Just a Simple Girl

. c h a p t e r . t h i r t e e n .

Chapter Thirteen

        “You call that a six-pack?”

        I stared in horror at Alex who had just lifted up his shirt in an attempt to impress me.

        Impression = total failure.

        The weekend had passed by in a blur. David, mum and I continuously unpacked boxes and rearranged items in the house. I left the house once, only because mum had insisted we went grocery shopping as a family so we knew our way around Pinewood a bit more.

        Mum had incessantly asked about what happened between me and Jack but every time I never answered, only caused some kind of distraction or changed the topic of conversation to something else.

        My attempts were pretty lame, I know, but they proved successful, as over the entire weekend mum had not found out a single peep of what had really happened.

        She knew that something had happened but my façade had built itself back up and I was now a seemingly new person, in others’ eyes.

        Over the weekend, to keep suspicions low, I acted like I was completely happy and carefree. I masked my true feelings with ease and it almost made me believe I was happy.

        Almost.

        I kept myself busy so I wouldn’t have any time to think to myself. Thinking wasn’t something that would help.

        So, in true spirit of being such a bold, outgoing girl, I decided to wear something to school today that conveyed those emotions.

        I wore a simple black tank top and shorts covered in cheetah print. I wore black Converse shoes and to fully complete the outfit I tied a cheetah-print-bandana with the knot just above my forehead to the left. My hair was in a high pony to add the cheerful effect.

        Altogether, I thought I looked blissful and just carefree. Weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that my look alone gave off that vibe. That way, I wouldn’t have to avoid questions about my upset or guarded emotional appearance because the questions wouldn’t be asked in the first place.

        Honestly, I couldn’t care less what others thought of me, that wasn’t the reason I dressed like this. I only wanted others to not suspect I was hiding anything and I wanted to appear happy. Why? Because it just made everything so much simpler.

        Simplicity. That was what I intended to gain.

        So as Alex approached me as soon as I walked in the school gate, earlier than other days, I wanted to do nothing more than groan and quickly walk away but instead I waited for him to catch up to me and let him tell me about his new fitness schedule.

        I listened in on what he was saying and actually asked a question as if I was interested. I asked if the new type of workout he was doing was working for him and that was when he replied by lifting up his shirt and showing his six-pack.

        So, here we are now.

        “Do you have any idea how many hours I’ve spent on this?” Alex gestured to his abdominal muscles.

        Sure, there was something that resembled six little bumps around his stomach area but is that really what people would call a six-pack?

        “Well, that is all you’ve been talking about so I think I’d have a bit of an idea.” I smirked to myself as I saw Alex’s face begin to redden.