The Love of An Invisible

10/05/2019 – New York, Manhattan, Upper East Side.

[Aya Millenis’ Vision]

“What’s going on with your family? They not only disrespect me but treat me like a toy. I don’t want to be one,” Livius I spoke to Nike.

“Are you going to miss the schedule, Aya?” I turned my attention away from the large glass screen attached to the water green wall when I heard my older sister’s voice.

I stared at her for a few seconds without understanding. She raised her eyebrows without saying a word, and a light shining in the back of my mind reminded me of school. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it marking seven-five in the morning. I widened my eyes; I had been watching anime all night and hadn’t done my homework. I only had twenty-five minutes to get to school.

“Oh, shit!” I cursed in a low voice, but my sister’s eardrums were sharp. This was not normal.

“Watch your mouth, Aya, or I’ll tell Mommy,” she threatened me and left the room.

Over the years, my sister and I lost our common ground. We used to be friends, but now our relationship is mostly nagging, mostly from her. I don’t know if I did something to damage our sisterly bond. If I did, she should have told me. Since she didn’t, I won’t ask.

With a heavy heart, I turned off the TV. Yesterday, I started watching the anime “Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii.” It’s about a young king who, barely out of diapers, marries an older princess from another kingdom. On top of that, she has the power to make it rain when she sings, and her voice is beautiful.

I rushed to the bathroom in my room and didn’t even take a shower. I just splashed some water on my face and brushed my teeth. I grabbed my uniform: a navy blue blouse and a black skirt that went just above the knees. Returning to the bedroom, I picked up my backpack and the headphones on the bed.

I loved those headphones with two little blue cat ears. Blue is the best color in the world for me. I let my hair down and passed through the door into the hallway leading to the living room. No one was there; my parents had already gone to work, and my sister had likely gone to college.

Leaving the house, the school was eight blocks away. I hurried my steps, finding walking while listening to music relaxing. I had a peculiar taste in music; I liked to listen to anime rap. I had never found anyone else who liked it besides me, but that’s what I liked, and that was it.

I wasn’t very sociable and didn’t have any friends. Strange, right? After certain events, I preferred to stay away from girls; they were false and only thought about themselves.

I didn’t have any male friends either; I thought I was too ugly for anyone to even consider being friends. However, this fact didn’t stop me from harboring a secret passion for five years. I met him at a social party at the company where my parents worked when I was twelve. I fell in love with him, and two years later, he transferred to the same school as me. I contained my joy.

He excelled in sports and caught the attention of all the girls. They practically drooled when he passed, but with the physique he had developed, it was almost impossible not to admire him.

A few weeks ago, I plucked up the courage to confess to him. We were in the hallway at the end of classes, almost everyone had left. I must have looked like a tomato, but I put into words everything I had kept for five years. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes-cold. He turned and walked away without saying a word.

Tears welled up, and I couldn’t hold them back. Suzana appeared with several other girls, all wearing uniforms much shorter than allowed. She taunted me, saying that Leandro was out of my league, and they all laughed. I ran home; these are memories I don’t like to recall.

I decided to run; there were still three blocks to go. I checked the clock; there were six minutes left. I needed to hurry. When I arrived, the gate was almost closing. The doorman was talking to someone but saw me running and opened the gate, saying, “Oops, another one who almost missed the schedule.”

I entered the school and took in as much air as my nostrils allowed.

“Good morning, Mr. Mouares,” I greeted him.

“Good morning, Miss Millenis. Better hurry up,” he said, and I knew he was absolutely right.

I hated being late; I had to hurry before the teacher arrived and asked for the activity. I didn’t want a red mark just because I overdid the anime dose.

“I will!” I said, catching my breath.

I didn’t have time to waste. With my head down, I ran frantically up the stairs. I felt someone else there, but I didn’t have time to see and passed by without saying hello. I knew it was rude, but I needed to hurry. A low grade was unacceptable to my parents. They always told me that if I had anything, it was thanks to them, and the least I could do was honor them in every possible way.

I rushed into my classroom and sat in my chair, my favorite spot in the first row near the window. I took my notebook out and completed the activity as fast as possible. It was pretty easy; I always got high grades in math and any subject involving it.

When I finished the last question, I started putting my materials away. Someone poked me with the tip of a pen. I looked back and met big green eyes and short blond hair in a chin-length bob.

“I saw that you did the math activity. I want the answers now,” she ordered.

I looked at her with my best disdainful face. She was the most popular girl in the class, maybe even in the school. Her beauty didn’t go unnoticed, and her clothes were always pink. But I tried to control the hate. I took a deep breath and replied to Suzana,

“No,” thickly, putting the notebook back in my backpack.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Don’t forget that I’m a very close friend of Leandro’s and that…”

Her speech was interrupted by the teacher’s entrance.

“What did she mean by a very close friend?” I snapped out of my thoughts, hearing the professor talk about the summer ball.

The last summer ball, in two weeks. I probably wouldn’t attend it either. I never had a date… Am I that ugly? The thought saddened me; knowing that everyone considered me ugly and strange was depressing. I took refuge in my animes, where I wasn’t judged or charged. It was perfect.

Classes went by quickly; the first five hours had flown by, and now it was time for lunch. The cafeteria was on the first floor, and I lazily descended the stairs again. But at the last step, I was surprised-Leandro stood right in front of me, looking at me, and his gaze wasn’t as cold as before.

“I need to talk to you,” he said in his hoarse voice.

“W… what?” I felt my fingertips freeze, and my heart quickened a little.