The Bully Queen (English)

5. Respect

THE MORE Dad stayed on the phone longer, the more my heart raced faster. I could see his facial expression clearly though the glass wall was separating the garden and living room. I wanted to speed to my room, but he wanted me to wait here until he was done speaking to the guidance counselor through the phone. I didn't regret doing that to Karla and her friends, though. I was just protecting myself.

"Okay, Mrs. Claros. I promise this won't happen again. Thank you for your consideration."

I heard my father's voice approaching and I sharply turned my head to him. Before sitting next to me, the phone was already in his jean's pocket. "We are very lucky that Mrs. Claros is your mother's friend, or else you are suspended for one week. But if this happens again, she will automatically suspend you and recommend you for your disqualification in the chess tournament."

I gazed at him then dropped my sight on my lap. "Is it applicable too with Karla and her bully troop?"

He pressed his lips into a thin line and then sighed. "Quinn, my concern is you."

"Then you must know that those girls are harassing me more than one time since I signed the tournament. What I did to them, they just deserved it."

"Quinn, no one deserves to be hurt physically and emotionally."

I looked at him, feeling the heat in my eyes and cheeks. "You're right. But those girls are hurting me and you do nothing about it!"

"Don't talk to your father like that, Quinn."

Mom came over and sat across from me. I know she was disappointed the way she gazed at me then shook her head to Dad. "We'll talk about this later. In the meantime, we have to go to the table. Dinner is ready.

"I'm still full," I whispered. "Excuse me. I need to go to my room. It's been a long day. All I want now is to take some rest." I stood up and walked off.

Mom called out but I ignored her.

It was nearly four hours already, but I still couldn't sleep. There was so much in my mind. One of which was our sudden move in this city. I had no complaint about our new house. In fact, it was bigger and Dad's company was only twenty minutes of driving. In our old town, he had to travel for more than an hour.

However, I felt not so pleased about this new set up. Well, maybe I was only adjusting. With those bulls on the campus, I just hope I'm still alive until grade twelve.

I was lost in my thoughts when someone knocked on the door. I got up and opened it to see Dad standing there with a chessboard in his hand.

"Dad? Why do you have that?" I asked, gazing down at the board.

"Mind if we play?"

I looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah sure."

We agreed to arrange the board in the living room, or family room according to Dad. When all was set, I made the first move, pushing the white pawn two blocks forward.

"So can you tell me now what's the real story behind that splashing water incident?" he asked in a calm way as he lifted a black knight and put it in front of the untouched pawns.

I breathed sharply. Was that fight still the issue? It was already settled. I got my warning. I hope they got theirs too. "Like what I said, they had started the fight." I absently captured the white knight and added, "She attacked me. And it was the third time. What I did was just self-defense."

Dad didn't say anything. He just released another knight and I threatened the piece with my white bishop. Our game continued, with me losing my pieces one by one, including my queen. I tried to be cautious but his opening conversation made my mood fly out of the window. No wonder within five minutes, I lost the game in just six moves.

"I'm done, Dad. You win. I'll go to my room now," I helped him collect the pieces and put them inside the board. After that, I stood up. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Listen, Quinn," He tapped my shoulder. "Self-control and focus are two tools you need to have."

I looked up at him because he got my attention back. "What do you mean?"

He gleamed and let me sit next to him. "About those bullies you're talking about, I'm sorry but the sad truth is... we can't just eliminate them. They're not just in school. They're in the streets too, in the companies, in the government. They're everywhere like the wind around us. But you can counter them in one way."

My brows rose together. "How, Dad?"

"It's like a chess game, Quinn. You cannot beat them using harsh words or physical strength. However, you can counterattack through extreme focus. Don't let them trick your mind and provoke you to lose your priority which is winning the game. Control yourself, wait for the right time, and when you see the open door unguarded, that's where you attack them. They will get mad at you at first, but in the end, you will earn one thing aside from winning the game. That is respect. And if you get that respect, they will never gonna touch you again."

I didn't realize my mouth was partly open until Dad was finished lecturing. I blinked and shook my head. "Wow. How I wish I had a recorder with me so that I could hear your advice over and over again. I think I couldn't catch that in one snap."

Dad chuckled, tousling my hair. "No need for a recorder. Your dad is here to remind and support you anytime."

"That's right, Quinn."

I swiveled and saw Mom walking towards us with a tray of mugs on her hands. She carefully placed it on the side table and settled next to me.

"We're sorry if you feel neglected sometimes because we're working, Quinn. But regardless of our demanding schedules, you are our number one priority." She touched my hands.

"That's why your mom stormed out of the conference room at once when Mrs. Claros called this afternoon," Dad chuckled.

