Without Words

12- Football or Soccer

"Did he just throw that guy in the trash can?" I asked appalled as Katelyn and I arrived at school. A buff guy threw a lanky kid at the garbage bin, the crowd around him cheering.

"Welcome to high school in America." She just shrugged, slinging her bag on her shoulders and examining the scene for a second, as if this was a normal thing. "At least it isn't Betty this time. Poor girl."

I turned to her, asking for an elaboration. "Betty is a junior. They threw here bag in the pool last week. All her things were soaked."

"And they're doing these because?"

"They're bullies."

"No one is stopping them?" I asked in disbelief. I thought this kind of drama doesn't exist in this school and if it did, it would be taken care immediately.

"You know how the hierarchy operates; those movies we watched ought to give you some idea. You defend someone, you become their replacement." She explained as a matter of fact and the continuous cheering on the side was really making me angrier. "Do you not have the occasional bullies in London?"

"We have but not to this extent." I frowned then stared at the scene once again. A lot of students were watching but no one bothered to help. A skinny guy tried to climb out of the garbage bin but buff dude just pushed him back again and laughed boisterously. I noticed that he also held a pair of broken glasses on his hands. I scowled at him, wishing I could somehow inflict pain with my eyes, then, stopped on my tracks. "Wait, is that Sebastian?"

"Yup."

"Sebastian as in my brother's friend?"

"We told you you're the better Forbes."

"And my brother just let him do this?" Then a horrible thought came up. "Please tell me Matt doesn't do these kinds of things too."

"No, he doesn't. But he doesn't necessarily stop them even if he can so that makes him just as equally guilty."

That didn't cheer me up at all. A few weeks in school and I already know the popular cliques and kids you don't want to mess with. Among those includes Matt and his gang. Dan and his own friends weren't as loud as them but they hold an equal place in the school's top hierarchy. Our friend, Noah, was always the victim of bullies when we were kids and the four of us would be there to defend him. It leaves a bad taste on my mouth that Matt and Dan are now the ones they should be protecting Noah from. Their acquiescence on this kind of behavior makes them makes them just as worse as Sebastian.

.......................

I was on my way to the cafeteria. My friends and I were having our lunch at an empty classroom Katelyn commandeered for ourselves; her official reason was we are discussing club activities. I needed more of my daily dose of sugar and iced coffee so I decided to get some.

My friends and I prefer eating at the outdoor area than here inside. Unfortunately, the weather is chillier than normal today so we stayed in. The noise and chatter greeted me as I entered. True to the movies, I could already identify the cliques and their tables. I shook my head in disappointment as I saw my brother's table. I still couldn't believe he is in cahoots with bullies. So much for saying he'll be the protector of the weak when we were kids, this is almost like a betrayal to his sworn duty. We may not be on good terms now but I don't want to be related to someone who nonchalantly throws guys to garbage bins.

"Poor kids." Bonnie, the woman working the counter muttered as she staraed at the table ahead. "They wouldn't even give them a break."

I followed her line of vision and saw Sebastian pointing at a table by the corner. Three people were seated on it. I saw the guy from the garbage bin this morning, a girl with thick curly black hair and an overweight guy wearing a colorful vest with tomato stains at the center. I noticed he was only drinking water. They could hear Sebastian's comments but they were choosing to ignore it.