Nothing But Pretend

Tamara Palmer

“Oh, hurry up, kids, and you’ll be late on your way to school.”

I looked at the head of the family, Uncle Arthur. He is the father of my cousin, Rebeka. I am completely orphaned, but I have an uncle who kindly adopted me and is taking care of me right now.

My parents left me to him, they died in a tragic accident when I was only 9 years old. He treated me as if his real child. Unlike other orphans completely covered and enslaved.

Mama and Uncle Arthur are siblings. So,

For now, Uncle Arthur runs and grows my parent's small business.

"I'm done, Uncle," I replied while fixing the book I will take to school.

"Me too, Papa," Rebeka replied.

“Okay. Get in the car first and I'll get something upstairs.”

"Okay." Rebeka stood up and approached her mother, she asked Aunt Mayeth to maybe kiss her cheek.

"Bye, Mom, take care of yourself here, okay?"

Before I could even see her kiss on the cheek by Aunt Mayeth, I immediately averted my gaze. That was what I didn’t like to witness — a mother and daughter's moment.

I just sighed and shook my head when I

Anyway, my name was Tamara Palmer, a sixteen-year-old third-year student at St. Vincent Academic School. A beautiful, gorgeous cheerleader, good leader, sexy, droll, vixen, vivid, and of course, — I am the Campus, Queen.

What others know is that I am a cheerful person but they were wrong. Because deep inside me, I was a weak person. I always hid my real emotions. I just showed them my only bravest side.

I don’t care about the people around me, as long as I just want to show everyone that I am always okay.

I participated in various school competitions. Getting the attention of those people around me was my greatest achievement.

"Move!" I was surprised when someone bumped into my shoulder.

“Isn't it really hard for you to ask all of a sudden, and you're not just pushing there immediately.” I was disgusted to face Rebeka. “You are a student, but you have no manners.”

“If you don't want to push, eh, know how to avoid me. Move! ”

I would have answered her but when I turned my back on, Uncle Arthur was coming. So rather than fight, I get better kept quiet.

If how kind Uncle Arthur was to me, it is opposite to his wife and daughter Rebeka. If Rebeka is beautiful, then I am so much more beautiful. So, I no longer wonder why she is insecure with me.

Rebeka is also smart, but I am smarter than her. So she is always disgusted when everyone compares us together. But what she didn’t know, I was the more insecure because she has a whole and happy family.

I let out a deep sigh. Was this the life God wanted me to live? The hardship, it's also annoying to be jealous of those whose families. If only it would be like this sad now, I wish I hadn't lived. I hope Mom and Dad have included me in their death. Because living alone was not what I’d been expecting my whole life. It was painful and difficult to be alone.

I was still silent until we arrived at the gate of St. Vincent. Before going down, Rebeka kissed her dad on the cheek. That is also what I did.

“Bye, Uncle. Take care always.”

“Thank you, baby. Be careful and study

I was frustrated. "Uncle!"

He pinched my nose again. “Why are you frowning again?"

"I'm just thinking," I replied, then glanced at Rebeka. I smiled because she felt annoyed. I don't know why she's jealous of the sweetness I have with my Uncle. Is it my fault if Uncle and I are really that close?

“Bye, Uncle. Be careful while driving home.”

Rebeka shook. I don't want to quarrel with her because it lowers oneself. I also don't want to fight, but she seems like every day wants trouble even when there is nothing reason.

I got out of the car first and entered immediately at the huge gate of St. Vincent. And as I always did, I walked gracefully inside the campus. Almost everyone glanced at me again and was amazed at my seductive walk— whether male or female. Well, that was my natural walk, the type that seems to be on stage and presenting myself as a finalist in a beauty pageant.

I just smile when they stare, especially the men in the hallway. That's it, every woman has been insecure with me again. But okay because I know many of them to idolize my beauty.

No man gets too close to me to woo. Everyone is scared to be busted, and I laugh in front of students. Like what I did to those well-known heartthrobs. For me, all of them were just plain boring.

“Hi, Tamara,” I heard someone greet me. I smiled, then waved. That’s how I get the students ’attention. I felt so energized when they always noticed me.

“You are always flirting,” It was no other than, my cousin.

I turned to Rebeka. “Are you talking to me, my dear cousin? Well, I don’t care. And you can think about whatever you want.” I smiled to make her even angrier.

“Arrogant. Well, Tamara, someone like you doesn’t belong to this exclusive school! You should be in public school! You heard me?”

My eyebrows rose at what Rebeka said. But still, I managed to smile sarcastically at her. “Oh, really, cousin? well, if I don’t belong here, then, you also don’t deserve to be here. You know what? There is no problem for me if I still study in public school because I know myself. I’m intelligent. I also have a lot of talents. I’m also beautiful and I’m famous as always. More will be done they make me queen, more famous, more beautiful. Then you, still trying hard always. You look like a young politician... you almost buy the sympathy of the people around us.” Rebeka's forehead furrowed even more. “You know, what makes me angry now, please stop it. I'm not in the mood to get annoyed, Rebeka! If I were you, stop that behavior against me because you're the only one who's frustrated. We better support each other. It's not like you're racing anymore and always competing with me."

“No way! I never aspired to be a sister to someone just like you in our family.”

My eyebrows rose. “Whoa! I don't want to be a sister to someone like you at the core.”

Rebeka was stunned by what I said.

Huh! Insult more, Rebeka, and that's not all you will taste insulted by me.

To get rid of my annoyance, I just turned my back on her, then went straight to our classroom.

I even wondered why my classmates were shouting, especially my female and gay classmates. My forehead furrowed at the noise.

"He's really handsome, isn't he?" said my woman classmate in a loud voice and squirmed in super romantic excitement.

“Yes, it looks like he's delicious to swallow intact,” said another classmate.

“Oh, guys... please leave him to me, he's my ultimate crush. I do not swallow him. I'll just make him happy,” said one of them with a lip-biting.

"Me too! Superb. ” And another who also screamed while trembling.

“Uhf. My Magnus. You're mine, please...” And they all squealed at once.

I rolled my eyes.

Magnus here, Magnus there, and Magnus everywhere. All female and gay students were always drooling over his name. How long will they last to mention the name of that proud man?

Inside the campus or on social media, he is being talked about. They immediately made that man famous. So, in just a week, not surprisingly the head of that arrogant will grew immediately.

Magnus was a fourth-year transfer student from our rival school. I don't know why that person is at our school. eh, it's almost halfway through the school year. Miraculously, our school accepted him here. Well, after all, money does something else.

I’d already encountered the guy. Yeah, I admit he was totally hot. But he was also self-centered. At first sight, he was mischievous, rude, and annoying. I do not want he can be seen or even encountered on the vast campus.

I looked at my classmates, then raised my eyebrows. They keep silent. I intentionally did that to stop them from shouting.

My 2 best friends came in. Aira and Robert a.k.a Roberta. Like our other classmates, they were also screaming and trembling when they approached me.

Gosh! He was their main topic again.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Will you please stop mentioning his name?” I did so the rest will glance at me.

"Pardon, best friend?" they both replied in unison.

“I said stop mentioning—” I stopped and just sighed. Hey. What’s wrong with it? maybe they idolize the person so go ahead, I'll just let it go. "Never mind."

"Ah, okay."

And they resumed the topic of that Magnus.