Jibber Jabber Mumbo Jumbo

Meaningful

Not a Hero inspired (non-Wattpad story)

April 27th, 2020

"Just stop it, Weston."

He was not expecting those four words, especially not from her. Nevertheless she stooped down, wearing a form-fitting skirt and all, to help him up. In front of her friends, she was helping him. Meaningless him, who had been tormented by her closest friends for a few weeks now. The days blended together, and Oliver could no longer remember what insulted he received which day, or even which week. Except for the first time Weston called him meaningless, that was the third day of torment. He couldn't forget that.

Liliana and Ava weren't really involved in the taunting, but they didn't stop it either. They would ignore it and walk away to meet back up with the boys later. Ben and Ava recently had started to date a few months earlier, and Weston was desperate to win over the heart of Liliana. However, she wasn't having any other that. They may have been friends since the beginning of high school, three and a half long years before, but she was not committing to anything. She was focused mostly on her studies, and she made sure to let him know that.

Oliver only knew this because he had awkwardly come across them arguing after school, Ben and Ava too interested in staring into each other's eyes and laughing for no reason to care. It was weird how easily they can tune things out, for Oliver could do not such thing. He had friends, good ones too, but he usually walked around school alone. So, he was hyper-aware to his surroundings due to this fact, and became an observer. In this case though, in the period of time after school where the big clearing of students had passed through, it was not easy to miss either. They didn't make too much of a scene, but it was enough to remain imprinted in Oliver's mind.

He didn't know why the guys started to pick on him, and so close to graduation. It didn't make any sense to him. Oliver wasn't much different than the guys themselves. He had about the same grades, was somewhat popular and likable, and played volleyball as well as participating in the play and musical. Ben and Weston had numerous mutual friends with Oliver, and were also in the theater program. The only difference was them being on the baseball team. Maybe there didn't need to be a reason.

"I was just kidding around, Lil' Lily. No problem."

Oliver opened his mouth to speak as Liliana helped him up, but she shook her head. She knew her friend, he wouldn't listen to the classmate he just shoved to the ground.

"Yeah. Ava, tell your friend that it was just some harmless fun." Uh oh, sidekick Ben was pulling his girlfriend into the situation.

"What?" Ava kept her arm around Ben's waist and his arm around her shoulders, but her expression was less than pleased. "I'm not getting involved in this. Weston, you need to chill, like, now."

"Whatever. Let's go Ben, we'll talk to them again when they're not being drama queens."

Oliver's stomach twisted at this comment. Anger flashed up in him, that Weston thinks he can talk to his friends this way. He didn't always act this way, it seemed to start recently. If he thought acting like a jerk was going to attract Lilian, he was frankly being stupid. She cared about him as a friend, how he was before. Changing his demeanor wouldn't bring her closer but rather push a valued friend away.

Ben tensed at his best friend's comment, but began to pull away from Ava and follow him silently. He leaned down to give Ava a goodbye kiss, but she turned away, refusing to acknowledge him after he let Ben insult her and Liliana. He gave her a puppy-dog look before obediently following Weston down the hallway. He turned back, guiltily, to look at the three of them numerous times before turning into an adjacent hallway. Ben wasn't a follower, but maybe he just didn't understand how to handle his friend's new attitude. He was probably didn't know what to do, so was just going along with it.

Liliana told Ava she could head after Ben, but the frustrated girl refused. Anyway, she had to leave and pick up her little sister, Hayley, from primary school. After wishing her friend well and saying goodbye, Oliver made eye contact with Liliana. He had known her for a number of years, and even could consider her a friend, but he was never very close to her. She seemed like a really kind and thoughtful person, but he did not know enough about her to say exactly what she was like. Probably an older sibling, and supportive parents at home.

"I'm really sorry about him, Oliver. I don't know what's been going on with Weston lately but I'm not putting up with it anymore. I'm going to have a serious what-for with him later today, don't you worry. And I know it hasn't looked like it, but I have actually tried to help you before now."

Oliver went to say something, but stopped midway through as his mind was drawing a blank. Instead, he shrugged he mumbled a quick thank you. He didn't understand why he was having trouble communicating all of a sudden, it was probably because of the weirdness of the situation itself. Also, he had never spoken to Liliana alone before.

"I was bullied when I was in eighth grade," she suddenly revealed. Oliver looked at her with shock, but again blanked on what to say. So, he let her continue without comment from him. "It also started near the end of the year weirdly enough, about a month before school ended. I didn't understand why, but it happened. It was like they forgot it by high school, like I wasn't . . . " She struggled to find the word.

"Meaningful?" Oliver offered, looking at the concrete-tiled floor.

She sighed. "Yeah, like I wasn't meaningful enough to have them remember how they treated me. They forgot. I never really knew them well, but I had known who they were. Then, Ava moved here, and I had classes with Weston and Ben." Liliana shook her head, her straight chestnut-colored haired rippling like water. "It's really out of character for him to be like this, and if he thinks it's for my benefit for some stupid reason, I'll whack him with his baseball bat, deal?"

"I never knew you were so violent, Liliana! Now I know not to mess with you, duly noted."

"Awesome. Well, I'll see you around, and make sure to let me know if he gives you any more problems I don't know about."

"Will do, see you later." He turned to continue to his locker, but then the kind friend called out to him.

"And by the way, you are meaningful."

"Thanks, Liliana." His smiled may have been too wide, cheeks too red, but he didn't care. She knew just the right thing to say, and he hoped to get to know her better in the last month of school they had left before parting ways.

She returned the smile. "No problem, Oli."