Project Villainess

I stared outside the window and looked at the orange sky, the sun setting down was something I’d never get tired of watching. The colors infused with the clouds are like a mixture of both cold and warm colors. I smiled a little to myself, I never thought of something so beautiful in this chaotic life of mine.

“Seriously Bjorn is hot!” my classmate said in excitement.

“Agatha seriously has it all, imagine being loved by every single male lead,” another answered.

“Gosh I wish I was her.” Another girl wished.

“Good thing Tatiana dies in the end, she deserves it for everything she’s done.” The first one replied.

“Trashtiana.” The last one commented.

The girls behind me giggled. There was this novel rising into popularity lately, everyone was talking about it at school. I only heard about it since I didn’t have the time nor the money to read it. I can barely even feed myself, what would I do with a book.

I stood up when the bell rang. I gathered my things to put inside my bag when something sticky was dripping out of it. When I looked inside, several eggs were cracked and my thing was covered in egg whites and yolks. The smell didn’t help either, everything smelled awful.

I looked at the girls behind me. They snickered and laughed while they looked at the mess they made. They always do things like this to me, ever since that incident. I felt someone staring when I turned my head, a girl with huge glasses covering half of her face looked at me in horror and ran away from the classroom.

I bit my lip. No matter how frustrated I am, there is nothing I can do. As if I can stop them as if the teachers will take my side when I tell them what happened. The system sucks, people suck.

I immediately left and when to the bathroom to clean my things. Some of the yolks seeped through the textbooks I borrowed from the library, just thinking about paying for the destruction fee makes my head hurt.

My phone started to vibrate from my pocket. I stared at the half-broken screen and tried to turn it off but the screen froze and I had to click it multiple times before the alarm turned off. This phone of mine is really old, I bought it from a second-hand shop back in 8th grade.

I immediately gathered my things and started to run. People stared as I ran past them, why would a high school student-run so fast when school is done for the day. Other high school students talked and laughed with their friends during their walk home, some stopped by a newly opened café and others go to karaoke and hang out.

I never had time or money or friends to do that with. The only friend I made turned her back at me. The cold air hit my face as I was running, my bag still wet from the water I used to wash it. By the time I arrived at the store the owner was waiting angrily outside the door.

“I-I’m sorry, I had a situation. I ran here as fast as I could—” I told her.

“Don’t bother,” she said and stared at me from head to toe, “today will be the last day for you. I’ve had enough consideration.”

My eyes widened and shook my head. I took her hand and begged.

“Please, I have nowhere else to go. I need money for food, rent, and my school. I promise this will never happen again,” I begged.

She stared down at me with disgust and covered her nose.

“What is this awful smell?!” she scowled and pulled her hand away. “Never mind working today, just go home!” she said angrily. She handed me a small envelope and went inside her eatery, I tried to follow her and beg but she closed the door in front of my face.

I bit my lip and stared at the envelope that she gave me, a week’s worth of pay. I sighed and combed through my hair in frustration. What am I going to do now?

This is not right. I’ll start looking for a new part-time job tomorrow, being a student assistant will not cover all my expenses. I’m going to go home for now.

I walked up to the stairs of the cramped apartment. Rats and other bugs were running around and the whole place smelled of alcohol, pee, and cigarette. I could look for a better home but this is all I could afford. When you leave the orphanage, there isn’t any financial assistance, you’re all on your own now.

I entered my cramped room where there is only a little wriggle room. The paint is peeling off and at one corner is a bucket since it leaks during the rain. The bathroom isn’t any better also. Most of the time, there is no water running and the toilet does not work sometimes.

I cleaned my things thoroughly and took a bath. Just when I got outside the bathroom, someone knocked on my door. I went to peep in the hole but no one was there. When I opened the door there was no one but a tiny rectangular object wrapped in newspaper. I picked it up and went inside the room.

I took a seat at my bed since there was no other chair. I observed the box-like thing and decided to unwrap it. It was a stack of textbooks from school and there was a little note above it.