-J-
-Part 1-
Before Alice got to Wonderland, she had to Fall.
1: In Which Our Agreement
Current Time: 4:40 p.m
There was silence one second and a collision the next when a fist connected with my face.
Like a puppet cut from its strings, I tripped backward, falling into the metal railing with a sickening crack. Stunned, I slid to the ground with a grunt, the side of my face coming to lie on the carpet where my eyes watched passerby's continue on their merry ways. I took a shaky breath, trying to decipher what the hell had just happened.
Just as my ponderings began there were footsteps to my right alerting me to flinch just as two hands entered my side view vision. Neither appendage wasted time, grasping the straps of my bag and jerking my body up with them. With the similarity of a rag doll, I was swung around and slammed down in order to clock a cheek on the edge of a drinking fountain. Somewhere in the back of my conscious, I feared being pushed down the staircase when-at last-the railing met my back once more and I was held there by the hands attached to the straps of my backpack.
I came face to face with my attacker who glared back at me with a knowing smirk. There was no mistaking the curly blonde hair and piercing brown eyes with green hues surrounding the iris. He was most notable for that playboy smile and place on the football team and his name, Jackson, was well known to all the girls in every class of the college.
No wonder the hits had been so effective.
Unbeknownst to me, my nose had begun to bleed only making the twit smile more so.
"Hey bitch, another bad day?" His laugh was happy, almost as if he'd just heard a good joke. I openly glared at Jackson who naturally stood six inches taller than my height of 5'6, however, since I was being held up, he became considerably shorter.
"I'm sure the police would agree too." There was an eye twitch and I finally figured out that my nose was bleeding when the warm liquid had dripped onto my dried lips like forbidden fruit, coating it leisurely.
"Tch, uh huh. Like a freak like you would go to the police. Don't make me laugh." Even with these words, Jackson let go with a rough shove and stomped away as if those couple of punches was all he could do in one day. That was ok with me, it was better than most of the other times he'd done this throughout the past. One day I would follow up with that police threat, why I never did was beyond me, maybe there was a part of me that hoped he'd just. . .stop.
Using the water fountain to lean against I stood there, rubbing a free hand across the burning cheek and underneath the nose, trying to clean off the blood. It was no use. The one day I decide to wear the dastardly color white and it gets red all over the front. Just my luck.
With a sigh, I unzipped my bag, pulling out a light black jacket that was swiftly put on and closed. White or not it could be covered, not everyone needed to know my meet up with Jackson. . .well if people actually cared that is. Although it was college and the staff was so nice, if one was bullied out of sight of said staff and police desks then it became invisible and no one would ever know. Jackson was intelligent in that sense. Never bully insight of anyone who cares and you won't get caught.
Pushing away from the fountain, I tripped down the stairs with the grace of an avalanche, thankfully not breaking my neck when I, at last, was at the bottom. Again people kept walking at my loud approach, sending swift glances that described their inner thoughts that went something like this: "What the hell?" Can't she be quieter?" and the most common one: "Oh, it's just her." Truthfully, it's humorous just how uncaring the world can be. But it's easy to be a faceless card when there are thousands of others around you, I can't help but view just how true that is when I blend into the background like a chameleon. Even so, Jackson had signaled me out from among those thousands, finding me more irregular than the rest.
Before this first year of college, I'd never experienced bullying. Back in high school, mine had always been a pro at finding out who the bullies were and acted accordingly. Comparing that school of one hundred students, to a college of this magnitude . . . well, that was funny in and of itself.
A welcoming cold rush of December air met me as I exited the building. Being free of the last situation, I took a deep breath, looking over my shoulder just to make sure Jackson hadn't come back again. There were some days that one meeting just wasn't enough for the quarterback. Only other students moved behind the glass doors, Jackson wasn't anywhere to be seen, thank God.
On instinct, I licked my lips, the taste of iron still present and strange on my tongue.
