PATRIARCHY

four

"Thanks," she sniffs as she gathers her stuff. I give her a hug, as she tidies her frizzy hair.

She smiles weakly at me as we join the stream of people in the hallway. We get to our classroom, and it turns quiet once everyone sees us.

We ignore it after exchanging a look, walking to our seats among the stares. I follow right behind her, before a girl sitting down, Willah, locks our way by putting her foot in front of us.

"Nancy, hey! Lost any virginity lately?" she squeaks, inducing minor laughs ahead of us. Nancy lets out an immediate exhale, crouching forward like she's suffered a blow to the stomach.

"Excuse me?" I blurt, and Willah shifts towards me.

"Amelia! Didn't see you there," she says.

"Well, now you do. Put your foot back." I demand. She lets out a scoff, and I snap - giving a kick to her polished blue shoes.

"Put your foot back I said."

"Well look at you two! Frizzy and floozy," she says after a gasp, a subtle tinge of irony bound to her sentence.

"Don't call her names," I say. My eyes examine the room, and they land on a blonde-haired boy, sitting in the front row. The sudden realization that Daniel has told everyone what happened between him and Nancy hits not only me, but Nancy too, as she clings onto my hand, staring warily at him.

"Amelia, she lost her virginity before her claiming ceremony! It's gross," she argues, her eyes widening like I'm the one who's out of line. I shift towards Daniel's seat, and he's observing the situation closely. His eyes are at a squint, but I can tell--amusement is hiding behind them.

I feel my gut twist when I consider that all of this, all of what Nancy has been put through for the last week, is because a boy decided to take advantage of her. It's not fair.

"You have to have sex in order to lose your virginity," I breathe deeply, heat spreading from my chest to the tips of my fingers. I hear cautious, slow footsteps entering the classroom, and I sense the will to turn to the door and see who it is, but I remain immovable.

Anger curdles around inside of me as the demeaning peer of Willah's eyes drill deeply into Nancy. Among the sea of beaming eyes, in the moment of frustration, I complete my sentence.

"And rape isn't sex."

My body quickens, and I'm able to turn around to the head of the class once I hear a loud slam. My body shifts first, seeing Willah's stunned eyes before I adjust to the teacher, having just crashed his books against his desk.

"What?" Mr. Whicker bursts—moving beside the desk, his fingers tracing the edge of it like he's checking for dust. His dress shoes tap the floor, his quiet footsteps approaching Nancy and me. His eyes shift between Nancy and me, as we are the only one standing.

"What was that you said?" He asks again, leaning his head slightly forward. I panic, my head turning cold and the anger freezing into fear.

"Nothing, I'm sor-"

"She accused Daniel of rape, Sir." Willah's cutting voice interrupts me, and my jaw clenches, deciding not to even look at her. I look directly at the teacher, but I see Daniel shifting his sight between me, Nancy, Willah and Mr. Whicker in the corner of my eye.

"Is this true Amelia?" Mr. Whicker presses, taking another step towards me. My lips part for me to start talking, but the chords in my throat fail me, and a suppressed sigh emerges. He puts a hand on my shoulder, and every fragment of bravery in me evaporates. His hand tugs at the side of my arm, hauling me towards the door. As I'm out of the classroom, I notice he grabbed Nancy as well.