Silent and lonely world (Dark clouds before sunny weather - Book 1)

Chapter 12

Mo Xuanyu was standing next to the table with refreshments with an empty glass in his hands. He was not sure what to do next. His teacher told him to go outside, get a drink and then play with the other children. But Mo Xuanyu did not find it appropriate to join them, bad boys did not deserve to have fun; and he had already gone against this statement when he was enjoying watching the others play.

He was at a complete loss, terrified to his bones. Although he was listening to his teacher diligently, he was not sure that his aunt and uncle were talking about this kind of event when they had set the rule. He should probably ask the teacher to be allowed to go back home after all, perhaps that would be the best solution at the moment. However, his treacherous legs refused to move, he still wanted to enjoy this for a little bit longer. Who knew what his aunt and uncle would do, not even talking about his cousin, to punish him, it could be that he would not be allowed outside for a long while, not even to school which in itself was a reward that could be taken away at all times.

He started trembling slightly, every decision now seemed like a bad choice and he was at the end of his rope. He just wanted to curl up somewhere where no one would find him and hide from the whole world. And especially from all the pain, his luckily no longer bleeding backside and the heat were making him nauseous again. He was afraid that he would faint if he would not sit down.

He willed his legs to move, although he still hesitated to go inside and talk to the teacher. Instead, he went back to where he had been sitting in the beginning and slowly slid down the wall in order not to strain his injuries and not start bleeding once more. He closed his eyes, daring to rest for a minute so his head would stop spinning this much and his hands would stop trembling.

He opened them again, with much difficulty, when he heard his teacher calling him: "Mo Xuanyu!"

He woke up with a start. What had he done? He had actually fallen asleep for real! How would he explain this? He should not be sleeping when his teacher wanted to talk to him. Such a bad boy really! Incorrigible! He could hear his aunt screaming at him angrily and he shuddered in response.

He shot up onto his feet, he could not let his teacher wait any longer for him to listen to him. He did not even dare to look up. He was not sure if he would receive a simple beating or something worse; now he was in his teacher's house, so he was the one dealing out punishments. Mo Xuanyu shivered a bit expecting to be grabbed and dragged away any second now.

Nothing happened and Mo Xuanyu dared to lift his head in bafflement to see what his teacher was doing. And he froze on the spot. He had never expected to see his teacher looking at him with such an expression on his face. It was incredibly fond one but the saddest one Mo Xuanyu had ever seen in his life at the same time. There was also something he could have identified as concern if he did not know any better.

"Mo Xuanyu, can you come with me inside please?" It was said so gently Mo Xuanyu wanted to cry although he knew that he was doomed now. Why else would his teacher ask him to come back inside so soon after telling him to go outside?

He did not hesitate and went inside first, the teacher following closely behind him. Once in the living room, he did not know where else to go or what to do so he just stood by the couch. There was also another man in the room, one Mo Xuanyu almost failed to notice at first. It was A-Yuan's father if he remembered correctly. He gave a polite bow, waiting.

Suddenly, a bell rang and his teacher went to open the door, returning afterwards with a woman. Mo Xuanyu was now getting seriously confused as all three adults were looking at him intently. He lowered his head to not provoke them by looking them into their eyes.

There was a really long pause when Mo Xuanyu's mind was imagining all possible next scenarios. And he did not like any of them. He felt his body giving out again because of how nervous he was.

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman scrunched down to his level and said gently and patiently: "Hello, Mo Xuanyu, I am Wen Qing. I am the nurse at your school. Your teacher here had called me because you are injured. I would like to treat your injuries."

Mo Xuanyu was surprised but did not say anything; He was not sure that a nurse, even at his school, would be considered a teacher in his aunt's and uncle's eyes. He should not talk to her. And anyway, he did not know if he was supposed to say anything to her words so he remained silent. He was getting even more confused now, not knowing how to react to an offer of having his injuries treated.

It seemed like she had wanted a reply from him because she probed further: "Will you show me where it hurts?"

Mo Xuanyu still remained frozen on the spot. He had always just left his injuries get better on their own, no one ever treated them as far as he could remember. What was happening now? What would his uncle and aunt say to this? What should he do?

His teacher now scrunched down next to the nurse and Mo Xuanyu got a little startled by it. He could not tell what they wanted him to do or what they meant to do to him. Cold sweat started streaming down his back.

"Mo Xuanyu, would you like to sit down?"

His teacher was now frowning and it was scaring Mo Xuanyu to no end. He would like nothing more than to run to his small shack and hide there. But he could not do that, it never ended well when he disobeyed and was being a bad boy, and either way, he was not in his house so he would not be able to do that anyway even if he dared.

So he obeyed and sat down on the couch, trembling like a leaf.