Soledad; a Victim of the Fall (NANOWRIMO2023)

Chapter 4: The Alliance

The following day after school, Mr. John, his wife and the headteacher checked Alex in his ward. With closed eyes, Alex's chest rose and fell with every breath. Mr. John went to the toilet when Alex woked up.

His eyes squinted to the harsh sunlight and he yawned into consciousness.

"How are you, my dear? Do you still feel pains?" Rebecca held his face to check his injury. His swollen chin had suppressed.

"A little." Alex replied flatly and sat up. It's still painful. He tried to touch his chin but his mother stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"Don't touch it, okay?"

"Okay, mum." He smiled painfully.

"Dad spent the night... Where is he?" Alex glanced around with quirked brows.

"He just steeped out." Rebecca replied studying his dull eyes.

"Hello, Mrs. Ola." Alex greeted once he noticed her presence. "Good afternoon."

Although, Alex made a full recovery and became completely unaffected by the coma, he was at a critical stay of recovery while he received care and cure.

Mrs. Ola, the headteacher of Greater Heights Academy, asked if it was true that Alex had been treated with contempt by some of his classmates in school. And if Eric hit him at school yesterday right before break.

"Yes... Is it true what I heard? That you are mistreated my your classmates?" Rebecca pressed in support of the headteacher.

"Because my parents work for the Williams family, they crack insultive jokes at me. My classmates calls me names and I'm not allowed to participate in activities at school else, I get blamed. I kept it as a secret. I am tired of keeping it to myself. Eric was furious at me because I answered a question in class. I'm not even allowed to talk."

"What? Why did you keep this to yourself?" Rebecca cried. "You even told Bunmi not to tell anyone. Why?"

Alex eyes slowly misted over as he thought about how he hid his feelings. Revealing it felt tough, he had made it a secret over the years.

"The idea of being transferred to another school scared me. I might be faced with something else there. I love it here. I my school, my teachers and parents. I enjoy learning with Bunmi around, to be her helping hand especially in school. I was willing to endure till I complete my basic education. It's just some months away till I go to the secondary section, I didn't know why Bunmi revealed the secret." He collapses in ragged sobs. His condition made his more empathetic.

Was it his weakness or strength? Alex's words touched Mrs. Ola and moved her to tears. Her lips pulled down as she wiped the pouring tears. 'How long was he going to tolerate such?'

"Why won't she? Don't you realize that this has caused something else too you. How can you learn in fear of others. And I didn't realize it until now?" his mother blurted at him. With distress in Rebecca's heart, she whined at Alex, close to tears.

Then the tears stung her eyes, her tongue watered as she gulped in the pain of hearing Alex say those words.

“I never thought it would result to this, mum. I'm sorry.” Alex's eyes begged hers for forgiveness.

Hurt to the bones, Rebecca held unto his shoulders and kissed his head. Her withheld cry turned to whimpers as she cuddled her son. “Why, Alex... Silence solves no problem.”
Mrs. Ola sniffled as she watched tears pooled in both the mother and son's eyes. Being bullied was a regretful experience indeed.

"Let them judge and misunderstand you! Let them gossip about you.”Mrs. Ola ad iced once Rebecca pulled out of the cuddle. She sat right next to her son on the sick bed. And he leaves to his mother's arm.