school
1473 Words
“Can I eat inside the car?” I ask in a low voice. Mum doesn't allow me to eat in her car the first time I entered it so I need to know if it's okay.
“Yes Miss. If it gets dirty, we have an automated car wash in the garage. It's not a big deal.” Butler Ron explains.
“Okay. Thanks.”
Before leaving the house, the chef handed me a large brown paper bag. Inside are my sandwiches, a half liter of milk, and a 50cl table water bottle.
I open the paper bag and the aroma of eggs and peanut swirls into my nose, making my stomach grumble more. Licking my lips, I quickly pick one of the quite heavy sandwiches and bury my teeth in it as Ron makes his way out of the house.
By the time I get to school, the two sandwiches are gone. I drink the water and keep the milk in my bag. I am thinking of giving it to Tessa. If not for her, yesterday would have been completely unbearable.
When I arrive, the school is bustling with students hurrying to their classes. I check the time and it's ten minutes before my first class. I hurry over to class, drop my bag on my desk and hurry out again. I have been hiding in my pee since Mum started glaring at me back at the house. She always has that effect on me.
“Mia! Where are you going?” Tessa yells from behind. I swirl around just outside the classroom door.
She hurries over, looking so excited.
“The rest room. I need to go.” I whisper, not wanting anyone to hear.
“Oh. Now you make me wanna pee too now.” She giggles and grabs my hand. “Let's hurry. Miss Oriel will soon be here. She is naggy in the morning.”
We half run, half walk to the nearest restroom and quickly do our business. On our way back, the corridors are almost empty.
“Let's hurry.” Tessa urges me.
“Hey!” A male voice calls out from behind me. I spontaneously turn around and watch in a blurry as his hand lifts to my face and sprays me. Instantly, my eyes start burning.
“Arrrrrgh!” I grab my face and crumble to the floor, with a horrendous scream escaping my mouth.
“Hey! Why did you do that?” Hey, come here. Stop!” Tessa screams. She wants to run after the boy, but seeing me writing on the floor like that, she changes her mind and comes back to me. “Mia, are you alright? Mia, open your eyes. Mia! Mia!” Tessa’s panicking screams and mine fills the walkway, making other students pour out of their classes in panic and curiosity.
“Please, somebody, help. I can't carry her alone.” Tessa yells at the others.
I feel two strong hands grabbing me and forcing me to my feet. Then I am swept off my feet. I still have my hands covering my face and I am still screaming like a banshee.
“My eyes, my eyes. It hurts. Arrrrrgh, it hurts.”
“What happened?” The nurse at the infirmary hears the commotion from afar. She hurries out to meet us halfway.
“Someone pepper sprayed her. Please, help my friend.” Tessa cries.
“Okay, bring her over. Hurry.”
The nurse brings me over to a bathroom inside the infirmary. She unseals a pack of saline water and pours it over my face. I quickly scrub at my eyes, willing them to stop burning.
“How do you feel?”
“It stings inside my eyes.” I am not wailing again but I can't stop crying.
“Open your eyes. Let me check them.” She urges me but I shake my head, desperately trying to bear the pain.
The nurse takes me back to bed and starts wiping my face with wet wipes. They smell like baby powder. Soothing and soft. Almost calming.
After some time, the pain relents and I can squint my eyes into slits. The breeze makes them hurt more, so I keep them close.
The bell rings for the first class of the day. The nurse turns to Tessa.
“You go to class. Your friend will be fine.”
“Are you sure? I will rather stay.” She argues.
“It's against the rules. Your friend is not in danger, so you need to leave.”
“What? How am I not in danger? My eyes are filled with pepper. They are burning like hell. How am I not in danger?” I suddenly lost it and slap the nurse's hand away.
From the moment the pepper spray hit me until now, all I felt was dread. I have never been this afraid in my life. But the moment the nurse understates my condition, something just explodes in my head. I feel so pissed off I want to slap her.
“Mia, stop! What's wrong with you?” Tessa calls out in shock. Her scared tone snaps me out of it and I quickly grab the innocent woman.
“I am sorry. I am sorry. I didn't mean to do that.” I start apologizing.
“It's okay.” The nurse reassures us, but I can see that she is pissed too. “How do you feel now? Seems that you can now keep them open.”
“Oh, that's true.” I gasp in surprise. The shock of what just happened seems to have somehow cured the stinging burn. “But they are still warm.”
“That's normal. Let me give you some eye drops. That should take care of it.” She stands up to go find the eye drop.
“Are you really okay? Your eyes are so red.” Tessa worriedly searches my eyes.
“My eyes are red? Do you have a mirror?”
“There is one over there.” She points to the restroom.
I scramble out of the bed and hurry over. Indeed, my eyes are red, my cheeks are flushed and wet from both tears and water.
Remembering what just happened again, My back chills up. Who could have done this? Why did they do this to me?
“Why will anyone do this to me?” My thoughts escape my lips.
“Mia, have you been to your locker today?” Tessa asks in a low voice.
“No. Why?”
“I think this is Olivia’s work.”
Hearing that name makes my heart tighten. I subconsciously cradle the cheek she slapped yesterday, rubbing it gently. If I concentrate enough, I will feel the sting of that slap again. Even my ears are starting to buzz just from remembering.
“But the person who attacked me just now is a boy, right? She isn't the one.”
“Just check your locker first. Let's hope I am wr…”
“Girls, you need to go to class. Don't make me write you up.” The nurse's gentle voice interjects her.
“Oh, let's go.” I grab Tessa's hand and we hurry out of the restroom.
The nurse is ready with the eye drop. She quickly gives me two drops in each eye and sends us out.
“Hey!”
Just as we turn into the walkway that leads to our class, we come face to face with Jeremy. He is casually resting his back against the wall with his hands in his pocket. He looks like he has nowhere to be.
“Jeremy?” Tessa's voice trembles while my voice seems to stop working.
What is he doing here? Is that worry in his eyes?
I watch in awe as he looks over. From what seems to be worry, his gaze turns into disdain. He twitches his nose and straightens up.
“You seem fine.” He snorts and walks away.
“Oh my God. Jeremy Winston came to check on you!” She seems to be having problems with her breathing.
“Tessa, are you alright?” I find my voice once Jeremy is gone.
“He is so handsome!” She cooes.
“He is? Why can't I see it?” I snort before I can stop myself. “Let's go before we earn a detention.” I remind her then starts dragging her back to class.
“Oh No!” She stops again, her gaze looking horrified.
“Now what?”
“Jeremy Winston came to check on you. That's not good. Olivia is going to be really mad.”
As if on cue, both of us nervously look around, hoping no one sees us with Jeremy just now.
- Writer
