It was the end of 6th period and I was gathering my needed books for my class. It was hitting the end of the school day with relieved me in the slightest that I wouldn't have to run into more interference. I didn't want to run into Marilyn because all she bared was more drama, and I definitely didn't want to run into Sammy, not until I knew how to have a conversation with him.
Luckily God gifted me Johnson who was already approaching my locker. I don't know what else needs to said between us, we've had our small talk, it was time to call it a day.
""He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking,"" He immediately says once in arm length.
I stare over to him stunned by whatever he just came out of his mouth.
He points to one of the books in my hands, "Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy."
It was book we started reading in literature but even I hadn't read it yet, especially enough to quote it.
"That's a neat thing to do," I mention, grabbing the last notebook, "How do you remember that?"
"I love the book," He expresses now taking it from my arm and skimming through the new pages, "A married women falling in love with someone else, risking it all. Classic."
Oh dear god. The short summary hit a little too close to home and now I didn't even want to read the book, whatever the ending was probably wouldn't be the same in my favor - far worse maybe. I don't notice how long I'm staring at Johnson till the silence became noticeable, he looks back up from the book and over to me.
"Can I ask you something?" I say, he nods his head, "Yesterday at the restaurant, was it weird or was it just me?"
He chuckles a bit, "Hostility in new faces is routine for most of us. It wasn't weird, they were just checking you out."
"Checking me out?" I question, now closing my locker, "Well, what did they conclude?"
Johnson looks over to me ten second too long before closing the book itself and handing it back to me. Even the second conversation around didn't change the amount of uncomfortableness that filled my body.
"You're good, Charlie," He finally answers, "It's always weird meeting new people. Nobody has anything against you."
I accept his answer although I could tell it was half assed. If there was anything that I thought Jack and his friends were, it was always extremely blunt. All of his friend say it like it is, i guess my reluctance on doing so made them intimidating a bit.
"Plus, I like you and I'm sure Romeo will find something to stick onto, he always does," he assures, "I'll see you around, yeah?"
He lightly taps my arm before backing away and disappearing around a corner.
How did Johnson seem to fit into that group when he was basically like me? Whatever I was to them anyways, did they still see me how I've been trying not to see myself? My status as Jack's girlfriend didn't change anything about me or how others saw me, I mean they saw me but mostly as the joke of a girlfriend he has. I pick at the jewelry on my neck reminding myself to not acknowledge any other opinions on my relationship with Jack. What others thought about me and said about me always mattered, mostly because I just wanted people to think the best of me.
The tardy bell rung snapping me from my thoughts, shit. Now I was late for literature, the first and only tardy ever - all because i'm wrapped in some drama i'm only creating in my head. There was nothing wrong with Jack's friends and i'm sure there was nothing wrong with me.
I only wish my inner conscious agreed.
***
okay, so i began reading the "after" series after i saw the second movie was coming out because despite watching (&hating) the first movie i still hadn't read the books. i'm somewhere in the second book now and all i wanna say is i definitely see the similarities and i hate myself because it was entirely unintentional. i was just writing the cliche plot and i had no idea "after" was like that.
i saw one of the quotes i used in my book as well as the quote in this chapter but i literally just googled "romance quotes in book" or something like that. so if anyone's basic and unoriginal, it's both of us 😌
but "after" is...um well...alright... and completely nothing like the movie. i hope this second movie does the "after" fans justice because the first movie was child's play compared to the book.
anyways, opinions?
