It Hurts

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME! Oh how I missed writing one-shots.  this one’s lame. When I started, I really had nothing in mind. I just wanted to write.

Comments! I’d appreciate it. Thanks! 

P.S. I just missed writing. So much. As in. Seriously. Okay I'm ranting. :D

IT HURTS

“I’m bullet proof, nothing to… nothing to…”

“Lose, you loser.”

I exhaled irritatingly. I didn’t need to turn to know who that was. Kyle. Pretending not to hear him, I continued walking. He really moves silently. I didn’t even notice someone was behind me. Not that anyone should be. It’s still class hours. He shouldn’t be loitering in the corridors. Unless he also felt the need to pee at the same time I did.

I was nearing my classroom when I heard him chuckle. When he does that, I just know that he saw something funny. Oftentimes, it’s because something’s wrong with me. Especially now that I’m the only one in front of him. Oh. My. Gosh. Is the hem of my skirt folded?

Just as my hand was about to straighten the back of my skirt self-consciously, he burst out laughing behind me.

“Gotcha.”

I was rooted to the spot and narrowed my eyes. What a jerk. He then sped past me and I realized that I stopped just in front of my classroom. I stared annoyingly at his back as he entered the next classroom. Why did he have to annoy me first thing in the morning, on the first day of class?

~

Luckily, the rest of my day was Kyle-free. I only have one class left. English. And we couldn’t have this together. I just know it. We were both graduating and most of his classmates already had this class when they were in freshmen. I only took this subject now because I wanted to have an English class during my last semester.

“Gail!” My best friend waved at me. We both agreed to take this class together, since most of our college years, we’ve been on different classes due to our different courses.

As I took the seat beside her, I saw the teacher enter the room at the corner of my eye. Contented, I sat upright and with confidence. At least I know that my day’s about to end right.

Our teacher, Ms. Clement as she’d written in the board, called the students one by one. I scanned the room and I realized that we were about fifty students in this class.

“Who wasn’t called?”

“Me.” Someone called over from the doorway, panting. He doubled over as he tried to catch his breath. Just then, my phone vibrated. I retrieved it from my pocket and almost shrieked when I read the message that my mom was coming home for my birthday.

“Tiffany! Mom’s coming home on my…” I trailed off as I saw Kyle handing over his class schedule to Ms. Clement. Oh no. This can’t be happening to me!

I was literally gaping at Kyle as he ambled to the back of the room to the only available seat. Tiffany was nudging my arm and I realized that I was staring at Kyle too long. How did this happen? It can’t be!

“Tiff, we should transfer to another class!” I roared at her.

“You know we can’t. It’s the only class available, and besides another schedule would be pose a conflict to our major subjects.”

It was painful to hear her words because they were true. So I’d endure five months of his bullying in this class? What could be more miserable than this?

“Okay class. Don’t get so comfortable with your cheating arrangements because I have an arrangement of my own. Whether you like it or you like it very much, you have to sit alphabetically.”

Ms. Clement’s words gradually crept into my numb brain. Okay. That wouldn’t be a problem since Tiffany would still sit beside me.

We got up and stayed at the back of the room as our teacher arranged us. I felt like I was on autopilot. The rest of the class was already arranged.

Parkins.

Tiffany proceeded to the seat.

Parley.

I prodded to the seat beside her.

Parmenio.

WAIT. WHAT?!

I almost banged my head against my desk. Of course. How could I forget? We were seatmates once in elementary and since then he’s always bullied me.

Smugly, he took the seat beside me.

Great. Just great.

~

“Nice glasses. Suits you.” Kyle commented sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes as I took my seat. Ok Kyle. You don’t exist. I don’t hear you. Blah blah blah.

“Now class, what comes to your mind when you hear the word, NERD?”

“Parley, Parley.” Kyle coughed.

I pretended to stretch my arms, smacking his head a little too hard in the process.

“Parley? You have something in mind?” Ms. Clement really had the timing.

Kyle snorted.

~

“Tiff, you saw my hanky?”

