The room was freezing cold, but she didn’t care. She left the sliding door wide open not even bothering to close it. The wind was blowing the curtain back and forth making loud rustling sound from the papers that she threw scatter all over the carpet just a few minutes ago. Ariel sat on her bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, her face void of any emotions. She didn’t know how she was suppose to react…was she suppose to be angry? Sad? Ariel wanted to feel angry and betray…but all she felt was emptiness…nothingness. She refused to show any emotions, she was sick and tired of being used and hurt because of her ‘feelings’, ‘emotions’,…all she wanted was to be left alone.
She blinked a couple of times, forcing back the tears.
“Never, I will never cry again.” She promised silently to herself. Hold it in, Ariel…don’t show your emotions. No one can hurt you if you just keep it all inside. She touched her stomach briefly, her heart filled with pain for her unborn child.
The wind blew one of the papers from the floor and it clung to Ariel’s ankle. She got up from the bed and picked the paper up. It was one of the letters from her principal. She was told to look for ‘a different school’ and they ‘regret not being able to accommodate her.’
Ariel balled the paper up and threw it in the trash can. She picked up another paper and threw it in the trash can. The letters reminded her of what happened in school earlier. Ariel cringed and sat on the floor, shoulder slump as if she aged ten years. The memory of what happened earlier was too fresh in her mind, she tried to forget but couldn’t. The students’ voices were flashing through her head again and Ariel crawled up in bed and covered her body in blankets hoping to forget.
Flashback Earlier in School~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did you guys hear about Ariel?”
“What?”
“I heard she’s pregnant!”
“No! You got to be kidding! Where did you hear it from?”
“The nurse and the teachers!”
“What!?”
“Who’s the guy?”
The buzzing continued as Ariel walked from one class period to the next. The students were whispering as she walked pass, their eyes glued to her as if they had never seen her before. Ella glared at the whispering students but it did not deter them from giving her friend dirty looks.
Ariel lowered her head and avoided looking at the gossiping students. A few of the students purposely bumped hard into her not even bothering to apologize. Ella with her sense of justice became so infuriated for her friend that she actually got into a few fist fights with some of the students.
Ella held her head high and walked to each of the class with Ariel, her face black and blue from fighting. Every once in a while she glanced at Ariel and her heart tightened in pain, she was hurting for her friend. Ariel held her head low, her hair covering her face…as if she was ashamed.
“Ariel look up! Don’t hide your face; you got nothing to be ashamed of! Hold your head up!” Ella ordered, but Ariel continued walking blinding down the hall. Ella shook her head at her hopeless friend and ran after her.
Ariel cringed as she felt something cold hit her on the head. It rolled down her face and dripped on the ground. Eggs, somebody threw eggs at her. Her eyes suddenly became moist; she blinked hard as the tears threaten to roll down her face.
‘Don’t cry Ariel. Don’t cry!” She muttered to herself, she refuse to cry!
Ella slit her eyes and turned toward the group of students that threw eggs at her friend. She jumped on them as if she had gone berserk, screaming and throwing punches after punches. A few minutes later, Ariel saw Jiro running down the hallway and he too jumped in the fight.
The principal and the teachers grabbed hold of Jiro and Ella and motioned for Ariel to follow them.
Today was hell…somehow news of her pregnancy leaked and now the whole school was in chaos...the parents with their righteous indignation demanding the school to expel her, and the students spreading outrageous malicious rumors throughout the school about her.
In the principal’s office she was given a box of letters from the students and parents…who all encouraged her to ‘stay home’, ‘don’t ruin the school’s reputation’ and an official letter from the school with the principal’s signature. The letter basically gave her exactly one week to clear her locker, and enroll in a different school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Present
Someone was crying? Joe frowned. He gently closed the front door and walked toward his room. He thought he heard muffled crying but wasn’t sure. He checked his watch, and wondered if Ariel was already home. There it was again! Someone was crying! Joe walked to Ariel’s room and knocked on the door. No one answer.
He turned on the knob and the door was unlocked. Hesitantly he sticks his head inside the room and saw papers scattered all over the carpet. Joe took a few steps inside the small room and picked up some of the papers. He quickly scanned a few of the papers and muttered a curse. Who the hell write crap like this!? Joe cursed again in anger.
‘Your father was telling the truth when he announced that you were a whore! Don’t dirty our school with your presence!’
‘I don’t want to be mean but you’re not a good influence for my daughters. Please don’t walk around the campus with your unsightly stomach.’
‘If you wanted some, why didn’t you ask me?’
Joe grabbed all the letters from the floor and threw it inside the trash can. He then sat on Ariel’s bed watching her cry; he was at a loss of what to do next.
“Ariel?”
“Ariel”
“Leave me alone” Ariel demanded but Joe did not listen.
He pulled the blanket down and stared at Ariel. Her eyes were red, her face covered with tear-streaks.
“You’ve been crying.” He stated.
“No. I never cry!” She denied. She took the blanket out of Joe’s hands and tried to cover herself again but he wouldn’t let go.
“I’m sorry.” He said remorsefully.
Ariel stopped and let go of the blanket. She stared blankly at her hands her face turned away from Joe.
“I’m sorry…Ariel” He whispered and gently pulled her in his arms. She tried pushing him off but he was like a rock.
“I’m so sorry.”
Ariel closed her eyes. She felt hot tears cascading down her face soaking Joe’s shirt, his arms wrapped protectively around her. She refuse to cry! She refuse to cry…but the tears just wouldn’t stop flowing from her eyes. Slowly, slowly the heat from Joe’s body warmed Ariel and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.
