Learning to be Strong Alone // Jeraphina Fanfiction

Chapter I: You Would've. Right

"You told me that you cared,
then set my heart alight.
I watched it as it burned,
I watched all through the night."

...............

Seraphina's POV

John's tear-filled eyes widened and his mouth gaped—clearly ready to speak, but no words coming to avail in my empty ears.

We stood there in silence—the ticking of a faraway clock echoing in our thoughts. Neither one of us moved even an inch.

John looked at the mask that was laying on the ground and picked it up off the floor just to stare at it and grip the material with his quivering hands—wanting something to distract the tears that threatened his pride.

I looked at him, disheartened at the friend I had once so greatly trusted.

With my face becoming further stained, I quickly averted my eyes to the floor. "Why did you do it John? What was the point?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest, but eyes remaining glued to the ground.

He looked at his bloodied mask once more, trying to find information woven within its makings, "T-this society is messed up, and all people part of the hierarchy have—"

I ripped his mask from him and threw it back to the ground. "We're not talking about SOCIETY here, John! WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HIERARCHIES!" I yelled straight to his face, pure disbelief of his seemingly childish morals. "WE'RE TALKING ANOUT YOU AND WHY YOU DECIDED TO DO NOTHING!!"

(F for mask in the chat)

John looked at me, shocked at my reaction.

I've always listened to him and cared in my own way, but now, I was throwing at him nothing but bitterness.

"Sera, I didn't—"

"Didn't what, John? Didn't what!?" I asked, cutting him off from what was sure to be some sort of half-assed apology.

He harshly shut his trembling mouth, afraid of making me more upset.

Unmistakable tear stains were now on my face. "John, I'M A CRIPPLE NOW!" I yelled at him, jesterinh wildly to convey the emotions j could not express with words. "I'VE BEEN TORTURED AND BEATEN ALMOST EVERYDAY, AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING!!" I cried to him, "WHEN . . . when you could have done EVERYTHING!"

He quickly grabbed my shoulders, "Sera!—"

Suddenly, I shoved him with all my might, clawing myself away from his tight grasp and stumbling back into the hard ground. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

John fell to the floor with a loud thud and his mind was overcome with anger. "CLAIRE! DON'T TEST ME!"

Everything was such a blur I didn't even notice he didn't say my name. Even if I had noticed, I was too angry to care, anyway.

I clenched my fists and looked at his wounded body. "You think that this is all part of the hierarchy don't you? So would you have hurt me!? WOULD YOU!?"

I wanted to know.

I needed to know

He was my only true friend at this school—to know he would've hurt me without hesitation to just prove a point, broke me.

John looked to the floor and bit his lip; his fists were tightly clenched and his eyes were glazed in tears.

My face fell into a sad smile as I started to walk away, "You would've. Right." With that, I left, pacing my way down the empty halls—tear stains gracing my face.