The Arabella Conundrum

Part Seven- The Bigoted A-Hole Encounter

Eventually I ended up back in lessons. The last thing I really needed was to get into more trouble. The whole situation that happened earlier in the day resulted in me looking like shit, so I threw my hair up into a pony tail, kept my head down and reluctantly had my glasses on. I say I didn't want to get into any more trouble and get behind lessons but I was lying a bit.

I hoped my mere presence in the lesson would today be enough that I wouldn't have to learn or contribute to anything. Head down, reading a book, a sure way to keep myself out of the limelight.

My plan wasn't working though, my teacher kept giving me looks and I could tell he was getting suspicious. You could almost see his brain thinking "Why isn't Arabella causing a scene" or "why isn't she shouting from the rooftops today?" He was a new teacher so he was only ever used to me being loud, annoying and confident. The teachers who have taught me for a while though have experience in my odd behaviour, they knew the situation and they would slowly take me to the side to ask what was wrong or would just give me a sympathy look, which I hated. This teacher however you could tell was literally screaming in his head, "Thank fudge for that! She has finally shut up". Somehow I preferred that treatment.

"Arabella?" Jason, a boy I vaguely knew and hardly ever talked too, called out as the teacher left the room for some reason. I looked up and signalled him to carry on.

"Why the long face?" he joked and then the boy to his right, Louis I think added.

"She's lost her confidence when Ollie rejected her earlier."

"That's what they were arguing about?" Jason looked towards Louis.

"Yeah man," He nodded and then whispered lowly but the room was silent and I heard it all.

"I reckon he didn't want to convert."

Did he seriously just say that? What. The. Actual. Hell?

"Well it would be buh bye to beef burgers," Jason snickered.

They then started to say some things that I will not repeat. They were highly offensive and damn right ignorant and racist. I was used to the prejudgement, I mean not everybody could say their mother was Dutch and their father was British Indian and that you're a Hindu.

But they went too far. The high pitch sound of my chair being scrapped against the floor caught their attention. No I wasn't going to run off. I walked straight up to Louis and grabbed him by the collar.

"Feisty," I heard him croak.

"Don't you ever say anything like that again," I hissed tightening my grip. "Don't think because I'm a girl that I won't injure you, because I will. Do not ever," I paused. "ever insult my religion again nor my ethnicity, you know nothing mate. And yeah I fell out with my friend and it was not for that pathetic reason your limited brain cells came up with. If I ever hear you insult me, my family or my friends again you will be sorry!" I pointed to Jason as well, anger oozing out of every inch of me. "You included Jason!"

"Jeez chill out, somebody's eaten too many Crabby Patty," he cracked the joke, obviously referring to his earlier comment of burgers, and everybody laughed. That was all it took though for me to swing back my fist and aim directly for his jaw.

"ARABELLA!" Shouted the teacher as he walked back in, mere seconds before I was about to punch the boy. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at my hand. I recoiled and instantly covered my mouth with my hand. I made a muffled choking sound and backed away slowly, like a frightened deer, eyes wide and scared. I turned my head left and then right briefly looking at the shocked faces around me and just like earlier in the day I bolted for the door.