Chapter 1
10 years ago.
Althea.
July 2009.
‘God don’t let me be late,’ I kept chanting it like a mantra as I entered my new school building. Being late on the first day of your school doesn’t give you a pretty impression and if you are one of the new admissions, that’ll be worse.
Being the attention hater I am, I planned everything with utmost perfection. I came yesterday to collect my schedule and went exploring the school building so that I won’t be lost in hallways finding my way to class.
All my planning went down the drain the moment I overslept. Yesterday night, sleep evaded me due to my nerves and it was almost around 4 am in the morning that I finally managed to sleep.
By the time alarm rang at 7 in the morning, I was too deep in the world of dreams that I don’t even remember turning it off. Aunt Kayla, seeing my perfect planning yesterday, thought that I was getting ready for school.
By the time she came to call me for breakfast, I was still asleep. Her booming laughter woke me up with a start. No warmup, no smooth transition, one second I was deep into the world of dreams and the next, my eyes opened wide watching in confusion as she doubled with laughter.
Still not in a state to form a coherent statement, I raised my eyebrows making sure to let her see my irritation on being wakened up unceremoniously.
Laughing uncontrollably, she pointed towards the bedside watch and my eyes followed her movement. The moment my eyes comprehended the hands of the watch, I jumped down the bed already halfway into the bathroom.
Half an hour later, which included a hurried shower and stuffing up my face with Kayla’s best chocolate syrup pancakes we were in her car. I think she broke almost every traffic rule in this small town but thankfully, I was dropped at the entrance of my school 10 minutes before school started.
I hurried into the school building determined to get to class before it fills up so that I could be spared from any possible curious glances and judging whispers.
Walking through the hallways, I took my schedule out and made my way towards my supposed to be first class according to what I learned yesterday.
After walking through few corridors filled with people, I realized that I entered the building from the back entrance today unlike yesterday and now, I am lost amongst these huge corridors which all jumbled to form one big puzzle.
I clutched a crumpled schedule in my hands. I unfolded it and scanned the schedule up and down then looked around and crumpled it again.
“Why is this so confusing!” I huffed.
I had already spent 5 precious minutes fiddling with my stupid top locker. I’m a sad 5′2 and the top lockers locks are a whole head above me. It’s like the principal saw me and said “give that midget a top locker make her life hell”.
“STUPID NEW SCHOOL!” I muttered under my breath.
As I continued to crumple and uncrumple my schedule I heard an urging cough from behind me. At first, I didn’t turn around, but when I heard the cough again I turned around. My eyes were met with a chest making me back up until I meet curious crystal blue eyes.
“What is ‘so confusing’ beautiful?” He asked with a smile on his face.
I flushed crimson at his words. If he could hear that comment, he surely heard my comment about his school too. Wow girl, great way to start your new school.
“Are you lost, little girl?” His question was more genuine this time.
I looked into his eyes hoping he would help me and nodded slightly.
" Ahh.. it happens all the time with new kids. Our school hallways can be very confusing with similar posters and lockers everywhere,” he continued to which I nodded again but this time more confidently.
“Give me your schedule. Lemme help the princess get into her castle without any further trouble,” he said making my smile wider.
I thrust my schedule towards him and he took it. The entire time he studied my schedule, his brows were drawn into a frown, and then finally he looked back at me with a big smile showing off his cute dimples.
“You are in 10th standard? Woah! You look younger,” he wondered out loud. It happens all the time so I didn’t feel offended at his comment.
“Well, that would be a manufacturing defect,” I said with a smile.
“Ahh.. the girl can talk. I thought I would end up being those guys who did all the talking,” he said.
“And a defect? Seriously girl? Nothing about that body of yours can ever be a defect,” he said with a smirk making me turn a shade redder.
“Umm... I was talking about my height,” I murmured.
“I wasn’t,” he winked making me blush hard.
“By the way, we have two classes together and umm.. you have two classes with Ron , one with Mase and yayy... You chose Astronomy. All of us will be in that class. This is going to be so fun,” he rambled looking at my schedule. Wait. Ron, Mase? Who are all these guys?
“What, you are in my class?” I asked making his eyebrows rise. He didn’t look my age. His toned muscles certainly cannot belong to someone under the pubertal influence. Either he is older or he is a fitness freak.
“Are you saying I am old little girl? I would have been offended if I didn’t know you liked me already,” he winked again making me laugh.
“Shit! Here I was thinking I am good at hiding my growing crush,” I said rolling my eyes. Two can play this game and this guy doesn’t seem all that bad.
“Ahh.. now that you are busted, you can ogle at this godly person all you want without having to hide it,” he said pointing towards himself making me shake my head at his antics and laugh at the same time.
“I’ll show your way to class but only if you promise me something,” he said in a serious tone all of the sudden. I raised my eyebrows gesturing for him to continue.
“You’ll have to sit beside me in all the three classes we have together,” he said making me laugh again.
“I am the new student here. Shouldn’t I be the one trying to bag new friends?” I asked quite amused at his behavior.
