by Chloe Smith
This was all a joke, probably. He was probably one of Clinton's friends, trying to play a prank at me. He was probably guffawing somewhere right now.
But still, he didn't have to be that cold. What was his problem?
Maybe I did do the wrong thing getting on Clinton's bad side.
No! I didn't That guy, even if I'm the only one who will stand up against it, he needed to be taught a lesson. And I was the person ready to teach him.
With that last resolution, I marched off to my last class of the day, ignoring the stares of those who were staying far away from me, and even those who were brave enough to bump into me on purpose.
One thing I was taught growing up was how to endure. And now was the time to use that skill.
Chapter 18
My last class couldn't have ended soon enough. As soon as the bell rang, I bolted out the door. As I made my way to my dorm room, my cell rang. Looking at the collar ID, I could see that it was Hilary.
"Hey Honey!" She greeted me enthusiastically. When I first met her, I realized right off the back she was going to be like another mom. Sure enough, she was the side that wanted to spoil me and give me anything I wanted. The thing is, I felt just guilty accepting anything she gave me, so I would politely decline.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the stuff, but the feeling of accepting something without giving her anything just made me feel really guilty. Mamma thought I was selfish and snobbish when I did it, but then Hilary would laugh and say, "No, its alright. You taught her to accept what is earned. When she feels like she can take it without guilt, these things will still be here."
Which made me feel even more guilty.
"Hi Hilary." I said, putting a cheerful note in my voice, even though I was feeling exactly the opposite.
"How was your first day of school? Did you like it? Did you make any friends?" I smiled. IT seemed Hilary always had a limitless stream of cheerfulness and enthusiasm. It always made me smile. And as usual, she went fast pace like Mamma.
"It was okay. Kinda hectic, but I already made four-uh...three friends." I almost included Denzel, but thinking on that last meeting, I was becoming unsure.
"That's good. Well, I have a favor for you."
"Yes?"
"I'm going to send a package for Clinton. Could you make sure he gets it?"
I rolled my eyes, and kept myself from sighing. If only Percy had been her son, or something! "Sorry for asking, but couldn't you send it to him directly?"
She chuckled. "You do have a point there. Well, it's mostly because Clinton won't accept my stuff whenever I send it. He always ends up giving it away. This way, he'll be intrigued enough if it's from someone else."
In spite of telling myself not to, I sighed. Hilary was so doting on her son, how could he have turned into such a sourpuss? "I'll do it for you." It was the least I could do, since she was paying my tuition.
"You don't have to if you don't want to. It's perfectly volunteer-able." She said.
"No no! It's okay. I..."I couldn't believe I was saying this..."I want to."
"Good!" She said, her enthusiasm climbing yet another level. "I sent the box yesterday, so it should be there by now."
She...already sent it? That meant she knew I was going to say yes.
Great. Was I really that much of a suck up?
"Okay. I'll give it to him."
"Alright. I have to go run some errands, so I'll talk to you later." She piped.
"Okay. Bye. " not even seconds after I hung up the phone and was reaching for the lock pad for my dorm room, I heard the patter of feet heading straight toward me.
"Monica Suarez?" Someone yelled from still a distance away. I looked up to see a small girl, probably a freshman too. There was a smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose, and looked up at me with light green eyes from behind round-rimmed glasses that seemed to be a light prescription. Her chin-length hair was a mousy brown hair that hung in a silky curve so that the ends were touching her chin. Her arms were filled with packages.
"Yes?" I answered as she got closer.
"Mail for you." She handed me the biggest package and then a smaller one.
"Thank you." I said before going into my room.
I set the big package on my desk and read the note on the smaller one.
Monica,
I felt a little bad having you do
This for me, so I included a little
Something for you.
-Hilary
Of course Hilary would find a way to give me a little trinket so that I felt like I did something to deserve it. She understood me more than I thought.
I opened the small box and found a porcelain-handled brush with glistening bristles. Small blue roses were embedded into the smooth, white back of the brush,.
I gasped when I saw it. Picked it up reverently and give it a test brush in my hair. It was beautiful, and worked like a charm.
Another note was attached that said: Something to help you with that beautiful hair of yours.
I wondered if she knew I had problems this morning trying to do my hair.
I put the brush gently on the vanity that Gaya and I shared.
There was still something in the box. It was a jewelry box. Inside were three necklaces and a bracelet...and another note.
There's two identical necklaces.
That's for you and your best friend.
The bracelet and other necklace go together.
That's for you and your boyfriend.
Love,
Hilary
I smiled. She went through all this effort to surprise me, or else she would have just put it all in one note.
