Kaitlyn Sinclair

The cafeteria buzzes with those pathetic little conversations that seem to hang in the air like stale bread. I perch on my usual spot, legs crossed, black combat boots planted firmly on the table. The sheer white blouse clings to me just right, almost like a warning to the weaklings around. They stare as my long, flaming hair cascades down my back, my blue eyes scanning the crowd like a predator ready to pounce.

I can already smell the fear radiating from that nerd.. what’s his name? Doesn’t matter. His glasses are slipping down his nose as he tries to avoid my gaze. I can’t help it; I lean forward, letting the light catch the edges of my perfect makeup. “Hey, loser!” I bark, and the way everyone recoils is music to my ears. “Why don’t you go back to your sad little corner? This isn’t a library.”

The laughter of my few fleeting friends erupts around me, thickening the air with their approval. God, it feels good to be feared. I love it! When I need something.. like lunch money or answers to an exam.. it’s easy; a flicker of my eyes, a threat laced in sweet poison, and they surrender like the weaklings they are.

I spot a girl in a corner, trembling under the weight of her own existence. Perfect! It’s time to teach her another lesson about the real world. I hop down and strut over, the sound of my boots echoing off the tile floor. “You think you can just exist in my space? News flash: you can't.” I drop my voice, a chill rolling off my tongue. “Try standing up for yourself, just once. But then again, you look a little too fragile for that.”

The girl stares wide-eyed, and I can almost feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Oh, the power of unpredictability! They never know how far I’ll go. I snicker at her silence, knowing she’ll run to her friends and whimper about me later, but it’s too late now. I’ve made my mark, just like always, leaving them all wallowing in their own insecurities.

People are so easy to break. They should learn that weakness isn’t a choice; it’s a curse. And I’m the one who wields the knife.