Second Chance-Attempt at Short Story(:

Back in elementary school, everyone called him Two-Face.

I remember sitting in the back of the classroom resting my head on my desk. Almost like clockwork when the lunch bell shrieked a certain group of kids, bullies mind you, always walked over to his desk. I remember they would taunt about how his burnt face reminded them of Two-Face, a villain from Batman. They would throw scattered objects at him, taunting him to pull out some coin and judge them. They would hit, they would spit, and they would tell jokes about him.

And I laughed. At the end of every lunch period I remember barely being able to keep me breathe in, my face would be cherry red, my short black hair would be a bundle of strands, and my eyes would be tearing up.

‘Hey! Two Face! Get over here’, said one of the bullies. His massive demeanor, for an elementary school student, would strike fear into all who walked in his way. He was a whole 80 pounds of pure arrogance.

Two-Face didn’t respond. He only looked down towards his desk---many innapropate words had been sketched onto it.

As I watched this unfold I, like per usual, was leaning on my desk waiting for the show. I looked down, laying on my skirt that I had stretched out were a bunch of sour Skittles. Looking up I pondered, how will todays show turn out. Will it be a comedy where they taunt him and make Batman jokes? Will it be a tragedy where they poke around at his past, trying to find out why half his face was burnt? Or will it be a thriller where they push him to the limit and like a hero he would awaken some power and defeat all his enemies?

Either way, it was going to be good.

‘Hey, Two-Face! Aaron Egghart called! He said he wants his mask back!’

Like a bunch of idiots, they all laughed. Spit and food flying from their petite mouths. It wasn’t even that good of a joke. COME ON, I thought as I tapped my finger on the wooden desk impatiently. I didn’t rob my brothers candy stash to see such lame jokes.

Gimme the goods!

‘Hey, Two-Face! I bet your mothers face is half-burnt as well!’

Oh?

‘Yeah! Your moms probably as ugly as you!’

Oh? I grabbed a handful of sour Skittles and threw them in my mouth. GAH! Sour!

‘I bet your mom has her whole face burnt!’

‘Your face is probably messed up because of all the genes from the guys your mother has FUCKED! What a whore!’

Vulgar…I love it! I was on the edge of my seat now. Whats going to happen? What can happen? Can he fight? Will he fight? Can he see from that side of his face? I looked around and noticed that everyone was staring towards this little commotion. My heart begun to race in excitement…What is going to happen? I am so…excited. I don't even think they know the definiton of that word.

‘Your moms a slut!’

'Whore Whore Whore!’

‘YEAH! Shes a bit---’

As if in slow motion, Two-Face suddenly raised his bruised hands and grabbed the nearest bully. The three of them combined were nothing compared to his strength. He savagely brought one of the bullies’ face onto the corner of his desk---he proceeded to get up from his seat and like a man to his meat---he beat the crap out of it.

He left the room in complete silence. We didn’t know whether to cheer or jeer, all we did know was that---this was the last time we saw Two-Face. As the teacher dragged him out I was right outside the entrance, what I saw gave me chills. The faces that we had grown used to seeing on Two-Faces face was him smiling, frowning, and crying.

The face that I saw as he was dragged out was none of those---instead it was of what I can only describe as ecstasy. He looked my way once and I was paralyzed. His dark green eyes were always imposing but now with the shadow of anger and pure joy on his face---I felt fear. His left green eye popped out even more due to his burn mark.

From that moment on---I was obsessed with him. Not in the sense of romance but I wanted to know more, I wanted to know his backstory and I am more curious of what is to come of him. Not out of love---but out of curiosity.

10 years later.

'Ah crap!’ I yelled as I hurried to change myself into my clothes I left overnight. I had an interview set up for a newspaper company at 12---it was 11:11. I tore of my nightgown and exposed myself onto a mirror. I quickly slipped on my gray dress pants, put on my D-Cup bra, slipped on a slim white t-shirt and over that my gray coat. With the clock ticking I simply grabbed a spray bottle and did my long blonde hair as best as I could. Like the cheetah that I am I ended up in my older brothers car in less than 20 minutes.

‘Le…Lets…Agigndets…Lets get going!’ I said as I finished eating the strawberry glazed donut that I stuffed into my mouth.

‘Got everything?’, my older brother, Carter, asked me politely.

‘Yes asshole! Hurry up we got---shit I forgot my watch! What time is it!’

