The girls never returned to the dorm that night.
Maybe the hormones of meeting the guys finally caught up with them and they decided to be rebellious teenagers for once. The bad part was that I was alone in my room now and didn't know what to do. I was hoping to talk to them on the weird behavior of the students and about that guy from the library, Travers. I need to know his name... Can't call him Travers for life...
Just like yesterday, I woke up alone in my room, clearly noticing that I was being avoided, even when people were denying it. It hurt and I was already considering to skip classes altogether so no one had to be bother with my presence anymore. Sighing, I took a shower and got ready for breakfast. I wasn't going to wait for the girls, when it was obvious they didn't wait for me.
The first difference I saw was that that the cafeteria was open early today. Cheering inside, I walked in and managed to grab a huge breakfast from the, um... lunch lady. I honestly haven't seen a more ugly woman in my life, but I won't say anything about it. Plus, she was super nice when I asked her not to but lots of bacon on my plate. I think she wanted to secretly eat them.
I sat down with my tray and began eating my scramble eggs with gusto when I sensed someone was staring at me. I glanced around, trying to be discreet, but I fail miserably. Though, I can see that the one looking at me is a blonde boy (if students here get chosen by genetics, I'd start screaming madness). He's tall, but everyone could be tall, specially since he was sitting down and away from me. I wanted to get up and ask him to sit with me, as we were the only ones here, when he grabbed his tray and left.
"That was Octavian" I heard a female voice from behind me and see the girl from yesterday, Reyna, sitting next to me with her tray "He never seemed interested in other student..." I glanced back to where he left before looking at Reyna.
"It's his last name Travers, by any chance?" I wondered, noticing how my voice turned into a little plead at the end. God, what's wrong with me? Get a grip, woman!
"Yes, how do you know?" Reyna raised an eyebrow, surprirsed. I shrugged at her.
"He was placing the reading material for History 101 yesterday when I arrived with Mr. Brunner" I explained and she nodded. It was obvious she wasn't interested as me in that, but I learnt from experience you cannot push your way around a subject or they will start looking weird at you "I'm surprised you are here"
"Well, I'm hungry. Where else would I be?" Cheeky...
"No, I mean..." I didn't know how to explain and, luckily for me, I didn't have to anymore, cause the girls finally showed up. Each of them was holding hands with a boy. Two black-haired guys, finally! Annabeth was joking with a guy with untamable raven hair and a smile that, in any other situation, he'd have me swooning over him, but it was pretty obvious his sparkling green eyes only were for Annabeth. Lucky girl, first day of school and already with boyfriend...
Piper was snuggled with the same blonde guy that I saw her leaving yesterday and he was whispering something on her ear. Piper nodded and kissed his cheek, brushing a hair away from her face. The guy helped her and finished by cupping her face. This place seriously wants me to die alone...
Hazel, however, was more modest in her displays of public affections, only holding hands with a guy who looked like he had a grow-spur overnight. His face still kept that baby-shape, which was kind of hilarious because his body said 'grown man'. He was blushing slightly but didn't shy away from the attention.
"Hi, girls" Hazel was the first one greeting us, before everyone else did the same. I saw Reyna's stiffness when she saw the guys and it was obvious for a third-watching-party like me that he knew them "Rachel, I was wondering if we could talk...?" I was curious on why she wanted to talk with me, but I agreed. She sat down in front of me, so I imagined that it could be said publicly "Rachel, this is Frank. Frank Zhang. He, um... he will be my mate on my, um... project" An imaginary light bulb lighted over my head as soon as I understood what was going on here. I glance at the girls, but they weren't even paying attention to us.
"Hazel, I really appreciate that you told me" I didn't like it. I, somehow, hated him with passion, poor guy... That didn't mean I didn't understand "And, as you're more familiar with the rules of this place than me, it's obvious that you will move from the dorm... I just wished that we could had known better before that happened" There, plant the guilt seed... Hazel blushed and nodded, letting go of Frank for a second and hugging me. I hugged back, a little shocked.
"Hazel tells me you're an amazing artist" Frank finally spoke up, in his gentle voice. A gentle giant for a gentle soul... "I was wondering if you could do me a portrait of Hazel... Not now, probably before Christmas would be nice..." If I was shocked by the request, Hazel was even more shocked by the surprise, but I managed to nod at him "I could pay you for it, money is not an issue..." Wait, he wants to pay me...? Say yes, you doofus!