I knew exactly who I would give the friendship necklace to. Gaya. But I don't think I'll be using the bracelet and necklace just yet.
I placed the set back in the jewelry box and put it in my desk drawer.
Well, with the way things were going, I didn't think I would be able to find a guy right now...
Maybe Percy...he was nice enough. Persistent. He seemed a little loyal. But it was only the beginning. I hadn't really known him yet.
Martin...oh dear Martin. I guess you can say he was pretty cool. He seemed a little childish, but he seemed to like me a lot. But I don't know about him. Even though I don't show, I'm kinda flattered that he likes me...He was just the opposite of Clinton...
Clinton.
My eyes widened and I shook my head hard. Was I just about to think that he would look good in that necklace? No no no! I pushed the issue altogether out of my mind and turned on my side, closing my eyes to take a nap.
Chapter 19
Clinton almost tripped over the box sitting right in front of his dorm room door. He nearly cursed as he managed to find footing on the other side of the box. "Who would put this freakin' box right in front of my door with no freakin' lights on." He said, opening the door.
His roommate laid on his bed, sat up when Clinton entered. He chuckled. "Maybe they want to see the ice king trip." He thought for a moment, then said. "Hey, I wouldn't mind seeing that myself." He laughed and ducked when a book flew his way.
"Shut up Percy." Clinton kicked the box into the room and used the same foot to knock the door closed. "This box was right in the doorway." His name was scrawled untidily across the top.
"Mail delivery?" Percy laid back down picking up the book Clinton had thrown at him.
"Then why didn't you take it when they knocked on the door?" Clinton asked irritably.
"No knock." Percy read the back of the book, then flipped through the pages.
"Don't they knock on the door when they deliver?" Clinton asked as he knelt down next to the box.
"Yeah." Percy said simply, his nose was stuck in between the pages of the book.
"Then why..." Clinton looked up at his roommate. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh?" Percy looked at Clinton. "uh, yeah. Hey, can I borrow this?"
Clinton's shoulder's fell a little, and his expression turned bla
nd. "You weren't."
Percy took one look at his roommate and smiled charmingly. "I am now."
Clinton rolled his eyes and sighed. "So you don't have any idea where this box came from?"
Percy squinted at the box. "Mmm. No. Hey, maybe it's Pandora's box. Don't open it!" He reached toward Clinton dramatically.
Clinton didn't laugh. "Very funny. Besides, it clearly had my name on it, so can't possibly be Pandora's."
Percy pouted. "You're no fun."
Clinton opened the box with a pair of scissors, and peered inside.
Percy watched his roommate closely. When he saw him blush he had to find out what was in he box. He bounced off the bed and plopped down on the other side of the bed. The first thing Percy saw was chocolates, but that's not what Clinton saw. Stuffed right next to the chocolates was a cream-white pillow. In quite big letters across the front, it said, I LOVE YOU in sparkling, pink glitter.
Percy laughed. "You've got a secret admirer."
"Shut up." Clinton closed up the box and pushed it away. His darkening face made Percy laugh harder.
"Maybe you should find out who she is and go out with her."
"No." Clinton stood and changed to his dark blue silk pajama bottoms, leaving his chest bare.
"Speaking of going out with someone, I found out someone's name today." Percy said in a sing song voice.
Clinton's eyes sliced straight to Percy.
"Monica Suarez."
Clinton's eyes narrowed. "And just what do you plan to do?" His voice was just as hard as his expression.
"Oh, hm." Percy tapped his chin. "I haven't figured it out yet, but I do know she's made another male friend. Denzel." Percy pounced back onto his bed. "You know, one of the Robinson brothers who star on the football team?"
Clinton almost turned all the way around to listen to Percy, until he realized what he was doing. "And why exactly do I care?" He said, turning his back to Percy, doing nothing really except staring at his perfectly made bed.
"I didn't say you did." Percy hid a secret smile.
Clinton cursed and laid down, still leaving his back facing Percy. "I'm going to sleep." He turned off his lamp to prove it.
Percy kept on smiling and said, "Of course." He turned off his own light and laid back. "Oh yeah. I'm borrowing this book."
Chapter 20
Mrs. Sarah wasn't in the classroom when I got there. Matter of fact, the room was empty, save for one person. Clinton. I admit, seeing him and what he was doing made me jump in surprise. His head was bent over a book, his face hidden by his amber waves. He seemed oblivious of everything around him, his focus on the words he read. His whole body was a silent statue.
People say those who read books are nerds, and they usually look a little like it. Clinton didn't. The laidback way he held the book, and the loose atmosphere surrounding him made reading a book look like the most coolest thing a person could do. For some odd reason, that made me blush.
