House of Aunts

Chapter 8

 "Wow, Ruyi," Rui Shan said after listening to what happened. "Your aunt is really protective! Does this mean you're somebody important? Maybe you're a princess or something!"

I laughed. It would be nice if I were a princess, like in those Disney movies that my aunties let me watch. I could wear a pretty dress, but my aunts always let me wear something I liked whenever I went out. But my aunts said that being a princess was more than just being pretty. Aunty Qin told me that it was about being a good ruler, too. Anyway, I couldn't be a princess, so I said so.

"I don't think I'm a princess. Maybe they're just overly protective of me," I replied, shrugging. I changed the subject.

"Are you ready for the presentation?" I asked.

Rui Shan shrugged.

"It's going to be the same thing. I have a Mum and Dad who love me very much, blah blah blah. I'd much rather listen to yours."

"My aunts already called the teacher and said to skip it," I sighed.

"I know."

We sighed and looked uneasily at each other, but then, the schoolbell rang. That meant everyone had to go back to their seats and then take the pledge. I pushed the worry about all those presentations out of my head, and tried to concentrate on what I was doing at the moment. It was harder than I thought, because, before I knew it, it was presentation time and my teacher, Mrs O, had walked in.

*

"This is why I have the best family in the world," my classmate, Lauren, said. Everyone clapped politely, while Mrs O made a note seated at her desk. When she was finally done, she glanced up.

"Ruyi?" she asked.

"Please give your presentation," she commanded.

"What? But my aunts called you up–"

"Yes, I believe I received that call from your Aunty whoever," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I talked to her, and you will be giving the presentation."

"That's not what she told me. S-she said that I didn't have to give it."

At this, my teacher laughed.

"Everyone has to give the presentation. It's graded. Now, let's stop wasting time. Please come to the front."

I had no choice but to obey. I put my half-completed family tree on the wall, which looked stuid compared to everyone else's, because it was a picture of my five aunts and me. Everyone's jaw dropped, kind of, because not all of my classmates knew that I was raised by all of my aunties. No one said anything at first, so I thought I could give the presentation.

"In my house, I have five aunts, and they all love me very much," I said. "There's Aunty Qin, Aunty Lotus, Aunty Seven, Aunty Blossom, and Aunty Jinx."

"What about your Mum and Dad?" Jayden asked.

"Uhm, well, I don't know, but my aunties say that it doesn't matter because they love me," I replied, saying what my aunts had taught me. "It doesn't matter if I have a Mum or a Dad or not. My aunts are my family. They love me and I love them. That is what matters." I stood up straighter, and some of the kids at the back murmured.

Jayden struck again.

"My Mum says that people who don't have parents are not normal. A family is a Mummy and Daddy."

The class sniggered.

"My family is my aunts, and they love me."

"Are your aunts lesbian?" Jayden countered.

What? What did that mean? I didn't know. By this time, the whole class had burst into laughter, and everyone started shrieking like Jayden had said the funniest thing in the world.

"Ruyi lives with lesbians!" someone chanted, as Mrs O started to shush everyone.

"Yeah Ruyi lives with lesbians, Ruyi lives with lesbians, Ruyi lives with lesbians!" Jayden's crony, Isaac, sang. This time around, Mrs O stood up in front of me and yelled, "Quiet!"

Immediately, everyone stopped. Then she bent down to look at me. I didn't realise it until now, but I was shaking. It felt as though a tornado had hit me, and I stopped.

"I'm sorry, Ruyi. I didn't realise that the bullying would be this bad." She turned to the whole class.

"This is not tolerable. I asked Ruyi to present because everyone needs to know about the different types of families. But I see that no one can be mature enough to understand."

Huh? The teacher was on my side? I thought that Mrs O was unreasonable, and I turned to look at it. She looked like a funny blob–oh wait. That was when I realised that my eyes had welled up with tears.

"M-may I sit down please?"

Mrs O looked at me and jumped back.

"Oh dear. Uhm, yes, you may."

I shuffled back to my seat and tried to rub the tears away from my eyes. Then, my teacher addressed the classroom.

"No bullying is tolerated here in this school. I do not want any of you, especially Jayden and Isaac, to tease people for having different families. Some families have one mummy or daddy, or two mummies or daddies."

My classmates were all silent.

"But my Daddy says–" Li Ling cut in.

"Your Daddy doesn't understand that there can be more than one family."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now, Jayden, Isaac, stand up and apologise to your classmate."

The boys stood up, dragging their chairs.

"Sor-ry, Ruyi," they said in a monotone.

I nodded to show that I had forgiven them, but I knew that tonight, I would be listening to Aunty Lotus scold my teacher. After all, that was what she there for. To look out for me.