’11:47, alright well be going now. Just don’t regret it if you end up forgetting something’. Carter started the ignition on our 2010 Mitsubishi and like a roadrunner we were off. At each red light I tapped my fingers on my gray binder I had chosen for the occasion. I had always wanted to become a Journalist---that’s probably where I got my obsession for Two-Face in the first place. A good Journalist wants the scoop and not some boring story, we need drama, action, and romance!

Which is something I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing.

‘Alright! Thanks bitch brother! I’ll call you when I get hired!’ I exclaimed as I ran down the busy city block. The streets around this time are usually empty, but I guess not today because FRICK ME WORLD! I squished through people all to get to a massive glass building where my future wallet lies. When I grabbed that freezing door handle it was like Heaven itself greeted me.

’12 fricking O’ clock’, I said to myself as I entered the air-conditioned building, ‘I am beasting and feasting’.

I walked over to the reception desk, ‘Yeah…Uhmm I have an appointment with Mr.Bridges at---right now actually. I was wondering where I can find him?’

The kind and stereotypical attractive reception lady who I was already jealous of smiled kindly and replied, ‘Yes, Mr.Bridges told us about you. He unfortunately left a couple of minutes ago but he told me to tell you this---fuck off’.

Wha!! Welp, this was a surprise.

‘Me! He told me to screw off! What a massive joke---you got to be kidding me, right?!’

With the same nice and attractive smile on her face she said, ‘Don’t make me call security’.

Why? Reluctantly, I rose both hands in the air and waved my binder as if it were a white flag, ‘Fine fine’, I let gravity take my hands and my pride downwards, ‘Did Mr.Bitches at least leave a reason why he didn’t want to hire me?’

‘Mr.BRIDGES….did leave a reason why. He said it was because he found someone better and that he didn’t like your teenage rebellious attitude when your what---17?’

‘I am 19 and soon to be 20!’ I exclaimed…..I wasn’t really angry at the woman but I found my anger being directed towards that ‘better pearson’. I didn’t even know the dude but I already hated him. He probably puts milk before his cereal.

‘Now, please move I have others waiting in line patiently’, the nice, kind, and attractive lady said once more. How can she basically diss me with a straight face!

I huffed and puffed towards the corner of the massive room where there was a type of lounge room, people could come here and hang out or do whatever. I plopped down on the first unfortunate chair and laid there with my hands and legs looking like octopus tentacles. I dropped the binder on the marble floor. What a terrible day this has turned out to be! I just wanted to express my love for writing! Is that really a bad thing?

‘Excuse me…uhmmm….lady…’.

What a terrible day! I bet not even Steve Harvey had a bad day like this!

‘Missus….lady….can you hear me?’

Actually! Not Steve Harvey I know someone who had a worse day than him---Abraham Lincoln! Just imagine saving your country and to only die a few days after. That truly sucks.

‘LADY!’

‘WHAAAAAAAT!’ Oh? Was that my voice? I didn’t even know who I was speaking to. Welp it doesn’t matter let this innocent person be the target for me to release all my insecurities.

‘How ‘bout you back the heck off before I grab this big and very thick---with two c’s mind you! And smack the corner of it right on your head!’

‘Whoa? Is violence like that necessary for this type of situation?’

‘Of coarse it is! Now---leave me alone so I can drown on my sorrows!’

‘Wellllll….. I can’t really……I was more or less ordered to meet up with you by Mr.Bridges’.

‘You mean Mr.Bitches! Wait….meet with me?’

I adjusted my octopus posture into a sophisticated business person position, straight back and proud posture, and finally got a good look at the person standing in front of me. From my position he looked---still kind of small. Wow what slug.

But besides that he wore what most business man wore, a black suit and tie, he had long black hair that was tied into a ponytail and a massive scar on his left e y e…..

Huh.

No way.

Just like this?

Is this fate?

‘TWO FACE!’ I, for the third time in this building, yelled out into the open air. People stared our way but I didn’t even blush out of embarrassment. I feel no shame.

The man took a step back, his hair strands bouncing, and with a very concerned look on his face he glared at me.

‘T-Two Face, huh? Seems like we have a lot to talk about…That’s good because I didn’t want to force conversation’. He said ever calmy as I nodded my head like a maniac.

