I want you
VIOLET'S POINT OF VIEW
"Thank you, Billy," I murmured to my driver as I stepped out of the car.
The moment my feet hit the ground, I heard someone shout my name, a familiar voice that made me roll my eyes in exasperation. It was a sound I recognized all too well. I let out a scoff and pretended not to hear the call, urging myself to keep walking and not engage. However, just as I took a few steps, I felt a hand clasp around my wrist from behind me. I turned around sharply, a frown etched across my face.
"Violet, what is going on with you? I've been calling your name for ages! You really can't expect me to believe you didn't hear me," Nianna said, her voice tinged with frustration. I remained silent for a moment, just gazing at her without responding.
"So, you’re actually going to communicate with me now?"I said and her response was a heavy sigh, a clear indication of the weight she was carrying.
"Look, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday," she said, her voice softening.
"It’s just... there was some drama at home with my parents, and it's been taking a toll on me. Honestly, I’ve been feeling so down about everything.
As soon as the words left her lips, I couldn’t help but let out a loud scoff. I was struggling to understand how her issues justified the way she'd been acting toward me.
“Seriously? Is that really how you’re going to respond to me right now?” I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling over.
“I tried to reach you all throughout yesterday, calling you until evening, but you just ignored all my calls. And let’s not even get started on the fact that you actually left school without giving me a heads-up yesterday and you knew vividly that you're the one that will drop me home. I ended up having to take a cab home all by myself! What on earth happened yesterday? One moment, we were deep into our conversation about Dylan, and then out of nowhere, you just walked away from me! I didn’t see you again until today, and it felt like you completely snubbed me! If you were really going through something difficult at home, the you I know would have reached out to me and told me what was going on. I just can’t wrap my head around what’s happening with you!” I said all of this in a single breath, my chest heaving as I locked my gaze on her, trying to make sense of it all.
“I’m really sorry, Bestie,” she finally replied, her voice low as she looked down, clearly aware of the gravity of the situation.
“I recognize that I messed up. I should have talked to you about what I’ve been dealing with instead of just walking out and completely shutting you out. Please don’t stay mad at me! You know how much it bothers me when you’re upset with me,” she pleaded, her lips forming a small pout as she tried to convey her sincerity.
“I’m truly, sincerely sorry, Violet,” she said, her voice tinged with emotion.
“Honestly, it’s all because of the constant fighting between my mom and dad. I’ve been feeling so down lately, and I really regret that I took it out on you. Please, don’t stay mad at me. I’m begging you!” As she clung to me with a desperate embrace, I couldn’t help but let out a long, heavy sigh.
“It’s okay, really,” I reassured her, gently returning her hug.
“I’m not upset anymore, but please—just don’t let that happen again. I was so worried about you yesterday.”
“Thank you so much, Violet. I promise, you’re truly the best friend I could ever ask for,” she replied, a hint of relief washing over her face, and I couldn’t help but grin widely at her words.
“So, how are your parents doing?” I inquired, genuinely concerned.
“Well, they’re okay, but the truth is, they’ve been fighting a lot lately. To be honest, I’m really scared that they might actually end up getting a divorce,” she confessed with a sad sigh, which made my heart sink. I gasped, taken aback by her revelation.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that, Bestie. I really hope they can work things out,” I said, expressing my heartfelt sympathy as she nodded in agreement.
“Me too, Violet. I would be the happiest person in the world if they somehow managed to fix this,” she murmured, her expression heavy with worry.
Then, gathering my thoughts, I decided it was time to share something of my own.
“Well, there’s something important I need to tell you too,” I stated, and she turned to face me with eager anticipation.
“And what’s that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“My mom is actually getting remarried,” I revealed, and as soon as the words left my mouth, her face lit up with a bright smile.
“Oh wow, that’s absolutely fantastic news! You’re finally going to have a stepdad!” she exclaimed with enthusiasm, but the moment I heard those words, I felt a frown creep onto my face, almost instinctively.
“Are you being serious right now, Niana?” I replied, raising an eyebrow at her in disbelief. I couldn’t help but notice the look of confusion that washed over her face.
“Uh… I’m not quite following you here, girlfriend,” she said, tilting her head.
“I mean, isn’t this something to celebrate? Your mom has found love again, and she’s made the decision to share her life with someone instead of remaining alone. Shouldn't you be feeling happy about this?” As I heard her words, I couldn’t hold back a scoff and rolled my eyes in response.
“I don’t know, Niana. It just doesn’t bring me joy, you know?” I muttered, exhaling a frustrated huff.
“I was perfectly okay with just my mom, her sister, and my siblings; I didn’t feel the need for some stranger entering our lives.”
“But really, think about your mom for a second,” she interjected, her tone shifting to a more serious one.
“You've told me repeatedly how you've seen your mom crying because she's lonely. If that's the case, why wouldn’t you want her to find happiness with someone new?” As she posed that question, I started to realize that perhaps she had a point.
"I've come across quite a few stories about stepdads," I said quietly, my voice almost a whisper.
"Honestly, I really don't want to find myself in that kind of situation." As soon as the words left my lips, Niana let out a scoff that echoed in the air between us.
"Seriously, Violet? You really need to rethink that stance. Not every stepdad is a villain in a story. Take Sarah and Dora from our class, for example. Their stepdads are actually pretty decent guys! Just the other day, I overheard Dora mentioning how she’s considering adding her stepdad's name to her surname because he treats her so much better than her biological father ever did," Niana explained, her tone a mix of incredulity and defense. I fell silent, absorbing her words and contemplating their meaning.
"Why not give your mother the benefit of the doubt? You might be surprised; it could turn out to be a positive experience for you," she suggested warmly. I simply nodded, taking her advice to heart as I processed everything she just said.
