The Start of a Loss

2] The Pain

ARLEN

I have to act out. To avoid it.

I grimaced as I stepped out of the bathroom, remembering the last time I had disobeyed the teacher.

I don't like to do it! I have to, otherwise those dumb guys might get me. I saw them giving me the stink eye earlier, obviously he has to be in my class after...Three years! I can't believe he was my best friend since....um....second! No, first grade! Yes! I remember! Of course I would, how can I forget a person who has physically bullied me?

I had to think about him! Great, now I have to suffer the consequences....

I was just minding my own business, trying to study for my Inter-School Science Competition. I was so hyped about it! Even though I had my Social Studies exam the next day, I was surely going to fail in that! My mother will shout at me for two hours straight, but I don't care! I was given a kit with a lot of cool robotics-

"Hey nerd!" I was taken out of my thoughts when one of the eight graders from my building called me. I was the nerd of my building, my parents were proud of it. But my friends always teased me about it, for fun of course. I looked up and yelled, "What? I'm doing something important, get out!" I was currently at the garage of my car, trying to study peacefully since my sister is having a party at our house. My sister and her dumb parties. "Why should we?" A few eight-graders surrounded me, I staggered backwards and hit my car. "W-What do you want? I told you I have no time for your nonsense!" He punched me, square in the face. Spit and a tint of blood came out of my mouth like acid, I looked at them completely bewildered. "W-what the heck d-did I even do to you? LEAVE ME ALONE JERKFACES!" I yelled feeling a sense of confidence, I couldn't fight these bullies. But I could throw them off.

Another guy punched my stomach, "You talk too much." he said, and punched me again. "That friend of yours was right about you! Call him bro!" he told one of his friends.

"No need." My best friend came in from behind, he had jet-black spiky hair, red eyes that normally look warm and filled with kindness but now they look menacing, his pale skin made him look even scarier. Is he eating well? He smirked wickedly at me, as if I was the target and not the eight graders.

"Van! Van! Van! Van!" They started chanting, he pushed onto the ground. "Van, what are you-" he kicked my thigh really hard, "doing..." I winced. "Van, please-" he cut me of by punching on my face, tears rolled down my cheek. I couldn't stop them, it hurt so bad. My confidence crumbled and fell into the depths of Tartarus. "Shut up! Will you, Aru? Your voice makes me want to puck, and your breath stinks!"

Sorry to interrupt the story, but mind you the insults that fifth graders give are not effective to me now and Van is too sweet to give insults. He's just very strong, since childhood actually. I don't know what that guy eats, but maybe if I have the guts to talk to him someday I'll definitely ask him what his mother makes for breakfast. But then...

"Van?" Tears welled in my eyes, "how can you say that to me? You're such a meanie!" I started crying. He just laughed and said, "Aru, I'd rather be friends with the eight-graders then you, you're just annoying." With that, he left. Laughing with his 'friends' behind him. 

I started crying very loudly, the verbal abuses didn't affect me much, but the physical? I had bruises all over, my cheeks were red, my eyes puffy from crying, my thigh was red. Now slowly turning purple. My stomach was aching with that punch, I tried to get up and start walking but failed miserably. I fell on my butt. Waiting for someone to help me. Maybe even to take me back home?

"Hey, are you ok?" I looked up an saw Selon, looking at me with concern in her eyes. My heart skipped a beat, "H-hey..." I couldn't even look up to her face, I just stared at the ground. Thinking, when did her face look so pretty?

"Hey!" She tapped my shoulder, "Get up and tell me who did this to you," she looked so concern. I was actually about to tell her that Van and his friends did it. But then I thought, Van is one of Selon's best friends in this entire building. It would ruin their friendship, and I did not want him to beat me up because of it.

So, I lied, "Those dumb eight- graders did it, they are so immature," I scoffed and folded my arms. Selon laughed, her laugh...It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard! If there was a song dedicated to her laugh, I would listen to it on repeat. "Sorry to laugh but the way you said it....never mind. Tell your mother about this, I am sure she would give their parents a piece of her mind."

She did do that, those guys didn't know what was coming! I felt so good about myself as I heard my mother yelling at theirs and them just saying, "sorry...so sorry.." While those idiots glared at me while I made faces at them.

Even though it was good...Van didn't give up, he beat me up every day after that because I snitched on his friends. I couldn't even do anything about it because he threatened to spill some of my secrets. #1 being telling Selon I liked her and #2 being that one time when I peed my pants and asked a girl for a pad. We do not need talk about them.

But I couldn't let Selon know I liked her, it would ruin our friendship and I did not want that. Even now I blush every time I look at her. Van has stopped his shit after lockdown started. For most people lockdown was a curse, but for me it was a blessing. He just stopped talking to me, and now he ignores me! How great!

But enough of that, I know I've suffered a lot because of him. Now I think it's time to move on and forget about the past. Forget about Van, forget about Selon. And focus on my weak subjects like History and Geography, do something productive and not procrastinate; otherwise I won't be able to do well in my life!

Ya, I think you must have noticed my sarcasm. Because I am NOT forgetting the past.

It haunts me (Van) and it makes me squeal like a girl (Selon) but I always like to take it as a motivation to do well in my work and focus on what's important!

Eg: You son of a biscuit! Do your freaking work! You motherthucker-

Yes! Colorful words! Very effective when it comes to these things. Now you know why I am a troublemaker and a blabber-mouth but also an all-to-one genius!

---

"Miss, May I come in?"

"It's June!"

"I know!" I yelled, and focused my attention back on the teacher with a smirk.

She gave me the BoMbAsTiC SiDe EyE, before motioning me to come back in.

That girl-what was her name again? Elaine? Ella? Or El-to annoying to care what her name is? Oh right, Elmery! She was glaring at me like I was some sandwich come form the garbage bin for her to eat. I winked at her and smirked, she narrowed her eyes at me and made a disgusted face. I was trying not to burst out laughing-her face- it seems her mother forced her to eat the sandwich since there was no food at home. Selon smiled at me and my whole flirtatious facade fell apart. I tried to smile but it turned mostly into the Nile River with it's twisty and turnys. Elmery rolled her eyes and smirked. 100% thinking of a plan to make roll into a ball and start weeping. Even though I knew the girl only for 10 minutes!

Selon talked a lot about her when we used to play at our building, I used to think," Oh! She's Selon's best friend! She must be amazing and could be the maid of honor at my wedding!"

I was not expecting this, all I got was a cranky, annoyed, sour-faced girl who rarely smiled. She had anger issues that was for sure!

I was taken out of thoughts as soon as I heard the bell ring, I jumped out of my seat and rushed towards the door when I heard a voice yell, "Wait!"

I turned around around to find the teacher glaring at me, "We are going to be making class prefects tomorrow, so be at your best behavior today!" The last part was directed towards me, I knew that. I am not capable to be a class prefect, I would ruin the entire class if I was. But oh! This is going to be fun!

That's Arlen D'Silvia signing off!

Elmery will be waiting.

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