She shook her head. I creased my forehead in thought. Where did I last see it? I knew it was just here.

I rummaged through my bag. Ms. Clement was ranting about synonyms in front.

“What’s the simpler word for dim-witted?” I heard her ask the class.

I saw Kyle’s hand shot up.

“Stupid.” Then he looked straight at me, then at my foot. I followed his gaze and there I saw my soiled hanky beneath my right foot.

~

If you’ve been thinking that my semester has been a blur that I almost didn’t notice it was almost over, well YOU’RE WAY TOO WRONG. Every day was a torture. The only consolation I had was the activities by pair because Tiffany rescued me. Well, it was a turn of luck for me too, since Ms. Clement assigned our pairs to us, still alphabetically. You couldn’t imagine how nervous I was that moment that I didn’t notice I had my fingers interlaced in prayer that exact moment she was calling out the pairs.

“Now I have one last project for you before the semester ends.”

You’ve got to be kidding me. You made us do almost ten projects this semester and you still have one more?

“You have to submit a short film. Good news, it’s a class project.”

I shrugged. Okay. As long as she doesn’t…

“…assign the characters.”

“What did she say just now?” I whispered frantically to Tiffany.

“She’d assign the characters.”

Okay. I moved closer to Tiffany. “I think the lead role’s gonna be you—“

“Gail Parley.”

I blinked twice. WHAT?!

“Gail, you heard that? Lead!” Tiffany said excitedly.

“Why Maam?” I didn’t notice I was on my feet.

“Why not, Ms. Parley?”

That tone means that you’ve asked a stupid question, and you have no choice but to give in.

“And the male lead will be Mr. Parmenio.”

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

~

The day of the shooting came. Tiff was also my best friend in the script. It was almost true to life actually, except the love interest part with Kyle. Eew.

There was a scene in the pool where Tiff was to swim across the pool to talk to me. She was a good swimmer, but she was just a little too camera-conscious. She had to do several takes and I could tell she was already tired.

“You okay Tiff?”

She nodded then swam to the other side of the pool. She was swimming flawlessly, except that when she was about three feet from my side, she suddenly grimaced. She choked her word of help and panicked. There was no one else within the vicinity since they were all at the other side of the pool.

Without thinking, I jumped to the pool. I think I heard another splash but I couldn’t be sure since I don’t even remember resurfacing from the water.

~

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, STUPID?!”

My head felt a little too cloudy. What happened? I was still trying to focus but I saw Kyle’s face peering at me so I literally jerked away from him.

I looked around and I saw Tiff sitting on the bench beside me. I realized we were still at the pool side. Wait, was Kyle holding me a while ago?

“YOU COULD’VE DROWNED! YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T SWIM! SINCE BIRTH!”

Why was he shouting at me?

“STOP SHOUTING!”

I still felt groggy and what he was doing wasn’t helping.

“DID YOU FORGET? I ALWAYS SAVED YOU BEFORE! IN SURVIVAL SKILLS CLASS, IN SWIMMING CLASS, EVEN IN OUTINGS! WHAT IF I DIDN’T MAKE IT IN TIME? YOU KNOW I WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POOL! WHAT IF YOU DROWNED—“

“WHAT IS IT TO YOU, ANYWAY?”

“I COULD’VE LOST MY WIFE! I mean, my life…”

I blinked. Did I hear him right?

“What?”

He too, looked taken aback by what he said. “I know you heard what I said. If you didn’t you’d still continue shouting back at me.”

I rolled my eyes at him. I processed what he said in my fuzzy brain. “I could’ve lost YOUR life? It’s not logical.” What prank was he pulling now?

Though I still felt unsteady, I tried my best to get up. When I was on my feet, I ambled toward Tiff who was now eyeing me concernedly.

“Hey!”

I turned to glare at him.

“I just want to replace your stupid surname. That’s all.”

“Yea. By bullying me all this time.” I didn’t realize how hurt my voice sounded.

He shrugged. “Well. Love hurts.” And for the first time, I saw that smile I’ve always wished would replace his signature smirk.

MVJLO 01.26.13