Separate But Not Equal

Chapter XIX

Nieve looks like she could somehow manage to carry out a violent murder simply from the way that her dark brown nearly-black eyes shoot straight through me causing a slight pain just from looking at them.

I jump to the floor, trying to ignore the weird feeling of two eyes burning the back of my head. This seems to work but after a few seconds my self-consciousness and patience just fall apart and I turn around rapidly to stare back at her for what feels like minutes, with just the same amount of spite and loathing.

I only realise how long we've been standing in the same area when the thawing, frozen teeth of wind start biting against my arm. Yet Nieve and I spend so much time focusing on our own personal hatred towards each other that we both eventually forget about the whole crowd of children and teenagers skipping away, leaving us, happily.

Nieve seems eager to beat me to the group racing off, rapidly, leaving me outside the school window, wondering if I really made the correct decision or if I should just go back into the classroom and resume my original position of being awkward and timid.

I, for some reason, find myself thinking about what would have happened if I had just refused the proposal to protest and stayed in the building, resuming with my work.

Things would be quieter.

Less stressful.

The only thing I'd have to worry about in school would be David and his friends trying to kill me.

Or maybe Christopher.

Christopher and Lauren...

But I would be missing the opportunity to help support something that I strongly believe in.

It doesn't matter though, I've already made the stupid decision of putting myself in danger way by following after all the children, keeping my thoughts silent.

Attempting to catch up with the group is what makes me regret that decision though.

By the time I do manage to match their speed I am panting, heavily with my hands on my knees and my throat restricted, trying to catch enough breath to form a few coherent mix of words.

Turns out some people just aren't built for running.

Or any physical activities whatsoever.

"Ivory?" Joshua, an older boy from my church, stares down at me, strangely. "Are you okay?"

I'd be lying if I said that I never had feelings towards Joshua.

But then again, everyone in the church has found Joshua unbelievably attractive at some point.

Sadly, I haven't seen him at church for years, and even though I've changed a lot since I was thirteen years old, I don't think the best time for us to 're-unite' again after all this time is with me panting, tired and speechless.

"Y- y-I- I- cant- n- need water," the sentence made sense in my head, but trying to say it out loud just results in a series of heaves and gasps, to which I am given a cautiously puzzled look.

"Leave her, if she can't run for more than five minutes, she obviously won't be able to march for two hours," Nieve shows up once again out of nowhere to shoot me unnecessary insults.

"I-I can run for five minutes," I heave, painfully, pointing at the sidewalk trailing on behind us "I just did it."

She scoffs at me in disgust turning around to leave before Acacia appears out of nowhere, arms crossed, anger smacked across her face as she stops right in front of Nieve's path.

"Move," Nieve snaps.

"No."

"Move"

"What is your problem, Nieve?"