Child of a King

Chapter thirteen - A friend + Characters

Swinging my legs back and forward underneath the table, I flipped a page in one of the books I found in the classroom. Unfortunately, I couldn't read yet, but I enjoyed looking at the pictures that were drawn. Sometimes when I have dreamt something and still remembered it in the morning, I would tell Luca and she would try to draw it for me. Just for the fun of it.

Gary always said it was creepy when Luca tried to draw a dream he had told her about. He said it was so accurate that he could practically hear the people from his dream talk in real-life. I never found it creepy though. Quite the opposite. It was fascinating. Bringing something that has been in your head to life. Nothing could be any cooler.

"You can't sit here. This is my spot and only 1st graders are allowed to sit with me".

I briefly glanced up from the colorful pages, my attention being captured from a few feet away. The same girl who sat next to me today was standing beside a table with her lunchbox, timidly looking at the same red-haired girl who spoke to me on my first day here. The same girl whose mom wants to marry Nate.

"There aren't regular seats in the cafeteria and all the seats are almost taken", the timid girl mumbled. From my spot, I could see how she shifted from one foot to the other.

"So?" The red-haired said with a raised brow. "I always sit here. Leave!" She demanded, her nostrils starting to flare.

I was sitting too far away to hear what the other girl responded but by the look the red-haired one wore, she didn't seem pleased.

"Are you deaf? I said leave!" She squinted her eyes together giving my classmate a nasty glare. "Maybe if you weren't so stupid it would be easier for you to understand English. Is that what you are?" She questioned patronizingly. "Are you stupid?"

Frowning, I discreetly looked around. Why wasn't anyone doing anything? Where were the adults who were supposed to help us? Maybe I should go find someone.

"No, I'm not". I had to strain my ears to be able to hear what she replied. I was impressed that she answered at all. That must have taken courage.

"Yes, you are", the mean-girl laughed. "You're so stupid I bet no one here is willing to share their table with you". Her eyes sparked with a certain evil as she stood up turning to face some other students behind her.

"Hey guys". She directed herself at a small group of people. "Would you let this dork sit with you?"

"Heck no!"

The red-haired girl turned to another table. "How about you over there?"

Some students shared looks between them, fearfully shaking their heads no.

This girl had the ability to bring out a level of rage I didn't even know I possessed as she loudly asked more people the same question, achieving a freaky kind of satisfaction from it.

"See, no one here would ever sit with you", she concluded with a cruel laugh. "Can't blame them. You're so disgusting to look at that I feel like puking". She pretended to start gagging in her direction and used a hand to forcefully knock the blue lunchbox out of her victim's hands, food going everywhere. "Ew, your food is even as gross as you!"

I silently gasped at her insult, scanning the other students in the cafeteria as they just sat by and watched or simply ignored the bullying right in front of them.

"Look! She's crying. Such a baby".

My gaze fell on the poor girl who stood in the middle of the cafeteria with tears streaming down her face, her lunch ruined, and her feelings wounded. Something touched my heart, making it quiver from the image in front of me. All those hurtful words, the humiliation, and the feeling of being completely on your own stirred memories and emotions inside me that I wished I could forget.