"I'll do it for half the price if you have a picture of her" I found myself saying. Frank nodded, smiling at me, before Hazel released me and hugged him tight. Reyna rolled her eyes while picking her food. It was then when I realized how hungry I was. I began eating as everyone started to ignore me. Soon, I had an idea that would either break me or not "Reyna, have your roommates found their partners yet?"
"Clarisse did, Chris something" she nodded at me, cutting her sausage in half with too much strength "Thalia said she will avoid all the boys for a while, but something tells me it won't be long since she's gone, why?" she asked me.
"Well, it's obvious these three will be leaving my dorm soon" I pointed at the girls, two of they ignoring me completely "So, I could either move in with you, or you could move with me" I suggested, shrugging. I refused to be left alone in a school where everyone seemed to avoid me. But you could be alone in a crowd of people too... "We can go ask Principal Rivers about it before class"
"Right now should be fine" she pushed her chair back and walked away from the cafeteria. I didn't know what to do, but I had finished my breakfast and no one seemed to care about her so I went after her. When I finally caught up with her (she runs fast!), she was wiping her cheeks from silent tears "I just don't understand..." she mumbled, when I stood in front of her.
"Wanna talk about it?" I offered her, guiding her gently to one of the many outside seats. She allowed me to guide her and started to sob in her hands, while I rubbed her back "Let it out, Reyna... You'll feel better after a while..." I told her, not even saying anything else until she calmed down. It didn't take long and soon, she was looking at me, with her puffy red eyes.
"I knew those boys..." she started, looking down "I grew up with Jason, that's the blonde boy with Piper... I thought we would be mates here, but then he left to be with his sister, Thalia and I met Percy, the one with Annabeth... I foolishly thought the same..." she began sobbing again and I offered her a tissue to dry her tears "It was obvious I wasn't their choice, but I-"
"You didn't need to see the nauseated show they were doing in front of you" I finished for her, rubbing her arm in comfort "Did you know Frank too? At least, he was polite about it..." She nodded, smiling too.
"Frank and Hazel were like my protégées in a sense... I knew Frank and I wouldn't be mates, but I also knew they wouldn't embarrass me..." I smiled at their consideration "Thanks for listening... People think I don't have feelings because I look tough..." I waved my hand at her.
"No problem... And it's my experience that the tough and funny ones are the most hurt..." I confessed to her, smiling softly "Now, since I don't want to see that bluntly PDA any time soon, I suggest we go with Principal Rivers and ask for a swift switch change, pronto!" That made Reyna chuckle and nod, so we walked towards the Principal's office for a painless extraction.
Principal Rivers was the most kind and firm woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
She let us explain why we were there that early in the morning and, when I explained that our roommates had already been asked by their projects mates, her eyes softened when she saw Reyna and nodded at our petition of rooming together. She also gave us a two-people room near the library, as we were the first ones speaking about the big rooms being a waste of space for one person only.
When she mentioned we were going to be near the library, I was ecstatic! That meant peace and quiet and I know Reyna enjoys it too. But, I kind of found her angry side when I mentioned that only Hazel had warned me about not going back to our shared room. She raised an eyebrow and her soften look turned icy when asking me about my other two roommates. I stammered and admitted that they had found their project mates, but they never even warned us about it. Reyna also confirmed this and, admitted that while she hadn't talked to her roommates, she had no doubt they won't be upset.
We were dismissed immediately to our first class, Domestic Economy 101, right after saying that. I shared a look with Reyna, wondering if we just either got ourselves in troubles or got someone else in troubles. Reyna reassured me that we weren't in troubles and, if we got someone in troubles, we didn't do anything if we were telling the truth.
That didn't relax me much.
The day passed as any school day, meaning classes, breaks and hallway talks. This time, though, I had Reyna with me, which was kind of a relief. I could sense she was alone too and we were happy at least someone had our backs, for the time being. I could sense my good luck could end at any time.
That any time for me was the drama unfolded at lunch.
