before but she just wanted to look away from the mask without being rude. Damien asked if she liked it and she said it was sweet. He had never received a compliment before. 'sweet?' he asked. He began to feel the corners of his lips move slightly, he realised that he was smiling. The loose ribbon at the back of his mask slipped undone causing the mask to fall to the ground. His cheeks were beginning to hurt now, a slight aching, with a warmth in his cheeks, he continued smiling and tasted metal in his mouth, he was familiar with the taste of his blood. His mouth was now stinging and burning. He pulled away from Amethyst and she shrieked. His lips were ripping open the smile was increasing in size and spread further ripping the side of his mouth. He couldn't stop it.
The crowd from the day before found him and laughed at his face and picked up his mask. Damien's smile stopped when it reached his cheek bone, it remained as blood trickled down his face. He shouted, almost roaring "GIVE ME BACK MY SMILE". Amethyst had tears rolling down her cheeks as she whispered his name, almost questioning it. Damien ripped the mask out of the boys hand as he stood in shock. Damien began walking away when the boy shouted after him 'Come back here, I'm not finished with you' they began following him so he quickened his pace. Moments later they began chasing him around the school. Damien was used to hiding from people so he found a small opening and began venturing through the walls of the school. He waited in a vent with his mask, waiting for Amethyst to find him that way he knew he'd be safe. He still had that smile plastered across his face.
Damien hadn't been seen for a year now. Amethyst sat down in class and looked up in the vent and she saw the mask staring right at her it was always there, every lesson. Always watching, always smiling. She daren't tell anyone, she didn't want to sound mad, after all it was only a mask, and there it remains.
