(THE BULLYING)

  The Next Day

  “Damn…hargghhh…this is just so f**king bad” Sophia groaned, swinging her pillow across the room, as Emma tried dodging the hit. The three friends are actually in Sophia’s room, watching the former as she rants out in anger.

  “Chill girl..I still need my face for tomorrow’s shoot” Emma scoffed, picking up the pillow from the ground.

  “Shut the f**k up Emma, you need to understand Sophia here, she is in pain” Nina Chipped in

  “And so what? She shouldn’t be screaming her lungs out just because Axel refused to kiss her in the game, why get worked up about a silly kiss”

  “Well, let’s just say you were too drunk to remember the whole events that took place last night, you were busy f**king Zach, bitch” Nina snapped, Emma frown as they both gaze at Sophia who was sobbing slightly.

  “It’s not my fault, I was drunk..so what happened?” Emma asked

  “When the bottle was spun, it was Axel’s turn to pick a dare, so I dared him to kiss Sophia since that is what she has always wanted, but did you know what the dude did”

  “What?”

  “He pecked her on her cheek” Nina breathed out

  “Then why is she getting worked up”

  “Because, she wanted a lip kiss, and I didn’t specify the type of kiss I wanted him to give her; it was done already, no going back” Nina groaned, going to cuddle Sophia.

  “Come here girl, Axel will surely come around; it’s just a matter of time”

  Sobbing “Am I not beautiful, don’t I have the curves, why is he not even sparing me a glance” Sophia cried

  “Stop being a baby, he is just recovering from a heartbreak, once it’s time he will know that he has been missing a lot by not paying attention to you earlier. But trust me, Sophia, once he does, he will come crawling at your feet” Emma assured going to hug her too. Sophia sniffed in, cleaning the tears off her face.

  “Thanks, babes, you both are the best…” she smiled

  “That’s my girl….now get up, we need to get to school as soon as possible” Emma muttered, dragging her off the bed.

  “Hey stop that, you wanna pull my arm off my joint” Sophia cracked, as they dragged her to the bathroom.

  “No….but we need to bathe you fast…” Nina mumbled, taking off her clothes, she rolled her eyes

  “Whatever, just be fast about it”

  “Sophia…about the new girl…what’s up with her…where did Aiden pick her from” Emma asked

  “I don’t care about the new girl… erm what’s her name?” Sophia scoffed stepping into the bathtub filled with warm water and bubbles, as the girls scrubbed her body

  “Ariel….” Nina replied

  “Yea…whatsoever her name is…I don’t have a business with her”

  “But you deliberately poured your coffee on her yesterday” Emma snickered

  “Come on girl, you talk like you don’t know who we are in school. She is a newcomer, so I need to put some fear in her so that she can mind her boundaries” She scoffed, and the girls laughed

  “Well I trust you for that Sophie, the bully” Nina hailed, she chuckled

  “But what if Aiden asks her out,” Emma asked

  “That’s not my business”

  “What if she tried hitting on Axel” Nina chipped in

  “I will kill her….she dare not like I said earlier, once she doesn’t cross my lane, then I have nothing to do with her. But if she thinks she is a bitch, then I will show her who the real bitch is” Sophia yelled, raising her hands in the air, as foams splashed out

  “Chill girl, stop getting worked up, Axel is surely gonna be yours” Emma smirked

  ~~~~~~~

  Ariel’s POV

  The weather became so chilly after the heavy rain fell last night, and I found it hard getting out of my flower-filled warm bathtub. I was humming a song by Shawn Medes, enjoying the warmth of the water when I heard the bang of my room door. Who the hell was that, I thought.

  “Ariel…will you get the hell out of that bathroom” I heard Josephine’s voice

  “Huhn…that bitch” I huffed

  “And what if I don’t, miss”

  “Fine…I’m coming in” She said, trying to turn the knob

  “Hargh, I’m naked” I screamed, coming out of the bathtub, picking up her towel, and tied it around my body. The door opened, and I rushed out pushing Josephine in the process

  “Hey, watch that…..”

  “Why will you come in that way…don’t you have respect” I barked

  “And what are you hiding, am I, not a lady too..come on and dress up, Aiden needs you downstairs in ten minutes. Or ain’t you going to school” She scoffed, I gasped

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  “Aiden is what?”

  “You heard me right, Ma’am”

  “Why are you talking to me that way, I can report you to the boss remember”

  “No dear…you won’t, you know why? Because you are my friend, and we get along well. So cheer up and get dressed, you won’t wanna be late” She snickered, going out of the room.

  “Huh” I scoffed

  “Calm down Ariel, she just wanna get on your nerves this morning” I muttered to myself. Without wasting time, I pulled out a pair of black Jean trousers and a yellow top from the wardrobe, wearing white sneakers to give myself a better look.

  And as for my hair, I let it down like I always to, combing it slightly, and clipping a pin on it. No make ups, well yea, I’m not used to make ups, or let’s just say, I don’t really know how to apply it, I wish I could. Weird, right?

  Walking out my room, I hurried down to the dining room and sighted Aiden already having breakfast. I paused, staring at him; he looked so hot and stunning in his outfit. He held his phone in one hand, deeply engross in what he was doing as he seem oblivious of my presence; not until he heard my footstep. He looked up at me and smiled.

  “Hey, good morning” he greeted, showing his full sets of perfect teeth. I stood dump-folded, drooling at his hot look, forgetting the fact that I should reply to his greetings. He made a cough sound.

  “Humhun, Ariel, are you alright?” he asked, furrowing his brow. I gasp slightly, mentally blaming myself for drooling too much.

  “Oh…yea… hum..good morning” I shuttered for no reason, taking a seat opposite him as my food was served.

  “So…how was your night” he asked

  “It was fine…and yours?”

  “I had a cool time yesterday night” he smirked, taking a sip from his drink. I nodded, digging into my food.

  “You left when the game was still on last night, why?”

  “Erm…yea…I couldn’t stand the sight of those two making out on the couch, damn it was an irksome sight” I almost said, but I don’t have the nerves to do so

  “Oh..yea..I was feeling sleepy, you know..yesterday was a bit stressful at school, I had to rest” I smiled, and he nodded.

  “Yea…you will get use to the school soon” he muttered. We continued our meal in silence for a while, not until his phone buzz disrupting the silence. He checked the screen, and sigh.

  “Erm…Ariel, I need to go now. I’m having a shoot this morning, and I’m damn late. My manager won’t stop troubling me until I arrive there, so I will meet you at school okay.”

  “Ok”

  “Your driver will drop you at school, see ya..bye” He muttered, pecking my cheek which sends sparks into my marrow, before heading out. I smiled unconsciously; touching my cheek which I believe is already red.

  I finished my food in time and headed for school. I pray I don’t meet that Sophia girl, else she will see the other side of me if she tries bullying me, I said to myself. But that fact that my subconscious laughed at me, still leave me baffled.

