Chapter 5
December came and went and soon it was mid-January. As time went by it got colder and Lia had to use the heater more often than she liked. She wasn’t complaining mostly because she was thankful that she wasn’t in one of those places where it snowed but also because she preferred that over staying at Max’s house. Attie would surprise her ever so often with something a three year old shouldn’t know or shouldn’t say. Lia couldn’t help but think that soon she would have to make plans to send Attie to a preschool. She didn’t know how that was going to happen but she decided that she wouldn’t worry about it yet.
It had been a week since school was back from the Christmas and New Year’s break.Lia hadn’t changed her routine. She went through school like a shadow; she didn’t stand out and didn’t draw any attention to herself. Although it was no way to live, she preferred that than having people meddling in her business. It was a lonely way to live and some days she wished for nothing more than someone who would lend an ear, and maybe a shoulder to lean on. It would never happen, but it was always nice to dream.
That morning while Lia was on her way to her lonely tree, she noticed something. She wasn’t the kind to stand and gawk but, this scene was an all too familiar scene. Somewhere not too far away from where she stood, a girl was arguing with a guy. Lia was about to shrug it off as an arguing couple, but then she saw the look in the girls eyes. Lia knew that look, it was one she had seen many times before. It was the same look she saw in Attie’s eyes that night her stepfather almost burned her. It was a look of terror. For some reason the girl was afraid of the guy and she was trying to walk away but he kept stepping in her way. Something snapped in Lia and before she could question her actions, her legs propelled her forward, toward the arguing bunch.
“Please stop, I just want to go to my class” the girl was saying
“Come on, don’t be shy, why don’t you come with me. I have something I want to show you” he was looking at her with a hungry look.
Lia had made it to the girl’s side in no time; she pulled the girl behind her before she said “She said to leave her alone, so I suggest you do”
Lia turned around not waiting for the guy’s answer and started pulling the girl away with her. The guy jerked her to a stop, by pulling on her shoulder. He looked puzzled, his head tilted on one side as if he was trying to figure Lia out. Lia cocked an eyebrow, in a what-do-you-want kind of way to which he shrugged and made to grab the girl.
“This is between me and her, why don’t you go to wherever you came from”
“And why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” she responded
Lia was never this bold, and she didn’t know why she cared but it just wasn’t in her to let someone take advantage of another. She really didn’t know how she could defend herself from this guy but after all the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather, she wouldn’t let someone else get hurt if she had a say in it. The girl didn’t utter a word but the guy looked even more baffled, he couldn’t figure Lia out.
“Have it your way” he said as he raised his hands to slap Lia.
“Oh no, you won’t” she said bringing her knees up and kicking him in the one place she knew she could do some damage. His hand was within inches of Lia’s face, but it suddenly dropped as he doubled over in pain. Lia took that moment to grab his chin and make him look her in the eyes.
“You listen, you little dirt bag, this is the last time you’ll ever harass a girl. I’ll make sure of it, I’m tired of people like you taking advantage of the ones with no voice. Next time you better think twice, because you’ll be taking a long trip to a place I’m too sure you don’t want to know about. Right now, me and this nice girl here” she said pointing in the direction of the girl who was looking at her with new found respect “we’re heading to the principal’s office so we can let them know what’s going on. I suggest you use that time to get yourself together.”
Lia turned to leave but remembered something at the last minute, she dragged the girl back to where the guy was still standing with tears of pain in his eyes. “You need to apologize to her” she said. The guy looked like he wanted to argue but Lia’s look told him that it wasn’t in his best interest. Still, he pretended not to hear her.
“Apologize” Lia said with warning in her voice. She was ready to stomp on his foot but he anticipated the move.
“I’m sorry” he said reluctantly and angrily.
Without another word, Lia headed to the principal’s office with the girl in tow. The girl never said a word, but Lia was too mad to notice. A little way before she got to the office, Lia stopped in her tracks and turned to face the girl. One look at her face and Lia’s anger vanished and a look of concern crossed her face. The girl had big brown eyes with tears brimming at the corners, she looked young. She was well dressed, her clothes looked like they were expensive, and Lia knew this because at one point in her life she used to dress nice. Now she only shopped at the thrift stores and only on certain days, but she was fine with that. The girl was really pretty; her thick straight dark brown hair cascaded down her back. She was maybe two inches shorter than Lia maybe 5’3; she also looked a little familiar. Maybe Lia had seen her around school, but she wouldn’t know since she didn’t really talk to people. This was probably the girl’s first time dealing with a jerk, and that left her shaken.
“What’s your name?” Lia asked the girl
“Kate”
“I’m Lia, how old are you Kate?”
“I’m fourteen, I am a freshman”
Lia nodded, she was young and the guy looked to be eighteen.
“What happened back there, with that guy? Do you know him?”
“I’ve seen him with my brother before; I think his name is Rob. He was touching me inappropriately and kept telling me what he wanted to do to me; he wanted me to follow him. I think he was high on something, but he scared me.” She started crying
Lia instinctively reached out and hugged her “I’m sorry about jerks like him, but its fine now. I think you should tell your brother.”