At that moment, the school bell rang out, breaking the tension between us.
"We've been chatting for quite a while now," I remark, trying to shift the atmosphere.
"Let’s head to class." Niana agreed with a nod, and we turned to walk away. Just as we began to make our way to the building, a sudden commotion drew our attention.
We heard a chorus of screams that echoed through the air, turning our heads to see four luxurious cars making their entrance into the school grounds. Unexpectedly, the cars came to a halt not far from where Niana and I stood, leaving us both curious and bewildered by the spectacle around us.
The door opened and Dylan and his friends stepped down from the car and Dylan seemed to be particularly focused on me which is extremely surprising . To my utter surprise, he even winked in my direction.
“Am I seeing things, or did Dylan just wink at you?” Nianna whispered in disbelief, and I couldn’t help but scoff at the idea.
“Maybe it’s you who’s dreaming, bestie. There's absolutely no way that Dylan would ever wink at someone like me,” I replied, shaking my head in amusement just then Cindy made her entrance through the throng of people. With a boldness that startled everyone, she positioned herself directly in front of Dylan and planted a kiss on him. A collective gasp arose from several nearby, their astonishment filling the air. Dylan's expression shifted to one of shock, but then, almost as if caught in a moment of fury, he shoved her harshly to the ground. The suddenness of it left all of us wide-eyed and speechless.
Fixing his shirt as if he were removing dust from his own lap, he shot a glance back in my direction, his eyes lingering for just a moment before he and his friends turned away, leaving Cindy sprawled on the floor, stunned and bewildered.
“Serves you right, b*tch!” someone in the crowd called out, anger seeping into their voice.
“How dare you lay those lips on our Dylan!” another voice joined in, clearly furious at Cindy’s boldness.
“That level of audacity should never go unpunished,” came another comment, echoing the sentiments of the group around us.
“I swear, we need to do something about this. How in Pete's name could she even think it was okay to touch Dylan with those nasty lips of hers?” another raged, the disbelief still swirling in my mind as the reality of the situation sank in.
"I'm absolutely not going to let her get away with this,” declared another blonde girl, her brows drawn together in a displeased expression.
“I promise you, I’ll make sure she learns her lesson.”
Just then, we were interrupted by the authoritative voice of the principal echoing through the loudspeaker, instructing,
“Attention, everyone! It’s time for your classes. Please make your way to your respective classrooms.” The crowd began to break apart as students started moving in various directions.
The principal’s voice resonated once more, more insistent now. “I repeat, everyone, it’s time to head back to class. Please proceed to your morning lessons.”
I turned to Nianna and urged,
“Come on, let’s get going.” However, I couldn't help but observe that she seemed lost in thought, her mind seemingly elsewhere.
“Niana, what’s on your mind? We need to go,” I called out, raising my voice a bit. She snapped back to attention, her gaze meeting mine.
“Wait, what? Oh, right! Let’s go,” she responded, and started walking forward while I trailed closely behind her. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off; she seemed really preoccupied. I just hope her parents resolve whatever issues they’re having soon.
As we entered the classroom, it buzzed with the familiar sounds of chatter and laughter, just like any typical day. I felt a wave of relief wash over me when I noticed that no teacher was present yet. Given what had happened last time, I was thankful for the fleeting moment of peace.
We took our seats, and much to my relief, it wasn’t long before our Physics teacher walked through the door, bringing a sense of normalcy back to the room. I couldn’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief.
. Thankfully, I have a good rapport with the physics teacher, which is a major relief given how crucial these relationships can be in such an academic environment.
As I observed him during the class, he maintained an air of calmness throughout our two-hour lesson. Eventually, he wrapped up the session, but not before assigning us some homework. With a steady tone, he instructed,
"Each one of you is expected to submit your assignment to your class captain, Violet tomorrow morning. She'll take care of delivering them to me in the staff room." As he began putting his books away and organizing his bag, it was clear he was preparing to leave the classroom.
"I'll see all of you in our next class," he added as he made his way to the door. The moment he stepped out, the usual chatter and noise among the students picked up once more, filling the room with a familiar buzz.
At that point, I turned my attention to Nianna, who was sitting behind me, deeply engrossed in her phone and sporting a rather intense frown on her face, which caught my attention. Concerned, I asked her,
"Hey, are you okay?" To my surprise, she flashed a wide smile, but it seemed somewhat forced, lacking any genuine warmth.
"I'm doing fine, Violet. Truly, I am... You know what? I guess I’m just fine," she replied, her tone somewhat forced. I gave her a slow nod and turned my gaze away, trying to respect her boundaries while I was also pondering about her mood.
It’s always disheartening to see her like this. When she’s down, school feels like an endless cycle of monotony to me, which only amplifies my own disinterest in our surroundings. I glanced at my wristwatch, noting that there were still ten minutes left until the next class would commence. With a sigh escaping my lips, I reached for my phone, hoping to distract myself. However, just as I was about to check my notifications, I felt a gentle tap on my back.
Instantly, I turned around, my face breaking into a wide, welcoming smile, fully expecting it to be Niana. But that smile of anticipation quickly vanished, morphing into astonishment as I realized who had just interrupted me. Standing there was Dylan, wearing an infuriatingly smug expression that made my heart sink. The atmosphere in the classroom had shifted significantly; a heavy silence fell, and even Niana, who was previously absorbed in her phone, had redirected her attention to us, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Hey Urmm, is there something that you’re looking for?" I inquired, casually observing him as he leisurely chewed his gum, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
"Yes....... I want you.” He replied and the moment those words left his mouth, a wave of astonishment swept through the room, leaving everyone—myself included—gasping in disbelief. It was as if time had momentarily frozen, and all eyes were on us, taking in the unexpected boldness of his declaration.