The World's Aftermath [ON MAJOR EDIT]

Chapter 9 [Cleo]

"Will you stop?" I demand, unfortunately weak through my voice.

They burst out laughing, "Why don't you try, little wimp?" One of them say.

A few of their elbow shoves harder into my waist, missing inches of my stomach. They never shut their mouths, bumping no less softer than before, if only I could shout and stand up against them. And I'm small, they were giants, I try hit back or block another body part squeezing a few times, but it never stops.

"Have you ever thought yourself how to fight? This is like some kind of joke!" Another one with big hands grabs my head, moving around like a plastic ball.

"Stop, I'm not a toy!" I kick and squirm in frustration, hardly getting away.

"Well said, ugly loser! At least you know we aren't stupid enough to think so." The one that had pulled my hair says, and no one feels a pity, everyone enjoys it, watching me getting played. For fun.

"Hey, you boys!" A teacher calls far down, wrong timing really. "Get down here! Now! Before I suspend you all, you hear me?!"

Unlike what I'm predicting, all of them stops their trashy movement in a breath, following his order. Some stumbles to get through every step, some running down to be the first one to touch grass. I could finally breath air, the unstoppable pumping of fear is gone, and I can only pray I'll never encounter it again.

-–-

Closing my locker with a loud thud, I take a quick glance to the pathway of the exit outside. No one is familiar, my patience rises down, knowing Eric is somehow late. Late on track is never the kind of words I would describe him.

I don't stop there. Still looking around the crowd, a slight pinch hits me. He's nowhere here. The only way is to walk straight into Eric's part of the school–where unfortunately, isn't the best place for me to hang around. In here, seniors and juniors don't blend very well.

My idea is to stay away from getting any closer to meet worse people that are even older than me, losing myself into getting inside an unfamiliar building could cause trouble too. The bench bullies were enough for today, all I want is to lay in bed and think about nothing. Not mom. Not our problems. And certainly not school.

Outside, an empty spot to sit on catches my attention. I walk away cautiously without pushing too much, controlling where my eyes look at. The strong wave of the wind comes across me as I make myself out of the door, the longing scent of fresh Autumn is back again. I sit still on the bench, lowering and shifting my eyes around the school yard. My stomach speaks up with a grumbling noise, noticing the sight of some group of people sharing a meal.

Eric couldn't leave me hanging alone here, I'd be a goner once someone report to the counselors that I'm not protected with a bodyguard.

"Cleo!" Austin appears with a friendly smile, the bench now occupied with not just me. His backpack hanging awkwardly in one side of his arm, in one swing, the thing could actually fall down and break his arm, concerning how so many weight seems to be there.

"Did he get your name right?" A red head girl asks a few steps behind. She smiles, taking a seat in my left side. Lisa.

Being in the middle now has an awful stench in my mind. Remembering the last time it happened,  it's not easy to handle the sweating again.

"Are you ok?" Lisa asks kindly, as a trigger to my calm side.

"What–yeah, of course," I say, weakly but surely.

They both look happy, I don't want to ruin that with my rambling. And I'm not sure how to start the conversation when I'm flickering my eyes every time someone comes out of the exit, waiting for one particular bodyguard to come out at last.