A Job With Him

The Truth Of It All

I walked to school with my head down. Josh didn't text or call back at all last night. He didn't come to pick me up again too. I cried last night so my eyes were really puffy. I tried to cover them up. But no matter how much I washed my face and smiled, I could still feel the despair behind those red eyes.

I entered the classroom in hopes of trying to talk to Josh again. However, his seat was empty. Bewildered, I placed my bag down at my table and went to the back where Josh's friends were chatting in their clique. Once they saw me approaching them, they went back to their seats and kept silent. I sighed and asked Matthew what happened to Josh. Although he pushed me the day before, he was still Josh's best friend and finding out about Josh was more important than being scared of getting hurt again. However, the only answer I got was dead silence. I sighed and went back to my seat as our form teacher had entered the classroom.

"Okay students. I've got some news on your classmate, Joshua. His dad has some work in Korea and due to unforeseen reasons, he would need to move there with his family. So we won't be seeing him anymore," Mrs Tan announced which made my heart almost stop. He left the country and didn't even tell me about it?

That day was the worst in my life. And so were the days after. Wayne and Melissa never gave up on tormenting me and hurting me. The rest of my classmates teamed up against me as well. My bag would get kicked when they walked past and they would say harmful remarks about me when I'm near. Worst of all, Josh never contacted me even once after that day.

My sisters realised that I would just lock myself in my room upon reaching home and I would never stay back in school anymore. They had enough of it and asked me for an explanation. I cried out a river and told them everything I had bottled up. They sat beside me and gave me hugs and words of comfort. They then helped me report about everything to the school. Just like how they helped me a long time ago.

The principal and teachers investigated the matter and came to find something very horrifying. My sisters and I were seated in front of the principal and the discipline master in the principal's office. They then explained everything that happened, and about what they found.

Apparently, Melissa had been taking photos of me secretly while I was showering and changing in the girls' locker room after Physical Education(PE) lessons since the beginning of the year. There were so many nude photos of me. I started tearing up and my sisters comforted me. The principal went on and mentioned how Wayne used the photos to threaten Joshua to stay away from me and break our relationship. He told him that if he didn't abandon me, my nude photos would be posted publicly and everyone in the world would see them. He had no choice and did what he did just to protect me. He told everyone in class that I cheated on him so that he could behave that way and make it look like he really hated me. Joshua really had to leave the country cause of his dad's business but because he had to stay away from me then, he couldn't inform me about it. The principal then apologized and said that the school will report this incident to the police and ensure that those involved, especially Wayne and Melissa, would get the punishment they deserved.

From that day on, everyone stopped disturbing me and I went back to concentrating on my studies alone. I was so grateful that Joshua still loved me and wasn't hating me when he left. He protected me as much as he could. He protected me till the end of our relationship.