"So this wraps up our class for today. Please collect your assignment handouts from my desk and submit it by next Monday. If you have any questions, let me know. If not, then you're dismissed from the class. Thank you!" said Sir Murrs but people had already started racing out from the class before he could complete. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

I placed my notebook in the bag and slung it over my shoulders but before I move, someone had hit hard me from behind making me clash with the table end. I placed my arm on the lower torso at the stinging pain which I know would most likely leave a bruise. I gazed behind but it had to be some idiot from the popular group - as people from my school like to call it. He obviously didn't find it necessary to apologize even if he accidently did so.

My palms were fisting on the strap but I closed my eyes, took a breath and let it go. Messing with even one of them was calling up wrath of the whole school and I'm better off with it, I and everyone knows.

I am already bullied by a couple of people therefore adding more on the same list would be a recipe of trouble and I'm okay with not tasting it. Picking up the sheet from Mr. Murrs desk, I walked towards my lockers.

The halls were packed with obnoxiously loud and hormones driven teenagers. The seniors were commanding and dominant and others were littering around trying to adjust in the environment.

It was the same cliché high school environment, people making out against the lockers, queen bees getting fawned over by their minions, nerds rushing for the libraries, jocks in their playful glory but the loud chatter resonating around was enough to give headache to a person.

As I opened my locker there was a note that said, 'Hey, you look ugly again, eat less' I rolled my eyes, tossing the note to the side. I didn't even have to turn around to see who'd written it, the snickering behind me was a dead giveaway but I didn't turn to affirm my suspicion because I knew it would only be a pat at her ego.

It was obviously Samantha and her little group. They'd been doing it for months now since one of our teachers appreciated me over her for being smarter and dressing up like a lady. Now I obviously know that's not true, I mean I dress average whereas Samantha looks like she's called in for magazine cover photo shoots.

Honestly, nothing could be dumber than that. I mean, if it was to me I wouldn't even step out of my pajamas but well... it isn't. Anyway, coming back to Samantha, she's taken the little word as a blow to her amour proper and since then, she'd found a new target. Before she called me nerd and book licker and things along those lines. Later, she settled in for calling me fat, obese, elephant and all those names and as much as I like to deny... it did hurt.

I'm not obese, not even in the slightest but my figure isn't very lean either. I'm a chubby sixteen year old and I was sure my lose clothing and appearance would've obviously never given it away. Her words had made it my insecurity and as much as I hated to admit, I started noticing the flaws in me and they were more visible and daunting.

It was lunch break but I knew the cafeteria wasn't the place for people like me. I barely had a couple of friends (more like people I know) and I knew they just befriended me out of pity because they'd known me from elementary. So even if they disliked me they didn't want to leave me abandoned. I don't blame them though, I wasn't really the most interesting person to be with, not that they tried. But I just wanted someone to make an effort to offer me a friendship... they may not find me that bad...

Yeah, I do agree that I was a straight A student with my nose always in my books, average looking, no boyfriends, unproblematic and wanting to stay out of the crowd but I didn't ever directly say that to someone. I wanted people to see me in a different light, I wanted them to know that I can be a good friend too...

As I was walking towards the library, my feet automatically paused seeing the sight of him. He was leaning against the pillar, with his leg propped up against it, one of his arm was encircled around the waist of Melanie, his girlfriend of the month and the other was holding the strap of this bag pack.

He was lazily chewing a gum as I saw Melanie's finger trailing on the side of his face. His lips were stretched into the enchanting smile that melts everyone and of course, me. He was beautiful, completely and utterly.

The sparkle in his blue eyes was prominent, he was evidently enjoying Melanie's attempts at keeping him involved with her. She like all the other girls wanted to be the one to change his ways, to make him date her and not consider her a flavor of the month.

I couldn't blame her, no one can. He had that aura, the bad boy, delinquent, rebellious aura that made heads turn towards him. He was at the top of the hierarchy and he seemed to enjoy every bit of it. He was Felix Daniel.

Even when he was a sophomore, he was respected and adored by juniors and seniors alike. They loved hanging out with him, he was always amidst all the groups. The conversation of most people started and ended with him and he breathed the attention like air.

Girls swooned over him and tried to have him talk to them, he beguiled them. He was in the school's soccer team and was doing better than most juniors and seniors, from what I've overheard from people. He wasn't a threat to anyone though, everyone seemed to always appreciate him.

He was handsome, terribly so and was reminded about it every breathing second of his life. Felix was loaded from what I've heard and that added more to the charm people were magnetized towards.

I however had liked him since grade four when he was appointed as my partner in art. He wouldn't remember it, for it was only for a week but that week had made my little heart develop her first crush and ever since then it wavered not even a bit.

I remember asking mama to bake me extra cupcakes for him that I would bring to school only for his friends to throw them away even before he had them. I was young but hurt me that he never got to eat any of my mom's baking. I snorted, thinking about the past. I was crazy but I guess I still am and as stupid as it is to be attracted to the player, my heart knows no bounds.

