Chapter 5 Divided We Stand

The past week has been a blur of new faces, classes, and an entirely new world. I can't just imagine fitting in, it would be something out of the ordinary. As I had anticipated, Catherine and her friends didn't waste any effort in making my life a living hell. My worst fears were realized on my first day of school when she asked me to retrieve something she had left in the car.

After being dropped by the driver, she didn't recall she had left anything, it was after a while she remembered. Why, obviously to have me retrieve it on foot, which I did. The school was a little far from home. I returned back to school late and was punished on my first day of school. Ever since then she bosses me around whenever she gets the chance. It's just one week and everyone in class already knows I'm her maid, how humiliating right?

Making friends also hasn't been great, seeing my status, no one wanted to be friends with me. They were all from rich families, so why would they want to be friends? Only Matthew talks to me sometimes, any day he does, I consider it a good day. He also had his own struggles in school. He often faced ridicule in class by some of the students and I wondered why. I guessed it's because he was the only person who wasn't full of himself. He was humble and very polite, with no trace of arrogance at all and that's why he was considered weak.

The class had different, and complex social groups of proud people in hierarchy. Some girls were arrogant about their looks but had no brains. There were also the charming but unintelligent guys, the intellectually proud nerds, and those who relied on their sharp tongues to belittle others. Matthew fit into the nerd category, but unlike many, he remained humble. These groups formed gangs dividing the class into fractions.

The only people who weren't in any group were Mark, Matthew, myself and a girl named Sophia. It is said she was part of the pretty gang but she had an accident that burnt out part of her face so she had an ugly scar. Catherine and her friends don't treat her any less than how they treated me. At first I thought we could be friends but she also gave me the rich girl attitude. So I decided to stay on my own.

As for Mark, he too had his arrogance, but he doesn't ridicule anyone. He minds his business most times, he doesn't join in any of the gang feuds but only intervenes when the person being ridiculed was Matthew. Matthew happens to be Mark's best friend, no one dares to say a word to him with Mark around. They only did so when he wasn't. Mark was dashing and sometimes I feel like he deliberately flaunts himself like a peacock all day in school. Then girls like Catherine would hang around him like butterflies. He's like the king in the class, no one dares to cross him. The girls admired him, while the guys feared him. He wasn't just dashing but all very smart. Yet, I find nothing in him attractive at all.

Sometimes I wonder how Mark and Matthew could be best friends, Matthew was just a polar opposite of Mark. Matthew was thoughtful, kind and always willing to lend a hand to those in need. He was a perfect student that always had his nose in a book. While Mark, on the other hand, although he minds his business, he happens to be the class clown. He was always making jokes and getting into mischief, especially to the teachers. Mark never showed any seriousness in studying or classes but I heard he was always the top student in class.

On Friday, when I had my longest conversation with Matthew, I expressed my thoughts on how different he and Mark were but they were best friends. Matthew explained that they grew up together, so they shared history that had forged the bond between them.

After this first week, I realized that I shouldn't hope to have friends but focus on my reason for being here. Which was to assist Catherine. It turns out Catherine had joined the science class because Mark chose science. Catherine was already dull in school and science? There was no hope. Veronica explained that I was there to help Catherine survive the class. I find it absurd but what can I do? Catherine also had no interest at all, when I explained things in class to her, she was always distracted. I, on the other hand, loved physics so science wasn't a big deal for me.

As I bowed my head on the table, pondering on these things, the teacher walked it.

He started by asking about a math problem he had given us to take home when we weren't able to solve it in class.

"So, was anyone able to solve the math problem of last week?" He asked.

One of the arrogant nerds stood up, "Well sir, I tried that equation so many times but it didn't give me the answer you assigned to it." He said, "it's either the answer is wrong or the equation is."

The teacher smiled, "They are not wrong, you just didn't get it written. Who else wants to attempt it?" He asked

Matthew stood up and went to the board to try out the equation. At first, he seemed to be getting it right but soon he paused, like there was no way forward in the equation. Then the nerd who first complained about the equation being wrong say,

"You see, something is wrong with the equation."

But then Mark walked up to the board and cleared part of Matthew's solving and he finished the equation, getting the exact answer the teacher gave for the equation. Then he turned to Matthew and said,

"The equation wasn't wrong, you just missed a step."

