::: Chapter 02
::: A compromise
::: Unedited. Probably a shitload of grammar mistakes inside it.
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   I sat in my bedroom, typing rapidly in my computer. I was trying to finish my PowerPoint slide before the deadline, which is like 10 hours away.

   Keyword trying.

   I was trying to block the excited chattering behind me, which belongs to none other than the twins. They burst into my room and hour ago, trying to make me tell them about the rumours and why I skipped school for the first time of my life.

   After me apologizing profusely to Daniel, who just look a little amused, I pulled him out of school, ignoring his protests, to a nearby spectacles shop.

   I made him sign a body waiver that he will wear transparent contacts from now on. There is no way that he should hide those amazing eyes with those boring eye contacts.

   "Why did you even hide those amazing eyes? " I exclaimed.

   "Calling a nerd is bad enough, those eyes will just attract more unwanted attention. "

   "Why would you even thought of that? "

   "You know, I am a nerd, and society had made me feel less confident about myself. "

   Somehow, I felt guilty about that. I was once that person who insults people, without any thoughts about the wounds inflicted on them. I am different now. I would change that. Sighing, I grabbed his shoulders, making him face me. I took in a breath sharply as I saw those eyes up close.

  "Listen Daniel. From now on, you will stand up for yourself. You will stop ignoring those insults. They are just from jealous people with no life and were jealous at how well you can study. You can stand up from yourself, Daniel. And you will. Stop believing in those people out there. This is your life, Daniel. Start living it. "

   Daniel's wary and unconvinced expression softened and one end of his lips tugged up into a half smile. He reached out and hold my hands with his. My breath hitched and I stuttered.

   "Wha What are yo you trying to do, Daniel? "

   "Thank you."

   I smile, and tried to hide my blushing cheeks.

   "No, thank you." I said.

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   " I'm done! " I announced, stretching my numb limbs as far as I could.

   "Finally! " Glenda groaned, turning my chair around so that I am facing them. "Now tell us what happen to you and that nerd. "

   I told them all about the things that happened yesterday, giving intricate details about what we did and said. They laughed at me when I mentioned about the spilling incident and they swooned at me when I told them about those violet eyes. Then, Georgia asked me a question, a question that I had never an answer for.

   "So tell us, thena, why did you even bothered to help him so much? "

   I closed my eyes, thinking about the question. To be honest, I don't even know if I am helping him having self confidence back or I am using him to forget about the incident that happened so many years ago. I didn't know the answer, and being helpless and not knowing terrifies me.

   "I don't know either. " I truthfully replied.

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   I was walking on the corridor when I heard a large commotion. Hence, I went to the lockers, where the source is from.

   Standing beside my locker is Daniel, wearing his glasses but now in his violet eyed glory. And surrounding him were hoards of his new fangirls, who were former bullies. This is high school for you.

   The chattering quietened down when I reached there. A path was naturally cleared for me so I reached Daniel easily.

   "Good morning. " I said.

   " Good morning to you. Look what happened to me after I decided to listen to your advice. "

   He was feeling very uncomfortable with all those stares he was receiving. The first step of having self confidence is always to step out of your comfort zone. And that's what I was trying to achieved. And who would not want show off that wonderful eyes of his?

   "Let's get to class first. "I said, tugging at his hand to move.

   He started to follow me, glad that he was able to escape from those stares he was suddenly receiving.

   I decided to sit with Daniel during English, which I didn't know we are actually in the same class. Glenda sent me a weird stare, since I will always sit with her during English. I made a I will tell you later gesture and she nodded, before sending me a thumbs up and a wink in reply.

   We sat down and he took out his pencil case and a notebook, and wore his nerd glasses, which I told him not do so. Sighing, I reached over and took away the glasses away from him. He protested but I shushed him. Taking a deep breath, I was about to start a long lecture about stepping out your comfort zone when our English teacher Ms Naz came in. Immediately, the class quietened down as Ms Naz is one strict teacher, and she kept a cane under her skirt, which rumours had said that she would use that to hit students. No one trusted the rumour, but no one dared to challenge it.

   "So about the glasses I told you not to we-" I started, but was cut off by his shushing.

   "I need to listen, Athena. Distinctions don't come on their own."

   Once a nerd, forever a nerd.

   Rolling my eyes, I tore a paper out of my notebook and scribbled a note.

   Why did you wear your glasses when I told you not to?

   Folding the paper into half, I wrote Daniel on top of it and threw it to him, accidentally hitting it on his forehead. He glared at me while I stifled a laugh.

   He opened the note, and his eyes narrowed as he read the note quietly. He quickly scribbled a reply.

   Why couldn't I?

   I glared at the innocent paper, wishing I could burn it so maybe I would not have received such a reply. It is like I am telling him that there is a bomb in front of him and he still walked straight into it, regardless of what I said. Why did he do that, when it might hurt him and crushed him? Why did he still do it regardless of what I told him? Is it because of the lack of trust? Or did he did that to spite me? Whatever, I am getting to the bottom of this after English. I can't afford to get kicked out of class because of a tantrum.

   Meet me after class after this period okay? I wrote.

