A Princess Doesn't Cry

Aurelia

Her life hadn't always been this way. For, she never truly knew herself. There comes a time where one meets their true colors, you know, that time where one grows up. Where one realizes how they could change, but never will. The face, for instance, Aurelia's nose was pointy, and her cheeks were bulging. For only a few years ago she didn't have to walk around ashamed of her looks. It wasn't just that, when people grow up, people get meaner.

She looks at herself in the mirror, and a tear rolls down her face.
"Why do I have to be like this?" she whispers to herself.

She looks down at her stomach. She has been fat-shamed many times over the past 3 years. If someone says she's pretty, she doesn't believe them. If someone says she's ugly, she takes a bullet to her heart. She is a very soft person. If people would get to know her, then maybe her life wouldn't be so hard.

"Aura, time to go," her mom shouts from downstairs.

Aura is her mom's nickname for her. Aurelia goes downstairs, grabs her backpack, and begins to argue with her mom, as she did every morning.

"Do I have to go to school? It's not like anyone cares about me," Aurelia asked her mother.

"I'm sure that's not true. Come here, gimme kisses," her mother lectured.

Aurelia knew she wasn't going to win this fight, so she gave her mother a kiss. Aurelia ran as fast as she could so she wouldn't miss the bus. Also, to show that bully, Estelle Burch, that she could run. Estelle was her childhood tormentor. (And forever would be)

There was one thing that always caught her attention, every day 1 thing was always different. Small or big, she would know. It was like the universe's thanks for staying. Every day was the same boring cycle. So, when she found out what was different, it made her happy. Today, she had found nothing, but the day wasn't over yet. This process happened every day since she was 8.

She knew that the bus would come around in 3,2,1. Just then, the bus came swung around the corner. Jerkily in motion, an owl flew above her head, as it always did.

She braced herself for the common phrase, "Aurelia needs some air." They thought she stank. Her seat had moldy bananas sitting in her spot, but she saw this coming. She stayed silent, as she did every morning. No one sat by her, no one ever has.

Just then, the cutest boy ever walked down the bus aisle. The girls in the back screeched with joy. It was like something out of the movies.

A new kid in town? This could be a fresh start. She thought to herself. No, look at me, I'm the ugliest girl in town.

He was getting closer to her seat. She crossed her fingers and hoped that the universe accepted her request. The boy came down and sat next to her. Aurelia was in shock.

His hair was black and oily. He had gorgeous green eyes. He had thin black headphones around his neck with a black Adidas backpack. Freckles are spread gracefully around his nose and cheekbones and leaves a fascinating memory of his fortunate survival. He brushed his smooth hair back with his fingers.

Aurelia's heart jumped, she immediately knew she was in love.

"Hey, what's your name?" the boy asked.

"A- Ar- Aurelia Shepard," she stuttered.

"Hi Aurelia, my name is Jordan. Jordan Rivers," he replied ignoring her stutter.

Jordan looked her up and down. She was wearing tennis shoes, the ones you could find in a Walmart. They had black laces with red frames. Her clothes didn't match, a pink cactus shirt, with blue sweats. She tied a yellow hoodie around her waist that morning.

When Aurelia said nothing, he carried on, "I'm a new kid here." he let out a sigh as if something was holding him back from saying something else.

A pause filled the air. The only noise there was, was the chatter of children and the sputter of the engine.

"I have a question," Aurelia said.

"Go on," Jordan pressed.

"Why did you choose me over those other..." she paused, "pretty girls."

He paused there for a moment. Aurelia was staring into his deep green eyes. He knew exactly what was going on. He pulled her closer to his chest.

"Don't you ever doubt yourself," he whispered in her ear.

If Aurelia wasn't in enough shock, he kissed her on the cheek. She was paralyzed by this point. No one has ever loved her, besides her mom, of course.

The whole bus roared in cheer and laughter.

"The new kid," Estelle paused to let out a giggle, "the new kid and Aurelia! What kind of world do we live in?"

Something odd happened though, Estelle's cheeks grew red, and she turned around. The bus screeched to a stop. Aurelia immediately ran to the front of the bus, with Jordan following close behind.

"Today is gonna be a totally different day," Aurelia thought to herself.

Aurelia went to her first class, Science. Aurelia dreaded all of her classes, but not anymore. Magically, Jordan was in three of her classes. But, Estelle was his tour guide.

Estelle bribed the school, she's a daddy's girl. She's walking around like the 10th-grade superstar she is. You could tell by the look on Jordan's face, he doesn't like her. But, we all know Estelle, she will make him her boyfriend.

Aurelia only wanted this day to be over. She already knew the end of the story, and she didn't want to see it.

By the time the day was done, Aurelia stormed into her room with no questions asked. She started on her homework. She didn't want to, but it was the only thing that kept her from crying.

Screech! Bang! Bang!

Aurelia almost screamed. But, she had a feeling this horror could be good. For safety reasons, she went to the other side of the room, right across from her window. Then she saw a familiar face. Black hair, with thin black headphones.

"Jordan!" she silently yelled.

She quickly opened her window. Jordan practically kicked the screen of her window. Aurelia's face showed confusion and anger. She did not want her mom to find out.

Before she could lecture him, he said, "Don't worry I know how to put it back in."

"I hope," she muttered under her breath while rolling her eyes.

He walked around Aurelia's room as if he was amazed. Red walls with posters, a loft that Aurelia practically begged for, and a tiny desk under the loft.

"How did you find my address?" Aurelia asks.
"I pulled some strings," Jordan replies with a smirk.

Aurelia pauses, but then she gets it.

"You can't trust her!" Aurelia yells.

"Aura, Is everything ok?" Her mom yells from downstairs.

"Yeah," Aurelia lies, "I'm just reciting lines to the play."

"Ugh fine!" Jordan gave in, "I said I would be her boyfriend if she gave me your address."

Aurelia lets out a fast sigh, "You don't know what you got yourself into,"

"I don't care," Jordan replied, "I have you now,"

"Ok Mr. Romantic!" Aurelia says, letting out a giggle.

Jordan lets out a sad chuckle.

"What's the matter?"Aurelia asks.

"You wanna know the full truth?" Jordan replies.