Not wanting to be in the same room with him alone, I started backing out. But at the last minute, when I was about to turn to escape, his head turned toward me, and I was frozen by his copper orbs. I swear my face grew hotter.
After the recognition and mutual surprise wore off, Clinton's expression turned back to his usual you're-looked-down-upon expression. "Hello Commoner."
I bulked up, and walked to my desk. "Clinton." I wasn't going to back out now. It would make me look like a coward. And I wasn't.
I kept my face forward, keeping myself looking at the front of the classroom.
I heard a snicker behind me, but pulled out my sketchbook instead of looking behind me as I wanted to do.
The snicker turned into a chuckle. I drew my first line. This would be a face. A portrait. Maybe I'll draw Gaya and give it to her.
The loud thud behind me made me jump. This time I did look back and had to hide my gasp. Clinton had slammed his book down on the table, but that's not what scared me. He was staring at me, his tawny eyes angrily bored into mine. "Let me get something straight. I don't like you."
I hid how afraid that face made me and rolled my eyes. "Like I didn't know that. As If I wanted someone I didn't like, liking me."
This only made him angrier, and the atmosphere plummeted fast. "I don't appreciate what you're doing to my mom."
I wrinkled my brow. "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to her, except-" I had an inkling of what he was getting at. "So you want me to accept everything she tries to shove on me? I'm sorry, I don't like-"
"No! I want you to stop that!" He exploded.
"I haven't been doing it!" I yelled back.
"Yes you have, or you wouldn't be here!"
"I was forced to come! I had no choice!"
"Bull!"
"Quiet both of you or you'll be having detention." I hadn't realized anyone had come in since our argument, but now, looking around, four other people had come in, but stuck to the side of the classroom where we weren't. Mrs. Sarah had come in to, but she was still at the door when she spoke.
I turned around angrily after glaring at him one more time. Then I took out my anger on my sketchpad. The nerve of that guy! And to thing I was attracted to him!
Chapter 21
Lunchtime came around without incident, but I still felt myself fuming as I picked up a few entrees. I sat at the same table that Martin had led us to yesterday and waited for him and Gaya to come. I picked at my food, but my appetite had been ruined. Oh gosh, I wish he would just disappear from my mind altogether. That conceited, snotty, bratty, over self-confident, icy-in-his-veins, king of St Ferdinand who could lick my shoes for all I care!
"Which I would never do." His voice was right in front of me. He was sitting right in front of me. His hair looked like he'd ran his fingers through it many time, giving him a rakish look. And he was looking at me with raised eyebrows.
Shoot. I had said it all out loud.
I glared at him. "What do you want?"
"Earlier." Clinton crossed his arms in front of him and leaned in. "You said you had no choice?"
I rolled my eyes. "Ugh. Clinton, that was over hours ago."
"But we were interrupted and you didn't respond afterwards. What were you going to say?" He looked at me intensely, seriously with his odd eyes.
I sighed and shook my head. "I have no idea what I was going to say, like I said, it was hours ago."
"Just answer the question!" He said in a slightly louder voice.
"Oh, anything for you, oh king." I said in a sarcastic voice. "And where is Gaya and Martin?" I said looking around.
My heart jumped a little when I felt his surprisingly large hand grasp my chin and forced me to face him.
For a second, Clinton seemed surprised too. Then that arrogant smirk took over his mouth. " Why is your face turning red?"
I glared at him and knocked his hands off of me. "Don't put your hands on me again or I'll kick your-"
"Hey, I only want to know whether you're filching off my mom or not." He emphasized his accusations by slapping the flat of his hands on the tabletop.
That shocked me that for a moment I was speechless. "Filching? Are you serious?" I asked incredulously. He just stared at me.
I stood up fast. "I'm doing the exact opposite, you dolt! If your mom hadn't paid for my tuition without my consent, then my mom would never have forced me to come here, and I never would have had to meet your arrogant ice king face!" I glared, breathing hard from not taking a breath in that whole sentence, and because of the anger boiling in my stomach. I swear I've never felt so angry in my life!
By the time I actually registered his face, it was a minute later. I blew my bangs out of my eyes to make sure I was seeing right. His eyes were as wide as saucers, and his mouth was open, and he didn't even attempt to speak.
Did I just render him speechless?
"Now where are my friends?" I turned to find them sitting with Percy up at the main table, looking at me worriedly. I motioned for them to come o
ver here. I turned back to Clinton. "You." I pointed a finger at him. Well at least he'd closed his mouth. "Don't ever try to keep my friends away from me again."
I turned to leave when he caught my arm.