The Mustache Crew

Chapter 4: Words

Omg! I haven't updated in forever! I don't have a lot of readers but if you're reading this thank you so much! It means a lot to me! I'll let you read now...

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21st

I'm really determined to find out Pinkie's name. She acts all shy in front of everyone but she practically bursts with energy every time she sees me. If I knew her name, I could possibly trace it back to Dais, and then to her spouts of energy. I know it seems like a stretch, but there is such thing as the Internet.

I tried so hard to figure out Pinkie's name, but it's like every time I turn around, she's there, watching me. It was like the most annoying thing you can imagine times a billion. Yeah. I went there.

Heading to Algebra, I caught Dais and Pinkie talking urgently in whispers.

"How do you even know?" Dais hissed to Pinkie. "It's not like you two are best friends!"

Pinkie fixed Dais with a hard stare. "It's difficult to explain... I don't know. I guess my gut thinks she's trustworthy."

"Well I for one think she's a nasty, spoiled, stupid gir-"

I never got to hear the rest. My face was soaked, my eyes only seeing blurs as I walked in the opposite direction. I walked out of the school, threw my purple notebook into a rose bush, and sat with my back up against a tree.

I thought about my life while silent tears spilled down into my lap. I thought about Mom, about Dad. I thought about my room, about the things that I owned. I thought about everything.

I started to realize how truly right Dais was. I can be mean to other people sometimes. I can be a brat. I really never had thought about all that I have before. I've only ever complained about everything. I have life so much better than other people. There are others out there, living on the streets. And here I am, worrying about somebody's name, skipping class to do it. Other kids are dealing with bullies. I'm only starting to discover the pain those kids feel. I know that I don't even come close to the pain they must be feeling, but my heart still feels constricted.

By now my tears have run dry. However, the evidence remains. The puffy eyes, tear tracks, and wet sleeves are enough to figure out what I've been doing for the past half hour. As I stood up, my head hit a tree branch, sending pain throughout my skull. Closing my eyes, I imagined that the pain was nothing more than hot water hitting my head like I was in the shower. Eventually the pulsing went away, but it was soon replaced with anger.

Why me?! It's not like I've ever done anything wrong! All I've been doing is living my life. Is that really enough to make Dais hate me?

I started pacing in front of the tree, careful to avoid the branches. As I walked, I told myself to stay strong and get over it. I mean, why should I let somebody who doesn't even know me ruin my life?

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my shoulder. "What happened to going to class?" The owner of the hand asked.

Without turning around, I squeaked a reply. "Wh-who are you?"

The hand tightened on my shoulder. My heart was pounding as I was turned around by the hand. I looked down at the grass, wondering who owned the feet that I stared at.

"My name is Stephan. I'm new. I saw you pacing, and I was curious to why you weren't in class," A voice said above my head.

Slowly, I looked up to Stephan's face. Warm, chocolate-brown eyes were scanning my face with concern, while his chestnut hair fell over his face. He almost looked windswept, as if he were going to blow away with the breeze altogether. My eyes wandered to his shirt, and stopped there. I took a step back while I stared at that spot on the shirt. It was a light green T-shirt with one black mustache in the center.

"What's wrong?" Stephan asked as he took a step forward.

I shook my head, clearing it of all fog. "Nothing. I just... like your shirt."

"This old thing? I've had it for a year now."

I gulped. "I guess I still like it."

Stephan chuckled. "Well I'd better go into the school."

He turned around and started walking towards the school doors, only to stop and look over at me again. "You never did tell me your name."

"Iris."

With that he jogged away, into the brick building that I was trying to ignore. I sat down against the tree again, and all the tears that I thought I had lost came rushing back.

They say that words can never hurt me.

Maybe words are the thing that hurts me most.