Spark

1 - Resultant Force

...Turn into something beautiful - YELLOW

"I CANNOT STAND YOU, YOU EGOTISTICAL MANIAC!" I scream off the top of my lungs. My throat actually hurts from going above my usual octave and I have to wrap my hand around it to try and soothe myself.

The recipient of my scream simply stands there looking at me like I'm in desperate need of an admission to the nearest asylum. His eyebrows are furrowed and his whole look seems to be daring me to say anything further. I realise the whole class is also looking at me with gaping mouths. I do not blame them. They probably didn't know I have a functioning mouth until now.

I do not just go about screaming at my classmates like this. I mean, I do not even speak to them. But he's been extremely aggravating these past weeks and I've just reached my breaking point. No more. I refuse to take anymore of Miles Bryant's cruelty.

He's judgy. He's arrogant. He's presumptuous, extremely petty, really cruel and overall very annoying. I couldn't name a person worse than him if I was asked to and I'm not someone who's quick to speak ill of a person's character. Miles was just the absolute worst. He needs to know and acknowledge that so he can work on his character development. Because right now, it is not IT.

"Starr, it's absolutely unacceptable for you to be calling your classmates names like that," M.s Ramos suddenly says. "You either apologise to Miles or get a detention."

I suck in on my cheek and catch the little smirk on Miles' face. He's still before me with folded arms and his expressions getting even more arrogant by the second. I cannot believe a teenager is this childish. For reasons unbeknownst to me. Unbeknownst to the universe, even!

"I'm sorry." I bite out, rushing the words.

No matter how huge the magnitude of my hatred for Bryant is, I'd never actually risk my educational aspect just to satisfy some childish desire to see him suffer. That's the difference between me and him. He's okay with doing anything to hurt me. Like some odd little fascination with my pain. I think he's more disturbed than I am sometimes.

"I'm sorry, what?" He says, cupping one of his ears.

I mumble multiple curses under my breath before saying, "I said I'm sorry." in a much clearer tone.

I see the smile settle over his face. That smile. Like he'd won for the day or something. I wanted to tear the stupid smile off his face.

This was another one of the reasons I did not like him. He made me a much more aggressive and passionate person. The latter I didn't have a problem with. I just wish I was channeling it towards something better than wanting to ship him off the entire face of the planet.

M.s Ramos, exhausted as always, asks us both to return to our seats and I shudder. Thirty more minutes with this dim wit. I don't know whose idea it was to put him in almost all my classes with us next to each other but I'd like to have a sit down with them and explain why you don't put fire and petrol next to each other.

I settle on my seat and exaggerate the distance between us on the desk. He simply ignores me and yanks the table to his side of the room more.

Stupid athlete strength.

×××

"I heard you and Miles totally ripped each others clothes off in the middle of psychology, right in front of M.s Ramos." Morgan says, sauntering up to me, a bag of chips in her hands.

I was not about to start dealing with the school's gossip line today.

Morgan is a pretty, once-upon-a-time-rebound-best friend- once Miles ditched me, humiliated me and sealed my hatred for him, I'd needed her. And she'd showed up, like a fairy godmother, with her blazing red hair and sassy attitude. She was perfect. She is perfect.

"How does information travel so wrongly in this school?" I scoff, opening my locker. I exchange my books and turn back to face Morgan. "I know I'm not supposed to be this conceited but I hate him. I really do. He drives me crazy."

Morgan simply hums but then stops to lift a brow. "Wait, good crazy or bad crazy?"

I scoff once more-I scoff at least fifty times in an hour-throwing my arms up. "Bad crazy! There's nothing good with him! It's all so maddening considering I don't even know why he's such a horrible person."

"He's not."

I stop and narrow my eyes at her. "Excuse me, you're supposed to be on my side here. Him being horrible to me equals him being a bad person."

She sighs, leaning against a locker. "Starr, why don't you guys just do the mature thing and have a conversation to try and figure out why you all are so misunderstood?"

I sigh and make a dramatic emphasis. "Have you met the dude? Boss baby is more mature than he is. Plus he looks at me all weird any and everytime I try to talk to him."

Morgan looks more intrigued now. I don't know why. She knows our history more than anyone else in school does, yet everytime something comes up about him, she's the most interested. I have the inkling she low-key ships us together like all her favourite enemies to lovers couples. Too bad she's some months late.

"Define weird." She says, wiggling her eyebrows, inching closer to me.

I groan, shrugging her off. "Get off!"

×××

"Am I allowed to lie down?" I ask, staring at Ally. The large sofa beneath me which I've just sat on has me thinking of sleeping more than opening up to the woman before me.

She simply smiles. "You can do anything you want, Starr."

I sigh and lay down on my back. It takes me five seconds to get back up from the position. It felt too hackneyed.

I gaze at Ally and she stares back at me for a couple of seconds before shifting in her seat with a silent "Okay."

"How are you doing today, Starr?" She inquires with a smile.

I roll over her question in my mind. How was I doing? I think back to this morning in Psychology class and cringe at my outburst at Miles. My expression must be vivid on my face because I hear her mutter another silent 'Okay.'

"I'm good," I respond. "School is good. Home is good. I'm good."

"Does that mean your life only entails school and home? If they're both good, then you're instantly good?" She asks.

I cannot think of anything else I engage in that largely affects my life or moods. Except Him. But I refuse to give him so much importance in my life. He's simply not worth it. I refuse to talk about him too. Out of Sight. Out of Mind. Farewell Miles Bryant.

"Is it okay for someone to upset me so much that I want to strangle them?" I blurt out. Of course your head and mouth isn't always in sync. You know what's right but still say what's wrong. Now my therapist thinks I have murderous tendencies.