Clarabelle Chapter Three

Gwen, the coward that she was, was grateful this was a Friday. She wouldn’t have to face her new classmate for two more days. Saturday and Sunday she did her homework, read her books, and tried in vain to get her computer’s internet connection not bombarded with pop-ups. She failed miserably. Monday morning, she rolled over, feeling content, before a jolt of panic knotted her stomach-Clarabelle’s strange violet eyes would be surveying her every movement today.
She skipped breakfast-her stomach was already full of nerves. Why? She asked herself. So she was watching you. She needed to get the routine down pat. It was her first day, after all. Yes, that made sense. Gwen felt a bit better. She was good at lying to herself. Or maybe, she added, she was copying your work. Um…no. Gwen dodged that one. Though she didn’t technically know her new classmate’s name, she could somehow just tell that Clarabelle would have no problems with their work. So Gwen went back to the other maybes. She didn’t know how class went…she can’t help her eye color…intimidating? She was just nervous. Pointy teeth? Gwen considered that one. No answer. She decided to just believe the nervous-new-girl fabrication.
So, with Gwen convincing herself that her new classmate’s odd behavior the previous week had been naught but anxiety at a new school. So, it was easy, when she walked into the room, to calmly take out her homework and arrange it carefully on her desk. It was easy to chat cheerfully to the few others in the classroom-she had woken early this morning, and made it to school twenty minutes before the first bell rang. It was hard, however, not to turn in to the door when Clarabelle arrived at school. Gwen surveyed her somewhat suspiciously, to see if her hunch had been correct. Clarabelle just smiled vaguely at Gwen, not the cold sneer it had been three days ago, just a small smile hovering on her full lips. Gwen smiled back, tentatively, relieved. Clarabelle did not look the Gwen remembered. Instead of snowy, her skin was just pale with a pink flush in her cheeks. Her eyes were still a glittery violet, but did not hold the threatening, stony glare any longer. Her eyes were now like friendly gemstones, a kindly amethyst gaze. The bell rang suddenly, and made Gwen jump. She hastily brought the conversation she was having with a girl named Emily to a close, and straightened her desk. She heard Clarabelle sit in her desk. She turned her head slightly, and met her stare. “Hi,” Gwen said shyly.
“Hi,” Clarabelle returned with a warm smile. Gwen smiled, too. It was impossible not to. Clarabelle opened her mouth to say more, but Mrs. Stanette walked in just then. Clarabelle paused, then pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and began scribbling. Mrs. Stanette began the math lesson by telling them to take out their weekend’s homework. Gwen obliged, though Clarabelle’s pen still darted across the page. Mrs. Stanette began going over their work. “Now…answer for number one…Sam?” Gwen pulled out her red pen and began making small checks and crosses. By number six, Mrs. Stanette got to Gwen. “Number seven, miss Johansson?” Gwen mumbled an answer.
“Pardon me, Gwen? Speak up, please.” Gwen spoke up in a slightly louder voice.
“Um…number six…seven hundred thirty-two decimal twelve?” She looked sideways at Clarabelle, a tiny smile hovering on her face.
“Correct. Clarabelle, number seven?” Clarabelle stayed bent over her note, sketching something now.
“Clarabelle?” Mrs. Stanette asked again, sounding impatient. Gwen nudged Clarabelle with her foot.
“Six hundred forty-seven decimal thirteen,” She answered without looking up. She looked up with a pompous expression. Mrs. Stanette knitted her eyebrows in confusion. Was this girl a rebel or a teacher’s pet? Gwen could read on Mrs. Stanette’s face. Clarabelle smiled angelically, and Mrs. Stanette shook herself a bit and moved on to Joseph with number eight. Gwen looked at Clarabelle in a mixture of amazement and perplexity. Clarabelle grinned, a grin that looked like a child getting away with something he shouldn’t. Gwen grinned back. Clarabelle slipped the note under Gwen’s hand.

Hi,
Gwen, right? I’m Clarabelle, as you probably know.
Anyways, I’m curious about you. Do you live around
here? Do you like it? Have any family members? Sorry
to be so nosy, but I just love other people’s lives. I have
two parents and an adopted brother, Ben. Do you want to
hang out at recess? Show me around? Please?
-Clarabelle



Gwen read the note under her desk, in case Mrs. Stanette was watching. She stuffed it into her desk when she was done, then caught Clarabelle’s eager, amethyst eyes. She nodded. Clarabelle grinned, not the small, pleasant kind, but a big, happy grin that was like the rising sun. Gwen grinned back, happily. She noted, in her mind, that her imagination must have been more off than she thought. Clarabelle’s teeth were not pointy in the least.