Karla's POV

"Karla, what's wrong?"

I brushed Astro's hand off my shoulders suddenly finding it uncomfortable. I had been pretending that everything was alright throughout the entirety of the SATs.

"Nothing. Am totally fine." I said trying to mold my face into a pleasant look.

"But -"

I immediately cut him off. "Let's go meet the rest at the cafeteria."

I dragged him along trying to act playful, but he didn't budge.

"Little ocean, you didn't call me babe."

I smiled small and faced him. He was smiling like an idiot but I could tell he was dead serious. Seeing that he wasn't going to move, I laughed and opened my mouth but nothing came out. No matter how much I tried to summon the pet names I used to churn out on a normal basis my heart refused to lie.

My laugh started to turn to nervous chuckles and Astro's smile fell.

"Karla, What? Is. Wrong?" He said.

I was getting irritated and my voice was showing it. "Nothing."

What could I say? I think you're secretly dating Annabelle?

It sounded like bullshit in my ears but the heart worked in mysterious ways, and mine was just weird.

Why was I the only one who seemed to be doing something wrong.

"Well, something must be wrong. Is it something I did?" Astro said grabbing my hand. "If it is, just tell me and we can resolve it right now."

I bit my lips and screamed my lungs out. "I told you there's nothing fucking wrong."

He flinched and I stepped back a little.

Calm down. Calm down. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG

I looked up to see the hallway empty and Asrto gone. I punched a locker in frustration, instantly regretting it as my knuckles started to bleed. I looked down and wondered why I couldn't be more like my mother.

I remembered being ten and coming back with my Mom to meet my Dad huffing and puffing with a random woman on the couch - apparently exercising as my mother later told me.

Unlike videos of women catching their cheating husbands, my father didn't instantly start begging for forgiveness and my mother didn't cry or burn his clothes. My father took one look at us and went back to his exercise like weren't even there. My mother did the same and walked up to the kitchen to prepare dinner as if there wasn't a stranger lying naked on the couch.

That was when I learned my first life lesson - If you didn't acknowledge a problem then it didn't exist. But it seemed I didn't even know how to do that properly.

I sighed, putting my knuckle under the running water as I stood in the middle of the girls' restroom. I dragged myself to the cafeteria and saw Joy waving at me. I waved back and my eyes caught Astro laughing with Annabelle. I curled my fists until my nails drew blood, causing me to wince and curse.

"Hiii Karla." Joy said as I sat down. I smiled back at her but my eyes were fixated on Astro.

"Did you and Astro fight?" Joy said drawing my attention from Astro.

I was about to speak when Astro interjected.

"No there's nothing wrong." He said then turned to me with a smile. "Right, Karla?"

I smiled nervously my heart now shaking as Astro played along. "Yeah, Nothing's wrong."

Joy rubbed her forehead. "Do I really have to be the mature one here?"

No one spoke and Joy then turned to James who was beside me.

"How does Karla argue?"

"With all the emotions she's got." He said stuffing his face.

"Shit," Joy said looking at Astro. "This moron withdraws all emotions."

"Just talk it out. Misunderstanding drama isn't good for anyone." Jayden offhandedly said.

I bit the inside of my cheek glaring at Jayden for suggesting to talk things out.

Annabelle then nodded in agreement. "I agree."

"That's what I wanted if only this baby would stop whining." Astro muttered.

Joy's eyes widened and Jayden elbowed him. I on the other hand was shaking and I had to put my hand underneath the table to avoid people seeing me like this.

"Wh-Wh-What did you say?" I stammered.

He looked up at me with cold dead green eyes. "Quit. Acting. Like. A. Fucking. Child."

My heart hammered violently against my chest. How many times had I heard those exact words coming out of my father's mouth when I begged him to stay home.

I felt my tears roll down my cheeks, but nothing changed in Astro. Not a single flicker of sympathy or even an iota of love could be seen in his eyes as he mindlessly poked through his food.

"I can see why you have only two friends." I said hoping to incite anything in him.

He smiled. "It's better than being a depressed lonely girl who tries to fill the void with fight clubs and leather jackets."

"Astro!!!" Joy screamed.

I started moving back slowly, staring at the crowd who had gathered to look at the couple they'd bet would never last. I turned and ran out of the cafeteria.

Pathetic Karla Johnson. Always running from her problems

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Astro's POV

James slammed his hand on the table furiously. "What the fuck was that?"

I turned to look at him. "Don't start with me."

James moved back and shut his mouth. It seemed my cold aura was still strong.

I looked towards the place where my little Kraken had sat down just a few minutes ago and my heart twisted violently.

What had I done

I already knew what had happened though, I had let my anger get the best of me. Speaking first and feeling later was one of the major flaws I possessed and I had hoped nobody would ever witness that.

"Go after her and apologize."

I shook my head. I was afraid of seeing her look so hurt and the fact that I was the cause. Joy sighed and nudged Annabelle.

"Then we'll go after her." Joy said standing up.

"I'm coming with you." James said standing up.

Annabelle sighed and gently pushed him down. "You can't come with."

James glared at both of them. "What do you mean? She's my friend."

"Can you enter the girls' restroom?" Joy said.

James went quiet and Annabelle smiled softly at him.

"We'll call you when we find her." Annabelle replied.

They were about to leave when I pulled Joy close and leaned over to tell her something.

"I s-s-saw a bruise on Karla's knuckles." I paused for a second. "Can you please make sure she gets it looked at?"

Joy smiled down at me. "Where the heck were you when they were dishing out normal emotions."

I laughed. "Probably trying to pull you out from your romance novels."

She laughed and I saw Blake rushing towards her looking worried.

At least someone's relationship was smooth sailing.

She left with Annabelle and they met halfway. They smiled at each other and Joy patted his back. They continued moving to find Karla while Jayden started to berate me, but my heart had already started the task.

***************

I glanced back at the tarmac, seeing Jayden, Joy, and Annabelle waving at me. My contest was in the next few days and was being held in New York. So I had to leave immediately but my heart wasn't really with it after how I left things with Karla. I stalled a little to check if she would come to wish me farewell but after a while of waiting, I decided she wasn't coming and boarded the plane.

Everyone's busy faking feelings

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AN

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