Marissa

For years now since I was eight years old, I took the best classes; ballet, classical music, you name it. They were more than useless if you asked me. What was I supposed to do with ballet skills? It made me learn to despise it instead and to be honest classical music would not be helping me with my future career either.

It didn’t even end there. Another useless skill was to learn how to play instruments of all types, half of them which I've learned to loathe. What was one to get out of learning these things, anyway?

During this time, the so-called friends of mine had been the distant kind. I don’t even think you could call them actual friends. Acquaintances yes, future working partner maybe, but friends? I wouldn’t count on it. I never talk to them seeing as they weren’t much involved, to begin with anyway. If I had to put a label on them they’d be the well-respected, rich background, strict-tutoring, educated people if you had to call it anything at all.

Nonetheless, it was their status they carried from their parents that made them the label they carry so well. I guess they could be popular if you thought about status. Although to be honest, the real popular kids here were the ones with the social lives; the athletes and the cheerleaders. Not that they didn’t have money since you’d need to be wealthy to attend this school. It was just; they seemed to have more going on with their social life.

I've had people call out saying hello, but it went no further than that. They knew how to keep their distance from me.

Whenever I would look around; the students around talked about their social life or something of the sort, hanging out and preparing for late night parties. Not that I’d been to one myself. Though, it’s doubtful that I could even go to one.

A puppet, that’s what I was. I was still an empty shell going through life. All I had to do was keep myself composed and get through the day, nothing else mattered. No one else mattered.

“Ah, Miss Kyles. Could I speak with you for a moment?”

I sighed in distaste. One of the many things I noticed was how the teachers called out to us. The teachers seemed to be on a first name basis with the rest of the students including the popular crowd, but for me, it was always my surname instead. Was it so difficult to call me Marissa?

At least I wasn’t the only one. It was only those who were most likely to inherit their family’s fortune that seemed to have the same thing going for them. Although they didn't seem to mind it, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they enjoyed how the teachers treated them.

“Something you need?” I was so accustomed to keeping my voice monotone. It put an obvious distance between me and whoever was in my presence.

The teacher seemed flustered for a moment as I gave her a cold look. This was how I managed things. As long as I gave off my cold looks, I could avoid having to converse much with others. Since I was always alone like this, I learned to adapt to it. It was much better like this, at least for me anyways.

“Well, um… there's the Christmas party we'll be having in a few weeks’ time and you see, most of the students are finishing their exams. The usual participants won’t be able to get things done on time. I know that your parents have done an excellent job in the past when they attended school here. I thought you could take part this year and follow the tradition.”

She had a smile plastered on her face but it looked… forced. Thinking about it now, if my dad heard of this, which he will, I'll be forced into it, anyway. It would be easier if I got into this one myself instead of letting my father find out on his own. That would just mean more trouble for me.

I sighed and gave the teacher another one of my stoic looks.

“Do you have the schedules for the meetings?” I asked.

“Y-yes. Here they are.” She answered, looking as flustered as ever and I wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted to leave as fast as she could.

Taking the schedule from her hands, I turned around, turning to the corner of the corridor, but not before hearing her release a deep exhale.

I was at the meeting, to plan for this Christmas party I had no intention of going to. I was early and bored out of my mind. If I ever had free time, I would always distract myself with books or something educational to read.

By being deprived of anything considered fun for this long, it had helped me get in tune with my so-called nerdy side. It’s a little surprising considering I didn’t look the part. I'd be what anyone would call a 'stuck up bitch' in the sense of outer appearance, excuse the language. It’s not that I want to be this person but I don’t have a choice in the matter. It’s either this or let everyone know that I was actually a weak, fragile girl.

But I digress, it never bothered me anymore, I was fine like this. Being alone wasn’t something new for me. I don’t even know when the last time I had family time.

I mean don’t misunderstand, there are good memories I’m quite fond of, but things were different now. Maybe if things weren’t the way they were now, I could feel the happiness I felt all those years ago. Yet things are the way they are, and that won't change. There was no point in me wishing he chose me over her… but that’s not something I wanted to think about right now.

No, instead, I’d rather be in this classroom regardless of how disinterested I was to discuss the meeting. If the people at school wanted to get together for a party, I may as well distract myself with this time to be here. It was better than being at home where she was.

I was still staring outside through the window, trying to relieve the boredom of the last few minutes. It was annoying seeing as everyone else was late while I arrived early. Was there an exam before this or something?

“Oh hey, I haven't seen you around these things. Are you taking part in the Christmas party committee meetings?”

I looked up only to face a long haired, blonde cheerleader with a playful smile on her face. She was wearing the uniform so I could tell she was a cheerleader.

How did she even sneak up on me? I didn’t even hear the door open.

She looked familiar. Her strange yet somewhat alluring bluish-green eyes had a glint to them. Her skin looked slightly tan, with a slim body and curves in the right places. Well, I guess that should be obvious, being a cheerleader would leave her with an exceptional body. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

Her long length hair was dirty blonde with light waves at the end of her ponytail. I don’t know whether it was just me but dirty blonde hair seemed like a good colour in my eyes at that moment. I suppose attractive people would have that effect on the psychological mind, but a physical appearance was only just that, a physical appearance. Nothing more, nothing less.

“They asked me to help out seeing as exams are just finishing,” I replied still staying seated.

She met my cold look I gave everyone, only to have a slight smirk curved onto her lips. That made me frown.

“Oh yeah, that's true. Well, wait for a few minutes and they'll be here soon. Exams might be running overtime. Anyway, I came back from cheer practice so I guess I'll be the second one here from now.” She gave a smile though I could feel the playful smirk behind it.

I gave her a slight nod and looked at the board that had a few things related to the Christmas party written. I wasn't too comfortable having her look at me like that. My cold looks would be enough to send a message for people to stay clear of my way. I liked my space. It was what I learned to adapt to, and now what I enjoyed the privy of, yet this girl wasn’t showing any signs of giving me that space.

“What should we do while we wait?” I asked, thinking it was already a waste of time being here when it’s been 20 minutes. There wouldn’t be much done at this rate.

“Hmm, what should we do being here all alone with nothing else to do?” She wondered aloud. Yet, it seemed like she was playing with her words, as she nibbled the side of her lips while wearing a mixture of a smirk and grin.

I wasn’t feeling too happy about this girl looking at me like that and playing around like this, it was weird. It was like my cold presence had no effect on her. It was unnerving. She was destroying the defence I spent years creating, to protect myself from the world. Did she not know a cold look does not invite people closer? It’s meant to push them away, not bring them closer. Why wasn’t she moving away?

What was it about this girl? Did she not understand what I was doing? I was not trying to invite her playful behaviour at all. So where was she getting all her signals? I wasn’t even being social. I was the epitome of unsocial. People ran from me, not confuse me like she was doing now.

Wait… when did she get so close? She had leant over so close out of nowhere and I didn’t notice this. Was I thinking too much to notice what she was doing? The better question was, what was this girl doing?

“W-what are you doing?”

“Oh. Nothing much…” Her eyes glint like she knew something I didn’t, and that didn’t sit well with me.

This girl was up to something. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to like whatever it was.