Chapter 6

Ophelia

As I sit down to eat Dominic and Pearce follow behind and sit at the table with me. I notice all of the whispers, and I notice Katherine walking in with a squad of look-alikes. I knew that she would find a spot right in the middle of the popular kids. The girls walk over to the table where Cole and Mason are sitting with a couple of other guys. I watch as Katherine tries flirting with Cole.

I feel my heart hurt, and my stomach drops. The scene in front of me makes me look away. I can’t sit here and watch, as once again, she takes something I want. Wait, did I just think that I want Cole? That’s impossible. I just met him, and he is an arrogant man-whore.

“I see she wastes no time going after what she wants,” Pearce says with a snarl. “I had a feeling this would happen. Some of the guys at this school go for the quick, easy lay. Cole is one of those guys. He just sleeps with a girl and moves on. I have never seen him date someone. Just don’t let those guys get into your head. They will play with your emotions to get what they want, so keep that in mind.” Pearce has a serious look on his face as he finishes saying all that. I look over and see that Cole is staring at me as Katherine sits beside him and strokes his arm, talking to him.

“And how do I know that you will not do the same thing?” I say without turning my head away from Cole’s gaze. “No one here has fully answered my questions, and it seems that you guys are determined to keep me from them. So what's the catch in all this? I can assure you that no one will be getting in my pants. No one has yet, and until I meet the one person I feel I can trust and love, no one will.” I finally turn away from Cole to see the two boys with me having a conversation with their eyes. I have no idea what is going on, and something in me tells me that I don’t want to know.

"Just remember this Ophelia. Things are not always as they seem. You may see a situation one way and another person can see it another." Dominic says. "The big question is are you willing to see it from the other side."

As lunch ends, I head to my next class which is history, and that class I have with Pearce and one of his friends named Nick. Nick seems nice enough, but I can tell the boy likes to get around. He keeps giving every girl he comes into contact with a look that screams sex. I sit and think of how most of the guys I have talked to today all have a running theme. They are all good-looking, and all like to get around. Earlier in the restroom, I heard a group of girls talking about all of the guys I have met today. They talked about how each of the girls has been with each one of the guys. I’m starting to think that this school is like a walking STI and that there is no hope in me finding someone that I would be willing to date.

Flashes of Katherine with the guy I liked going through my head and to be honest I still feel hurt by it all. It feels like she can’t let me have anything that I can call my own. Throughout the class, Pearce talks to me and if it wasn’t for the fact that I know he likes to sleep around I could find myself liking him. There is a blonde guy in this class who is staring and watching everything I do pretty hard. I’m starting to feel self-conscious with all the looks I have been getting today, it’s just weird how these guys watch me. It is also weird that not one girl has taken the time to speak to me. There has to be something weird going on at this school.

Once this class ends I head to music which is my final class of the day. I walk in and notice that Katherine is in this class. She has always thought that she is a great singer and, to be honest, she isn’t all that bad. I have taught myself to play the piano, and I sing a little but nothing special. I have always hidden this fact from my family because I knew that my sister would do something to ruin it like she did everything else.

I hear my sister squeal and look and see Cole and Mason walk into the class. She runs over to Cole and grabs his hand leading him to where she is sitting. They haven’t noticed me yet, and I think that I am going to try and stay hidden. I notice Mason looking around like he is looking for something, and I just duck my head so that he doesn’t see me.

“Class, we have two new students today and I need both of you girls to show us your musical talent. I do not let just anyone in this class so I need a demonstration. Katherine you first.” The teacher who is a younger male state very bluntly. Katherine sways her way up to the front I can already tell she is trying to get his attention just like all the other males on the planet.

“Ok, so I am going to sing a favorite Brittany spears song of mine.” She plugs in her phone and starts singing. As I have said before she isn’t bad but the look on the teacher’s face says that he wasn’t a fan. I try to hold my smile and laugh knowing that I can’t let on that I can tell how he feels.

“Ok thank you and Ophelia your up.” Heads turn to my little corner and I see Cole and Mason go wide-eyed as they have no idea that I was in here.

“May I use the piano?” The teacher nods and I walk over to it and sit down. “This is a piano version of the first opening for an anime I like. It’s in Japanese. My voice isn't the greatest but I'll try. I'm here more for piano.”

I begin to play and sing and get lost in the music. This is the first time I have played in front of anyone other than my previous teacher. For years that teacher let me come to her house and play since I wasn’t able to at home. As I finish I open my eyes and notice that everyone is just staring at me.

“Was it that bad?” I ask the teacher. He just smiles and laughs. He walks over to me and takes my hand.

“You did well. Both of you." I walk back to my seat and try to make myself small.

I feel her eyes on me, and I know that she is beyond pissed. Katherine has never wanted to share the limelight. I didn't take this class in hopes that I would make any sort of name for myself. Music isn't a thing that I feel like I am any good at. I play to help relax, and singing is the last thing in the world that I want to do.

Had I known that she would be taking this class I never would have signed up for it. I was hoping that I would be able to learn more about playing the piano and maybe get better at reading music. Now I am going to be stuck with my sister glaring at me and Cole staring holes into my head.

The class continues, and we find out what we will be working on for the semester. Each person will be preparing something to present to the class. It can be any type of performance that we want. The class will continue to study different aspects of music, but we will also have time to work on our presentation.

As class starts to get closer to the end, I'm starting to get nervous. Katherine is never one to let things go. If she feels like I have done anything against her, she makes sure to let me know it. Knowing that she is sitting here glaring at me isn't helping any. I should have just played the piano and not sung. Who am I kidding? She would have been mad even if I didn't sing.

The fact that I exist is her problem. I need answers to these questions that have been running through my head today. I know that out of my parents my dad is the only one who may even consider giving me any kind of answer. The problem is getting him to talk to me. Right now I need to focus on me getting ready for the future. Answers will come with time.