We had arrived early, gathering our lunches and sitting by a window in one of those two-seat tables. Reyna was telling me about where she had grew up and that she had a sister who had rebelled against the school system and founded an all-girl school in Seattle. It was very popular if that was what you wanted. I was about to mention why she wasn't there, when a hand slammed against our table. I jumped in my seat to see Annabeth and Piper, followed by the boys, while Hazel and Frank stood nearby, looking apologetic at me.
"If you wanted to backstab us on the back, you better do it up front" Annabeth hissed at me. I clearly didn't know what she was talking, but everyone else, yes.
"Annabeth, don't deal with it like this-" Hazel tried to interrupt, but was cut off by Piper.
"Running to Principal Rivers cause you're left alone, uh?" My brain did click and I glanced at Reyna, who looked seething at them. That, somehow, made me turn a switch on and I glared at my former roommates back.
"Well, maybe you should had been more nice and less bitchy before I went, how did you call it? Oh, yes! Running off to Principal Rivers!" I shouted at them, everyone in the cafeteria in silence. The girls looked stunned and I didn't give them an inch to reply "You think I was being a bitch?! Then, why don't you look at yourself in the mirror for a change? You were the ones flaunting on Reyna and me your newly relationships after being gone all night and not even saying 'hello' in the morning! Hazel had the decency enough to even introduce Frank and keep the PDA to hang holding, unlike you two who looked ready to take her clothes off in front of everyone!" Hazel blushed a little, while the other girls looked pale. The boys did too and were looking away from me "What?! Too coward to face the truth now?!"
"Rachel..." Reyna tried to stop me, but I was in a roll.
"Oh, I know I'm different! I didn't grew up in your little communities or I don't have the friendships your have! I like to paint and make messes, and not to wake up early to run god-only-knows-how-many miles for exercise! But I least I was raised with manners and to speak the truth! I'm used to be alone, I'm bullied to be alone, so don't even bother to tell everyone, cause I do it!" I climbed onto my chair and began shouting around "My name is Rachel Dare and I've been bullied all my life!" I climbed down, with fury "I was planning on leaving it alone, only expecting a nice talk during lunch, but I don't even want to see your faces again!" I threatened them, before turning to the rest of the school, my voice dripping anger and sarcasm "Is this the school project?! Teaching how to bully or how to make people miserable? Congratulations, you all get A+"
I didn't look back at anyone while leaving the cafeteria. I knew I had made a fool of myself and I also knew I will be alone for the rest of my semester. I'd eventually will have to face everyone, but right now I wanted to be alone. And there was one place where I could so now.
Hello, fan fiction lovers!
The first thing I'd like to do is to apologize for my absence last month... I had returned from a really horrible vacation with my family (Mom got sick, then me, horrible hotels and lame/forgetful attractions), I had no intentions of writing anything... After that, August became tougher and tougher and I proposed to catch up with all my stories and post first weekend of September...
Also, I'd like to wish a be-late Happy Back To School to the ones that already started. I've been on your shoes and I know school ain't easy or enjoyable sometimes, but it's a must...
Alright, enough with the sappy! We're here for something else! Stories! (Also, I'd like to address a reviewer's comment about reading my stories somewhere else. Yes. I have accounts in Wattpad, FanFiction, Quotev and Penana. I will have to update the last two, since the former two are my favorite ones. Anywhere else, IS NOT MINE)
Garden Wall: 2 chapters, more on the work. Hope you like them!
Queen Midas and her Golden Touch: repost of the original chapter. Last time, I couldn't post it properly, and I'm trying again today. I apologize to retro mania for the delay...
Mortals, Meet... the In-Laws: 4 chapters! Clarisse, Katie, Travis and Lou meet their in-laws!
Characters, Meet... Characters: 4 chapters! Not even mentioning, you will discover it!
Percy Jackson, son of Chaos: 4 chapters plus Epilogue! (Proper thank you note there)
Mate?! Ain't Australian, Buddy!: 4 chapters! I apologize for some of the plot, can be trigging or too violent for some readers...
IMPORTANT NEWS! The story Rise of Ouranos will be rewritten, as my collaborator LordNitro, decided not to continue with the story. I appreciate you all for you patience.
This will be all for this week! See you guys next Sunday!
xoxo, SilverHuntresses