Seeing him with these new girls every other day hurts, a lot but I've now grown used to of it. He wouldn't change, I knew and me even having so much as the privilege of speaking to him was close none so that's what I did... admired him from afar.

He slung his arm over Melanie's shoulder as they walked towards the direction of the cafeteria and I towards the library...

***

I pushed the door open to yet again an empty house, the warm air hit me in the face. Dad didn't come home again...

Walking towards the refrigerator, I pulled out some carrots since that was the only thing left to eat and I was starving real bad. If dad comes home today, I'd ask him for some money for groceries.

Heading to my room, I turned on some music, got changed into pajamas and tee completed my homework. People were right, I really was a bookworm but then I was bored and what better than homework to pass time.

My stomach gurgled but there was nothing to eat, I hope dad returns today. The milk had gone bad and that was the only think I thought I could take as dinner. That blew off too.

It was too late yet I was still up, dad wasn't home yet and I was missing him. It'd been almost a week and he didn't come home. When I called him, he said that I disturb him a lot and he's busy with some work and I should mind my own business and let him be.

I just wanted to ask if he'd eaten and whether he was out of town but he hung up on me.

Dad was changing, he wasn't always like this. He used to love me a lot but since after my mother died three years ago, he started distancing himself from me. But I never complained, he obviously is heartbroken and still didn't cope with the loss of her.

I miss my mom too, always. At times I feel that she's taken away everything with her. She was my only friend and losing her made me lose my friend too. I was just a ghost of a person without her and the absence of dad made me feel it more profound.

Dad was a cop, so it was understandable for him to not return home a few night but it never entailed not returning for weeks like he'd been doing. I didn't want to think of things that would make me doubt dad and so I diverted my attention.

I didn't know what to do, my mind wandered towards Felix... what must he be doing? Would he be with Melanie, right now or would he be partying.

I groaned, come on Pearl, stop thinking about him, would you?

Sighing, I pulled my easel and placed the canvas. Digging in the palette of colors, I didn't realize where time flew. Painting was my escape, it eased me in a world that I was craving to be a part of. It found me a peace and elation nothing ever could.

My mom always taught me o paint. Painting was her hobby and later it became mine. The satisfaction I feel as the bristles of the brush glide against the cotton tarp, leaving flair of color in its wake.

Painting was so expressive, a person could speak so much with just swishing their thoughts through hues and motions.

It was somewhere after midnight when I heard noises coming from downstairs. My first thought was that it could be dad but then not having him around for days, there could be someone else. Someone must've broken in. I placed the brushes on the window sill as I stood up. I could hear feet climbing the stairs.

My heart beat hastened but it was calmed when I heard dad from the other side of the door, "Pearl, you up? I wanna talk." It was his voice. Dad was finally back!

A huge smile filled my face and the tiredness was whacked away as I heard him. He was my only family and I couldn't ever be not happy to see him. It made me feel like now I had someone with me.

As I opened the door to my room, I flung in his arms and even though he barely hugged me back, I didn't let that dampen my spirits.

He walked and sat on my bed, his eyes lingering on the canvas. I was expecting him to say something, compliment it as he did a few years back when I didn't even know how to have finer strokes but he averted his gaze signaling me to sit next to him.

I huffed a breath, it's fine Pearl. The painting was untidy anyway...

I complied to his request and sat next to him, he looked outside the window. "How are you?" he asked. He wouldn't even look me in the eye now? Am I that unimportant? But he asked you how you were. Answer him, he loves you. He cares for you.

"I'm-" Before I even started, he'd cut me off.

"I wanted to tell you something." his voice was firm like he didn't want me to defy him, not that I would anyway. I respected him too much for that.

"Yes?" I said.

"I've gotten married over the weekend and now you have a stepmother and a brother. I would want you to pack your bags and we'll go and live in their house." he stated monotonously. My heart instantly sank and the pang I felt in my chest was so intense that it stumped me. I gazed at him, unblinking. Without waiting for any sort of reaction from me, I heard him say.

"Go to sleep now but we'll move in a day or two." With that he walked out of the room. So, is that where he was? He got married and didn't even bother telling me. I wouldn't have disapproved, I know I wouldn't. If it made him happy, who was I to say no?

Although I wouldn't lie it would've hurt knowing that someone else was replacing my mom in his life but life goes on. Not knowing anything at all hurt me more than the actual consideration of him marrying someone else did. I was his daughter, wasn't I? The one he called 'his princess'?

Do I not deserve being informed about something so important. Did he think that I was to be told later for fulfilling a formality.

Was I so overlooked that he just informed me about one of his biggest decision like it was nothing, does my choice make no difference at all? He just so easily came and told me that he was married like he was talking about the weather.

Tears ran down my face at an uncontrollable speed as I clutched my mom's picture to my heart.

***

A/N: PLEASE PRESS STAR TO VOTE AND SHARE

*UNEDITED.

THE NEW CHAPTER OF ETCHED IS IN THE WORKS, STOP ATTACKING ME IN DMS PEEPS.LOL XD.