11 True Beauty

Mariela's POV

I was stunned after I read the post of Archer on his social media account on my best friend's phone, and as we walked towards our class, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I wondered why does he need to do it, and I knew Archer could find anyone who could be his roommate. I felt glad Valerie is my classmate in my first period and one more subject in the afternoon. The moment we got inside our classroom, I could feel all eyes were on me.

My classmates never paid attention to me before, especially the boys; they never take a second glance every time I cross paths with them on campus. And I already accepted the fact I am invisible to them since I don't wear expensive clothes and shoes, and I don't drive a fancy car, and I am not one of those hot cheerleaders who walked like models on the school grounds, and boys got so crazy over them.

But today was the first time they looked at me with interest, and I could tell I was blushing good time, while my best friends were having a great time with the attention they had given us. And when I tried to look around, I could see the girls were looking daggers at me, and some of them were talking in hush voices while others were whispering to one another, and I wondered what was wrong with all of them.

"Do I have something in my face?" I asked my best friend in a low voice.

"Nope," She responded while she was shaking her head.

"Is it just me, or did you notice they are looking at me?" I asked as I pulled out my book from my bag since I couldn't stop myself from feeling so conscious about them staring at me, and I suddenly felt worried why those girls were giving me hard stares. But I could tell the boys were looking at me differently, and most of them were gazing at me with interest.

"Well, I am sure they already knew Archer Lopez was looking for you," Valerie declared, and it made sense why those girls wanted to attack me, and I wanted to laugh. And I felt so glad our professor got inside our classroom, and he caught our classmate's attention, and they stopped looking at me.

"Anyone knows Mariela Alvamiza? Please let me know her whereabouts; I badly needed to see her; she left this morning without saying goodbye!" I recalled the post of Archer Lopez, and I couldn't believe he would put crying emoji at the end of his post; it feels like he was broken-hearted after I left his unit. Still, I couldn't deny I wanted to follow him right away on his social media account, but I couldn't even afford to check my emails all the time.

And it dawned on me his post made me realize it was imposing that I slept with him. And I couldn't stop myself from feeling so embarrassed that when our professor asked me the number one question on the board, I couldn't stop blushing, and this was the first time I stood up in front of class feeling so shy. I felt glad I could answer the question right away without stuttering.

"Very well said, Ms. Alvamiza," Our professor said, and my best friend looked at me with admiration on her face, and I felt hurt when I heard some of the girls say I am a show-off.

"Hey, don't mind them, they are only envious that Archer Lopez was looking for you, and I could tell he is interested in you, Ella," Valerie said after our professor dismissed our class. At the same time, I put my things back in my bag, and together we walked out of our classroom, and I heard the boys say hi to me as we walked through the hallways, and I offered them a shy smile since I didn't know how to react with boys, I was never on their radar before.

"Wow, you became instantly popular, Ella," Val said, and I was shaking my head.

"I never wanted popularity, Val, and you know that I just wanted to finish college without complications; how could Archer do this to me?" I asked, and Val laughed.

"You know what, I couldn't believe you, how could you run away from the most popular and most handsome guy in our University? Do you know girls are dying to have him as their boyfriend, including me? You are the luckiest among all the students here on our campus, Ella, yet you turned him down, and you touched his ego." My best friend declared, and my eyes widened.

"How could you say that? I am your best friend; your sympathy should be with me, Val, and not with Archer." I said, and I couldn't stop feeling so hurt.

"Hey, I didn't tell you that to upset you, I just stating the fact that you are so lucky, and you could have enjoyed your moment with him. You should have taken the opportunity he offered you, Mariela." She responded, and I released a deep sigh.

"I already told you, Val, I couldn't afford the 1/4 of the rent, and I don't want to be his charity case. He told me he would find a way. Do you think he will look for a roommate if he doesn't need someone to share the cost with? Come on, Val; I can't do that to him." I declared; he looked at me with tenderness.

"Okay, I am sorry, I am just upset why it has to be you; you don't like boys." She said.

"I didn't say that, Val; I like them, but I don't have time. I am too busy looking for a job to help my mom and sister, and because of that, I couldn't afford to date; besides, no one asked me to go out on a date, and it doesn't mean I don't want to have a boyfriend and experience romance firsthand." I replied, and she smiled.

"Okay, I know, you are my best friend; I am just teasing you, Ella. I wanted you to smile. It seems like you are carrying the world on your shoulders, you have to smile sometimes, and you know you become more beautiful when you smile." My best friend stated, and I could see how her face turned solemn as she looked at me sideways.

"I am so happy it was Archer who discovered your beauty, Ella, and I love it, and even if I am so crazy about him, I know he will never take a second glance at my beauty. If you only wear something that looks feminine, then I could tell all the boys here on campus will notice you." She added, and I scowled at her.

"Don't get me wrong, girl, there is nothing wrong about your outfits, but you always wear baggy pants and sneakers with loose shirts. If you partner them with a crop top with high heels, it will look good on you, and I am sure those boys will be drooling over you." She said, and I am speechless.

"Sometimes, I wanted to tell you just wear our uniform at the Resto Bar since it looked sexier compared with your daily clothes." She added.

"I never realized my outfit bothered you, Val," I said, feeling so hurt.

"Hey, don't get mad at me, okay, I am telling you all this because we are best friends, and real friends should be honest with each other, and I am sorry if it took me so long to say this because I was looking for the right time, but it is still up to you, Ella, you have the freedom to wear whatever you like." She responded.

"It was only my point of view. Besides, you will always be beautiful whatever you wear, if I only have beauty like you, I am sure I will never care about my outfit, but it is my only way to stand up among the crowd. I always try my best to wear a sexy dress just to catch Archer's attention, but he never takes a second look at me." She added, and I never realized my best friend was worried about her looks, and this was the first time I heard her speak about her insecurities.

"You are beautiful, Valerie," I mumbled.

"You only say that because I am your best friend." She replied, and I shook my head.

"No, you have to believe you are, and you don't need other people to tell you that, besides true beauty comes from within, Valerie, and you told me best friends should be honest with each other, and I am telling you, you don't need to wear fancy clothes to show off your beauty because for me you are beautiful inside out." I declared, and she smiled at me.

"Thank you, Ella." She said, and she was smiling at me.

"You are welcome," I replied, and we said goodbye to each other and went on separate ways since we were not classmates for my second period. As I walked towards our classroom, I couldn't stop thinking about what my best friend had told me, and I smiled as I realized Valerie was right; I am wearing clothes so different from all the girls on campus, but I don't have enough money to buy clothes. I usually go to the thrift store. And most of my clothes are handed down from my mother.

I set aside my worries as I climbed the stairs going up to my classroom, and I wondered what was going on since I could see girls are peeping on the window of our classroom. I suddenly felt worried if something happened to one of our classmates.

And When I stepped inside my room, I could feel my world standing still when I found Archer Lopez standing in front of our classroom while girls circled him, and I could see flashes of cameras as the girls continued to take his pictures.

"There you are!" He said excitedly, and I could see his perfect white teeth as he smiled at me; I didn't know what to do, and instead of staying inside and sitting on my chair, I turned my heels and ran away from him as fast as I could while I heard him calling my name.

.

.