Islander

Chapter 9: George's time 2

You guys remember George? The bully I sent to military school? He was back. It wasn't even up to a year yet. I guess my plea to let him go finally got into some ears. But now, I think he was stalking me. What did he want? To give me more bruises enough to cover my entire body? I was in the library copying some notes I had missed three weeks ago. And I could see George sit at a table at the far end. That was weird, George was not the kind of person to look at a book, let alone enter a library. It was now I knew he was stalking me. He was willing to risk his entire cool self by being in a library, just so that he could do whatever he wanted. I scoffed when my eyes met his and he quickly retracted probably thinking I didn't catch him looking at me. I picked up the books I was working with and headed to the librarian's table for checking. Then I left the library abruptly. I could see him stand from his seat immediately I left so I ran through a sharp bend and ran fast down the hallway leading out the library. I wanted to lose him. I was just resuming school today and already I had somebody following me around. As I kept running, I made another turn and stopped to catch my breath. I heaved a heavy sigh when I looked back and realised that George was not behind me. I adjusted my backpack and kept walking. Then, however he did it, George appeared in front of me.

"Hello friend." George said, a wide grin filling his face.
"Friend?" I asked.

"Well..."

"Save it. What do you want?" I asked him.

"How 'bout we talk at lunch?" He said.

"I'm not paying for your lunch. Hit me and get this over with."

"Hey I'm not hitting you okay? Just wanna talk, as friends." George said with an awkwardly polite face. Yeah, very awkward.

"You're not hitting me? That's a first."

"I promise. And I'll pay for your lunch."

"Hmmm... Fine." I walked away.

"Uhhh... Now?" George yelled as I kept walking.

"Meet me in the cafeteria." I yelled back.

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We were silent. George chewed on a hamburger like a squirrel rushed over a nut. I watched him closely. An untouched plate of rice lay in front of me, I sipped my coffee silently.

"Eat." George said.

"You wanted to talk..." I retorted.

"After, we eat." George cut in.

"I don't have all day. I have weeks of homework to do. You can either save my time, or I get the hell out of he..."

"I'm sorry." George cut in again. I paused, puzzled as he used a serviette to wipe his mouth of leftover food. He then gulped down an entire can of soda in what seemed like two seconds. I still watched, mouth agape. Not at the speed with which he ate, but with the apology he just uttered.

"I'm sorry." George said again.

"For?" I asked, still puzzled.

"Everything." George said.

I realised now I had just lost my friends who stabbed me in the back. And they, through Alice, got to be my friends in this way.

"Go away George." I said suddenly sober. I picked up my fork and began to eat my rice, bit by bit.

"No..no. I mean it."

"Dude I sent you to military school. Why would you apologise? I just made your life hell, literally. I expect vengeance, not apologies. Unless your revenge plan is interwoven with calling yourself friends with me." I said to George.

"I don't intend to revenge." George said. I ate on, not looking at him. "Military school is the best thing that happened to me. They opened my eyes to the kind of person I was, and I didn't like that monstrous self."

"Word." I mocked. "Where'd you get that? A motivational book?"

"I promise I mean what I say. I have realised that bullying you has been bad. I thought it was fun, but I had fun at the expense of your happiness. And I'm sorry."

"Whoa. Dude what did they do to you?" I asked, sincerely perplexed this time. What was this about a reformed George?

"I went to military school for just two weeks. The other one, I spent at a hospital. At military school, my roommates were two northern teenagers who were brothers. And since I was a southerner, I was pretty much not their type. And also considering I was sent there for bullying, they thought I'd be the perfect prey." George explained.

"So what did they do to you that you've not experienced before?" I asked. George always was a tough dude. What changed?

"This." George said, as he undid the first three buttons of his shirt. He then pushed down his singlet revealing a huge, round, red spot."

"Oh my God." I dropped my spoon. "What happened?" I asked.

"The unity between a red hot milk can, and my chest. I was bleeding that time, and rushed to a hospital. I was out cold for days and regained consciousness only a few days ago. Then your appeal for my release came through. I'd still be there by now." George explained. "I owe you."

"No you don't." I went back to eating.

We both sat there silently for the entire time. He kept looking at me, and I focused on my lunch. I got him out of military school just so his parents could stop pressurizing Principal Effiong.

"I found this..." George brought out from his bag a green hard cover book "...on the table on which you read."

"That's mine." I said surprised. I also snatched the book from him.

"I saw the letter." He said.

"What letter?" I asked.

"The one inside the book."

He was referring to the letter my former friends wrote me. Oh my God. I forgot to take it out of the book from the last time I read it. I opened the book and a slim piece of paper fell out, neatly folded. I took the paper from the table, unfolded it and took a final glance at the note that broke me. Then I tore it to shreds.

"What happened?" George asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." I told him.

"Hey.. I completely understand. I read the letter, and I understand how much they've hurt you."

"I'm over that now." I kept munching at my lunch.

"If you need help, anyone to talk to. You can..." George started.

"No." I got up, took my bag and walked out the cafeteria.

This is exactly how my ex friend Alice did. If you need help, anyone to talk to, I'm here. Blah blah blah. Nobody ever meant that. I was alone in this world. All I wanted was to attend the fair in peace. I knew George was following me, but I kept walking. I never turned back to look at him.