Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Last hour was chemistry. Chemistry teacher Mrs Allen had brought two racks of test tubes to class, filled with different acids and alkalis along with some metals to teach their combined reactions. She said the chemistry lab was under maintenance and she could only take us to the lab next week.

Everyone hurries out of the class room with their things, as soon the bell rings. I am the only one remaining inside except for the teacher who is carefully placing the test tubes back inside the racks. Soon she finishes the task and looks at me.

"Aren't you going?", She asks.

" Yeah..I'm g..going.", I say and stand up.

" can you do me a favour of taking this test tubes to the lab ?", She asks. I think for a moment about saying 'Sorry, I am in a hurry'. But that would probably sound rude as I was sitting here so leisurely. And I don't want to earn this teacher’s dislike too. So I nod. "Okay, lab assistant will be there. Just hand it to her." She says taking her books. Then she swiftly walk out of the class as if in a hurry.

I feel nervous as I walk out of the classroom with the two racks of test tubes. I could feel a lot of eyes on me as I walk through the corridor. I don't even know where the chemistry lab is.

After a good 10 minutes of walking around, looking for the lab, I finally find it. Like Mrs Allen said, the lab assistant was inside there pouring some colourless liquid from a big jar to a glass bottle.

I excuse myself and then walk in. " Just place it there.", she says pointing to the big tiled desk on the right. I nod and place the two racks there. Then I quickly turn around and walk out.

There's not many people strolling through the corridors as I walk back to my dorm. So I don't run. I languidly walk, looking nowhere else than at the floor beneath.

But I flinch in terror as suddenly someone calls out ' Stammer boy'. I already identify that voice to be Amelia's and that's the reason for my horror. To my utter bad luck, as I slowly look up, all the five are there standing at a 20 m distance from me leaning to a black Mercedes car. I might have been walking a bit too absentmindedly that only then I realize I’ve reached the students parking lot. And the lot is empty except for the black Mercedes. Also there’s no one around.

I stand there frozen, debating in my mind whether to run or face them. Maybe they would chase me if I run. Then the worst would happen to me. And even if they don't catch me, they would find my Dorm room. And that's the least thing I'd ever want to happen.

" C'mere..", Amelia then motions to me with her eyes and eyebrows . I slowly walk towards them praying in my mind for my dear life. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.

Amelia shrugs her leather bag off of her shoulder as I reach near them. Then she proceeds to open the zipper.

" Today we gave you a free nice introduction, right ? What do you feel about it ?", Kevin asks. I suppress my urge to clench my teeth together and fist my hands. Instead I just keep silent, looking down at the ground.

" I am sure he is so happy about that.", Amelia coos. " Hmm..don't you wanna express your gratitude for that ? Here, take this.", she says and stretches a notebook to me. " My Calculus notebook. Bring it next week after doing those problems."

I look up and frown at her. She glares back at me and I quickly break eye contact. I don't take the book from her hand and this time I couldn't help but fist my hands tightly in anger.

" oh..! Mine too.", Kevin says. " But I don't have a notebook. Okay, do one thing Nate, buy a notebook from the store and copy those problems.", he says and looks at Ethan. " Man..do you have a notebook? Or should he buy one for you too ?"

" Ahmm..I have.", Ethan says lowly. " I did half of the exercise already. I prefer to do the rest myself."

" oh C'mon Ethan, just give it to him.", Sophia says.

" I'm bad at maths. I need to sit and work.", he says looking away.

" Hmm..okay.", Amelia sighs looking at Ethan and then averts her attention to me. "Do mine and Kevin's. Take this. ", she commands looking at me, still the notebook stretched towards me. I had already took a decision to not take the book from her. If I do their assignments once, they'll keep on giving me their assignments. I've faced this last three years. I'm not letting it happen here again.

" I'm not d..doing your works.", I say, trying to sound stern.

" What ?", She scoffs glaring intimidatingly.

" I d..don't have time. I'm not doing it."

" You will do it.", she says and grabs my collar. "

" I won't.", I sneer at her trying to yank her hands from my shirt.

" How dare you ?", I hear before a slap fall on my cheek. Then the next instant, I am harshly pushed towards the bonnet of their black Mercedes and I groan in pain as my back hit the metal body.

" We'll give you one more chance. Are you doing it or not ?", Kevin asks inching towards me.

" I won't.", I yell in anger and frustration.

" You won't?", He asks and grabs my jaw harshly. " Do you know you are now inviting more troubles yourself ? Just one more time, are you doing it or not ?", he asks through gritted teeth.

" No ! And I'm g..gonna complain to the principal."

He chuckles looking at me. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as he takes his hands from my jaw. But I winces and fall backward as he punches me on the left side of my stomach. " Now are you doing it or not?", he asks pulling me forward by my hair and I cries out in pain. " Answer me.", he says in a deep frightening voice. I shake my head earning a punch on my face under my left eye. I'd have fallen backward but Kevin is still holding me by my hair. Pain rushes through my whole body and I scream out loud wanting someone to come and help me.

" Scream harder bitch. No one is gonna help you. This is our territory.", Kevin says and the others laugh looking at me. I stop screaming and grit my teeth together, bearing the pain. Through the corner of my eyes, I see Ethan looking down at the ground with knitted eyebrows and clenched jaw, his both hands fisted tightly showing off his veins.

" You are all t..terrible. I'll never f..forgive this.", I yell at them. In truth I only meant Ethan. Because I know all the others are heartless people and my words would never affect them.

" Doing it or not ?", Kevin asks pulling my hair harder. I feel unbearable pain but still I shake my head No.

" Just kill me. I'm not d..doing.", I say causing another punch to fall on my stomach. I take the pain without screaming and close my eyes tight. It's good if my life ends here in the hands of some jocks. I don't love my life. I don't wish to live any longer. It's better to die than living a life like this. I am pathetic, worthless, utterly friendless. I shall die.

I feel the sudden withdrawal of the hand roughly gripping my hair before I feel a harsh slap on my left cheek again. My head hurts intensely and my cheek feel like it's burning. I bite my lips and try to not let out any sobs but tears flow freely down my cheeks. " Michael..please just agree.", I hear a soft low whisper near my ear.

I open my eyes and see that the person now standing in front of me is not Kevin but Ethan. Kevin stands a little away blowing away the lock of my hair from his hand. Then it must be Ethan who slapped me now. Ethan peers at me with pleading eyes.

" No..I- I won't.", I shake my head. Again a slap falls on my cheek, not harder as the earlier ones. But still I start feeling dizzy.

" Please just agree now. I will write it.", Ethan whispers. I shake my head again. I see his hand raising one more time and then everything goes black.