Project: Socialize (Chapters 1-197)

22. Classroom Conflict

Normally, I would not use such tactics, because in order to succeed, one would need the aid of a friend or a group of friends. It is a form of public shaming, so multiple people are needed to complete the shaming. Since I do not have any friends, this strategy would never work for me. However, since I have Muria who's willing to cooperate with me for the time being, this strategy is thus guaranteed to succeed. Not because of me, but because of Muria. Her reputation is way better than mine so that would contribute to success greatly.

"Those people are so annoying," I continued. "Do they just want attention or something?"

"I think so," Muria half-crossed her arms before her chest and smirked as she glared at those people that sat around Loyd's desk as if she's glaring at maggots, ignoring the fact that they gazed back at her with a sense of anger. "They must be so insecure that they demand attention."

"Right?" I exclaimed and then glanced over at the group in a mocking manner. "Especially those that huddle around the popular kid, trying to make it seem like they too are popular."

"What the hell dl you want?" A big male student could no longer stand our mockery and stood up immediately. He clenched his right hand into a fist and held it before him. "Shut the fuck up or I'll knock your ass out!"

"There we go," I chuckled. "That's how you differentiate those that lack intellect from those that do."

"What the hell did you just say?!" The boy started walking over towards me.

"Stop," I heard Loyd say, and the man stopped and smiled mockingly at me.

"Y-yeah!" The other students in the group started chiming in. "Who the hell are you?"

"See," he laughed. "Even other people look down on you."

His statement made me quite uncomfortable, but not enough to make me snap. I just merely sat there in my seat, watching with disdain as these ugly humans before me laughed mockingly at me.

"I'm not saying stop to Alevian," Loyd said in that same calm voice as before. "I'm saying it to you." Loyd glanced over at the boy. "If you continue on, you'll be the one who's knocked out."

"What?" The boy laughed and pointed a finger over towards me. "By him?"

"It won't be him," Loyd said, standing up from his desk and cracked his knuckles. "Because you don't deserve to even have him lay a finger on you."

"L-Loyd," the boy stuttered. "What do you mean?"

"I mean if you want to go at him you'll have to go by me."

"We were just kidding, Loyd," a girl tried to calm the situation down as she placed her hands on Loyd's arm.

"Just kidding?" Loyd maintained that eerie smile of suppressed anger as he looked over at the girl. "You don't know how many people you've hurt with that excuse. Can you all just go away for now?" Loyd asked politely. "I'm not in the best of mood at the moment."

"...Hey," a girl whispered to her companion. "Let's go."

Then, the crowd around Loyd's desk dispersed, leaving Loyd alone with Muria and I.

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" I said to him. "It's just a short term berating and maybe a few punches gets thrown at me, nothing I've never been through. It's not worth it to jeopardize your own reputation."

"It's worth it," Loyd smiled and turned to face Muria and I. "I value our relationship more than with them. And besides," Loyd smiled bitterly at me. "Why do you always so quietly accept everything for what it is? Why don't you ever rebuke? Why don't you ever fight back? I know what you're capable of, but why?"

"There's something's in this world that one does not simply do," I sighed and glanced out the window. "But thanks for your help anyways. You too, Muria. If it weren't for you the whole thing wouldn't have worked out."

"Don't worry about it," Muria smiled in that usual supercilious manner towards me. "They were a nuisance to me as well."

I sighed and finished my sandwich, knowing that in the end, those people would target their animosity at me most likely.

Judging off the fact at how they did not confront Muria, it was obvious that they'll be targeting me with their behind-the-back talks. This form of bullying, called "jokes," by these people, will probably render me the laughing stock of the classroom, but that's not a single matter to me. I don't care about my classmates, let alone my reputation among them. If my self sacrifice can engender some entertainment or amusement for others, then so be it. Wow, I sound so saintly saying that.

"Your relationship is surely as nice as expected," Loyd chuckled. "You two don't even need to communicate for that."

"It's called her being smart," I said, closing my eyes and leaning back on my chair with my legs crossed in front of me.

I wasn't complimenting Muria in any sort of way. It's just the fact. She's one of the most intelligent people at our school, always being ranked at the top of the class in terms of academics. She just makes it seem so simple. And in addition to that, she has the looks, and a nice attitude to those that she doesn't find offensive to her...wait. Does that mean she finds me offensive?

I opened one eye and peeked at her. She had resorted to eating her lunch once again, but this time in serenity. As for me, I just stared at her, captivated by how elegant she made eating looked.

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch and the start of fifth period, history. It's a relatively bad class to have right after lunch since I'm usually quite sleepy after eating and listening to a bunch of random historical dates does not peak my interest and help me stay awake.

Therefore, I yawned and rested my chin on the surface of my desk, waiting for the history teacher to enter the classroom through the sliding door at the front of the classroom. The door slid open as always, but who entered was different.

My mouth opened wide as I recognized the person who entered, and my classmates were all talking among themselves about the new teacher.

"The original history teacher, Mr. Wilkins," the new teacher said as she smiled and looked about the room with her violet eyes until those eyes concentrated on me, "has been transferred to another school district. Therefore, from now on, I shall be your history teacher."

Emilia then proceeded to pick up the chalk and write her name on the board.

"My name is Emilia Gabrielle Zartlich, you may refer to me as Ms. Zartlich. You look quite confused," she said, smiling as she gazed into my eye from the podium. "You have a question?"

Author's Note:

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