After Kate had calmed down significantly, Lia let go of her and turned around “Are you ready to talk to the principal.”
With a nod from Kate they trailed down the hallway to the principal’s office.
****
By the time Lia made it to class everyone was talking about the incident and some were even pointing shamelessly at her. She didn’t care for all the attention, it made her uncomfortable. From what Lia could overhear, Kate was somewhat important. Her brother was supposedly a heartbreaker not that Lia cared, it changed nothing. By the end of the day, this would be history and Lia would go back to being a part of the school furniture or walls.
At lunchtime, as Lia was making her way to the tree that she had claimed a couple of years ago, she felt someone following her. She stole a glance back and her eyes landed on Kate, who smiled and waved cheerfully at her. Lia smiled back, but kept on walking; but Kate took the smile as an invite and began to walk faster. She closed the distance between Lia and herself in no time.
“Are you okay?” Lia asked
“Oh, um yes. Thank you for what you did earlier. I forgot to say thank you.” Kate said sheepishly.
“Don’t mention it” Lia said but didn’t stop walking.
Lia was at the tree now. She placed her things on the floor and sat down. Kate didn’t wait for an invitation but, she plopped herself down next to Lia.
“You don’t have to stay here” Lia said, looking at the girl who was now playing with her phone.
“I know, but I want to” she answered without even looking up
“Don’t you have friends? You should go sit with them, they might be worried”
“Oh no, they’ll be fine.” She looked thoughtful before she added “I don’t think they’re really my friends, they just talk to me because most of them want something, you know?”
Lia nodded, but she really didn’t know what the girl was talking about. Kate didn’t seem to notice as she continued talking.
“Some of them are my age, but most of them are older than me. The only reason I think they talk to me is because they want to get close to my brother. He doesn’t even know they exist; he is oblivious to things like that you know. These girls think that if they say they know me, he somehow will care.”
“Then you shouldn’t be friends with people like that.”
“I know, but then I won’t have anyone.”
It was something that Lia was too used to, she didn’t have anyone. Unlike Kate, Lia wanted the loneliness; it kept her and Attie safe.
“I see”
“Lia?”
“Yea”
“Why did you help me?”
“That was the right thing to do”
For some reason, Lia felt like she was talking to Attie, Attie always asked so many questions.
“I’m glad you did, but I feel ashamed to say that if it were me I probably would have walked away.” Kate said in a softer voice than before. She’d stopped playing with the phone and was now looking at Lia with awe in her eyes.
Lia shrugged, she probably wouldn’t have stopped either, in fact she didn’t even know why she did. It was like she didn’t have any say, her brain just took over and before she knew what was happening she was meddling. Kate returned to playing with the phone; it looked as if she was reading something.
“So what are you doing?” Kate ask Lia
“Homework”
“Why, it’s homework, it should be done at home”
“I have to work later”
“Oh okay” her phone biped, Kate glanced at it before a smile blossomed onto her face. “My brother is coming, do you know him?” she asked
“No”
“Oh” she seemed a bit disappointed, but her smile reappeared just as soon as it left “it doesn’t matter, he’s here”
Just as the words left Kate’s mouth, a shadow fell over the girls. Lia looked up to see an older male version of Kate standing in the shadow of the tree. He looked a lot taller, maybe six feet tall in very expensive clothes. His hair was cut short and was nicely styled, his eyes were as brown as his sister’s and he looked like he visited the gym quite often. Lia’s heart did a flip, something she didn’t quite understand. Maybe she was going to die of an early age, she wouldn’t think about that right now. Right now she was thinking about how all of a sudden, there were two uninvited people under HER tree. Lia was sure other people would be happy to have these guests around, but as for herself, she’d rather not, she liked her privacy.
“Hi I’m Alek, Kate’s brother. I think we have a class together”
“I’m Lia”
Alek slid down against the tree and was now sitting next to Kate and Lia. A little too close to Lia if anyone asked her but she wasn’t mean so she let it go.
“Nice to meet you” He had great manners
“Likewise” Lia said
“Well, I wanted to say thank you for helping my sister out today.” His face was clearly showing how mad he was about the incident.
“It’s no problem, I’m sure anyone would have done the same.” She said, not understanding what the big deal was all of a sudden. She helped get rid of a jerk, but she didn’t want them around her.
“But you’re wrong” Kate said “I wouldn’t have, I’m too scared. My friends wouldn’t either”
Lia shrugged again and kept doing her homework. They sat quietly, with Lia purposefully avoiding them by doing homework and them having a conversation between themselves through text. When the bell rung signaling the end of lunch, Lia slowly got up and gathered her things to go.
“Is it okay if we walk with you?” Kate asked Lia motioning from herself to her brother.
"Sure , it's fine." Lia didn't wait to see if they would follow, but assumed that they would since they asked to walk with her. She really wanted her peace and quiet back. She couldn't afford to befriend people, that sure would lead nowhere good. Surely everything would be back to normal the following day.
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Thank for your long patience. There has been a lot going on and now I am fully back and I'm ready to finish this story. I have many other things to do. I can't wait to share with everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter, please vote and comment to let me know what you think.