Different (1)

Chapter 2

After the incident I somehow managed to find my Literature class. As I entered, everyone stopped their conversation to stare at me. I  hadn’t bothered to hide my face after it was so rudely made to be showed.  Let them think whatever they wanted to. I cared no more. To hell with mom's  'keep-your-head-low’ advice. At school, it’s all about holding your head high.
I made my way to the first empty seat I could lay my eyes on. I took the seat and, closing my eyes, held my head on my hands. I was happy to notice that the patterns had faded. They always appeared when I had a sudden surge of emotion. But that wasn’t what made me different. It was just one fourth of it.
I regained my breath, slowly. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
‘Good morning, everyone.’ said a voice. I raised my head. A short, bald-headed man with a pot-belly stood in front of the class. He smiled at everyone, showing his uneven teeth. But that didn’t make him ugly. His attitude covered up for his not-so-good looks. He was…..jovial
I wish I could wipe that grin off his face, said my subconscious. Sometimes it’s a real pain in-
‘Willow Aurora.’ I heard the teacher call out to me.
I stood up, nervously. All eyes were upon me. I shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. It felt weird to be the center of attention.
‘So, Willow.’ said the teacher , ‘I am Ronald Heath, your literature teacher and as a test of your speaking skills I’d like you to introduce yourself.’
The introduction was always the worst part. I seriously never knew what to say. If I’d be honest, they’d categorize me as a freak. If I lie they won’t trust me. So I always took the middle part. I introduce myself as a weirdo.
‘Hi,’ I began. I had everything memorized. ‘I am Willow Aurora. I moved to New Ragon a week ago ,along with my mom. So far, I have liked this place….and I hope that it likes me.’
At the last part the students stared at me, weirdly. I saw one of the girls, who sat next to me, snigger. I didn’t know how she could do it with that piercing at the corner of her lower lip. It must hurt every time she smiled.
Beside me, I heard Mr. Heath sigh and say,  ‘So short but sweet.’
What? Was he complimenting me. Me. No teacher had ever complimented me before and it felt……good. The patterns in my hand started turning a reminiscence of peach color.
Was this the shade of pride? The shade my mom had asked me not to let appear on my skin or my heart.
Pride falls down, my subconscious repeated my mom’s advice. Yeah, right. But I didn’t know the shade of pride would be pretty.
I smiled at Mr. Heath and took my seat. He began the class with Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. Taking it as my cue, I completely zoned out. I mean, I had already read the drama for, like, five times. There was nothing I hadn’t understood.
‘Hey, tree.’ a loud whisper called out to me. I looked at the speaker. It was the girl with the lip piercing.
I raised my eyebrows.
‘Diana, here.’ she said. It’s strange how a girl with a piercing and muscles can have such a feminine name. It wasn’t that she didn’t look feminine. She looked like a pretty girl, alright. What, with her green eyes and mouse brown hair, she could have easily passed on for Shailene Woodley. Yeah, she was that pretty. But she just didn’t radiate the aura of a girl.
‘Hi, Diana.’ I greeted her back.
‘That was the weirdest intro I have ever heard.’ She said, smiling.
I smiled back. She could not harm me, right? She seemed fine.
Why take a chance?, my subconscious pondered. I ignored it.
‘ I know it was.’ I accepted.
Her smile grew wider, the piercing digging deeper into her skin.
‘Doesn’t that hurt?’ I asked abruptly. It was painful to watch.
‘Doesn’t what hurt?’ she asked, confused.
I pointed vaguely at her piercing. I couldn’t look at it. She finally managed to get what I was saying and answered that it didn’t. I never knew how people could get themselves pierced in any place they wanted.
I remember my mom taking me to this old Asian guy for piercing my ears. I had been crying a lot. When the thing which is used for piercing had dug into my skin, the patterns turned a wild red and I  hit him. I was six then. But I managed to break his nose. As a result, we were forced to move.
‘Like to sit with me during lunch?’ I heard Diana suggesting.
She really seemed to be impressed with me. I don’t think that she is the kind of person who takes every newbie in. She must really like me.
I shrugged, smiling. At least I wouldn’t have to sit in the school library during lunch.