Summer's nearly over. Before school starts, all of us–Juan, Fátima, Marina and I–know what happened to Diego. We're all thrilled to have him back with us but, at the same time, we also feel angry and humiliated on his behalf. We want to do something about it but we don't know what, so that's when we decide we need a trip to Menorca. This time we meet at mine. My brother Rodrigo also knows what happened and wants to help us out. In light of all the mean things they did to us last school year and the general attitude of the popular kids, we decide it's time to take action. We want to make them stop and think, to help them realize the damage they're capable of doing and laugh in the face of their lust for power because, in the end, it's just ridiculous.
It's 9 p.m. on September 9th and we're all in sat in the dining room at my place. Fátima joins online and drops in on the conversation when she can from Morocco. Marina is more annoyed and more determined to get revenge than any of us:
"I'd report them to the police and fuck the sons' of bitches lives up for good. Let the judge decide what those assholes deserve."
"I've thought about it a lot and I don't think I'm going to do it. It was sexual abuse, that's as clear as day, but in a trial they would argue that no one forced me to go to Gonzalo's house, that no one forced me to drink or smoke joints. I wouldn't dare to show the video as evidence, I stole Sandra's phone. And besides, I have no desire to go through another fucking humiliation," says Diego.
"Diego's right; talking the legal route will get us nowhere," says Fátima.
"Well let's give them a beating. I can call my buddies to gives us a hand," insists Marina.
"And they'll take pictures while we beat them up, post them on Instagram then it'll be us that look like the fascists and they'll be the heroes," says Diego.
"Exactly," seconds my brother. "We have to be smarter than that to prove the kind of cruelty only those fucking cowards are capable of."
"And how the hell do we do that?" asks Marina.
"I wish I could be there with you, guys. I'm sorry I'm so far away. I feel like I'm abandoning when you need me the most," says Fátima.
"We're all in this together in one way or another, Fátima, each of us does what they can. Don't worry, I'm sure you can still help from there," Juan assures her.
We carry on talking and talking and talking. We come up with lots of ideas and start hatching a plan. A plan that never would have occurred to us before. An incredible plan. When we're done planning, my brother wants to make sure of something:
"Diego, are you sure you want to go ahead with this?"
"I've never been more sure of something in my life," concludes Diego.
It's been a very, very productive trip to Menorca. And we get to organizing Plan Unpopular, as we call it. We no longer feel embarrassed about their name for us, we even start feeling proud of it.
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Unpopular
Short StoryThis book is about those who nobody talks about, about those who go unnoticed in class, those who receive criticism, so much criticism that they are silenced. We are the Unpopular, and we're here to share our story, with its lights and shadows, but...