Mom raised her eyebrow. "Darling, you don't need to say that. I know the meeting would run without me." Then her expression softened. "It's for our daughter. I could never be out of her side if she has problems."

My lips trembled. Little did I know, my tears were already flowing freely down my cheeks. Shortly, I was wrapped up into their protective arms and I felt like a baby again, peacefully sleeping inside their care.

I love you, Mom... Dad...

_____

CAFETERIA was my favorite place at my previous school. Not because the food was great, but my friends were there. I love the fact that I could easily find them there although we were in different classes. When I ate in the cafeteria, I was never alone.

But now, even though I was devouring the most awesome pizza maybe in the entire city, the creamy, meaty, and sweet taste of it didn't lessen the emptiness in me. Although this place was a lot of times bigger than my previous place to eat, It didn't excite me because I was alone. I didn't have any friends yet. Was it even possible for me to make friends here? Students were too classy, too intimidating for me to approach.

"Um, hi! Can I join you?"

I was in the middle of sipping my smoothie when a voice interrupted my train of thought. I turned to my left and looked up, seeing a girl that was so familiar to me.

"Candy?" I asked. She was my classmate. Usually, she was here with a bunch of three or more girls. I looked around and glanced at her again. "Are you really talking to me?" I asked, pointing to myself.

Her smile expanded. "Yes, Of course, Quinn." She carefully perched on the empty chair beside me, put her tray on my table, and the smokey smell of barbeque passed across my nose. "I'm starving. Please excuse me, I'll just take a bite of my burger."

"Go on." I nodded awkwardly.

She really took her time feasting on her food. I, on the other hand, slowly turned my head to my smoothie and finished it. What on earth is she thinking? Why did she sit beside me even though there were still lots of tables here?

"Um... how are you, Quinn?"

I frowned at her. She was confusing me. I didn't know if it was a greeting or she was asking about my condition. "What do you mean by that question?"

Since the burger had passed away seconds ago, she put her barbeque down and took a sip on her Coke before saying, "How are you after Karla assaulted you three days ago? You know my friends were so worried about you when she did that in front of us." She slammed her can of Coke on the table. "That bully! She thinks all students are weak? Well, you know what, the class admires you for fighting her. That Karla must learn her lesson!"

"W-wait..." I blinked. "Our classmates... admires me?"

"Yes. They almost want to build your monument and place it beside the flagpole. So how are you now? Are you okay? Is she still bothering you?"

This girl is sweet all over. No wonder her parents named her Candy.

Feeling the warm sensation in my chest, I smiled back at her. "I'm good. If you're asking about the discussion with the guidance office, Mrs. Claros says if it happens again, we are suspended and will be disqualified in the chess competition."

Her lips parted in awe. "No way. The class wants you to win the contest because you are representing our section."

I stared at her cynically. If they really supported me, then why had everybody seemed not to care?

"Yo!"

I almost leaped from my chair when somebody tapped my shoulders. I c****d my head to the right side and spotted another familiar face. "Dona?" Then in the next blink of my eyes, the empty chairs around me were already occupied.

Tessa? Eva? Yam?

"Well, here they are," Candy said, laughing.

I gave them an awkward smile since I really didn't know what to do with them. One time, these girls hadn't talked to me especially in class, and then the next, they were clustering here like we were old-time friends.

"Hey, Quinn, do you wanna try this?" I blinked at Tessa who pulled my hands just to put gummy bears in them.

"Um... thanks," I whispered, picking one red gum.

"You will just get used to her, Quinn. She's rich with gummy bears because her mom makes them."

I raised my brows, still chewing the cherry-flavored gummy bears "Wow, it tastes so good."

This was the beginning of my friendship with them. That was why I felt guilty for judging them the moment I first saw them. It turned out, they were the nicest and most funny circle of girls in our section.

As our chit chat continued, they told me that the first time they saw me, they thought I was the haughty type. I was aloof and didn't talk to anyone. Also, they were afraid because Karla's eyes were on me. They were worried that if they spoke with me, Karla would terrorize them, especially Candy.

"You mean Karla bullied you before me?" I looked at Candy in disbelief.

She nodded, almost teary-eyed.

"Yeah. And she excels in almost everything," Eva mumbled. "She holds the top one medal, the prom queen crown, the previous declaration trophy, and the winner of last year's chess event."

"Uh-oh," I muttered.

"Yeah. No one could defeat her in that field," Eva added, shrugging her shoulders. But that group has to stop victimizing students. They're not above the campus rules."

"There's only one way to stop them."

Everybody looked at Yam, including me.

"How?" I asked.