Chapter 2 Bathroom Switch

• || Arabella ||
• I swear to God, I would make Theo Benedict pay for my now neck-length hair.
• I was stomping my way like Hitler through the hallway during lunchtime. Everyone passing by was giving me an amused look or an eyebrow raise for my new haircut. I was hiding myself from everyone the whole day. But realizing that there was no way I could stay hidden forever—as much as I wish that—I decided to come out in the open.
• Now, the question was, what should I do to make Theo curse the day he was born into this world?
• Nah, nothing that extreme. I'm a good girl, after all.
• I just need to make him embarrassed. But how?
• Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice as I walked right past Theo until I heard his voice say something like, “Get this done quickly. I need to use the bathroom.”
• And then an idea suddenly popped into my head. It must have been God's blessing for me.
• A very mischievous smile took over my face as I headed towards the students' bathroom. The doors were side by side, completely identical, only divided by two signs of girls and boys.
• So now, what would happen if I were to interchange the two signboards before Theo went in?
• Perfect plan, right?
• A humiliation worth his reputation.
• I couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he would enter the wrong gender's bathroom. Ugh, the satisfaction when the girls would label him as a pervert was going to be epic.
• “Okay, Ara, time to stop grinning and get to work,” I reprimanded myself, still too giddy from excitement, as I switched the signboards.
• On a cue, Theo appeared behind me.
• “Why are you lurking around in front of the washroom like a peeping pervert?” he asked, shooting me a weird, creeped-out look.
• I shook my head and flashed him a cheeky grin. “Oh, don't mind me. Just existing. Please go ahead.” I royally made way for him.
• “Weirdo,” he muttered and turned the knob for the bathroom door with the ‘boys’ sign. “Um, by the way, the haircut isn't that horrible,” I heard him say before he went in.
• Before I could analyze his words, a strong gust of wind hit my spine from the open window of the hallway and a shiver ran down my body.
• I needed to pee.
• Without wasting another second, I twisted the knob of the ‘girls’ bathroom. Or so I thought.
• Because what I saw next made me feel like the stupidest person to ever exist. In front of me were clearly not girls. I recognized them to be boys, and much to my horror, with their pants’ zippers open and their little thing sticking out.
• I was frozen for a moment, my jaw hanging wide, and it was astonishing how my eyes weren't already out of my sockets.
• “Came here to sneak a peek?” One of the boys whistled, turning his front body towards me, not bothering to zip his pants up.
• “Holy shit!” I screamed and snapped the door shut with a loud thud. I leaned against the door outside with my back, breathing in and out rapidly. “Oh, my God, what did I just see? Why am I so stupid?”
• My virgin eyes had never seen that thing—you know what I mean—directly until now, only through the phone before, but…
• I pressed my palms to my eyes, wanting to shrink to the size of a microbe.
• I couldn't unsee it anymore. I don't think I can ever forget this scene.
• The sound of someone clearing their throat made me peek through the cracks of my fingers to find a very angry-looking Theo. He looked like he was about to go hulk on me.
• “A girl threw a sanitary pad at me,” he shrieked incredulously.
• If he was Hulk, I was Scarlet Witch.
• I pushed my back off the door and got in his face. “I traumatized myself for life too!” I exclaimed. “You're not the only one who suffered, okay?”
• “God, I can't believe how incredibly stupid you are!”
• “I know!”
• Both of us huffed and pushed each other's shoulders as we strutted to the correct bathroom this time. Our fight could wait, but we had to finish our business first.
• I kept my head down as I passed by the other girls in the washroom, who were whispering things about Theo. I bet the vice versa was happening in the boys' bathroom about me. I didn't even want to imagine that.
• Once I came out of the washroom, I found Theo leaning against the wall beside me, his arms crossed against his chest. The bathroom signs were already fixed, which I assume Theo did.
• I was going to brush past him, but he started speaking, “You know, everyone is bound to act stupid once in a while, but you really abuse the privilege.”
• I gritted my teeth and formed my fist into balls. I turned to face him and spat out, “That was my revenge for this morning.”
• “That's all good and fine. I was expecting you to do something anyway. But,” he chuckled, “how can anyone be as stupid as to fall for their own trap?”
• “I-I am not stupid! I just—ugh, it's annoying to talk to you!”
• “Sure, sure.” He was still laughing.
• It boiled my blood. “You—”
• “So Annabelle, how was the sight inside the boys' bathroom? Enjoyed it?” Theo teased.
• Okay, he needed to have a heart attack right that instant, or else I was going to stab his heart with my pencil.
• “For the last time, my name is Arabella!” I corrected it for the third time today.
• “Same shit,” he shrugged.
• “Oh, really?” I put a hand on my hip. “What if someone calls you, um, let me see, Oreo? What if someone calls you Oreo, huh?”
• Theo pressed his lips together, making a light hum. “I would like that.”
• “Oh, c'mon, why?” I let out in frustration.
• “Because Oreos are the best and everyone loves them.”
• I groaned. I really was stupid like he claimed, wasn't I?
• “Are you finally thinking to admit you're stupid?”
• I exhaled a deep breath, urging myself to be calm. “If you're so stubborn not to call me by my original name, why don't you give me a good nickname? You even called me Cascerella once, why don't you just call me Cinderella?”
• Theo snorted. “Cinderella's too nice for you.”
• “Can I please strangle you?” My fingers were literally itching to wrap around his neck—though that's what I usually feel whenever I'm in the ten-meter radius of him.
• “Nope. Violence is prohibited on school grounds,” he informed obnoxiously. “Besides, after the last couple of years, I found the perfect name for you, and it's Annabelle.” He grinned, satisfied with his naming skills.
• “Do I seriously look like a freaky doll to you?” I questioned hopelessly.
• “I don't know. Look at yourself in the mirror.”
• I huffed. “I'm done with you for today.” With that, I turned on my heels, without sparing another glance at him. I couldn't stand another second of that smug minx.
• After classes and endless whisperings about me barging in the boys' washroom were over, I headed to my aunt's place on foot, my mind completely fuzzed from today's occurrences. I made a stop at a salon to sell my hair, which was painful. But at least, I got some money.
• Once I reached my aunt's two-storied moderate-sized house, a gasp left my mouth, dread shooting through my body. This wasn't supposed to happen.
• My luggage and things were outside on the porch.
• I dashed to my belongings and grabbed the hilt of one of my luggage in a panic.
• “What the hell? Why are my things thrown out?” I let out.
• Then my eyes fell on the note sticking to the front door, which said in messy handwriting, “You are not welcome here anymore, Arabella Laurel.”
• ★★★