Misunderstood

Chapter VI

The bell rang signifying the beginning of lunch, and the end of a long unsually boring physics lesson. Maybe because my mind always wandered to Westley, where he could be staying,where he is right now,whether we'll ever talk again. I really miss him ,but that doesn't cancel what him and Kenzie did to me. Of late she too has been trying to reach out to me but I'm still cold about it anyway. She will have to wait.

I had lots of files this time and I had to navigate between hormonal teens rushing all over, to my lockers and I remember in my hurry I placed my poetry book in the middle of some file which I don't know which one it was.Or did I?

When I was so close to my locker, some elbow rudely nudged my top files and sent them rushing to the floor. I looked down in dismay then up to try spot the culprits of the heinous act, who suddenly vaporized into thin air. Like... How does that happen?

I bent over to pick my mess when someone nudged my knee and all I saw was a white piece of paper. Again I looked up and did not see the sender of the message. I fearfully opened the note.

Dear Tara,
Now since you've been so rude to one of us... You need to learn a lesson. Today will be the day you will never forget.
Hahaha.

Cold sweat trickled slowly on my back. I tried to swallow the lump that was forming on my throat but it only made me chock. I didn't want to cry or to shed tears. I need to fight this battle, coz now the battle lines have been drawn, and as I said and repeat... I HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THIS BATTLE!

"You have a mouth, hands to do just that Tara," he shot back, and he hurt me more. Tears started forming in my eyes, but I ignored them.

"You don't have to rely on us all the time to defend you Tara! You're not a child anymore. You can defend yourself."

Yes Westley, I'm not a child anymore... And I'm going to prove it today. Enough is enough.

***

In the evening
The corridors were filled with shadows wherever I went. I held on more to my files with the increase of fear. My feet shuffled in the loud silence. I knew something bad was about to happen, I don't know what but it will surely will.

I pushed my bangs behind(which have grown rather quickly... I need a haircut!) as I tried to get perfect vision of the near future. Suddenly, my hoodie was jerked from behind, making me fall with everything I had. I tried standing up, but a foot violently pushed my stomach to the floor.

"Is the camera ready? This will be a lesson to you, dear Tara," Candice's menencing voice taunted me while someone dragged me with my hair, "and to all those who attempt to:
1.Submit the trash of an essay that will cause sabotage to us.
And 2. Ratting out through your dad to the principal!"

"Camera's ready," another girl's voice said. Oh great! They want to capture this historic moment... Go ahead. You might record unintended things that may sabotage yourselves. Ha! Ha! Ha!

I opened my eyes for the first time. I spotted Candice, Violet, and three other girls who formed the squad. Where's Kenzie? Oh yeah... She couldn't miss the action... Of course she couldn't. She was the one behind the camera and she hid her face from me when i looked towards her direction.the rest of the girls had one weapon or another. I need to fight this battle, even if it was six against one.

I stood up. I looked at each one of them in the eye. I spat at where I stood. I removed my hoodie and rolled up the sleeves of my shirt. Behold I shouted "I've had enough of you cowards! Come and get me!"
That was the war cry.

They all laughed. And one whip and some hard object descended on me, in addition to one liquid. I clawed blindly as the pain seared the nerves of my body. My eyes stung with tears, because of the immense torture I was going through. But I'm not going to give up just yet.

Finally two strong hands pushed me to the wall. That was enough to sap out all the energy in me.I'm sure they got the boy's help,coz i saw jason and some other guy as i blacked out.

***

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I tasted was blood. Pain traveled in high frequency to the point of a blinding headache. I saw my books scattered a distance away, and a trail of blood flowing from my mouth. From the light outside,it seemed like 5:30pm, I guess. Should I care about my proximity of time really?

I tried to rise up but I depicted a perfect picture of a staggering drunkard, coz I stumbled and fell face first on the floor, pain striking my every injury like lightning. I felt so drained, not just physically but psychologically, I'm so tired to be told that I didn't tor, I didn't defend myself. See the mess I got for even attempting to raise a finger!

The worst part in this is that I really let my fellow bullied down.

Why are we bullied for things we cannot change? For me, it's my intelligence, for you it may be your shy personality that may not allow you to have as many friends, for another it may be a hobby that is considered ancient and dead, like poetry. I'm ready to stand up for what is right and stop bullying at whatever costs. Because everyone should be given a space to be who they want to be, not what the world says for them to be.
Excerpt from my essay(torn to be exact)

Those words still are in my heart. But the bitter truth is that... I can't defend anyone, less myself. What's the point?
I-give-up. Finished. Full stop.

"Tara! Tara! We need to get you cleaned up! I'm here now and I'm sorry for ditching you when you needed me most. C'mon! We can do this!" someone's voice, something like Westley's came over and practically scooped me to oblivion.

Coz my world turned black from here henceforth. The last vague memory was the safety of my poetry book.