Painful Smiles

A bang to her room door made her jump from bed. She was unwilling to open up till she heard Claudia’s voice.

“Wear this” Claudia flung a pink T-shirt and a skirt to her. Clara gave her a questioningly look.

“I talked to mom and dad. It won’t be good for your image if they storm school. I told them I’d get an apology from the boy. You would actually. But then mom said we should dress like twins. Since I said the boy wouldn’t have known we we’re related”.

She frowned when she saw Clara’s disgusted face, “Look, I’m annoyed too. I hate dressing like anything related to you. But you caused this. I’d wear the same but blue. Just get an apology note from the bastard”.

The drive to school was quiet. Broken by Paul’s bye-bye to them as he was driven to his own school after they alighted.

“Act normal. I didn’t spread any rumor about you. I’m the only one who should be worried about gossips” Claudia said before walking in.

Clara wanted to say something but her tongue got tied. She brought her head down and walked in also.

Mega and Belle ran to hug her the moment she came and she just gave a fake smiled.

She saw Michael sending a very deep glare to her and she just excused Mega and Belle and walked to him. She gave him a glare of her own.

“Did you hurt Claudia?” she asked before he said anything.

“I regret it already” he said coldly. “I regret everything. The rumor you spread were fake right? Why do you hate Claudia that much? Mega told me she is a childhood friend of yours or was” Michael shook his head as he spoke.

Clara glanced to Mega and Mega gave her a wink. Was Mega trying to still hide that Claudia was her sibling? Clara wasn’t sure if she should continue with it but she saw herself nodding.

“Claudia is dangerous actually. I didn’t come here to tell you to not hurt her for her own good but for your own. I spread the rumor as a passive way of warning you to stay clear. So stay clear” she folded her arms on her chest.

Michael dropped his that were on his chest. “Clara, be a better person. Don’t spread lies about people. Do you know how she really got so grievously injured?”.

She shook her head, “But you have to apologize. Letter or something would be better. She’s trouble so really stay clear”.

“I have thought of that. Problem is, she wouldn’t accept any letter of apology”.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“She would. Just hand it to me. She would” after that Clara walked to meet up with her friends. Michael stared at her retreating figure. He really regretted everything.

Coming back to the U. S for one sole reason that seemed to be going down the drain by each day.

Clara was still unaware of his identity. He didn’t plan to tell her soonest anyway.

Just then, he saw Wright rushing after Claudia trying to say something to her. But she kept on pushing him away.

“Look, go away. I’m rough. I’m unpredictable and possibly dangerous. Those were your comments” she tried moving away but he held her back.

“I wasn’t lying exactly. You always say you’re dangerous. I shouldn’t have believed him though” he stopped when he saw Michael watching him.

Claudia caught his stare and turned to Michael while speaking to Wright.

“Wright, some French fool from somewhere come and tell you lies about me and you believe first off. You think those Frenches are okay. They can commit suicide at tender ages of twelve you know!” she kept pointing and somehow speaking so lowly yet dangerous. Wright stood with slopping shoulders.

Michael wanted to help clarify but it might just aggravate. He didn’t seem so surprised Claudia knew about a French twelve year old who attempted suicide.

If she and Clara were really childhood friends then Clara must have told her. More reasons he shouldn’t reveal he was that boy. Claudia wouldn’t let him be.

The teachers came early and classes began. He noticed that some teachers looked at him with a tint of anger and disappointment in their eyes.

He remembered that a short teacher’s meeting had been held that morning. Could it be he had been discussed? What offenses?

Luckily, all their reactions were just stares and sighs and no one called him out. He was getting more comfortable with the body guard now.

He noticed Claudia standing at the end of the hallway with Wright. They seemed to have settled. Michael smiled.

So Claudia was the kind of person to forgive easily but get offended easily as well. Or did she just value Wright’s friendship? She should.

He seemed to really like her and had a hard time believing she had flirted with a mafia boss that got her pregnant.

Michael realized that everyone had began clearing the end of the hallway were Claudia was.

He thought of going to her to properly apologize but then noticed the students forming a circle around her again.

“What did they want?” he wondered but then Mark came out of their classes and began walking elegantly towards Claudia.

He was holding a bouquet of flowers and was now in front of Claudia. She was watching Wright as he talked about their last class.

She averted her gaze from Wright and dropped them menacingly at Mark. Other students had began peeping from the classroom.

“What is this? Should I cook those for you?” she glanced at the flowers.

“How about I cook for you? Today, come over at my house, have dinner with us” he said cheerfully.

Claudia rolled her eyes. Their game. It had begun.

“Did you have a fight with your girlfriend. And want to use me to make her jealous?” she roared surprisingly. Mark went back, looking down. Wright stepped back too.

“I warned you right? I’m not your toy. Settle your problems without letting me even know about them” she dragged the flower and tosses them on the floor.

“It’s not that, Claudia. All I asked was a dinner at my house” he said again.

She scoffed. The fool was still going on with his joke. But she wasn’t laughing with him.