bullying the bullies | aspir | ✓

10 | call

10

c a l l

My mom sighs, before closing the cap of the ointment. She's just finished cleaning me up, and treating my wounds. "Can we really not talk to the teachers about this? They could take some action, Lyra. They could help you."

Yes, the teachers probably can help us, but now we're in too deep. We've started taking action. We've started bullying them, and my mom is not yet privy to this information.

"It - it's okay mom," I say, as I get up from my place on the couch.

"No, it's not okay, Lyra." She stands up, and finally I think she's understood the seriousness of the situation we're dealing with. "How many more days should I expect you to come home, beaten up?" She sounds strangled, as though she can suddenly burst into tears.

"Mom... " I say, as I step forward. I wrap my arms around her, and giver her a tight embrace. It's comforting, to breathe in her warm smell, and to rest my chin on her shoulder. It takes me back to when I was five years old, and when revenge was not the only thing on my mind.

XxX XxX XxX XxX

"How are you, dear?" Liam's mom asks. It's in the evening, and I drove by to check up on Liam, and to make sure he's alright.

I tuck a strand of my blonde hair behind my ear, before giving her a forced smile. "I'm getting better," I say. "How's Liam?"

She shakes her head mutely, and I see the tears welling up in her eyes. Her face crumples up, and I hurriedly step forward, and take her hand in mine. "He's such a nice child," she lets out. "He's h-hardworking, he helps me with so many things around the house." She runs the back of her hand across her face to wipe away the tears. "Why would anyone want to hurt him?"

I don't know what to say, but it's now that I'm regretting bullying the bullies. Yes, we've given them a taste of our medicine, but I can't bear looking at Liam getting beat up because of my idea. I could protect everyone else, but not Liam, and suddenly it breaks me.

"I - I'm going to check up on him," I mumble. I rub her hands comfortingly, before side stepping around her, and walking up to Liam's room.

I lightly push the door open, and bite my lip as I don't see him in there. And then I notice the small balcony that opens off at the side of his room. I cautiously walk over and peep into it, only to have my heart skip a beat.

Liam's standing at the balcony, shirtless, with a cigar. I stare at the white wisps of smoke coming out, trying to wrap my head around this. He takes it up and brings it to his mouth.

"Liam!" I gasp, and he turns around. [gif] "What are you doing!?"

He looks at me for a second, before a sardonic smile makes its way onto his face. "Smoking, Lyra. Want to join me?"

I look at him in shock. "Liam, what the hell is wrong with you!? Why are you smoking? Does your mom even know?"

"It's what the cool kids do, isn't it?" He asks, holding the cigar between his fingers. "Maybe if I'm a cool kid, I can avoid getting beat up."

He brings the cigar to his mouth, but I swipe at it, and it falls onto the floor. He glares at me, and proceeds to pick it, but I quickly stub it out with the heel of my boot.

"That doesn't make sense, Liam," I say. "They're never going to stop bullying us, and just to avoid getting bullied, I'm not going to let you smoke. Do you even know how unhealthy it is for you? You're killing yourself."