FicWad

Okay, so this is a new idea that I came up with. Those of you who liked my previous work should hopefully like this as well. It's got a different angle than the rest, but hey. Change is good.

This story is COMPLETELY ORIGINAL. All characters are owned by me, and are based on the bounds of my imagination. And resemblance to any characters from any other story are completely coincidental. Just sayin.

Before I begin, let me tell you something. I was always... different than the other kids. When we mapped out pictures of our dreams, I drew vivid murder scenes as opposed to their happy giggle fests. When we painted in elementary school, they drew kittens and bunnies while I painted intricate forest clearings with animalistic eyes peering in from among the trees. The teachers, they praised me for my work, calling it a blessing, this talent that I possessed. Only I saw this so-called gift for the curse it was. These paintings and sketches that I was compelled to create littered the floor, constant reminders of what I was, what I was doomed to carry out my life as.

The students' envy turned to hatred as we grew older; their awe turned to mockery. "There's loony Luna Fermin!" they scoffed. stealing my sketchbooks and tearing out page after page. They laughed as I scrambled to pick up the pictures, not because I wanted them, mind you, but because I deserved the pain that owning them put me through. When this punishment was not enough, I would discipline myself with my razor, making sure at I wouldn't die from the cuts. I didn't deserve death. I was damned to walk the earth; I would not allow myself the release from my prison that death would bring.

Their beatings continued, and I made no move to stop them. I welcomed their words of hatred. I hid myself in a cocoon of scars and made a shell of pain. Eventually I was forgotten altogether. I would stay in isolation, yet another form of punishment, and tey would ignore me, as long as I kept to myself.

My freshman year of high school that all changed, due to one boy.

*

It was the first day that I had ever been inside of my extravagant high school, so of course I got lost on my way to my first class. I rushed into the classroom, my sketchbook and a pencil clutched tightly in my shaking hand. The professor gave me a disapproving look as I slumped down in my usual seat in the back corner of the room. Sitting alone was my crutch. It shielded me from the stares and let me brood in peace. Today, however, it also gave me a perfect view of the front desk, where the teacher was filling out a pink tardy slip. Perfect. Just what I deserved.

As I sat back down after recieving the first of many detentions that were sure to come, I heard someone enter the room. I refused to look up, studying my scarred wrist and wondering whether I could do damage with my paper clip.

"I'm sorry I'm late, sir," a boy's voice stated, the sound coming from the front of the room. "Miss... um... Trinen, I think it was, asked me to give you this slip to excuse my tardy. I got lost," he explained.

"Well, that's quite understandable, this is your first day," the teacher said, dismissing the ordeal. "Go ahead and take your seat."

I heard footsteps coming in my direction and froze. Keep walking, keep walking, for the love of god, keep walking! No luck. He sat down in the seat next to me, turning to face me. "Hi, I'm Seth."

I swallowed, forcing myself to make eye contact with him. I was immediately struck by the sheer beauty of the person who was now sitting before me. He was obviously Mexican and very tall, with a beautiful smile. He was wearing a black band tee and dark jeans, and was holding out his hand to shake mine. I took it, trying to figure out whether I had ever before seen this boy. I was sure that if I had, there would be no way for me to have forgotten him.

"Seth...?"

"Hernandez. Seth Deryl Hernandez. At your service," he replied, bowing his head as if to kiss my hand. He made me giggle, which was entirely out of character for me.

"I've never seen you before," I blurted out, shocking myself once more. 'Shut up, Luna!' my mind screamed. 'Don't go falling for him. You don't deserve love!'

The professor began class, so we dropped our voices to a whisper.

"Yeah, we just moved here this summer. 'We' being my brother Danny, my Aunt Natasha, and I . My brother and I came from foster homes, so we make an odd-looking family. But we manage." He threw me another dazzling smile. I blushed.

"Well, Seth Hernandez, you have made the biggest mistake of your life by sitting with me today," I told him, pretending to take notes on the algebra equations that now covered the board. Seth was not even bothering.

"What?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"First off, the second you sat down next to me, all popularity you would have easily acquired went down the toilet. Second, you flirted. With me. You are SO going to get the crap beat out of you."

Seth laughed suddenly, trying to cover it up with a cough. He thought it was FUNNY? I was trying to WARN him!

"Popularity has never been high on my wish list, right up there with getting eaten by piranhas and getting burned at the stake. And what's wrong with flirting with you? I find you a very... intriguing individual."

The bell rang. Wow, we'd talked that long? "Um, as you can see, I'm not thought of very highly." Not to mention the fat that flirting was against my punishment to myself.

I began packing my books into my bag, scanning the board for signs of a homework assignment. I scribbled the page number on the back of my hand. Seth seemed to be taking in my previous comment. As I stood to leave the room, Seth grabbed my wrist. He flipped it over, exposing my scars. His smoldering look made me feel small and juvenile.

"Well, Luna," he said, gazing up into my eyes. "I think highly of you."

He leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the cheek and disappeared out the door.

I stood there for a short moment before rushing to my next class. As I sat in the back corner of the History room, it hit me- he had called me Luna. And I had never told him my name.