  ~~~~~

  After waving goodbye to my driver, a sudden cold breeze blew across my face, making me to shiver. It became dawn on me that the heavy down pour of yesterday will make today’s weather really cold; and I’m not used to the chilly weather of this country, why the hell did I forget to bring along my pull-over with me, I cursed, folding my arms for a warmth as my teeth clatter.

  I smuggled myself to class, and it was a bit warm, but the first lecture was boring; and to make my day worse, Mia wasn’t in school. I tried reaching her before the commencement of the lecture, but it wasn’t going through. I managed to jot some reasonable things from the first lecture, and head out immediately the class was over.

  Other students who had company decided to chill out with each other, some went to the cafeteria, others to the library and other leisure places. But being a fresher with no friends, except Mia, who isn’t here yet, I decided to take a walk round the school, well just to visit few places, perhaps the cold will go away.

  But the more I walk, the cold gets more. I had no choice but to walk into a certain building. It looks like a left-out bookstore due to lots of old books scattered across some rooms. Though the books didn’t interest me, the sound coming out from one of the rooms, made me walk further.

  The sound coming out from a Piano became louder as I walk closer. The melodious sound could take one’s sorrow away, it sounds like magic, but who could be playing this way.

  I walked briskly and stood a few meters from the entrance of the room. Boldly written on the wall is the word “Restricted Area”, perhaps the player doesn’t want any disturbance, but something caught my attention, the pull-over hung on a hanger nearby; the cold suddenly crept into my body, making me long to have in on.

  The music stopped, drifting me off my thoughts as the unbelievable happened.

  “This place is restricted, I believe you can read” The pianist muttered, and that voice sounded familiar.

  “Harsh” I gasp, scrutinizing his features, it's Axel.

  “I believe am speaking to a human being” he snapped raising his voice a bit, I flinched.

  “Erm….errmmm…I’m feeling so cold..I need something to wear” I shuttered, not knowing what to reply.

  “Get lost..this is not mall or boutique” he replied coldly, not turning to face me.

  “But…but…that’s a pull-over over there…I’m cold” I whined

  “You heard me….”

  “Please…” I pleaded. He scoffed and turned round to face me. Our eyes locked, and trust me; those eyes sent sparks into my body.

  “I don’t get why you are distracting me this moment” he stated, standing to pick up the pull-over, throwing it at me.

  “Next time, view the weather well, before stepping out of the house,” he said, with lots of ice in his words, before walking out of the building.

  “Huhff….he is just so rude..for Christ's sake, I was just being friendly here” I scoff.

  “By asking for his pull-over, when you clearly should have come along with yours,” My subconscious asked, I frowned.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter” I sigh, smelling the cloth. It smells nice, and a name was written on the back. “Zel”

  “Hmm…Zel…what does it mean” I thought, but shrugged it off, wearing it over my body. It will keep me warm the main time.

  ~~

  Stepping out of the building, I walked down the hallway heading for class but the glare I kept receiving from some students got me thinking what could be wrong with my dressing. The glares became too intense, as they whispered to each other. I wish Mia was here, she would have shooed them away.

  A fierce-looking girl walked up to me, tapping my shoulder from behind, I turned to face her with the “how can I help you” look.

  “Hey you…..what are you doing with this pull-over” she asked. A crowd was already forming as some students came walking towards the scene.

  “What do you mean” I asked, trying to act strong, to avoid being bullied, because that is practically what the rich kids do to the less privileged ones over here, but I won’t let them get me this time.

  “Stop acting innocent..you stole Zel’s cloth, because Zel won’t give a buffalo like you his cloth to wear, so where did you steal it from, thief” She spatted, as other students roared in response. A cold shiver suddenly erupted in my body, are they accusing me of stealing now?

  “I’m not a thief…I did not steal this cloth, and who is Zel by the way” I yelled.

  “Huhnn…this bitch gat some nerves…how dare you speak to me that way... Huhn…take a look at me...I’m Shirley, the she-wolf…I bite Miss, so tell me the truth if you don’t want the taste of my fangs” she snorted. Looking at her, I swiftly remembered Kabria, they had the same personality. She looked fierce.

  “Answer me…idiot…” she barked, holding my wrist firmly

  “Leave her alone…” A voice amidst the crowd muttered as the roaring sounds made by the students died down. Everyone turned to see the owner of the voice, who could dare stop Shirley.

  “Harghh” I gasped, as he came into view.