This fic was inspired while listening to the radio. It just struck a chord in my mind as I sang along with it and listened to the words that were sung. I knew I had to write a fic as soon as I got home.
Disclaimer: The song "Beautiful" written by Linda Perry and is sung by Christina Agulara. Bionicle belongs to LEGO.
Beautiful
Don't look at me...
Every day is so wonderful
Then suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed
Alone.
Numb.
Empty.
Forgotten.
Insecure.
Ashamed.
No, even those words that stood true could fully describe how she felt about herself.
The mask and its wearer gazed back at her without emotion. She was bland, hardly what anyone would call beautiful.
She tried to smile. No, it did not help.
Standing up, she sighed. Time to get to work. Shouldering her bag, she paused by the door and plastered a fake smile to fool the world.
I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today
"Is something the matter, Miss. Nokama?" asked one of her students, causing her to jump.
"No, I was just," she said, "thinking, is all. Back to work, Kotu."
Kotu paused then walked back to her seat.
Nokama, a young teacher of two years, sighed. Her eyes glazed over as she let her mind wander and her hands subconsciously draw a picture.
It was going to be a long day.
To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone
Is that the way it is
The bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch.
Smiling her fake smile, she looked out over her twenty students and announced they were dismissed to lunch.
Most left to eat out in the courtyard that was green and vibrant with plants of all sorts. However, three students stayed behind. They were whispering to each other and looking at their teacher worriedly.
"Miss. Nokama?" the smallest one called quietly.
"Yes, Hahli?" Nokama answered. "Do you girls need something?"
"No." Hahli said shaking her head. "We were wondering if... if you..."
"If you would like to join us for lunch." Kotu finished for her friend.
Nokama blinked. She had not been expecting this.
She accepted.
You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down
Don't you bring me down today...
"Are you ever going to tell us what is wrong?" Shasa, a friend of Hahli and Kotu's, asked their teacher.
"What do you mean?" Nokama blinked.
"Miss. Nokama, we know something is wrong." Hahli said in her always soft voice. "We are worried about you."
"Everyone has something wrong in their lives. What makes you think what is wrong with me is not anything out of the normal?"
"Glazed eyes." Shasa said.
"Cutting off in the middle of a lesson." Hahli said.
"Mumbling to yourself." Kotu said, sipping her drink.
"And a lot more things like that."
"Well, my problem is nothing out of the normal." Nokama said, delicately nibbling on her sandwich.
After a moment, Kotu asked, "Was it a bad break up? That is a common problem."
The group choked on their drinks and food as soon as Kotu asked the question.
"What? it is true."
No matter what we do
(No matter what we do)
No matter what we say
(No matter what we say)
We're the song inside the tune
Full of beautiful mistakes
Through lunch, the students questioned their teacher at her problem. Poor Nokama felt like she was being interrogated by the Vahki rather than her friendly students.
Being saved by the bell brought a whole new meaning to the Ga-Matoran.
"I will see you three in class," she announced.
The afternoon classes came and went, with a surprise pop quiz on the Mythology of the Kavinika. However, nothing else memorable happened until school had been let out.
Like always, Nokama stayed an hour after to grade papers in a quiet environment. But today, she stayed after for she was waiting for a package that was to be used in her new lesson for the rest of the week.
Twenty minutes passed and she began to feel rather bored. Just when she was about to give up hope that the package would not arrive before she left for the evening, a knock at the door startled her.
She hopped out of her chair and opened the door to find a rather breathless Ta-Matoran.
"Yes?" she asked politely.
"I... I am sorry for... for not br... bringing this is earlier." he puffed. "I got dis... distracted and I missed the... the mailman and... and I had to... to run all the way here."
"Come in. Here you look like you could use something to drink."
"Th... thank you."
"You are very much welcome. Now you said you ran here? Why did you not use the chutes?"
He blinked.
"It did not even cross my mind."
This she laughed at. Oh, how it felt good to laugh again. And laugh sincerely at that.
"What is so funny?" the Ta-Matoran asked.
She smiled, it too, was as sincere as her laugh.
"Nothing. You do have the package, do you not?"
"Oh, yes. H-here."
He handed over an odd shaped package bound in brown paper and twine. The top was rounded and the bottom squared. Perfect.
And everywhere we go
(Everywhere we go)
The sun will always shine
(Sun will always shine)
And tomorrow we might wake on the other side
All the other times
"Thank you for running it over, um, what did you say your name was?" Nokama asked, looking shyly up from the package. She saw that his cheeks burned even redder than it had when he entered. He was no longer flushed from his run, no, he was flushed due to something else.
"I... I am Vakama." he said quietly.
"Oh!" she gasped. "So you made the mask!"
"Y... yes. Who did you think I was?"
"Well, certainly not a mask maker."
She quickly studied him. She had not noticed the large, calloused hand that were covered with burns and scars. His eyes were gold and tired, like the setting sun. His shoulders were broad, like those of a Po- or Onu-Matoran.
"I know I do not look like a mask maker." he said. "But I am."
"You look very much like a mask maker." she said, smiling. "As much as I look like a teacher."
"But you... you look nothing like a teacher. You are too... too pretty to be a teacher."
His cheeks burned with flame anew. Nokama, herself, felt her cheeks singe with a red hue.
"Well, goodbye."
No one had ever called her "too pretty" before.
It was several moments before Nokama got over the shock. When she did, she found he was gone and a beaming Kotu in her face.
"So, it did involve a boy!" the student accused.
"Kotu, shut up." Nokama said, trying to cool her heated cheeks.
"Aw, but Miss. Nokama, he thinks you are a very pretty, no not just pretty, beautiful!"
"Kotu, I swear by Mata Nui, I will flunk you if you do not shut up!"
"But it is true!"
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today
It started out where I wanted it and it ended where I wanted it, the middle though... Well, it just happened. I am dead... blargh.