Asian F

Tears Are a Sign of Weakness

A/N: Hey guys it's been like what? Almost a whole year since my last update on here? Where has the time gone? It's gone way too fast and I can't wait for the next year, 2018. What do you guys have in store for the new year? I know I'll be trying to update this and actually try and finish a story that I've started. Welp, time to actually start the story :D

My head bumps against the car window, my mother silently fuming. She knows I didn't do what I'm being falsely accused of but she can't prove that I'm innocent. "How dare that Principal accuse you! You are still recovering from that beating the day before. That incompetent Principal, I'll be speaking to the superintendent about this," she fumes as she swerves a car driving too slow for her.

I grip my door handle as the car jerks to the right, "Mom, slow down. I don't want to die." I yelp as my bruised shoulder hit the car door. "Ouch! Mom, my bruises are still sore." I gently rub my shoulder as my mom starts slowing down and driving more safely.

"I'm sorry Kew, I'm just so furious." She grips the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turn white. "You've been sent home twice in one week, one day after the next! That's never happened before and your father and I can't keep taking off work to get you." I stay silent, because it's true. I've never been sent home, let alone twice in one week. "Don't worry Kew-Jing, we'll have this whole mess straightened out by the end of this week. I promise."

My mom's words of comfort fade into the background, as I think about Crystal and Jamie. Jamie's never tried to get me in trouble and I've always been so low on the radar that Crystal's never noticed me, let alone try to get me in trouble. It must be Kyle. None of this started happening until Kyle started hanging out with me. Maybe if I start hanging out with Jamie more than Kyle she'll make Crystal understand that I'm not worth the time to mess with it. Yes, that's what I'll do. Starting now I won't have any contact with Kyle or Mika, just Jamie. Satisfied with my plan, I follow Mom into the house and I go up to my room. Leaving Mom in the kitchen to start making phone calls. When Mom's on a war path, you don't get in the way.

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Click.

Click.

I scroll through my twitter feed in search of anything to keep my mind off of what's to come. Since coming home and logging online I noticed that Jamie had blocked me on Twitter, Instagram, and even unfriended me on Facebook. That was quick. I quickly sent her a text, hoping she hadn't blocked my number yet, apologizing for my behavior the past few weeks and for calling Crystal a bitch. I locked my phone and hid it under my pillow, afraid of what she'll say, if she even gets it.

Ping! Someone was trying to Facebook message me. I quickly opened the messenger hoping it's Jamie. Kyle Hut. My stomach plummets and I suddenly feel sick. I read Kyle's message.

KYLE HUT: Kew-Jing, I'm pretty sure this is your Facebook because there's no one else named Kew-Jing that lives in Texas. But where did you go? You never came back to home room and Jamie and Crystal have been looking quite perky since then. Where are you?

KYLE HUT: Are you hurt?

KYLE HUT: Did they do something to you?

I just stare at the messages. I don't know how to respond, let alone tell him what happened. I'm sure he'll know by lunch, the whole school will know by then. Crystal will make sure of that.

KYLE HUT: I know you're reading these messages Kew-Jing. Answer me please.

I quickly close out of the tab. I forgot that Facebook Messenger shows the other person when their message has been read. I open up my profile and quickly turn my online status to offline. I don't want Kyle to know I'm online, let alone ignoring his messages. I hear several more pings as Kyle sends me more messages. I close my laptop to stop the pinging and snuggle into my bed. I slip my hand under my pillow and tap the lock button. No new messages from Jamie. No new messages from anyone, except Kyle and Mika. The two people I don't want to hear from. I put my phone back under my pillow and lift up my shirt.

My stomach had this one bruise from Crystal's beating the day before and it looked like an ugly eggplant that got squished. I flinch at the memory of getting beat up. First the closest and then the bathroom. What next? I drop my shirt, letting it cover up my belly before I could think about it anymore. I gasp as something wet drips from my nose. A tear. I need to learn to hide those, from my parents, from Kyle, and especially from Crystal and Jamie.

Tears are a sign of weakness and I can't have them knowing I'm weak. I wipe my tear and get up, standing in front of a mirror hanging on my door. I make a fist and slam it into my palm. I will show them I'm strong. Jamie and I will be best friends again. I won't be accused of vandalism ever again. I won't contact Kyle Hut ever again and everything will go back the way it's supposed to be. I quickly go into a plank formation and start doing some pushups. After about ten, my arms are trembling like maracas and I can't push myself up again.

"Kew-Jing! Someone's at the door for you!" My mothers calls from the kitchen. I rush out of room, hoping it's Jamie and towards the front door. I stop dead in my tracks. Why? Can't they take a hint? Kyle and Mika are standing in my front door awkwardly answering questions my mom is badgering them with about what I'm being accused of.

"Why does the Principal think Kew-Jing spray painted that locker?" My mother demands.

"There was a paint can found in her locker." Mika is the one to answer first, as he moves his hands around in his jacket pockets.

"Why does the Principal believe that? Someone else could have put that in her locker." My mother asks Kyle who is trying to look around and find me.

"There's apparently a 'witness' who saw the whole thing." He says, making air quotes around the word 'witness'. I clear my throat to get everyone's attention. "Kew! Hey, we were just making sure you're doing okay." Kyle walks around my mother and makes his way towards me. He scans me, looking for any new bruises or signs of trauma.

"No. I'm fine and I would really like you both to leave." I say with a mutual tone. I don't hate Kyle but I don't want him and Mika around incase Jamie decides to pop by after cheerleading practice.

"Leave? We just got here." Mike is now besides Kyle. I look up and see that my mom had walked back into the kitchen and writing down the new information she had gotten from Mika and Kyle. "Kew-Jing we're your friends. We just want to make sure you're doing okay." I glance at Kyle before looking at Mika. He'll be easier to convince to leave and leave me alone than Kyle.

"I'm fine. But I'd really like to be left alone." I turn around, giving the boys my back.

"We should probably go. She obviously doesn't want to talk right now. Besides we need to make it back to school before lunch is over." Mika says to Kyle, before I hear him head out of the door. I hear Kyle give a deep sigh before following Mika, closing the door on his way out. I quickly turn around and run towards the blinds in the living room, where I'm able to see Mika and Kyle drive off in Kyle's jeep. Whew, that was easy. I move away from the blinds and head back upstairs.

I jump into my bed and rub my face against my pillow, hoping to get rid of the awful feeling that had settled into my gut after Mika and Kyle drove off. I had given them the first of the cold shoulder treatment that is sure to get worse as the year continues. I lift my pillow up, in one more attempt to see if Jamie had contacted me. My eyes pop open. There was a message from Jamie! I pull my screen closer to my face, just to make sure I was reading the message right.

Jamie: Kew-Jing thank you for apologizing, but I don't know if we can ever be the way we were before. It's going to take some time and commitment mostly from you. I have done nothing wrong and I feel like you need to earn my trust again. How about breakfast tomorrow?

I quickly type back my response.

Kew-Jing: Thank you thank you thank you Jamie. I'll work super hard so we can be the best of friends again. I promise. Perfect, crepes at Frog?

I can't take my eyes off the screen, willing it for Jamie's quick response. My willpower must have worked because Jamie replies quickly instead of making me wait in agony. I can't wait for tomorrow morning, but first I have to get through dinner with my parents.

A/N: Soooooo that chapter didn't really have a lot of excitement but I still feel like it was a good chapter after being gone for so long. Don't worry, I'll update this again before next year in 2018 ;D Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE this story and get ready for the next chapter.