Burning hate

Our teacher made sure every student was seated before speaking.

"You may begin your exam."

Reaching into her pencil case, Misa pulled out her favorite green pen. It was her lucky pen—the one that always came through on test days. But today, holding it left a sour taste in her mouth. She bit down on her bottom lip and muttered under her breath.

"Ugh, just like his vomit-colored eyes."

She pushed herself out of her seat and walked toward the teacher’s desk. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a fellow student—a girl with a small mole on the back of her neck. A sharp shiver ran down Misa’s spine as her stomach twisted in disgust.

"That’s the same brown as his shit-stained hair."

No matter where she went—through class, lunch, the walk home—his face clung to her thoughts.

She hated everything about him.

The way he chewed with his mouth open. The way he never remembered his math homework. The way his eyes always looked unnaturally wide, like he was forcing himself to stay awake.

By the time she reached home, frustration burned inside her. She stomped through the front door without a word to her mother, stormed into her room, and slammed the door shut. Throwing herself onto her bed, she buried her face into her pillow.

"I hate the way he smiles every time he finds a loose coin."
"I hate the way he always smells like old brewed coffee."
"I hate his way-too-perfect teeth."
"I hate that he treats everyone the same, no matter their class standing."

"That boy is the devil. He’s evil reincarnated."

Misa shifted, sitting up. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging deep into her skin. Her breath trembled as she reached for her phone and tapped the lock screen.

His face stared back at her.

A wave of nausea hit her, twisting her gut into knots. Tears welled up, spilling over before she could stop them. Snot ran down her face, but she didn’t wipe it away. She bit down hard on her bottom lip—so hard she almost tore through the skin.

It didn’t matter how many curses she screamed or how many tantrums she threw.

Deep down, she knew.

He was never coming back.