Flaws

Chapter 3- Beautiful Normality

Chapter 3- Beautiful Normality

I brushed my hair in deep, long strokes. There was something therapeutic about the repetitive motion that calmed me a little. Today I wore dark, inconspicuous clothes- blending into the crowd was easier that way. I'd used to hate that nobody at school noticed me, one person in particular, but now I relished in it. I loved being anonymous around these people who weren't worth the effort in the first place. I smudged some dark green powder along my bottom lid in an attempt to make my eyes stand out. Not that it mattered much either way.

I locked the door behind me and stepped out into the spring morning. It was strange how that memory that had struck me yesterday had portrayed my walk to school as something so heinous. Usually, unless I was hungover I enjoyed the revitalising properties of the fresh air.

Headphones placed firmly in my ears, I hadn't anticipated the tap on my shoulder, and even less so the person behind me. Chris.

"Liv!" He exclaimed, but the words seemed muffled. I almost shouted in confusion until I realised I still had my headphones in. I pulled them out, and met his eyes unwaveringly.

"Chris. Hi" I said in a monotone. Unusually for him, he didn't smile or speak straight away, but appeared awkward and withdrawn.

"Do you need something?" I asked, not even bothering to appear polite. He looked taken aback at my straightforwardness, but I disregarded this.

"I just wanted to say thanks for looking after Ali the other night" He said, recovering some of his usual confidence and staring me straight in the eye. The girl I used to be would have looked away now, too afraid to meet his eyes for so long, but no longer.

"It was nothing" I assured him with a forced smile. Being around him always reminded me of the lingering underlying regard that never seemed to fade away. I made to move away, putting a headphone back in.

"Wait!" He exclaimed and I couldn't help but turn around. "I know she feels bad for snapping at you" He murmured. I frowned: if that was the case then why couldn't she tell me herself?

"Then you can tell her it's already forgotten" I smiled. "She'd had too much to drink" I added, loading my tone with implication.

"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me" He said with an ingratiating smile and I almost melted.

"Well you clearly didn't do a good enough job did you?" I said sharply, hardly believing my own nerve. He visibly reeled backwards in shock at my reprove, having never heard a negative comment towards him ever leave my mouth. With narrowed eyes, he opened his mouth to retort.

"Liv!" A male shout came from across the street. We both turned towards the source of the sound to find Spencer walking towards us. I grinned at him, showing the first genuine smile of the morning.

"Hey" I greeted him and I saw Chris's frown become more pronounced. Before I could wonder where his bad mood had blown in from, Spencer was offering his hand to him.

"Chris isn't it?" Chris looked at him with none of the usual warmth he displayed with everyone, surprising me. Spencer remained unfazed however, continuing to look at him pointedly until it became impolite for Chris not to take his hand.

"Yeah" He said and finally took Spencer's hand in what looked before to be a sticky moment. His eyes flitted to my face, taking in my frown perhaps, and he was his usual self once again.

"Spencer right?" He smiled. Spencer nodded in reply.

"You were new last year" Chris added. I smiled awkwardly at Spence whose aura exuded a suspicious level of self-assurance. He was going to grill me after this, I just knew it.