Love hurts

Chapter two (2) The confrontation

Richard settled down, trying to get familiar with the classroom environs, some girls flashing him smiles as he looked around. Kaitlyn had gone back to doing what she was working on before the introduction, she seemed so engrossed in it.

'I wonder what she's doing,' Richard thought.

A female voice from behind the class drew his attention, alongside the whole class.

'I think you've made a mistake,' She said referring to Richard, as she stood up with two other girls and walked towards him.

'A mistake?' Richard asked looking puzzled.

He stared at the female student standing in front of him, her hair was styled into curls, her uniform looked slightly different from that of others, her skirt had more pleats and some bows added to it, her wristwatch, as well as her bracelet and shoes looked expensive.

'Her parents must be really influential,' he thought

Then he noticed she was flanked by two girls, whom he guessed were her friends or side kicks who followed her about.

'Yeah, you've made a mistake with where you decided to seat,' She said. 'And my name is Nicolle Peterolli,' she added introducing herself.

'A mistake with my seat?, it looks perfect to me,' he said taking a careful look at the seat, to check for faults, of which he found none.

'Of course, the seat is perfect, but rather I was referring to your seat partner,' Nicole said.

Richard looked confused, he turned to stare at Kaitlyn, who now had a sad look on her face.

'Not again,' She thought.

'What's wrong with her?' Richard asked still staring at Kaitlyn.

'She has got a disease,' Nicole said, now seating on a desk, legs crossed, arms folded, her two side kicks still standing on opposite sides.

'A disease?!' Richard exclaimed, turning his head sharply to look at Nicole. 'Is it communicable or what?' He asked concerned.

'Oh, it's not a medical disease,' Nicole explained giggling and her side kicks now laughing.

'So what then is it?' He asked, beginning to get pissed off.

'It's a social disease, and it's called poverty,' she said scornfully.

Richard was shocked, 'she must be a class bully, who discriminates with class,' He thought. 'Really?!' He asked as he stared at Kaitlyn, she looked pitiful.

'Yeah,so I think you should get a new seat,' Nicole answered.

'I don't think I need to do that, you must be aware that there are different forms of poverty,' He said. 'She might be financially poor.' He added.

'But I think you're morally and mentally poor ,' He said grinning.

'What!!!' Nicole exclaimed.

'Yeah, you heard me right, don't you have feelings, you insult your classmate and why?' He said now standing, hands in his pocket. 'Because you think I shouldn't seat next to her, you know what I think of that?' He said staring her in the face. 'You are disgusting!' He said.

'How dare you!' One of Nicole side kick exclaimed.

'Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me that way?' Nicole asked getting angry.

'Yeah I don't know who you are and I really...'

'My dad owns this school, and everything in this school belongs to me, you got that?!' She cuts in, now on her feet.

'You might be right about everything belonging to you, but we students aren't things, so you can't talk to us the way you please.' Richard replied.

The whole class was quiet, you could hear a pin drop, it was the first time for everyone, no one had ever stood up to Nicole. Nicole felt awful, 'who the hell does he think he is?' She thought.

' I run things in this school, who the hell do you think you are,' she said angrily.

Richard just stared at her like "bluff on."

'Huhn!' She screamed. ' You would regret this,' She said although not looking at Richard but Kaitlyn, and then she stormed out of the class, followed by her side kicks.

'Are you alright?' Richard asked sitting down.

'Uhmn, not sure,' Kaitlyn said, eyes closed, she was trying to prevent the tears from rolling out.

The whole class was still quiet, they were all surprised not because Nicole insulted Kaitlyn but talking back at Nicole was some thing that had never happened. 'Something bad is sure to happen this session,' Everyone thought.

**************

'You b***h!' Nicole said slapping Kaithlyn across the face.

She hadn't gone back to the class all day, she was at the cafeteria with Lydia and Brittany, her side kicks.

'Can you imagine?!' She said sipping a milkshake.

'It's all because of Kaithlyn, said Lydia. 'lets teach her a lesson,' she added.

'It seems last terms lessons didn't sink in, I would make her regret this, I would teach her a lesson,' Nicole said. And she really did, after school when everyone was going home, they cornered Kaithlyn.

'And where do you think you are going?,' Nicole asked, as she grabbed Kaitlyn's hair from behind. Kaitlyn was surprised as her hair got yanked back suddenly.

So saying Brittany grabbed Kaitlyn's bag and emptied it contents to the ground. 'You b***h!' Nicole said as she slapped Kaitlyn across the face, 'it seems the new kid doesn't get it yet, so stay away from him, he isn't of your class.'

Kaitlyn sobbed, ' when would all this stop?' She wondered. Just then a male voice startled her. 'I see you not only bully with words,' It was Ruchard.

'I have nothing to say to you,' Nicole said, 'girls let's roll,' then she left.

Even as she sobbed, Kaitlyn bent down to pick her notes back into her bag, Richard placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. But her response was surprising, ' stay away from me!' She said, ' Don't you get it, I really appreciate what you did for me today but next time, please don't say anything.'

Richard was shocked, she picked up her bag and was about to leave, ' why let yourself be a victim of fear?' Richard asked.

Those words made Kaitlyn stop. She looked back at Richard and giggled, ' fear?! Did you just say fear?' She said. 'What else could it be then? Everyone has got a choice,' he replied.

'That's where you get it all wrong, people like me do not have a choice, we accept whatever comes our way,' She said.

'But you can stop thinking that way,' He said, trying to defend himself. Kaitlyn decided to take his mind off the issue.

'Were you following me?' She asked

Richard was startled, 'well' he stammered running his hands through his hair briefly, it made him look stupid.

'Well?' She repeated smiling, her set of white teeth shone bright, revealing her dimples, Richard was mesmerized.

'I got lost looking for the way to the school park, it's not like I was stalking you,' he amsaid smiling.

'Who would want to do that anyway?' Kaitlyn thought and turned to leave, Richard just stared as she walked off.

'Aren't you going to the park anymore?' She asked.

'Uhmn, yeah, sure,' He said embarrassed for he was caught staring, then he understood what she meant. 'You are gonna lead me to the park', He said more like he was asking a question, than a sentence.

'Yeah, let's just say in returning the favour you did for me today, I promise to lead you to the park everyday till you no longer get lost,' she said smiling.

And so they both walked to the park, Richard grinning from ear to ear, He still had that smile on till he got home.