Secret Hung the Gold

Ariel couldn’t contain the smile that crossed her face when she saw Ernesto in class. But as she neared her seat, she noticed he didn’t look well. His head was lowered, his eyes closed, his shoulders slumped. She noticed the now lavender colored bruise under his eye and how weak he looked with his arm in the sling. She noticed his ever present smile looked as if it was never put into existence. In fact, deep, ingrained wrinkles sat where his smile used to be.
“Hey, E.J.” she said, as she slid into her seat.
Slowly he lifted his head up. Half of his grin showed on his face. “Hey, Ariel. Wassup?”
She smiled carefully and looked into his eyes. “Nothing.”
He let out an angry chuckle. “Damn, I wish I had that life.”
Ariel looked towards the teacher who had begun the lesson. She could feel herself become constricted by his words. “Really? You don’t want my life.”
Ernesto looked at her with a flame behind his eyes. The look alone sent a cold, feverish trill down her spine. “I don’t want your life?” His voice was raised.
Ariel sent a glance around the class and saw that it had all paused and eyes were on her and Ernesto. He looked at her with a raw anger before also meeting the stares from the class. Ariel looked back at him in time just to see the anger melt off his face and be replaced by a weak, pitiful look.
An uneasy silence fell over them.
“I’m sorry.”
Ernesto looked shocked by Ariel’s whisper. He blinked a few times, trying to put the words in perspective. “No, I am. It’s just… so much is going wrong right now, I… shouldn’t have lashed out at you. I am sorry.”
Ariel nodded and looked over to meet his dark eyes. “I forgive you.”
Ernesto smiled his world famous smile. But Ariel saw that it didn’t match his eyes. Behind those windows were all of his problems, all of his struggles, all of the things she would never see. Yet, there was something in her that not only wanted to see the struggles, but longed to be a part of it. She knew just how good her life looked to him, the big house, the fancy cars, the big, bright life. The father who brings in six figures. The credit cards and shopping sprees. It didn’t take that much of a stretch to say that many were envious of her life. They didn’t realize it but the words she spoke to Ernesto were true. While her life looked good to those who looked over the fence, the had no clue what a lonely life it is.
Ernesto began twiddling with his thumbs. She had never seen him do something like that and she knew not why it bugged her so much. Ariel had never seen Ernesto anxious over anything. He seemed to always have everything together.
But looks are deceiving.
The bell rang a few moments later, but Ariel wasn’t in a rush to leave. She noticed Ernesto struggling with his books so she grabbed them.
Ernesto shook his head. “I don’t need any help. I got it.” He held out his hand.
Ariel smiled. “Well, I want to help you. Lead the way.” She motioned to the door with her empty hand.
Ernesto inhaled, a frown on his face. “I guess so.”
She followed him closely through the halls, even stepping on the backs of his shoes a few times. They stopped in front of his locker and he spun in the combination. Ariel noticed the scars on his hand, some new and some old. His fingers were long and thin with scars along the knuckles. She looked over to his arm in the sling. The hand was a lifeless color of indigo yet she noticed the same scarring on his knuckles. Whatever it was that he did, he did it well.
“Thanks.”
Ariel looked up and noticed Ernesto’s stare. She passed him the books, placing them gently on his hand. She tried not to stare at his arm as he stretched to put his books in his locker, but found herself staring. His arms were thickened with muscle. There were scars along his arms as well, but they looked older.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were checking me out.”
Ariel snapped her eyes from his arm and smiled. “Never.”
Ernesto smiled back. “Really, because you were staring pretty hard.”
“I was just thinking.” Ariel rolled her eyes.
“Thinking about what?” He asked. Ariel tried to search for an answer. “How hot I am?”
She let out a nervous chuckle. “No, about your scars.”
Ernesto looked down at his arms and hands. “I may be at this elite school and all, but at the end of the day, I am a fighter.”
The warning bell sounded. Ernesto remained there, looking at Ariel and Ariel remained, looking at Ernesto. It was as if they were both speaking to each other without words, explaining all to one another.
The final bell sounded and they remained. Ernesto blinked and looked away. “Bye Ariel.”