Saving Neba

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈: Karmic justice

I hated myself.

If this was a test Herald Tessoline had given me, I would have failed it woefully. Herald had been right when he said I couldn't keep running away from my problems. Crypta had said it too, although on a slightly different note.

I stared at the basin as I washed my hands and face. My eyes had formed the deep red colour that Griffin had been the first to notice. The colour was fading now that I had let my fire go into the basin. It made the running water hot as it ran down the sink's drain.

I sighed as I kept washing my face. My hair keep getting in the way so I angrily held it up and tied a rough ponytail.

A toilet flushed.

I turned to one of the red doors of the stalls, where I heard the noise. Why hadn't I considered the odds of someone being in the bathroom? What if she saw, or heard everything?

The knob turned and Luan walked out, adjusting her cheerleading outfit. The green colour provided an envious contrast to her pale skin.

I turned away just as she caught me staring at her. Sighing, I began to untie my ponytail. Luan came to stand beside me and she turned on the basin and began to wash her hand.

"I thought I heard the sound of nerd." She walked to the dryer and placed her hand under it. For a few seconds, nothing happened.

"The machine no longer works." I mean, it was obvious. Was Luan trying to make an impression?

"Your opinion was not sought for, nerd."

She blinked daringly. I could have sighed and walked away before she could slap me or insult me just like she had done at Kimberly's party, and days before. But no, Herald was in my head, encouraging me to stop running away from my problems.

Was Luan one of my problems?

No. She was just a stick in the way. One who couldn't do things without her daddy. One who walked with her hips projected up and her blonde hair flowing from left to right, making all the other girls jealous of her. They were the three musketeers: Sandra, Chloe, and Luan, listed in order of beauty, according to gossip from all the jobless students of Rose-Gold High.

"You know, a nerd is a person who's known for being boringly studious." I shrugged and turned to the mirror, a smirk appearing on my face.

Through the mirror, I could see her oval face staring at me in confusion. Her cheeks had a slight flushed colour and her blue eyes had a gentle touch of green. Those eyes that were widened in confusion. "So?"

"So," I fiddled with the wristwatch on my left wrist. It was one that my dad had bought for me, the day before I realized dad didn't just have three children. "One of the reasons the Goldies are praised is because their rehearsals and performance are carried out with great care and effort."

"What!" She blinked dramatically. I huffed; certain actions of the cheerleaders were always the same.

"That makes the entire cheerleading team nerds!"

"Nerds are insignificant people, Emery," she countered, stressing the word 'insignificant'.

"Take away the cheerleading system and what value do you add to Rose-Gold? You are not important, not in effect, not in meaning, don't you get it?" I chuckled.

I knew I was pushing a line no one had ever crossed but at this point, I didn't care. I was willing to test the waters. The horrified look on Luan's face was oddly comforting to me.

"You're just jealous of me, you insignificant nerd. You don't even have a father who cares," she said with a smile as she checked her nails. Then she dropped her hands and crossed her arms, daring me to go on.