Chapter 4: Friends
1714 Words
At eight in the morning the butler pulled over at Bridgetown school parking lot in a white range Rover sport latest model, Audrey was riding shotgun for the first time in a long time. At first it was uncomfortable but she got used to it and it felt good. She also had a chance to observe and grasp a few driving techniques just to start getting over that phobia of roads.
"This marks the end of our journey, rate me"
"Three out of five"
"What denied me the two stars?"
"One is your terrible choice of music and two...four out of five stars there's no second flaw, sorry"
"I can take that. You're amazing how I wish your brother was like you. Why is he always angry and mean?"
She exhaled sharply undoing the seatbelt. As a keen and analytical person, she knew Gideon, observed him well and arrived at her own understanding of why he was a mean piece of s**t.
"You want an explanation?"
"If you have one, please"
"Life has not been fair to him in the past and now he is hitting back at anyone who seems to deny him the right to enjoy it to the fullest"
"Okay, I'll pause this discussion" he checked his watch and left the car to get the door for her, "See you in the evening, don't be late for class"
"I'm right on time" she fished out a bag of chips from her bag pack, "Good day"
"Likewise, Audrey?"
“Quick learner"
Audrey went on her way while the butler drove out of the compound. It was a brand-new day and her prayer was to stay out of trouble. She stuffed the chips in her mouth looking around for another flying object, there was none but a dozen of judgmental eyes and phones in her face. To her that was normal. On the clock was some ten minutes until the first period. When she got in class almost everyone was seated and they welcomed her the usual way with a chorus.
"Good morning Fatty!"
She didn't answer, instead held her bag pack with a tight grip under armpit, kept her head down and walked to her desk which was bigger than the others. The insults would continue, a poke on the head by one of her notorious classmates would send the class into a frenzy followed by the pranks, a toy snake that she knew by fact it was a toy but it still made her jump out of her own skin. That day her prayers went straight into the gutter, while briskly walking away her loose-fitting trousers got caught on a sharp edge of a metallic framed desk, they didn’t tear but she fell on her belly amid laughter. They all watched as she picked and dusted herself up confidently without saying a word or shedding a tear, none of them was worth her tears.
"Good morning, what's all the laughter about?"
No one came forward with a proper response to her. It was a relief to Audrey. The life skills teacher was already standing at the door. Silence ensued and the owner of the toy snake hid it away.
"Good morning beautiful and handsome souls. You look happy today" she walked in to the teacher’s desk in a white flowery dress and black wedged shoes. She took out a marker pen and scribbled on the white board.
SELF-ESTEEM
For Audrey, it was a lecture. The most uncomfortable words she needed to hear, her eyes met with the teacher's and she smiled. Was it a public embarrassment? In class she was more comfortable seating back and relaxing instead of raising her hand and answering questions. Deep down she knew despite all of them making fun of her she was smarter than half that class. All of them actually.
"What is self-esteem? New faces please!"
A handful of hands shot up. The teacher’s eyes roved across the class of roughly forty students. Her eyes settled at the back to one of Audrey's tormentors, the zoo keeper- a name he earned from keeping pranking animal toys, snakes, rats and toads.
"Belief in one self"
"Good...any other answer?"
Silence. Belief in oneself-those words echoed at the back of her mind. She felt her hand muscles involuntarily twitch. Success is always the best revenge and there was no better come back than choosing to speak up willingly without being coerced by the teacher. Her hand was heavy so she cleared her throat. In her mind it came out so loud but it was not, on the second attempt the teacher heard her... everyone did and they looked in her direction. Audrey should have been careful what she wished for.
"Audrey, you want to say something?"
"Yes" she mumbled dernly exhaling all the tension that was accumulating in her lungs.
"Go ahead"
"Confidence in ones worth, self-respect"
"Good answer clap for her!"
