13 Jewels For A Phone

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."

- Abraham Lincoln

The walk to home wasn't pleasant that evening even with Elwyn accompanying me. This is one of the dangers of a peaceful environment; it makes you feel pain in a more prominent way if you're physically or mentally hurt. Since I was doing nothing else except for walking, the pain calmly but strongly made itself known to my senses.

"If your mom asks, tell her you fell on your face and injured your nose. Wait, you can't tell her can you? Never mind, I'll tell her. You rest for the evening."

Elwyn was the shabby, male reincarnation of Mother Teresa to me. But recent events that had taken place in the school's infirmary had my mind occupied with Loralie more than her delinquent cousins. The surname Hansel sounded familiar but I couldn't recall where exactly I had heard it. She's rich, so her family must be famous, is what I thought. How does she know about my scar though?

Maybe, just maybe she was a cousin of Analia's? There was a very slim chance that she might have been a doppelganger but she knew the exact spot of my scar. Strange...

Mom was always late from work so I could first study as fast as I can and go to bed early. Elwyn was already preparing a dramatically convincing script while talking to the empty space on the road as if he were a lamenting window and my mom, a ruthless judge of the court. The theatrical characteristics of ballet got into his skin real deep. Any more intensity and I'm pretty sure he would enact the 'scene' of me falling to the ground and hurting my nose, all in ballet in front of my mother tomorrow. How can someone be so effortlessly extra?

But how much more would I have to keep lying to my mom? She had always been honest with me about everything, too honest. And everyday it pains me to keep lying to her face and not talking to her or communicating with her. Despite my fake arrogance, she never gives up trying to make me open up to her. I had taken an oath I would reveal all I had kept hidden from her and shed my masks.

Just a few more months and I would be able to come clean to my mother before going to college.

The next morning, I was waken up to Killer Queen by Queen on full blast making my heart pound before my eyes even opened. I am literally surrounded by people too colorful and energetic for my life. Mom was all bright and neon, standing out like a pink flower on a cactus in a desert wherever she went. Elwyn bore all shades of sky blue with streaks of yellow due to ballet and his personality. Mine, was a completely dull monochrome, the kind of monochrome which only had more shades of grey dark grey. The moment I saw Loralie, my mind was filled with black canvas even though she looked like Analia, who was a shimmering silky white. Getting on my feet, I began my day as usual while awaiting the moment my mom sees my face and mentally preparing for it.

Just as I had expected, the spatula in her hand fell and her face went blank, as if she wasn't dancing and singing like a mad woman three seconds ago. Just then, in came a panting Elwyn who directly went to the stove and switched it off before the pancakes burnt more, rushed to the dining table, poured himself a glass of water, chugged it down and walked to my mother like a solider marching toward the general of the country. He then cleared his voice and spoke:

"Good day, Ayven. As you can see, our Blaine here is injured because he slipped on the freshly mopped floor in the school hallway which was a very tragic scene to watch. But worry not, as there is no damage done to your son's nose though it looks broken. He's safe. The end-I mean that's all."

I couldn't believe myself when he said 'the end' to my mom. Personally I once thought his IQ was 74 but now I think it's 47. Elwyn's gaucherie will definitely get me shamed and killed someday.

"Is that true Blaine ?"

Mom looked at me, her face now a mixture of anger and worry. Like an obedient ten year old, I nodded. She sighed and came to us and started caressing both our heads in a gentle way.

"I trust you boys. I'll have some ointment and band-aids ready for you when you come home. Would you like some painkillers too?"

I shook my head, indicating a firm 'no'.

"Well, then. Be careful, you guys."

"Thank you, Ayven. Have a nice day." Elwyn chirped.

"Of course I will. You're still an idiot though. I will never forget the fact you stole my choco chip chocolate ice cream. Get out now, children."

"But that was one time, Ayven! I didn't know you had an eye on that tub!" Elwyn cried as I pulled him by his backpack and left for school.

Elwyn's parents owned the best ice cream parlor in town. Choco chip chocolate was the ultimate flavor my mom would kill for. One unfortunate Sunday afternoon, dearest Elwyn took with him the last tub of that ice cream which my mom was about to buy. I don't know if I should consider him unlucky for having the same favorite flavor as my mom, but ever since that day, she grew a grudge on him like a virgin ghost.

The hallways in school were louder than usual, filled with gasps and OMG's from most of the girls who were in groups, each with a phone in there hands but looking at screen of the one in the middle. I wonder what all the commotion is about. When I reached my locker, I saw Catalina waiting for us.

