The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 13

Abrupt ringing pierced through Miren's ears as she bolted awake. She winced as she extended herself upright. Desperately, she ripped the headphones out of her ears like a plug on an outlet.

Still heaving, she let her eyes scan over the absolute black environment. Her only source of light was the dim rays of morning soaking thorough the lining of the windowsill. A yawn erupted from her throat and tiredness washed over her, hanging over her head like a cloudy haze. But a lot of things were cloudy these days.

She proceeded to shut off her alarm clock with a much gentler click of her index finger. She then began to soothe her throbbing ears as she stared into the dark abyss in confusion.

Where the hell am I? And why was I wearing headphones? Rubbing night's inevitable crust from her eyes, she sat there for a while. But as quick as the alarm clock had woken her up, the realization struck her.

Jeno.

She had made the decision to wake up early so she could transform in time.

An alarm clock blaring through the air would have woken him up. So if she connected it to her headphones—it was all making sense now—he wouldn't be disturbed.

She would just lose her hearing.

She made a mental note to reduce the volume next time before lightly jumping to her feet, her flannel pajamas skimming along the ground. The bathroom was closest to her bed, which meant that she didn't have to pass through the sleeping boy. However, she couldn't help herself from turning toward his direction.

He was a silent sleeper; it was almost as if he were dead. The way his body was still, unmoving underneath his sheets, unnerved her. That was until he released a lazy yawn and shifted into another position.

What do you know? Miren smiled, before turning her direction to the bathroom. Jeno is alive.

But cold, she concluded, shutting the door lightly behind her and flicking on the light. She squinted at her reflection in the over-illuminated space.

In a pathetic effort to stay awake, she hunched her tired frame over the counter top. The 5:55 am wake up call was too soon. Especially considering the fact that school didn't start until 8:15. But she hadn't forgotten that she wasn't here under normal conditions. She couldn't do as everyone else did because she wasn't everyone else. And even though she was free from Penelope's clutches, this was a new kind of torture.

Deciding that she would never be fully awake, she rose up. She started blinking, splashing cold water on her face to become more alert. This however, only gave her sight of her appearance.  Look at me.

Look at him.

She couldn't tell anymore.

Aside from the slight outlining of her figure that baggy pajamas could never fully conceal, Miren's true self was lost. And she wasn't sure if this Miles character she was trying to portray was completely present either.

Her short hair was matted on her head, though a few curls poked out in random directions. Bags hung from underneath her eyes with utmost distinction—this was not a good look for the first day. She certainly didn't look pretty. But she decided this wasn't a bad thing.

Stripping down, she prepared to take a shower. She studied her body through the mirror. She was still the same—dark brown, thin, and tall—but different in a way she didn't know how to describe.

Is this worth it? She began to question as the water spurred in the shower. She released a sigh before stepping in.

Day one, and this whole mission seemed impossible.