Nobody clapped, either they were disappointed that she got back up that quick or they were surprised she actually managed to speak in front of them. The teacher ignored their cold war had the class continued, it was the most fun class for Audrey, there was that feeling of freedom and innate joy that something great was going to happen the next second. She was lively despite the dreaded looks of jealous and despise. The first period came and marked the end to her fun, it was time to bask all alone in her corner and read a book with her snacks and some Lewis Capaldi music with a pinch of juice WRLD.
"Wait up!" Mason said dashing towards Audrey walking briskly towards the park, avoiding bombardment with other students using the same path. She couldn't hear Mason with her headphones on to cancel all the noise and periodic insults towards her.
"What...oh, Mason" she gasped when he plucked the headphones off her head.
"Yes, I've been trying to stop you for miles now. How are you faring on?"
"I'm good. Don't worry, you should stay away from me"
"Why? You're a serial killer or you will infect me with greatness" he said and winked at her flashing his warm smile that had her blushing and dropping her gaze.
"I'm not great..."
"Who are you to say you're not. I believe you're amazing"
"Just stay away from me unless you want people to start making fun of you too. I'm not hurt, thank you for checking on me but this is the last time we should be seen together for your own sake"
"Okay if you say so, but I thought you should know am okay with everyone not liking me for the right reasons. Good day" he gave her back the headphones pursing his lips.
"Likewise!" She said after him waving with one hand.
After all those years of being invisible to Mason Klein there he was spotting her in a crowd, it was all a dream het she got no sleep. She exhaled sharply and picked up the pace only to find her path blocked by this sassy looking blonde, dressed in black leather jacket with chains everywhere, checked mini skirt slightly above the knee length and black high-heeled boots that exaggerated her height by far. Her hair was silky woven into one long braid with shades of pink at the tail end. Her right hand had a dragon tattoo and her bag pack hung loosely on her shoulder. Her eyes were blue and penetrative, with a thin nose bridge above her red-hot lips. She was chewing gum.
"Sorry, do I know you?"
"No, you're about to. Tina" she stretched her arm.
"Audrey" she stretched hers too not sure if the hot blonde was going to even shake it. Instead Tina hugged her it was too late to say she was not a hug person. That was a surprise, "I'm not a hug person, sorry for not hugging you back, what was that for?"
"A sign of friendship"
"We were friends in the past life or you want us to be friends? Enlighten me"
"I want us to be friends. I'm not sure about the past"
"Only a stupid person would want to be friends with me. What's wrong with everyone today are you on drugs?" She asked rhetorically.
"No, I'm not on drugs but I know you need friends"
"And why do you think that?"
"I know that because the librarian is my aunt and she told me you've been reading books on how to make friends. I think we can help each other because I'm also looking for a friend"
"Who wouldn't want to be friends with you...hold up. I thought the librarian is not allowed to disclose that information. Confidentiality, library professional ethics"
"That's medical. So, we're friends or what?"
"Okay, but I won't blame you if you dump me the next minute because I attract shame whenever I go" she warned the two of them walking to the park.
"I'll kick anyone that makes fun of You"
"For real?"
When was the last time someone offered to stand up for her? She couldn't remember. And then comes a strange girl way prettier to be associated with the likes of her and the first thing she does after their vow of friendship is make her smile. Too good to be true. Audrey was so used to bad things happening to her that when good things happened they seemed like a trap or a scam of some sort. Was it a trap or a scum? Time would tell.You and Mason..."
"He hit me with the ball and he was just checking if am okay that's all"
Tina looked at her for some time and smiled. Audrey was struggling to look her in the eye through her glasses.
"He likes you, he had all the non-verbal cues of love and affection coming out as he spoke to you"
"Pff! Can never be me. Now I believe you're on drugs" Audrey said walking away but Tina grabbed her arm.
"I'm serious. As a friend one thing I'll always do is tell you the truth"
"For real?"
"Yes. Mason Klein is into you"
That was the weirdest thing she had ever heard. But wait, why was her heart pounding that hard in her chest?
- Writer
