Painful Smiles

No high school queen liked rumors spreading about them and Clara was no exception.

By the time the one week break Clara had to recover was over, the whole school had heard of the children eating Clara and the fact she hid her brother.

She wasn’t sure how the rumor started but she guessed that they must have seen Paul at the hospital that day and he had chartered about them being siblings.

Not that she was ashamed of him but just didn’t want to be entitled to babysitting him.

“I’d never be ahead of my little brother, even though he has issues” Belle said to Clara.

Clara rolled her eyes, “You should. That boy can’t even say hi when he’s waved at”.

“He can’t talk that’s why” Belle immediately defended.

The talk of her being a bad sister to her little brother as how she was to Claudia made people fear her more nevertheless.

She didn’t have a very angelic aura at school anyway and bullied some students secretly.

Mark was also displeased as Clara’s nickname grew to CEC, the Children Eating Clara.

Clara shared in his displeasure. She was surely going to pound Paul onto pieces when she got home or get a hold of him in the car.

“Clara Larabee. Today’s topic is about children trafficking. I hope some of my explanations wouldn’t trigger some traumas for you” the Civic teacher taunted as she flipped through her textbook.

“Not funny, Miss” Mark shouted. The teacher ignored him and started her lessons. Clara felt annoyed.

The students at school were disrespecting her. Her teachers were bravely dissing her. She had lost her popularity just by one conversation her classmates had with Paul.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

It was a miracle he didn’t say anything about Claudia knife incident or her life would have been over.

The only person who seemed to be genuinely uninterested and unaffected by the rumors were Michael. And he seemed like he already had knowledge on the type of person she was.

“Hey, have you seen Mega and Belle anywhere? Since I resumed school, I’ve been having mouse chases with those girls”.

She said to Michael as he was sitting underneath his favorite tree in the school.

It was said to be growing a fruit that was explicable to France so she assumed that was his attraction to it.

“I didn’t see them, only Wright, to show me his artworks, had passed by here. The popular girls of the school don’t come around here. It is desolate. Makes me wondering why you are here” he raised an eyebrow.

She smiled, “You could have guessed. I’m kind of desolate now too”.

“Think of a good lie. Pretty girls get away with anything if they lie” Michael shrugged.

“Not if the world thinks you’re a demon. I have as sides, who doesn’t. But I sometimes feel too weak to play my brother type of games” she started, “Sometimes I get jealous of Claudia for being the stronger twin”.

Michael felt that for a second he really understood Clara’s rage towards Claudia. It was more of jealousy than hate. She felt weak and tries gaining any kind of power to look stronger.

Only that if she meant physical weakness, wasn’t jealousy an emotional weakness. Hate would have been more comparable than to compare Jealousy.

Since there isn’t really any thing to be jealous about. She was the popular, most loved child though had a pack of blood losses.

“What are you thinking about now?” she broke him from his line of thoughts. He realized that he had been staring at her while thinking.

“Sorry, I went far” he brushed his hair back nervously.

She smiled. Her attention went to his head.

“I look forward to you on black hair though. Silver gives you a cool look. Black could give you a sexy one”.

Michael cringed, “And why’d you want to see me on a sexy look?”.

“I don’t know” Clara just laughed it off and went off. Michael found himself laughing at her attempt on flirting. Which was somewhat getting to him.

She wasn’t on a beast mode and looked more fun to be with. He could now achieve his dream of staying and protecting his life saver.

Far off he saw Claudia coming and his countenance changed. Was she there to accuse him of some new kidnap case?

“Wright said you sent a professional painter to teach and assist him in his art work. I wanted to say thanks for that. I was busy with the kidnap case and couldn’t help. Thanks for being his friend” she sounded genuine.

Michael hesitated before speaking, “Yeah, sure. What are friends for”.

To his utmost surprise, Claudia turned away and walked off. That was all she had come to say!

He was disappointed. Very disappointed but pushed the feeling away.

Clara hadn’t completely gone away from Michael. She saw how he looked back at Claudia expecting more interactions.

Claudia was always oblivious to this kind of things.

Clara phoned Michael to keep his mind from wondering to much about Claudia. No matter how dumb she was, she could deduce that Michael was growing a crush on Claudia.

It was her fault as she always played the monster while Claudia was the victim. Or it could be just pity.

Either ways, whatever it was, he wasn’t suppose to like her.

“Yeah, hello?” Michael replied immediately his phone rang. She kept on watching him.

“I don’t know if this would be okay but I usually wait for Claudia till she’s done with her own classes and this time, I’d be busy for another one hour. What I’m saying is, would you mind driving me home?” she pleaded.

Michael looked at his phone. He placed it down and acted like he wasn’t on a call. Clara wasn’t sure what the gesture meant but she kept on talking.

“Please, I’m desolate now. I need time to write my notes. Mega and Belle hadn’t done them for me. Just a yes. Or a no?” she sounded less tearful.

“Don’t make it a habit. The road to your street is bumpy, I don’t like it” Michael stood from under his shade.

“Have you been there before? How’d you know?”.

“Of course, I have been there. Who do you think dropped Paul off that day? And I’ve visited Claudia with Paul twice also. That road would surely take my car to a mechanic. Again” he hung up and began walking into the classrooms.

Clara narrowed her eyes at her new revelation. He had visited twice. Paul hadn’t even talked about.

Something was up. Paul had more cases with her than she thought.