CHAPTER TWO
928 Words
I woke up that morning like every other school day, tired but determined. I brushed my teeth, took my bath, and reached for my already washed and neatly ironed uniform. Everything about my routine was familiar, almost comforting, and for a moment I believed the day would pass without trouble.
After dressing up, I grabbed my keys and headed outside. Since I already had my car, I drove myself to school, enjoying the quiet of the early morning road. That calm didn’t last.
When I arrived at school, my mood immediately shifted. Someone had parked in my usual spot, and the owner of the car was leaning casually against it, completely unbothered. Annoyance stirred inside me as I stepped out of my car and walked toward them. I didn’t need to look twice to recognize who it was.
Vincent.
The sight of him doubled my irritation. Still, I tried to remain calm. I approached him and said politely, “You know you’re in my spot, right?”
He turned at the sound of my voice, smirked, and replied, “You mean this spot, baby? Oh, sorry, my car is already parked here. Find somewhere else to park yours.”
That did it. I was furious, but I wasn’t in the mood for drama that early in the morning. So I simply replied, “For your information, my name is Crown, not baby. Do well to call me by my name next time.” Without waiting for a response, I walked away.
I found another spot, parked, and hurried to class just in time for the first period. Thankfully, classes went smoothly, and before I knew it, lunch break arrived. I went to the cafeteria with my best friend, and for a while, everything felt normal again.
She excitedly told me about a new guy who had been chasing her. She showed me his pictures on her phone, and I couldn’t deny it, he was insanely attractive. I joked about how lucky she was, and she teased me right back, saying my boring lifestyle scared guys away. We laughed it off, enjoying the brief escape from school stress.
The week passed quietly. I didn’t run into Vincent, which was unusual. He wasn’t his loud, irritating self, and I couldn’t have been happier about it. His silence felt like peace. Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last.
The following week, Vincent returned to his usual behavior, and that was when everything went wrong.
One afternoon, my best friend and I went to the canteen for lunch. We ordered our food, sat down, and began chatting as usual. That was when Vincent and his squad walked in. The moment he saw me, I knew something bad was coming. It felt like he had already made up his mind to ruin my day.
He grabbed a smoothie and walked straight toward me. Confused, with food still in my mouth, I asked what his problem was. Before I could even react, he poured the entire smoothie over me.
I froze.
Shock, embarrassment, and disgust washed over me all at once as laughter erupted around us. My best friend jumped up immediately and shouted, “Are you out of your mind? How could you do this?”
Vincent only laughed harder, joined by his friends who were cheering him on like he had just accomplished something great. I pulled my best friend away before things escalated and rushed to the washroom.
The moment I stepped inside, I broke down. I sobbed loudly while she wiped my face and tried to clean my clothes, comforting me and telling me not to let him get to me. She called him names, saying he was just an attention-starved jerk.
Through my tears, I asked, “Why me? What did I ever do to him?”
She suggested reporting him, but I told her to let it go. I just wanted a class reassignment, anything to stay away from Vincent. After cleaning up, we returned to class, unaware that things were about to get worse.
Later that day, I noticed students staring at me and giggling while looking at their phones. I ignored it and went straight to the principal’s office to request a reassignment. He hesitated at first, surprised by my persistence, but eventually agreed. I left his office relieved and promised myself I would avoid Vincent at all costs.
Back in class, the stares continued. That was when I checked my phone and saw the video, the humiliating smoothie incident had been posted online. I ran back to the washroom, where my best friend found me and hugged me tightly, telling me everything would be okay.
I told her about the reassignment, and she was genuinely happy for me. Hand in hand, we walked out, pretending the incident no longer mattered.
Unfortunately, Vincent was waiting outside with his followers. My best friend snapped at him, asking if he hadn’t done enough already. He laughed it off, calling it a harmless joke, with his friends backing him up.
I finally spoke up, my voice shaking as tears filled my eyes. I told him he had humiliated me and crossed a line. “I don’t ever want to get involved with you or anything that has to do with you,” I said before walking away.
The day ended quickly. When I got home, my mom noticed something was wrong. I told her everything, and she held me close, telling me not to let empty people steal my peace.
For the first time that day, I felt a little better.
- Writer