Then he walked back to his seat as the class applauded him without the teacher telling them to do so. As he walked past me, his eyes locked on mine, he glared at me, then looked away. Then some girls started whispering on how smart Mark was. "Show off" I said to myself. Why didn't he rise to tackle the problem before Matthew did. This is why I said he flaunts himself like a peacock.

As Matthew took his seat, I turned to him and encouraged him.

"You did good, I had no idea how to start that equation. I said.

Matthew just smiled and nodded. I felt sad for him, he was bold enough to tackle the problem but people only applauded for the person who finished it.

During lunch break, I took my lunch and sat on the same table as Matthew. Matthew just looked up from his food and smiled at me. At first it was quiet between us, I really know what to say. But as it was getting awkward, I took a brave step to start a conversation.

"Well, I think you're really good at math." I said, not knowing how the conversation would turn out.

Matthew smiled but said, "Yeah, but not as good as Mark."

"You don't need to look down on yourself Matthew, in my eyes, he's not a match for you." I said, then felt embarrassed about how the sentence came out.

Matthew looked at me in a weird way and I felt even more embarrassed. So to avoid any misunderstanding, I thought of another statement to clarify things.

"I mean, you're really smart too." I said looking away, hoping this sentence clarified things.

"I know I am, but I also know that Mark is smarter. We've been friends for years, so I'm fully aware." Matthew said,

"But you don't have to worry about me, I'm fully aware of my potential. So trust me when I say, I don't look down on myself." Matthew added.

"If you say so then, that's good." I said.

Just as we were done eating, Mark came to the table.

"You didn't have lunch today?" Matthew asked Mark.

"I wasn't feeling hungry at all," Mark responded.

Mark looked at me and asked, "Matt, when did you become friends with the little minion?"

"Little Minion?" Matthew asked, confused.

"I am not a minion and my name is Lucy, just in case you've forgotten." I blurted out.

"Well, I and Lucy have been friends for a while now." Matthew said.

I was surprised he called me his friend because we were barely close. We've only spoken a few times. But I was glad he did. I just pictured being friends until we were more than friends.

"What are you smiling about? Are you daydreaming about my friend?" Mark asked with a mischievous smile.

"You should know there's no future for you both, so you better stop dreaming." Mark said.

"You!" I said angrily "what nonsense are you talking about."

"Mark, You shouldn't play like that with Lucy, she might misunderstand" Matthew said.

"I'm just saying, so she doesn't overthink" Mark said.

I was feeling more embarrassed so I took up my tray and left them before Mark embarrasses me even more before Matthew. After lunch break, I was already seated in the class when Matthew walked in. He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back. Just then Mark followed and my smile was immediately turned to a frown. While we were all seated, I couldn't shake the feeling that Mark was staring at me from behind. I turned around to confirm my thoughts and it was so.

"What the heck has gotten into him?" I asked myself.

I shook off the feeling and concentrated on our classes. When classes were dismissed, I packed up my things and headed for the door but some guys rushed past, pushing me aside. I lost my balance and almost fell but a hand grabbed me. I looked up and it was Mark. It was like time froze and we just stared at each other for seconds.

"Ahem!" Catherine said, breaking us from the moment.

I turned around and saw her looking at us angrily, so I immediately let go of Mark out of fear and landed on the floor.

"Good for you minion, I stopped you from falling but you still got yourself to the fall." Mark said as he walked past me, out of the class.

Catherine also followed after him. I stood up and went downstairs too. While in the car heading home, Catherine was obviously upset, and I couldn't bear it.

"Do you like Mark?" Catherine asked, breaking off the silence.

"No way." I said.

"Today was just an accident," I added.

"Well it better be. I don't want to see you close to him again. Did you hear me?" Catherine warned.

"Yes." I said.

"I am dead serious Lucy. Stay away from him. If I see you talking to him or even looking at him, there will be consequences." Catherine said, narrowing her eyes.

"I won't dare." I promised.

From Catherine's expression, I knew that she didn't believe me when I said I didn't like Mark. And I guess it's because every girl in class has eyes for him. I just have to prove my innocence and stay far away so I don't get into trouble with her. The car ride continued in silence and the tension between us was just palpable.