[Years Ago]
Morticia, clad in her neat high school uniform, sat in the front corner of the classroom, her attention fixed on her math assignment. A deepening frown creased her brow, revealing the struggle she faced with the work.
“Hey, Bunnie!” Klaus suddenly appeared before her. His class was on the next floor, yet he never failed to come see her. If he didn’t show up, it was usually for a significant reason.
“Hey,” Morticia tried to compose herself. It seemed as if Klaus grew more handsome every day.
The girls in her class scoffed, and Morticia felt their hateful glares, but she was used to it by now.
“What are you doing?” he asked, plopping down beside her and peering curiously at her work.
“Just trying to solve my math assignment. It usually gives me trouble,” Morticia replied with a sigh.
“It’s not that hard,” he scoffed, ruffling her hair. Her heart flutters whenever he does that. “Are you getting dumb? I should tell Vince to start feeding you something for the-”
Before he could finish, Morticia shot him a glare.
He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay! Sorry… don’t bite me…”
She sighed and turned back to her work, then she found it hard to concentrate with Klaus beside her.
“You look cute when you’re about to rip my head off,” he teased, chuckling. Just as Morticia opened her mouth to snap back at him, a girl entered the classroom-pretty, with long brown hair cascading down her waist.
“Hey, Klaus,” she greeted.
Klaus grinned. “What’s up, babe?”
Morticia’s heart sank. Rhea had told her that Klaus had a new girlfriend. The girl, Tasha, was new to the school.
Klaus stood, and Morticia nearly let out a whimper. “See you around, Bunnie,” he winked, wrapping his arm around Tasha’s waist as they left the classroom. Morticia sighed, feeling a familiar sense of defeat.
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, wondering why Klaus never looked her way. Was it because of her brother? Or was it something else?
Her thoughts paused as she assessed her appearance: slightly disheveled hair tied into a bun, oversized glasses rested on her nose, and skin dotted with a few pimples that always appear whenever her monthly flow was close.
She sighed again. Why would Klaus notice her when she looked like this? Tasha and the other girls didn’t have to try-they looked effortlessly beautiful.
At closing hour, Morticia met her brother, Vincent, who was always surrounded by girls drooling over him as they passed.
“C’mon, hurry up, Morty! I’m starving,” Vincent complained. Morticia rolled her eyes as she walked past him.
“How was school today?” he asked, his usual question.
Before Morticia could reply, she spotted Tasha kissing Klaus as they leaned against a tree.
“Ugh!” she thought, feeling like ripping her hair out. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself and entered Vincent’s car.
To her surprise, Klaus joined them in the car, and Morticia clenched her jaw, folding her arms and shifting her gaze to the window.
As they drove, she remained silent while the two best friends chatted animatedly.
“Ah, right, Bunnie… were you able to solve that math question that was troubling you?” Klaus suddenly asked.
Without sparing him a glance, Morticia mumbled, “How is that your business?”
Vincent snickered. “What are you sulking about, innocent demon?”
“I told you not to call me that!” Morticia snapped at her brother. She turned her eyes to Klaus, who was now engrossed in his phone, seemingly oblivious to her.
Phew… another day of Klaus unintentionally hurting her feelings. The silver lining? They would soon graduate from high school, and Morticia could finally take a break.
“Oh my God! Did you hear that the popular Tasha is about to propose to Klaus right now?”
Morticia froze, overhearing the girls behind her gossiping.
“Yes! I doubt Klaus would say no. I heard Tasha is a priest’s daughter who’s never dated. She’s hot, pretty, and nice!”
Morticia slowly closed her locker, listening intently.
“Let’s go watch!”
They scurried away, and Morticia quickly followed them.
“I love you, Klaus!”
Morticia found herself in the student cafeteria, where students surrounded Tasha and Klaus, who stood in the middle.
Tasha looked stunning as always, a bouquet of flowers in her hands, gazing lovingly at Klaus, who appeared indifferent with his hands casually tucked in his pockets.
Dimitri, part of the crowd, smirked. Oh no. The poor priest’s daughter had no idea who Klaus really was.
Nica wore a concerned expression while others whispered among themselves, aware of Klaus’s infamous dating policy.
Tasha seemed to sense the tension, her eyes darting around nervously. Finally, Klaus reacted.
“What?” he scoffed.
“Huh?” Tasha blinked, confused.
“What the hell is this?” he asked curtly, his gaze hardening, making Tasha visibly uncomfortable.
“I’ve felt this way since we got together. I love you, Klaus. I can’t stop thinking about you,” she confessed.
A grin spread across Dimitri’s face.
Klaus sighed, rolling his tongue over the ring in his lower lip. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Tasha’s face fell.
“You’re new doesn’t mean you should be dumb. Before you threw yourself at me, I clearly told you I don’t do shitty feelings. But here you are, holding a fucking bunch of flower, right before everyone. Are you fucking serious right now, Tasha?” His voice rose at her, each words hit Tasha in a hard way.
“I thought… I thought we could… I thought you felt the same way after I gave you my innocence…”
“Innocence?” Klaus frowned, clearly taken aback. “You were a virgin?”
Tasha’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes, Klaus. I loved you, that’s why I…”
“You’re making yourself look even more pathetic. And this?” Klaus gestured around, irritation etched on his face. “This is over. Don’t come near me again, or you’ll regret it.” He stepped away, the crowd parting for him.
Heartbroken, Tasha stood in the middle of the cafeteria, tears streaming down her face. The bouquet fell from her hands as she sobbed.
One by one, the students dispersed. Dimitri laughed and left with Nica, while Morticia lingered.
She pulled out a handkerchief and approached Tasha. “Here, take this.”
Tasha’s face was red as she struggled to breathe. “Go away!” She pushed Morticia’s arm away and ran out.
That was the last time Morticia saw Tasha. That day, Vincent scolded Klaus, who showed no remorse. He had warned Tasha about his policy, but she had thrown herself at him… or perhaps..
Tasha was just hopelessly in love with Klaus-just like Morticia.