An icy wind played around me, the snow crunching underfoot as I carefully made my way down the sidewalk. The distance growing between me and Jackson brought undying comfort the more I walked. Yes, a fear remained that he'd jump up from behind a tree any second but I had to be reasonable. He would never hide, it was always blunt and quick. Hiding to the quarterback would be disgraceful and below him.
The sound of footsteps behind me brought my heart to a shuddering stop.
"Hey, girly girl!" With a crash, someone jumped onto my sore back. A gasp of puffy hair fell from my lips at the pain, trying in vain to get the person to lose their interest in clinging to me.
"G-Get off Gwen!" Struggling with actual words I managed to shake the girl off who twirled around to face me with a huge grin and rosy cheeks. A lightly colored pink beanie framed the top of her head, only showing the end of her chestnut hair that curled at the bottom. Her mouth opened in a big breathy laugh, frosty air ghosting around her cherry lips that parted cheerfully. "Damn, you should see your face! You look like I just tried to off you off!"
The sigh that was just issuing itself from my mouth came to a choked finish when Gwen's joyfulness came to a sudden stop. The brunet was suddenly in my face, grasping my chin with a frown. First, she turned my head to the left, right, and then looked down; her hands skillfully tugged at the top of the jacket, spotting some of the blood splatters with a sigh. "Girl, who bullied you this time?!" Letting go of me, Gwen wrapped her hands across her chest in a motherly way as she brought her head back to groan loudly. Dramatic as ever.
"You really should look after yourself, May." Having not known that the brunet was accompanied, I bent my head to see past her. Not far from us-sitting on a bench-was Jo, Gwen's other follower-along with myself. Jo was one of those people who seemed extremely quiet until someone got to know him and vice versa. The first time I'd met him, he hadn't even said two words to me but I'd been similar (mostly Gwen had done the talking).
"It wasn't my fault this time-"
"Suuuurrrreeee, and the sky isn't grayish blue today, lovely May." Gwen twisted a lock of hair behind her ear, giving me a flirtatious roll of her eyes as she dug her hands deep into her pockets with a shiver. "What was the reason this time? Anime back-talking, staring, or just being weird?" The brunet's eyes grew large. "Wait! Ugh-Please don't tell me that it was like last time when you tripped and dumped your water on that one football player." All silliness was gone as Gwen gave me 'the look' which consisted of a: well?
I shrugged at her answer, not fully sure on how to answer. I'd already tried to say I hadn't done a single thing this time around. . .well maybe Gwen would actually listen this time if I said it slowly and confidently.
"I was minding my own business and then Jackson came out of-"
"OH, Jackson!" Gwen jumped right in with a clap of her hands, weaving them together expertly. Shaking her head dismissively, the brunet turned away from me, clearly having heard enough to make her own conclusion. Inside I deflated, was being bullied so normal for me now that even my closest friends didn't even care anymore? Dude, now that was a blow that really hurt.
Noticing my downcast look, Jo pushed himself up from the bench, making his way over and cautiously placing an arm around my shoulders in a friendly way. Looking up at him, he gave me a small smile.
"I heard earlier that Jackson got into a fight with his older brother. Maybe that's why it was so random today." Nodding, I rubbed a hand against my chin, pulling back to find some dried flecks of blood still having been attached. Seeming uncomfortable at our closeness, Jo let go, taking a few steps back, his gaze returning to the snow.
"Ahhhh I tots get it. He's always in such a bad mood after fighting with his bro. Hmph, May you should've just run!" There were two facts wrong when it came to me playing tag with a bully. First off I was chubby and couldn't stand running too far. Second, Jackson was a fricken' quarterback, one of the fastest on the team. He'd catch me in under a minute if given the chance. There were days where I wondered how well Gwen even knew me.
Presenting me with a wide smile, Gwen pulled out a little bag of tissues from her pocket. "Here ya go!" The brunet patted my shoulder affectionately, bringing up her hands to wipe the blood off with a smile. I stopped the appendage before she could though, I was well aware how bisexual Gwen could be and, personally, I didn't want to be her next play toy in bed.