We walked out the building side-by-side like sophisticated business people. He looked ever calm and confident with his ponytail looking self---while I was buzzing with excitement! I had so many questions to ask!

We stopped at our friendly neighborhood Starbucks, he got a caramel Frappe while I---had no money….

‘What do you want?’

‘Huh? You mean---You’re offering?’

‘My treat’.

‘Don’t regret this.’ I smirked and all while rubbing my hands together I recited the 7 orders of cakes and 3 orders of coffee all the while I could literally see the life slip away as Two-Face handed over the cash. Where does he work? Where does he get his money?

We ended up sitting on the outside patio where the morning sun was JUST beginning to rise over the massive glass buildings.

‘So…Since you called me Two-Face I can assume where knew each other once?’ Two-Face said with a calm masculine face as he sipped his simple black tea with no SUGAR or MILK! Who the hell does that?!

‘Welp’, I took a sip of my already half-way empty caramel Frappe, ‘I won’t say we knew each other on a personal level….but I always watched from the distance…CRAP! That sounded wrong I swear I ain’t no stalker!’

‘HAHA!’ Two-Face wiped his mouth off with a napkin, ‘Do not worry. I always analyze before assuming stuff. But back to the point---where you around when I was bullied?’

Whoa. I was genially surprised. I assumed he would have trouble talking about that specific point in time, I believed that it was a momentous scar on his life for him but I guess even I can be wrong sometimes.

‘Since you brought it up. Yes. I was around when you got bullied---I hope you mind me asking but whay do you seem so carefree even mentioning that time?’

‘Oh, easy answer’, he took another sip, twirled his cup, and took another sip before shooting it like a basketball to the nearest trash can. He missed, ‘It is because I have already overcome that. I no longer feel ashamed because of my half burnt face---I actually show it off now!’

‘Which explains the weird ass Japanese haircut’.

‘Huh? Is it that weird? I thought it looked cool’, Two-Face dragged his hair back.

Ok. So he doesn’t fear that time anymore---so hes brave. But lets keep digging into some other demons shall we! Its all part of Journalism---if there is no news then make some!

‘How exactly did you overcome all that constant hitting and verbal abuse?’

‘My mom showed me the way. Wanna know how I got this scar?’

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOGOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODoh my god.

‘Sure, why not’.

‘I got this burnt scar---from my mom’.

Plot twist? bnha.

‘ Are you sure you want to talk about your mom like this? I mean you’re not about to diss her after praising her, right?’

‘Do not worry about me…but I get a feeling I can share these thoughts with you’.

Ahhhhh. What a sweet guy! And what a smooth talker!

'I was born into a messed up household. My father would constantly beat the living hell out of my mom and I and after each beating she kept saying that she loved him. I had that same dumb face of yours---I saw no reason for her to love him’.

So, in the end his story was a tragedy.

‘ After each beatdown she would soothe me with her singing. She had a sweet voice---but that man even took that from her. One day she finally snapped. I walked into the kitchen late at night for a snack---I already thought it suspicious that the kettle was on but I didn’t really mind it. Anyway, I walked in and in the corner I saw my mom huddled…like a murder’.

‘W-w-what happens next?’ I asked, making him keep talking.

‘As it turns out the boiling hot water was meant for my father but once again life was a bitch towards me. I ended up getting the water splashed over my left side….and that is the story of why I am burnt on the left side of my face’.

I…I don’t know what to say. Comfort him? Crack a joke?

‘But after living with my mom for the past few years she reminded me that life isn’t all that bad. When those kids talked about my mom like that I had no other choice but to retaliate---now way I’m going to let some stuck up prick kids talk about something they don’t understand! Theres more to the story but my stomach in honestly feeling like crap so I’m going to end it on this note. I enjoy life now…by the way.. What is your name?’

‘My name? It is Kayla….w-what about yours?’

‘Joseph’.

At that moment I felt like cupid himself sent a miniature arrow straight towards my heart. As I looked at the man in front of me---a confident, smiling, and ponytail looking man and compare it to his younger self. I see no difference. Brave and strong. That is what is required to survive in this world. My heart now began to beat faster---why? I see a different light of him now---and I love it! I am not sure but what I am sure of is that I want to see Two Face---I mean Josephs journey all the way through his life.

Until the end.

‘By the way I am the ‘better person’ Mr.Bridges was talking about’.

‘Well no shit Sherlock’.