Ah, Catalina...she was like a pretty milkmaid; a sight for sore eyes, her aura all shades of the colors peach and beige. We were friends, the three of us, but we never knew much about Catalina. All we knew was that her parents were respected professors in the same university so they were seldom home. She has probably lived all her life alone in a huge hose. Sometimes I imagine a little Catalina, wrapped in cozy blankets on chilly Christmas nights, waiting by the fireplace for her parents who live in the city of New Jersey where the university is. She still grew up to be a well mannered girl with the constant absence of her parents. Whenever I asked her how, she would just flash a toothy smile and say 'books'.

"How are you feeling today Blaine?" She asked, her silver drop earrings moving like wind chimes with every movement she made.

I replied with a thumbs up, smiling. She smiled back and patted my shoulder.

"You'll have better days. I know it. Just...just never give up. Keep fighting, okay?"

I nodded, hoping what she said to come true.

Elwyn was gossiping with other students, probably inquiring about what was going on. He then came to us, a satisfied smile playing on his face.

"This is unbelievable. Apparently someone shot a video of how the Aita brothers beat up Strogs to a pulp and it's not a pretty sight. Judging the camera's point of view, looks like this is a video recorded by the dash cam of a car."

All of a sudden, the whole place went into pin drop silence. I knew the reason why as soon as I turned around. With Loralie taking lead, the Aita brothers walked in, their gait throwing a spell as if any piece of land they stepped on, anything they set their eyes on became unquestionably theirs.

Those cousins were such model materials, it made me feel like one of the bystanders who stared at celebrities flaunting their beauty on the red carpet on multiple screens of TV stores. Loralie carried herself like Maleficent, her boots making sounds so loud, it felt as if the air itself stilled in fear of her presence, emphasizing her footsteps in the form of echoes. Eyes empty as ever, she looked straight ahead, not bothering about the whispers and stares. I would have passed out right there from the attention if I were in her shoes. It was obvious everybody went silent because of the Aita brothers but the aura Loralie exuded was too dark and powerful to go unnoticed. Sure, they all feared the brothers but Loralie looked the type who rashly acts before she thinks. She suddenly looked at me and I turned away. She caught me staring at her. I pretended to arrange things my locker which were already organized like a minimalist's shelf but hey, I'm pretty good at acting, aren't I?

"You suck at acting. You know that right? That was a really lame move."

Elwyn said, his face blank. I glared at him till a pat on my shoulder made me turn around.

"Step aside." Loralie's voice reached my ears like dandelions in the wind on a bright sunny day, much contrasting to the annoyed and glazed face she wore.

Elwyn, Catalina and I stepped aside, giving her way as if she were a stream of fast flowing lava capable of burning and consuming every element on Earth. Why is she standing beside me? And why do I see a locker key in her palm? Great, we're locker neighbors. My life just keeps getting dangerous and I am your pathetically inexperienced stuntman, Blaine Bennett. Welcome to my show, Helpless In High school.

"We'll be late for football practice. See you all in lunch. I'd like it if the three of you could join us." Tzion told us, while helping Loralie put her books and pens in her new locker.

"Sure!" Elwyn said happily and Catalina looked excited too. I was still scared though.

"They won't harm a single hair on you without reason. They're nothing like Callan or Strogs. Besides, you have me." I felt a little assured with Elywn comforting me and nodded which made Tzion smile wider. Why this sudden affability toward us through? Why on Earth would someone like the Aita brothers be interested in getting acquainted with a nobody like me?

"I'll be fine on my own. You'll be late for football practice if you stay here longer." Loralie spoke to Tzion and the other two, her eyes meeting mine for a second. Did my heart just skip a beat? Must be fear.

"Loralie, we want to do this, so let us. Besides, we're worried about the others more than for you." Carmelo said scratching his neck.

"Ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen. Everything has been going smooth for me in school so far."

"What happened yesterday was not exactly smooth though." Montel muttered to himself, making sure Loralie didn't hear his retort.

If smooth is what you call sending one of the most influential and dangerous kids in school beaten half to death to the hospital, then yeah, she's got it all going smooth like melted butter.

"I heard that." Loralie looked behind Tzion, peering at Montel.

"Sorry." Montel said.

"Three of you. Leave. Now." Loralie said, her 'now' loud at the end, and without a single word they left. Was she just loved too much by her cousins and pampered or were they too afraid of her?