“Ohh yes. I am saving you from the trouble and also saving myself from Brit. Cant tolerate another year of constant whining about the wrong shade of nail polish,” he said already walking towards the end of the hallway.
“What makes you think I won’t do the same?” I asked falling in step with him.
“Look at you girl. You came to your new school on her first day in plain jeans, not a skirt. And more importantly, I don’t see any nail polish there. What more can a guy ask for?” he said with a sideward glance making me laugh.
“I would have been offended if I didn’t know you liked me already,” I threw back his words.
“God! Where have you been hiding all this time girl? I’ve been searching for you since forever,” he winked back.
“By the way, I m Ray,” he continued making me realize that we totally skipped basic introductions.
“Althea, you can call me Ali,” I offered back.
Soon, we reached my class and he left with a promise to meet me in English. True to his word, by the time the third period rolled out, he was waiting for me in English with a seat beside him reserved for me.
We shared the third period and also the one before lunch, both of which passed away without my knowledge. Courtesy of his constant chattering. Finally by the time lunch started, I was pretty much starving.
As soon as we entered the cafeteria, Ray started dragging me towards a table in the corner which was already occupied by three guys.
“Ron, look who is with me?” He made his dramatic entry making me roll my eyes.
“Not again Ray, “the guy who had been main subject in most of Ray’s stories turned around looking at me with slight surprise.
“What’s wrong with you Ray? We don’t bring our girls to the lunch table. That’s the rule,” he said slightly annoyed. Wow, rude much.
“Stop being rude to the lady Ron. By the way, she isn’t my girl. She is my new best friend,” Ray said throwing his hand over my shoulder making me roll my eyes again.
“Drama queen,” I mouthed to him with a shake of my head.
“Still she is a girl Ray. Girls get clingy and we don’t need that,” the blond guy sitting opposite to me complained making me roll my eyes again. Looks like I m doing it a lot today.
“But she is pretty. I totally think she should sit with us,” the guy beside him countered.
“Yeah guys, keep debating while I go get my lunch. Let me know the final verdict at least by the time I am back because I am pretty hungry and trust me you wouldn’t want to keep me waiting,” I said turning around and walking towards the queue. Wow, so much for making friends. Though a simple cold shoulder is a lot better than what I imagined today to be like.
“Don’t mind them. They are all jealous that I met you first,” Ray spoke falling into step with me.
“It’s ok Ray. It’s not easy to let others into their gangs. I’ll have my lunch somewhere else. We can meet in math again,” I said with a genuine smile.
Ray tried to convince me for a while but my decision was made. I liked Ray. I really did. But that doesn’t mean I am going to bear his stupid friends. Finally, when he understood that I wasn’t going to budge, he left with a cute pout making me laugh.
Taking my lunch tray, I moved towards an empty table and sat down to satisfy my grumbling stomach. I ate in peace for a few seconds before a fry in my hand was harshly plucked by someone.
Not someone, stupid idiotic Ray who plopped himself beside me. He dared to steal my fry. If it wasn’t my first day and if Ray wasn’t practically the only friend I had here, he would be dead by now.
“Woah! What’s that look for? Your eyes are trying to shoot bullets at me girl,” he smirked.
“Then you are lucky that they cant. You stole my fry Ray. That’s unforgivable,” I whined.
“You are right. She is weird,” came a voice from the seat opposite to me.
Since I was occupied with glaring at Ray, I missed Ron guy taking the chair before me.
Turning back to this guy, I was lost for a second admiring his looks. If I thought Ray was a fitness freak, then this guy would be a fitness maniac.
With a chiseled jaw which wasn’t supposed to belong to a teenage guy sitting on strong shoulders, he could give most models a tough competition. My eyes traveled down but my view was obstructed by the table so instead, they moved back to his face. Green eyes interspersed with blue speckles gave him a mystical appearance. After taking my time to admire them, my eyes shifted down to find his full lips curved up in a smirk. Shit! busted.
“Are you done checking me out muneca?“His smirk got bigger if that is even possible making me turn red as a tomato.
“I wasn’t. Ray kept talking about this Ron guy all the time and I was expecting to meet someone... umm... Ron weasely kind. I am just sort of.. umm... shocked to see you,” I pathetically ended. What the hell Thea? When did you become a blubbering mess?
“Ohh, so what kind I am doll?” he asked with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Umm.. more of Noah Callhounish?”
Wow! I am sure I lost my mind to mouth coordination.
“A total asshole version of Noah?” I added with a smirk gaining some control back.
....
Doll.
That’s what she looked like.
Small
Fragile
Pretty
Breakable
Despite her breathtaking beauty, I didn’t want her anywhere near me.
The fear of breaking her alive and breathing.
Then she opened that smart mouth of hers.
Which breathed fire.
With her sassy comments
And her witty remarks
She made me think twice.
She may be a doll... but not made of porcelain
My Muneca was made of leather.
Strong
Resilient
Beautiful.
That’s when I knew...
I would get my hands on this doll.
Not because she was the prettiest thing the world ever saw.
Not because her smile lightened up my damn world.
But because she was strong enough to withstand the darkness inside me.
