Power Moves - Exodus

Chapter 3: Surviving

Leila was stunned to find what type of people (if you could call them that..'people') she went to school with. Throughout the day it seemed to be a norm to see the charity cases being pushed, beaten up, humiliated for no apparent reason other than entertainment. There were times were Leila was really tempted to jump in and stop the acts of cruelty which the others were subjected to, but she had long since realized her place. 

It seemed the news of Xavier's and Zach's truce seemed to have spread across the whole school and more than ever she constantly found herself being stared at. "I mean...okay she is beautiful..but really what are they thinking? A beggar girl?" she found one of the girls whom she didn't recognize saying, while she was at her locker. "Oh come on ! Puhlease, don't gross me out! You know it's not like that...they just couldn't decide who should own the beggar, since none of them ever had a girl beggar before, but in any case, I couldn't weasel any information out of either of them...seems like they just won't talk ! " she said frustrated, shutting her locker. 

She saw Leila looking at her "Hey ! what are you staring at? " she shrieked. Leila took a huge breathe of air, and turned around slowly. Closing her locker, she looked down at her watch, it was five minutes to twelve. Every lunch break she would wait for Justin, who would show up at her locker, and then they would walk together for lunch. 

Justin had a happy energy about him, and more than that, he was so insightful for an 8th grader. He knew about the families and businesses of almost all the heirs, and Leila felt like she always learnt new things from him each day. Her day always lightened up when she saw the curly haired small boy, with school shorts walking up to her locker with his enormous file and over large bag. 

"Heya Justin ! How were your morning classes today?" she asked him. He smiled running through his curly hair roughly. 

"Boring..I'm starved..all I could think about was the buffet lunch!" he said, making Leila giggle. "Well than let's get going for lunch!" she said. It was not long before, they entered the cafeteria, and like always their beggar table was there waiting for them, sometimes they would find their seats sellotaped together, other times they would find toilet paper all around their table. 

Leila grew accustomed to it, and was just grateful that she didn't have to witness anymore abuse since the last incident. That was the other thing among the charity cases. There was the unsaid understanding that they never talked of their 'initiations' with each other, in that way, they could at least try to look past the humiliation, and have some decent conversation. 

Leila and Justin were deep in conversation, with Leila telling him about her younger brother, who Justin always reminded her of. 

"it's a shame he can't come stay with me, but at least my aunt loves kids, and takes good care of him..other than that, I usually get to see him over the holidays.." she said slightly sad, but soon she stopped midway in her speech, she could see Zach's eyes boring into her. She looked worried as she could sense another incident coming along. He was walking with two of his other friends, with something in his hands. The whole cafeteria seemed to also sense something was about to happen, Leila could see Xavier too looking up at them, as usual with no expression on his face.

"Hello little Justy ! Long time pal.." zach said sarcastically. Leila's eyes widened with understanding and fear, today was going to be Justin, and he too seemed to sense it was his turn coming up. He looked down obediently, " Hello Mr. Williams" he said. 

If what was coming ahead, wasn't going to be so serious, she would have snorted at the formalities. " It's been a minute....you know I was thinking...when last was it that Justy boy had a haircut?" he said, roughly moving his hands through Justin's hair. No ! Leila thought, feeling like she was going to be sick.