Painful Smiles

Shocked to her bones. In total disbelief. Exponentially astonished.

Any other big and totally appropriate word you have for confusion would do for describing Claudia’s state of mind.

When she discovered that Michael Louis was the “Frenchie” that had attempted suicide that year. That Michael Louis!

Real question is, why isn’t she angry?

She was shocked, alright. But she didn’t feel offended with the fact he hid his identity or the inhumane thing that was done to her as a minor.

Or that even after her sacrifice to him, he came back to yank her arm. None of those made her angry. She just appeared angry for effects bit wasn’t angry.

And it was definitely not because of the huge pile of gifts for her at home, she just chose to ignore him all through the day at school.

She wasn’t completely invisible anymore as people came to her to ask about what happened to Clara.

She told them one cock and bull story or the other.

By the third class before recess, she received a text from Michael asking her if she wanted to eat out with him.

Claudia glared at the text with scorn. They had been a rumor that the school’s cafeteria had some problems so they might not be enough food for that day.

But he had no right to ask her to eat with her. It was too absurd judging from what he was to her now.

Another text came in, “Text back “no” rather than glaring at the phone. It’s scared”.

She knew he was now watching her and just sent the phone back to her pocket.

“No, eat yourself by yourself. Suck blood from you and drink it. If you feel like it, by some gifts to compensate for your blood” she spoke to the empty field where she was at.

She turned to behind her and saw him resting on his usual spot on the tree. She raised her face up and walked past him.

“I am not a vampire. I can’t possibly eat myself” he said just as she passed. She glared at him.

“You can eat me if you want though” he shrugged mindlessly.

Her face folded, “What did you say?”.

He began laughing, “Don’t be dirty minded. You started the “eating human” game”.

Claudia raised her hand to punch him but he fled. That rural animal.

“Stay away from me or I’ll really eat you, physically” she pointed but he kept on laughing and she grew more embarrassed about the situation.

She was late to the cafeteria resulting to all the food being finished.

It was said that the cooks tried hard to satisfy at least eighty-five percent of those who wanted food.

The other twenty-five would have to eat outside. Again, those twenty-five would wait till school’s over. No one left the school while it was on session.

Claudia was devastated. She valued her lunch most importantly as she missed breakfasts a lot and sometimes dinner, depending on her mood.

The doctor had also told her that she should try maintaining a healthy habit, and steady exercises that weren’t strenuous.

In other order, missing lunch wasn’t in her schedule.

She sneaked to the gate hoping to find food outside but the gateman quickly came in front of her.

“Hey, look, you either have to let me go or go yourself. There’s no damn food in the cafeteria and I am on doctor’s prescription. Get it?” she looked above the tall figure in front of her.

He shook his head as response.

“So I should die. Cos it could happen” she folded her arms.

The man pointed back at her school, indicating that she should return but she blatantly sat at his post.

They rather protect the gate together than for her to trek back to her class on an empty stomach.

She was now regretting not accepting Michael’s proposal to eat out. With his status, the gateman would have literally walked him out of the school himself.

Also, if the teachers found her sitting with the gateman they’d surely wonder what was wrong and that might not be very good for the gateman.

The gateman seeing her stubbornness could smell she just wanted to put him in a tight spot. “Give me the money. What do you want to buy?” he finally asked her.

She smirked and listed all the healthy snacks she could think of and handed him a hundred dollar bill, courtesy of the nice envelope Mr. Louis gave her before he left.

She had sworn never to show her parents the full package.

The gateman muttered “glutton” as he left and she screamed back that the doctor told her to eat healthy and we was hungry so she had to eat a lot.

She waited in silence for the man to return with her food.

It was running to thirty minutes, recess was over but she wasn’t having a class till an hour later. The hour that the man was spending.

She yawned for the nineteenth time and looked gloomily at the gate hoping he’d appear.

A figure appeared and she jumped up from the seat opening her sleepy eyes. She saw Michael in front of her instead.

“You look tired and hungry. Come with me. We’d eat in my car” he offered. She closed her sleepy eyes and sat back on the chair.

She felt his hands check her temperature so she knocked it away. “The gateman would be bringing my food soon” she announced.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Michael nodded and sat besides her. He began staring at her but because her eyes were closed she couldn’t see him.

“I’ve been thinking of changing my hair color. What color do you think fits me?” he nudged at her. She shot her eyes open.

A student, probably trying to sneak from the gate, saw them sitting at the gate together and ran back to her class.

“That prawn is going to start a gossip” Claudia sighed.

“Are you scared?” Michael smirked.

Claudia shook her head, “Nah, only a fool is going to believe we two have anything between us. You are Clara’s” she said nonchalantly.

Michael wanted to say something but stopped himself. Claudia’s stomach thought it would be the perfect time to rumble in anger about not eating and Claudia seemed embarrassed about it.

“I bought you food. You can eat in my car, Claudia. Your class would start soon” he advised. She seemed to give in as she stood up from the seat.