Yours Truly (On Going)

III

"B, how are you doing? Did you miss me?" He mockingly said. I have never expected that for the second time in my life, I'll be in hell once more.

I froze as I stared at him smirking at me, that is when I realized that the start of the hapless events were warning I should have paid attention to. I closed my eyes, completely reluctant of opening them again for some serious reasons. I had hopes—hopes of him not being around.

"What are you doing here?" I shakily replied. I tried not to act terrified but my voice totally exposed me. I avoided his glance when I noticed that I was staring at him for too long out of dismay.

He winked at me and gave me his biggest smile, giving me the vibes that broke me years ago.

"Do you really think that you're pretty, B?" says Ian who sat next to me.

I have never thought of the idea that this will ever come to my life. The thought of having to look at myself in the mirror and ask; "Am I really that ugly?"

"Oh come on, you're really wearing that? Fix yourself up. It doesn't suit you." He continued.

From that moment on, I realized I'm never going to have a decent high school experience.

We all heard the bell rang and I bolted up from my seat and grabbed Lily. She knew what was happening, so she went with the flow.

I didn't know where we were going, I just kept walking and walking, asking myself: How can history repeat itself?  I chose the best university that I'm sure he's never going to be in, but, why is he here?

"Hey, Brixie. Are you okay?" Lily asked but I haven't heard. I was absentminded. I couldn't think of any possible way how that man can possibly be here. I gradually started walking calmly, until Lily pulled me.

"Brix!" She yelled, waving over at my face. I finally had my time to inhale and calm myself.

"How can Ian be here, Lily? He can't be." I said. The look on my face must have been very concerning for her. Lily hugged me instead of saying something. She knew that hugging me is better, and I'm thanking God, He gave me Lily.

"I'm here, Brixie. He can't touch you anymore." She said, wiping the tear that escaped my eye.

It was ten fifteen when we went in the second subject's room, only five minutes away from getting late, again. Lily's seat was in front, mine was three chairs away from her. I sat on mine nervously, thinking of every negative scenario that may happen during the class and you probably know what one of it is.

"Is this seat taken?" A familiar voice asked.

I looked up to see who it was and the familiar voice finally made sense.

"Paolo."

"Brixie, hey." He waved at me. It came to me that it would be possible for him to be here since the school is the nearest to our place. I smiled at him forgetting all the worries I had.

"Do you mind?" He said, pointing at the seat beside mine. I nodded my head and grabbed my bag that I placed there, giving Paolo the seat for himself.

"I was hoping to see you." He said. I stared at him puzzled. I have noticed that he has this habit where he says things but actually meant something else.

"We live in the same neighborhood, I mean, it wouldn't be that impossible right?" He followed, as he hang his bag on the back of the chair in front of him.

"Oh, I was thinking you enrolled to a different school." I said in return. Should I be embarrassed for having my hopes up when he said that he looked forward to meeting me here?

"Indiana State would be the best." He replied. It actually made sense, since it was the nearest and by far one of the best state universities in our place, where else would he have gone?

"Are they?" I heard from the students behind us.

"No way. She's way too out of his league." Another replied.

"Yo, I'd kill to have a man like him, but you're right, she's too... simple if they were together."

I heard their loud conversation and I hate to assume but I felt like they were talking about me or were they talking about me and Paolo? I'm not sure.

I felt uneasy as they continued talking about how simple a girl is for a guy, I couldn't confirm as to who they were talking about but it honestly ate a spoonful of my confidence.

"What was her name again?"

"Was it Bee? As in bzzz bzzz?" She laughed and that was when I knew they were really talking about me and Paolo.

Everyone in this university calls me B. I hated it but can't do anything about it since my high school friend started it and it became a habit.

I felt my cheeks flush red and was completely embarrassed. I almost was at the verge of crying, realizing that a part of this situation happened six years ago.

First day of Junior High

"Hi, is this seat taken?" A boy asked. I nodded to agree and looked at him.

He has blonde hair, white skin and blue eyes, the three major categories any female in our school would like.

He sat on the chair beside me when he offered me his hand and said,

"I'm Ian, you?"

I took his hand, shaked it and introduced my name. It wasn't a big of a deal until I noticed that every girl in our classroom stared at me. I took my hand away and continued what I was doing, ignoring the girls that were staring at me.

"You're not even pretty, nerd." I heard.

"Don't mind them, you're pretty," Paolo said as he smiled and looked away. I was caught off guard. I stared at blank space and tried to sync the phrase he told me. Did I even heard that right?

"What did— ah" I was cut off when the subject's instructor came in. I stared into Paolo as I tried to put to pieces the puzzle he left in me.

* * * * * *

Meeting for the school faculty was announced thirty minutes after the class started, it was also said that students are given an early dismissal. Everyone were too excited, they started packing immediately and went out of the room.

"Do you have a ride home?" Paolo asked. I grabbed my bag and replied,

"Yeah, I'm going with Lily. Do you have a ride?" He was also cleaning his seat, making his long hair brush down. His hair really compliments his face like they were really designed for him, his brown eyes were shiny and his lips—

"Yes, I do have a ride." He said as he slowly turned his gaze aside and looked at me, smiling. I quickly turned my gaze at Lily who was now approaching me, as if I wasn't staring at him.

"Brix, I'm sorry, I can't give you a ride back home. Mom called me a while ago and told me I should head straight to the hospital, my cousin has a high fever and I think I'm needed there." Lily explained. My car is with my mom at the moment, that is why Lily took her
brother's car to school.

"Oh, that's fine Lil. I can book an uber, don't worry." I replied. Lily waved at me as she left the room. There were only a few students, me and Paolo who were left. I picked my phone and went through the uber app to book a ride when Paolo spoke,

"I can give you a ride, Brixie." He said, holding the straps of his back pack. "Come on." He said.

I wasn't so sure of the idea, knowing this will create tension between me and the girls around the school, that is because I am for sure that Paolo is now popular.