Boy In Glasses

After a tiring shift at the clinic, she returned to her empty house. It was a studio apartment with couple furnitures around. She had rented the worn-out apartment from an old lady. Serena knew nothing about her parents except that a woman had left her at the orphanage's door, probably her mother. She was clearly unwanted. Since then Serena was passed around from one foster care to another. Her last foster family was the worst. They were druggies and adopted her only to pull cash from the government. She got a job when fifteen and started saving. Once she had saved enough, she escaped. Shanice’s father who was a hot-shot lawyer, stepped in and made sure her foster family didn’t trouble her again. Shanice and her family insisted that she stay with them, but Serena refused. They already had done a lot for her, she didn’t want to burden them anymore. Plus she had to learn to be on her own.    

Sighing, Serena dropped her bag on the chair and headed straight to her room. There was a folding bed in the center and a table on the side with a growing snake plant on it. She wanted to snuggle into her bed really bad, but before that, she had to freshen up. She hit the bathroom and showered. After cleaning up, she went to the kitchen to make her sandwich for dinner. She could cook a meal but the day had drained her energy like always. She didn't remember when was the last time she had a nice meal. Maybe at Shanice place. 

After sating her hunger, she hopped onto her bed. As a routine, she grabbed her novel from the table, parted the book to where she had left off last night, and began reading. 

She loved reading romance novels. The MLs in these books are so different than the real-life men. The love they show feels so pure. She wondered if she would ever get to experience that kind of love. The thought caused her feeling giddy. She wants her man to be possessive, a little bit obsessive, and hella romantic. Someone who will kiss the ground she walks on. Someone who will choose her and only her every time. She will be his first choice.  

It’s not that she never had a relationship. She had a couple relationships before but they all ended tragically. It turned out both the boys were using her to get closer to Shanice. If Shanice hadn’t shown her the pathetic messages they sent her, she would have never found out.

Even though she wanted to, she had no hopes of getting her dream man. She wasn’t as pretty as the FLs of these novels. Shanice checked off all the qualities of an FL though. 

She had barely finished a page when sleep snuck up on her and she decided to call it a day. Setting the book back on the table, she slid under her comforter, turned off the light, and slept, hugging her pillow close.

………..

Serena got down from the bus and made her way towards the school. She was donning a loose simple shirt and a pair of washed-out jeans. She preferred her wavy hair braided and had a weird obsession with flavored lip balms. Keeping her head down, she walked in through the main gate.

She was crossing the parking space, minding her own business when some roaring motorcycles blocked her path. She paused and raised her gaze to Xander and his buddies- the biggest bullies in her school. They were the only ones who owned this ride. Serena felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as they started circling her like predators on their respective bikes. Their pierced brows and buzz-cut hair added to their delinquent persona. Serena couldn’t understand what Shanice even saw in Xander. He was all muscles and no brain. The girl licked her lips in nervousness, waiting for them to leave. Just then a hand shot out and yanked her bag off her back, causing her to lose her footing. Serena shrieked in horror but with a quick reflex, she managed to catch herself from tripping. The boys passed her bag around, laughing and hooting. 

“Give me my bag,” Serena collected herself and put up a brave front. There were a few other students in the lot but she knew better than to expect help from them. 

Xander jumped down his motorcycle, grabbed the bag from his friend, and approached her with a wicked glint in his eyes. Sarena watched him coming closer and it did nothing to allay her anxiety. As she had suspected, he zipped open her bag and turned it upside down, causing the content to drop on the floor. She watched shell shocked. 

Xander let the bag drop from his hand and stalked up to her. He smirked making her blood crawl. 

“That bitch thinks she can throw me like a used tissue. Tell her it’s not that easy to blow me off,” Xander spat resentfully. This wasn’t the first time when Serena was threatened by Shanice’ exes. It had become some sort of routine by now. They would exert their anger on her as they didn’t have enough balls to confront Shanice. Serena was an easy target.

Serena willed her tears to not drip down her eyes as she stood there like a statue. She was tired of being targeted by Shanice’ jilted lovers and Xander by far was the worst. He was a total asshole and what made it worse was the fact that Serena wasn’t confrontational. 

Emboldened by her timid disposition, Xander grabbed her collar in a very harsh manner.

“You better tell her to pick my damn call or the consequences will be worse than this,” he spat in her face, scaring her to her core. 

“Am.I.clear?” he roared, causing her to flinch. 

“You better let her go,” a masculine, fearless voice answered in her stead. The interruption took aback everyone, including Serena. Curious, they all glanced over in the direction the voice came from. An unfamiliar boy was standing a few feet away from them, unafraid. The bespectacled stranger- undaunted by Xander's intimidating appearance- met his gaze in a defiant showdown. Serena wondered with her heart in her mouth if the boy had a death wish.