Broken

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Brokenness is not something one can describe, or would want to for that matter. It is the kind of feeling like an absence where something normal once was, and all that is left are the broken shards.  Many of us cannot even tell the broken from the unbroken. The weak from the happy. Sometimes, it's the ones we least expect who are the most damaged inside. The prettiest eyes have cried the most tears, the kindest hearts have felt the most pain and the most dazzling smiles hide the deepest secrets. I guess this is how our whole story begins. With a fake smile. After all, faking a smile is so much easier than explain why we are sad.

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Her long legs lay basking in the warm sunlight as she rested back on her elbows. Half her face in shadows, half in light, she really looked like an angel. Her waist length golden locks glittered as the beams of light shined on it this way and that. Lunch was always a favourite time on any day, but on a day as beautiful as today, it felt as though the world was at peace. 

"Ludmila, forget it. We all know you can't tan." Natalia chided her as she plonked down beside her friend. Ludmila lowered her sunglasses and peered over at the girl.

"I'm not trying to tan. I'm just enjoying the sun."

"Yeah. Sure." She spoke flatly as she began to pick at her food. Natalia could feel the stares of her peers as they sat underneath their usual tree. It was no secret that Ludmila was beautiful. Everyone knew it. Perhaps, except herself, but that was a mystery. Every head turned her way as she walked down the hallway, whether she liked it or not. Some eyed her in envy, others in desire. She had the perfect life. Daughter of the wealthy, friends with the elite, girlfriend of a global superstar, what more could she want. 

"Natalia, stop pestering her." Violetta snapped as she slid beside Ludmila. Ludmila remained quite as she knew a fight was about to ensue. Both girls had been competing  for the position of her best friend for as long as she could remember and it was beginning to set her on edge. She had tried telling them she loved them both equally, but I guess when you were brought up getting everything you wanted, the fight to get something was something you wanted to win. 

"I wasn't! And you can't tell me what to do!" Naty squealed in protest. Ludmila turned her attention to her salad, stirring it slowly with her fork. Why couldn't they just get along? 

"Babe." Her attention was diverted from the salad to Violetta's on again, off again boyfriend Leon. 

"Hey." Violetta smiled as she stood up to kiss him. Ludmila turned her head away and continued to stare intently at her salad. 

"Nerd alert!" Natalia sang in her ear.

"What?"

"Check out loner boy over there, eating lunch by himself. I heard he was new. What a weirdo." I frowned. 

"Why is he a weirdo? So what, he likes peace and quiet? Is that a crime?" Natalia looked taken aback by her friend's statement.

"Sometimes Ludmila, you act like your head is in the clouds. You are the queen and this is your kingdom! Take control! That kid needs to know that he is a loser and you need to teach him! You're basically helping him out, toughening him up for the real world." Ludmila stared at her open mouthed. Really? How could a person say those kind of things about another? Suddenly Ludmila wasn't hungry anymore.

"Naty, I've got to go." She said, taking herself away from the situation, she knew that if she stayed there any longer her anger would have gotten the better of her. She dumped the plastic salad container in the bin and walked away. She slipped into an empty corner of the unused library and began to read. It helped her escape the real world sometimes. She could be anyone she wanted to be. A kansas girl lost in a tornado, a young wizard even a jewish girl stuck in WWII. She brought her knees closer to her chest as she placed the book down and laid her chin on top of her knees. Evidently she had to go back to class soon, so she packed all of her things and left. 

"Where the hell were you at lunch?" Violetta hissed as Ludmila dumped her things on the desk.

"Gathering my thoughts." She replied cryptically.

"You are so annoying sometimes, Ludmi! Speak and act like you are from this century will you?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and slouching in her chair. Ludmila chose to ignore her rant and focused herself on the lesson taking place. Once it finished she breathed a sigh of relief and crammed all of her stuff into her tiny messenger bag. 

"Ms Ferro?" Mr Galinda called from the front of the classroom. Nodding the blonde made her way to his desk.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you a favour. For extra credit of course. Since you are doing so well in my class, I was wondering if you would be kind enough to help Diego Hernandez catch up to the standard of this class. He is new this term and I wouldn't want him to feel behind." She nodded in understanding. 

"Of course, Mr Galinda."  She smiled. He scribbled something down on his note paper.

"I knew you would help. You are one of my most promising students you know? It's such a pity you are not looking for a career in literature." Ludmila sighed. 

"Sadly not, could you tell Diego to meet me at the library at 5:00 tomorrow?" 

"Sure can." He smiled and she nodded as I walked away.

"You're tutoring the new loser?"  Naty exclaimed as I shared the news with them.

"Oh you poor thing! I saw him at lunch. Definitely emo." Violetta told me, examining her nails. 

"How could mr Galinda do that to you?" Naty practically yelled. Ludmilla began to grow tired of their over exaggerated reactions.

"Yeah...Listen girls, I've got to go home, my mum's waiting for me." 

"K" They both chimed in unison. She shut the door and followed the familiar root home. Ludmila bagan to lose herself in her thoughts as she walked. How could she know that a day that began to ordinarily was the first day of her new life?

Hello! So another story! I know! But I'm really excited about this one! I am writing it alongside the marvelous Lexy_VLover! So here is the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed!

Xoxo