Chapter 2 ONE

MORGIANA'S POV I think I tasted blood inside my mouth. I winced in pain as I touched my cheek. It was still quite painful after that slap my aunt gave me earlier before I went out. Today, she found another reason to be mad at me. And that was because I did not make breakfast. I would have made breakfast but there was nothing for me to make. I think that was just her excuse to slap me. Making sure she never missed a day. In a few days, I will turn eighteen. In a few days, I will leave this place. I will never be back here again. I will go to another city, start a new life there, and forget everything in this sad little town. I'll just have to endure a few days. It shouldn't be so bad. The walk to school is even more tormenting. Not because it was quite far but because I had to endure the constant insults thrown at me by other students who passes by. I know it's pathetic to let them have their fill of throwing insults but what can I do? Some of them are either the mayor's son. Or the governor's daughter. Or the son and daughter of the owner of the school. It's quite funny how these powerful people raise their kids. And the last thing I would want is to have these powerful people all over me if I tried and punch their kids. I heard the sound of the car and I didn't need to look to see who it was.  For today's episode of make Morgiana's life miserable: Arleigh, the school's queen bee together with her cronies threw sandwiches in my direction. The wet sound of melted cheese and lettuce rang in my ear as I let the patty slide down from my face down to the ground. In the distance, I could hear them giggling at what they did. They don't seem to run out of things to throw and of course, I always came prepared. I took a tissue from my bag and started to wipe the mess. "Nice outfit, Davis," yelled another boy in the car. I groaned inwardly. My day is never complete without them. When I was finished cleaning my clothes, I continued to walk.  I went straight to where my classroom is. I am fully aware of how I smell because of the weird look the students have given me. I sighed and changed my route. I went straight to the dressing room and decided to change into our P.E. uniform. Some might make fun of me for wearing a P.E. uniform but it's better than being made fun of for smelling like lettuce. The changing room was empty, thankfully. I've had enough judgmental eyes and I wanted to be alone even for just a moment. The moment I sat on the bench, I let the silence wrap around me. And just when I thought I was alone I heard a group of girls getting inside.  When I turned to look, that's when I saw Arleigh and her cronies. Great. As if having them throwing burgers at me on the street was not enough. Arleigh was the one who saw me first and her cronies stopped giggling to look at me. The last thing you would want to happen is to be in the same room as this circle.  "Look what we have here," crooned Arleigh. She's popular in school and a lot of students swarm around her for some reason.  "Well, thanks to your little prank earlier, here I am," I answered and was about to open my locker door when she slammed her hand on it. The sound of Arleigh's fist on the metal door echoed inside the dressing room. I looked her in the eye. I've received beatings from my aunt every day. Somehow, that alone has toughened me up.  Arleigh grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked it up. I heard the other girls laughing at that.  "Leave this dressing room, dirt," Arleigh said. But there's no way in hell that I would go out of this room smelling like a burger. And perhaps it was the fact that I didn't have breakfast, or the fact that I had considered eating that burger they threw at me while I was walking down the road, or the confidence that I had that I would be turning eighteen in a few days and that I will be leaving this hell pit, that I got the courage to yank Arleigh's hair back.  I heard her yelp at that and the surprised look on her face was enough to keep me going.  "Let go of me!" she yelled but I only gripped tighter.  "Only if you let go first," I said, But she didn't let go and I have all the time in the world to be pulling someone's hair as I don't feel like going to class now anyway. "I could do this all day, Arleigh."  I pulled her hair harder this time and she yelled in pain. I looked at the other girls behind her and they looked like they were hesitating whether to help or to leave Arleigh in her own fight. But then Arleigh screamed at them and then all at once, they all came toward me. Two girls grabbed both my arms and pulled me away from Arleigh. Another two helped Arleigh fix herself. As soon as we were separated, Arleigh took the chance to slap me hard on the face. That's where my aunt slapped me this morning. I winced in pain.  "How about fighting me one on one, Arleigh? Seems pathetic of you to be asking for your cronies' help." I grinned as I saw her face flush.  "You don't get to tell me what to do, bitch. I will do whatever I want," she said.  "Of course."  She slapped me hard on the other cheek. The other girls giggled. I didn't taste blood. At least my aunt's slap was stronger. Arleigh walked closer to me and yanked my hair again, forcing me to look at her. Arleigh is pretty. Perhaps that's why people flock around her.  Without hesitation, I slammed my head to her face which made her stumble backward. Good thing the other two girls were there to catch her. They all looked at me, surprised. Without wasting any time, I pushed the girl on my left to the locker where she hit her head and immediately cried. I did the same to the girl on my right and she fell down on her butt.  Arleigh and the other two girls were still looking at me as though it was the first time they have seen me. I have always been strong and I guess that was because I was beaten up every day. This is just the first time that I fought Arleigh.  The doors of the dressing room flew open and a teacher came in.  See, I have been planning my escape from this town for so many years. That when I turned eighteen I will leave this place behind. But there are some things that made me reconsider. One is the bookstore just a few blocks from the school. There aren't a lot of people in town who like books as much as me so whenever I go there, I get the book all for myself. Two is the handsome young teacher, Mr. Alaris de Marcel.  Mr. de Marcel stood by the door and eyed six of us. I stood near my locker and suddenly got conscious of how I looked. His eyes darted toward Arleigh with a bleeding nose and then to the two girls on the ground. Then his eyes went to me.  "You did this?" he asked. Arleigh was wise enough to start sobbing.  I didn't respond. I looked into his eyes. Something about him draws me. He had just come to school a few months ago.  "Ms. Davis?" he called and I blinked. I didn't realize I was staring at him.  "I...I did," I answered. He looked at me for a brief moment before he looked at Arleigh who was already batting her lashes while crying. I should have broken her nose.  "Get her to the infirmary," said Mr. de Marcel and the girls were quick to help Arleigh stand. The moment they were near the professor, Arleigh reached to touch his arm and muttered her thanks. For someone who just got bashed in the face, she sure is flirty.  The moment the other girls are done, I realized I was alone with Mr. de Marcel. I felt his gaze on me and I looked down. I'm a mess and he could probably smell the lettuce from me.  "Meet me in my office, Ms. Davis," he said. His voice was cold and I dared to meet his stare.  "Can I at least change?" I said. His eyes raked over me once again before he gave me a nod and went outside. I thought he was going away but then I saw him standing by the slightly open door. I bit my lip to suppress the smile that threatened my lips. I immediately removed my clothes and changed into something more comfortable. The moment I was done, I stuck my dirty clothes in the locker and immediately went out to see Mr. de Marcel. He gave me a brief glance before he started walking. I followed him to his office.  ***  Mr. de Marcel's office looked minimal. Not surprising, though. He just got here and I don't think he's the sort of person who likes to hoard things. Save for his table, a few chairs, and a shelf, there was no other furniture inside. "Why was Ms. Hawthorne's nose bleeding?" he asked the moment he sat on the chair behind his desk. He crossed his arm and that's when I saw how his shirt failed to hide his magnificent body. I shook away my thought. I am about to get reprimanded and I have the luxury to ogle at my teacher's muscles. Snap out of it, Morgiana.  "I think I broke her nose," I said as I stood stupidly in front of his table. His brow arched at that.  "Why?"  "I headbutted her," I answered. There's no sense in lying. I don't think Mr. de Marcel would even buy it. I'm a bad liar.  Silence covered the whole room and he was just looking at me. There was something in his stare. A look of understanding. As if he had solved a complicated puzzle.  "You're strong," he said which got me taken aback. I did not respond. He sounded like he still has something to say but then he stood and removed his tie. He then unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt and looked at me. He was sweating.  "Are you alright, sir?" I asked. He averted his gaze and let out a sigh.  "Get out," he said. His voice was even colder this time. Isn't he going to reprimand me or punish me for headbutting Arleigh's face?  "Mr. de Marcel--"  "I said get out," he snapped which made me jump on my feet. I immediately scuttled away and went to the door. I heaved a deep breath before I looked back and saw him bracing his arms on the table, his back on me. Then I went back to the dressing room, got my bag, and skipped school.