"It's ok, Gwen. I can take care of it myself." Catching the tissue and tugging it away from her, I wiped it under my nose. Dried blood-flecked off, some coming off onto to the material while others fell to the snow below. Not catching anything odd with my reaction, Gwen simply shrugged, casually slipping the rest of the tissues into her pocket once more.
"Sooooo listen, May." The brunet balanced on the back of her feet, indenting the snow. "Cass is holding a party tonight at her mansion and she invited us!" Falling back on the front of her toes, Gwen lurched forward, pulling my hands down from my face with a snap. My eyes widened at her sudden energy. "You HAVE to come!" Tugging out of the brunet's bruising grip I massaged the pinched skin lovingly, thinking over her demand. Someone as popular like Cass wouldn't invite me to a party, she'd invite the geeky chess club before considering the thought of me. Hell, she probably even made a point in telling Gwen and Jo not to invite me. Obviously, Cass didn't know how rebellious Gwen could be when told the N word.
As if she could read my thoughts, Gwen took a step closer, quickly taking action. "Come on! There will be lots of sexy guys! It's gonna be totally epic. You CANNOT miss this one!" The brunet emphasized her point by pumping a fist into the air with exhilaration crossing her features.
Jo sighed, "I hate parties too, May. But I'm going." He ran a hand through his short brown locks, rolling his eyes out of sight of Gwen. "Being stuck inside your house all the time isn't good for you. Some human interaction is needed." A tired smile was portrayed as Jo shrugged. He too had given up trying to persuade the brunet in not forcing him to come with her, I could tell.
Jo's words were true. I basically was a hermit in my own right and didn't spend much time daydreaming about attracting the attention of the opposite sex. The only thing that really mattered to me was getting A's in every class. That was much easier said than done since I'd been below average and was still trying to pull myself to the top.
Unlike other students I lived in an actual house that my parents had bought for me, having somewhat well-paid folks, there was no reason to work and I could live quite happily with what had been given to me. If there wasn't class then I didn't see the point in leaving my house, especially when there was much to keep me occupied.
Gwen and Jo wanted me to live a little. Even a hermit's gotta come out of their shell once in awhile. . .damn, there was no way I was getting out of this one, was there?
"Um . . . well . . ." Deflating even further I gave up, accepting my defeat. "What time does it start?"
The brunet did a flirtatious dance at the submit, gleefully issuing a playful punch to Jo's shoulder. Intense happiness radiated off her being, motivating me to shift backwards, but she was far from done. The moment she turned to me, my body stiffened at the upcoming assault. "YES!" Laughing she launched herself at me, attacking my body with a hug that left me gasping for breath. "Good call girly girl. I knew you'd see things my way!" As if to pronounce her point, she pulled back and pressed her cold cheek against mine with a giggle. The brunet was so far into my person space that it took me a second to understand what her statement had meant. Her last day here. . .how could I be so forgetful? Gwen had recently been accepted at Harvard and would be leaving both Jo and I. No wonder she'd practically demanded my showing up to this party. However, I'm sure she'll spend most of it either drunk or with a partner
The moment Gwen pulled away I let my face crack, showing a sarcastic smile in hopes that it looked real to my two friends.
"Of course, you're very persuasive. I'm sure tonight will be a night we won't forget. . ." Oh yippy, I already feel like a buzz kill and were not even at the party. Detaching herself from me, Gwen grinned, not seeming to notice how fake my smile really was.
Giggling with more talk about how awesome the party was going to be, the brunet pushed to the other side of me, she wrapped an arm around me and Jo's waist, squishing us to her until I felt like we'd become a single entity at our nearness. Together we walked away from the campus, making our way to the heart of the city.
Behind us, our footprints, though close, formed three distinct paths and would eventually branch away from each other the further we progressed.
Author: Hello, dear readers! I am here to say congrats on finishing the first chapter, and to tell you all that this story is currently being rewritten. The rewrite can already be found on my profile page.
Thank you all for reading, I hope you continue onwards and enjoy what more this story has to offer.
Have a blessed day. See ya all later, love ya!
-Jinx of the desert