The corridor fell back into commotion as soon as the Aita Brothers left. As if on cue, Delilah Faberman stomped her way to Loralie, her blue eyes burning with fury and her hair swaying with every step she took in her high heels with her plastic puppets Megan Hubert and Georgia Dawson following her. For those who are not aware who Delilah is, she is the girl who's been trying to win over Callan but he never accepted her confession no matter how many times she tried. She claimed to be his girlfriend and obtained authority over students though everyone knew it was false. But what could we do? She was the female version of Callan. The way she bullied girls sometimes brought tears to Elwyn's eyes. She was tall already and her heels made her taller, making her gain confidence whenever she stood before any girl.

"So I hear you're the wench who seduced Strogs and the Aita Brothers. It was your fist day at school and you're being shamelessly bold already?"

She stood too close to Loralie, towering over her while Loralie didn't even bother to look at her face as she just kept browsing through articles on her phone, leaning towards her now shut locker. Megan, Strog's girlfriend snatched her phone and pushed her harder against the locker, throwing her phone to the floor, breaking it.

"Bloody look at someone when they're talking to you!" She screamed at her face but Loralie stayed there, not even budging.

"She's too tall. I'm too lazy to look up at her face and she's practically talking garbage so again, so I'm too lazy to try and understand what she's saying. Ah, as for my phone, you don't have to compensate for it. You threw it in a fit of rage and you're too immature so I'll forgive you. Now, kindly step aside so I may get to class." She told Megan, not even bothering to look at Delilah.

"Do you even know who you're talking to? Compensate for your trashy flip phone? You're the one who's supposed to be answerable for seducing them, and having the Aitas at your beck and call. What cheap tricks did you pull?" Megan asked.

"I'm pretty sure your boyfriend is definitely not Tzion, Carmelo or Montel. So that leaves the little rat I dealt with yesterday. He was the one who tried to assault me first so he had it coming for him. Let me correct you, he was trying to grope me. That doesn't mean I seduced him. Seems you have less brain cells. You should study more to sharpen your common sense."

Loralie threw comebacks at Megan like they were nothing. Delilah looked like she'd kill Loralie any second and Megan was too surprised to say anything. Nobody spoke that way to these rich, bratty girls and reputation mattered to them as much as oxygen.

"How dare you talk to me that way? I should just break your face right here." Megan hissed, and she would have no problem doing that as long as she has Delilah's backup.

"What's this? Looks like you had a nose job done a few days ago. Your lips are too plumpy to be real and do I see traces of a jaw fixture surgery? I’m not against people’s preferences of vanity or their desire to change how they look. But, wanna know what it feels like to have your nose broken and punched to a pulp? Oh yes! Ask your lewd boyfriend, because I'm sure he would give you a detailed description. I won't hesitate to do worse to you, so don't. Test. Me"

She looked straight in her eyes, with Loralie's eyes now looking insane and darker. Megan was too blind with arrogance to predict what would happen to her.

"I'll kill you. I'll kill you!"

She raised her hand to slap her but Loralie caught her wrist and twisted it as if she were opening a sealed water bottle. Everyone heard the sounds of bones cracking before Megan screamed in pain, falling to the ground and sobbing. The crowd made noises as if they were Megan herself, who had twisted her elbow. It was a hideous sight for us, and it was a girl regardless of the fact that she was a mean, stinky one.

"I like the music your bones made just now. I wasn't planning on it but I want you to compensate me for my phone. These will do."

In a split second, Loralie bent and pulled something from both sides of her face and now Megan screamed more. We didn't understand what happened because she was too fast.

She just touched her face right?

"Oh my god! Oh my god! She ripped her earrings off! Her piercings are torn!"

Elwyn cried before covering his eyes and ran away, Catalina following him. I was stuck to the ground, my legs frozen at the gory sight I just witnessed.

"These are tacky earrings, but there's gold and diamonds so this would be enough to compensate for my 'trashy' phone. Thanks. See you around."

With that said, Loralie put the bloody earrings in her pockets before giving her final statement.

"Seduce the Aita brothers? You ignorant fool, why would I seduce my cousins? That's disgusting."

Loralie walked to class as the plethora of students moved away from her like the miracle of Moses from the Bible splitting the sea to reveal land, when the waters obeyed the will of god and paved way for the escaped slaves.

Delilah just watched the whole scene, clearly disappointed with Megan, whose blood now colored a white tile crimson. Being the observant nerd I was, I saw something nobody else did when Delilah helped Megan stand up. Megan's skirt was wet from behind.