Painful Smiles

The school building architecture was amazing. Michael sneaked out of the cafeteria, after the incident, to admire it. The tension in the cafeteria was suffocating.

He liked the school surroundings. According to his father, it was owned by a Latin (French) American investor so its building had French designs like his other school at France.

It had some French motifs etched on its walls and doors. And a pretty garden where he was. It was worth bragging about.

At least, if Tom asked him for a picture of his new school, he wouldn’t hesitate.

Another figure was boring holes in him. He could see the person from the corner of his eyes.

But the person didn’t seem to be admiring, not with those glares. It looked like a monitoring scheme. He turned to the person.

“You are no longer my tour guide, you don’t need to monitor me, Claudia” he said calmly. Her name even sounded distasteful to him.

She walked to him. “I wasn’t monitoring you. I come to this garden sometimes. Do you like here now?”.

He looked around, it was a serene environment. And with someone as blunt, bad tempered and rash like her, she would need such a calm place to remind her she wasn’t a monster.

“Would you stop coming here if I said I liked it?” he answered with a question.

“Yes, I need to avoid you” she said simply.

Michael gasped, her attitude was almost overbearing. He knew he needed to keep a low profile in school anyway. Or else, they were lots of ways to bring down her pride.

Claudia began leaving when he didn’t answer her. He didn’t even notice. He looked at her and sighed when he didn’t find her.

He continued his stroll around the garden and advanced to the junior section, they were called the junior section of the high school even though they were in grade ten.

There were some gossips sections amongst them in the field.

Probably talking about the kissing incident with Mr. And Mrs. Popular and how Mrs. Hot-tempered destroyed them.

“I really like Clara. But I hate her sister” a kid said. Michael furrowed his brows questioningly. Clara had a sister?

Someone immediately hushed the kid who spoke and whispered something to her ears. The kid gasped and looked around to see if someone heard her.

She blushed when she met Michael’s gaze. “Clara doesn’t have a sister” she corrected.

Michael smiled to her as response and walked away.

The school was boring without Tom and his friends. And here, people would befriended based on his money. He was already being called Sir.

Michael by some students and teachers. Unlike at his former school were they were even were the top politicians kids are. And everyone had a sense of equality.

He was sure he wouldn’t really enjoy his stay. He should solely concentrate on getting Clara’s attention. What he wanted it for he didn’t really know?

He collapsed on the nearest chair as he was finally in his class. It was still Prep time. He was alone. He brought out his phone to check the last message from Tom but it was his was still the last.

The other messages were from random girls. He didn’t bother open them.

A cackle jolted him up. He face slammed on seeing the people walking into the class. Was that girl his shadow?

She paused when she saw him in the class. Probably wondering if he was her shadow. She flipped her hair backwards and continued into the class.

“Stop laughing like a pig, Wright. You’re scaring me” Claudia chuckled lightly. She completely ignored Michael’s presence and went for her table.

Wright waved awkwardly at Michael, trying not to ignore. Michael just nodded. He’d have prefer if he ignored.

“The Math teacher is being a devil again with her assignment” Claudia slammed her table locker shut, “Well, I’ve seen worse in my life”.

Wright helped her sort out the many textbooks in her bag and brought out a gigantic Math textbook.

“No, I’m done with that one” she dragged it back into her bag and kept on searching. Wright froze and looked down at the size of the book.

Michael rolled his eyes. So she was a book reading nerd too?

“Yeah, this one” she brought a smaller one.

“It has all the identical questions from our homework?” Wright took it from her.

“Yeah, and since I’m done with my homework you can use the book to do yours” she patted him.

Wright’s shoulders fell dejectedly, he wanted her help. Wasn’t she the “robotic Einstein”?

“And yes, we would be having Math test soon. The lady would give them early this semester” she said aloud to Michael and dragged Wright to the library.

Michael shrugged as response even though he knew she didn’t see him. He brought up a book and pen from his bag.

“So what am I really doing here?” he said aloud.

“Learn. What else?” Clara giggled while coming into the class. She was holding her left hand with her right.

He smiled broadly, she just had that reaction on him. “What’s wrong with your hand?” he didn’t sound worried, just curious.

He became worried after hearing her answer.

“You know that Claudia girl, I just met her outside. And she bent my hand yelling I should move away from her. That I stink” Clara faked a teary tone.

Of course it wasn’t true. She had tried scolding Claudia for embarrassing her and Claudia shut her up by twisting her hand and tossing her to the sides. She just wanted to sound pathetic.

“I’m almost used to her bullying me though. It is her way with me for years now. I wished my boyfriend could attempt defending me but he’s as scared as I am of her” she kept on whining.

Michael frowned. The pathetic thing she called a boyfriend. That couldn’t even protect her from a bully.

He flew up from his seat and it shook her. “Oh my, you scared me” she held her chest dramatically.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.