Steps
684 Words
She met Emma at the school entrance, and they walked to class together. They talked about the English assignment and laughed at Emma's jokes. During the break, Yuni sat with Emma again, and Sisi joined them, mentioning the volleyball team once more and encouraging Yuni to **.
"I can't, my mother wouldn't allow it because we travel a lot for her work."
It was partly true, but Yuni didn't want to. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to be friends with Sisi. Sisi wasn't to blame for what the other cheerleaders did, but Yuni still felt hesitant. Sisi got up and walked away without looking back or saying a single word.
"It's better to stay away from her, Maya. Sisi isn't a bad girl, but she mistreats those who can't be cheerleaders. Cheerleaders were expected to meet certain body standards.
"I'll stay away, Emma, I don't want trouble."
"You look nice in that shirt, even nicer." Emma said.
Maya laughed but groaned in discomfort; that wasn't the goal.
They went to English literature class, where they would discuss a chapter of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
During that school day, some boys tried to approach her, but Yuni politely declined, not even accepting when one offered to lend her a book. Emma remained by her side.
"Emma, you can go sit with someone else; I don't want to hold you back."
"We're friends, we can read that book at home. I'll order it from the bookstore, and we'll read it together," Emma replied.
They stayed together until the end of the class. When it was over, Emma asked:
"Don't you like boys?"
"It depends…"
Maya took a deep breath before sharing with Emma the distressing experience she had gone through.
"Do you remember my old school? The one where I did gymnastics?" Maya asked, the tone of her voice reflecting a mix of sadness and discomfort.
Emma nodded, encouraging Maya to continue.
"So... there was a situation there. A cheerleader, she... she became jealous of me. It started when her boyfriend asked me to the dance, which I refused, but I think it was also because I was getting more attention due to gymnastics. Both factors combined."
Maya paused and looked away for a moment, mentally reliving that painful experience.
"One day, when I was leaving school, she attacked me. It was horrible, Emma. She pushed me, threw me to the ground, and started calling me horrible names, saying awful things about me, and her friends joined her."
Emma listened attentively, her expression reflecting compassion and indignation at what Maya was sharing.
"I tried to defend myself, but... she was strong, Emma. And I felt so vulnerable, so helpless at that moment, I ended up hurt and very scared. I have never told anyone about this before. I was afraid, ashamed."
"Were the girls punished, Maya?"
"They were, they were expelled from school, but they thought it was a fight over a boyfriend, but it wasn't, I swear. That's why I want to stay away from boys, and I don't want to be near Sisi, or anything to do with cheerleaders."
Emma understood.
Soon, it was time for them to leave.
"Do you have a ride home?" Maya asked.
"I do, a neighbor picks me, Anastacia... she's nice and lives with her aunt. Later, I'll introduce you two. She even spends her breaks studying. She wants to be a doctor.
***
The next few days...
The following days continued to be a mix of new experiences and adjustments. Maya was attending classes and getting involved in school activities.
As she was going down the stairs, she bumped into the Asian boy, and he caught her.
"Are you okay?" Anésio asked.
"I'm fine.."
"I have something for you."
"For me?" She asked in surprise.
She didn't want contact, not even with him.
"Yes."
She didn't want to accept, it was probably a sweet, or something like that. Then it would be a kiss and then bed. She knew that. That is, unless she didn't get beaten up again because of a boy.
- Writer