  And there was no reply.

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   "So why did you wear your glasses today? " I asked, fidgeting with my bag. Those damn zips will never work. I must buy a new bag.

   Back to the subject.

   I raised up my head, meeting his eyes expectably, but today, those violet eyes were cold and dark, not like the usual cheerfulness and bright.

   "Why should I? "

   I sighed, of course, Daniel have to be stubborn about it. This is not new to me, people were always stubborn when being forced out of their comfort zone.

   "Why did not want to listen to me? Do you not trust me or were you scared? "

   At the mention of the word scared, Daniel eyes narrowed and take a step towards me threateningly. Shocked, I took a step back, and my back hit the wall. He had never shown me this attitude before. Something was wrong. Did aliens came and replaced his brain?

   "Why in the world would I be scared? There is nothing I should be scared about. I just wanted to wear my glasses and you have something to say about it? I am not your dog, Athena Anderson, I will never be. And if I wanted to wear glasses, I will wear them. Who are you to lecture me about it? Who are you? My mom? "

   He had gone to far. This is not what I meant. I am doing it for his own good. Now I am feeling angry with him too.

   "Hey, Daniel. You need to listen to me - "

   "Yes, I have always listen to you, but you never listen to me before. Do you ask for any opinions before doing it? No! I am done, Anderson. I can't stand you anymore. "

   Saying those words, Daniel started walking away from me, with his fangirls following him.

   And he never turned back, while my heart was breaking again.

   All the guys I had shown concern to will always walk away from me.

   I'm done.
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   And today, everything is back to normal. I am back to the popularity pigeon and Daniel is back to a nerd.

   Nevertheless, with his brown contacts back, the bullying resumed.

   "You nerd! "

   "I knew it, those amazing eyes yesterday is just a fake! "

   "What can you do? Swallow books all day? "

   "You fake those eyes just to attract Athena's attention! "

   "You are nothing but a fake, fake! "

   Ignoring all those insults, he continued his way through the group of people who were insulting him. And all of a sudden, he raised his head and his brown eyes meet mine.

   Thousands of emotions were in my mind, but the most obvious one were self-defense. I had let him in, but he was the one that walk away from me. I could not stand this anymore.

   So, I turned away and leave without a backwards glance.

   "What happen between you and Daniel? " Glenda cautiously questioned while I am eating my chicken bolognese.

   Trying to act cool about the whole thing, I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and said, "I have no idea. I was just trying to stop him from wearing those glasses but he took it the wrong way and started screaming at me. "

   "He screamed at you? Which guy would even do that? That bastard, I am going to kill him. How dare he to treat my best friend like that. "Georgia hissed and get up from her seat, like a mother hen protecting her kids.

   My heart warmed at the protective gesture she was showing. They were there when he walked away from me. And when I was too shocked and heartbroken to do anything, they were the ones that do all the things for me. They get me out of the bed and threw away the half eaten food and boxes of tissues. They give me advice and lessons, and taught me how to be strong again.

   No matter how helpful they were, I still had my own battle to fight. I was alone at midnight with all those monsters in my head. I was alone when I was sobbing hard and was trying very hard not to call him and begged him to take me back. I was alone when I was running over the conversations we talked over and over in my head, trying to find the reasons or lies that were in those sugar coated words.

   The point is, I have to start standing up for myself. Glenda and Georgia had their own lives to live, and I can't always depend on them for everything that happens to me.

   And to stop myself from experiencing the same dark period of time again, I had two choices to make.

   One, I had to leave Daniel and forget about everything we had done, which is kind of ironic because I just knew him a week ago, and he was the one that walked away from me.

   Two, I wo-man up and faced those monsters before they reached me.

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   I walked around me, trying to search the boy in the crowd. Yesterday he was everyone had their attention on, but today, once his contacts is back on again, he disappeared back into the crowds again, like nothing had happened yesterday.

   The social ladder is back to its rightful place.

   After some time, I finally spot him in between the crowds. I weaved through many people, and finally, I found him.

   "Hi. " I said.

   Daniel's head turned as he registered my voice. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists like he was ready for a attack.

   "What do you want Athena, I had made it clear the last time I told you so why are you finding me again. "

   "Let's do something. " I said.

   "What? "

   Smiling gently I took a step forward and skimmed my hands lightly across his fist, and gently unclenched his fists, trying hard to ignore the blush on his cheeks.

   "A compromise."

   "I like the idea of it." Daniel said, smiling and blushing at the same time.

   What a nerd.

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Hello people!

This is my second chapter for the lovely people out there, and i just wanna say a big thank you to everyone supporting my book. I know the view count is very low because I just published this book like a few days ago. But, thank you to everyone who is reading this. Thank you for taking your precious time to read my lame ass book out of all the other good wattpad stories :)

I would not disappoint you guys and I will diligently publish chapters as soon as I had finished it.

Stay with me and let's go through 2016 together :) ❤

Signing off for now,

Deadbeatsparkles

"We say we love flowers,
  But yet we still pluck them.
  We say we love nature,
  But yet we still cut trees.
  And people still wonder,
  Why some people are afraid
  When told they are loved."