Eyes Meet

Chapter 15

I sighed so many times while putting my uniform on, tying the red tie around my collar to complete it. I never felt so demotivated to go to school before, but now I did because Melissa wasn't going to be there. Examination week had ended and the last time she was at school was the day I got sexually assaulted.

I did the resitting for my final paper that was supposed to be taken last week on that unfortunate day. I was lucky enough to be given a chance to finalise the examination or else, I would be considered as failed for that specific subject, which also would affect my performance ranking.

But unlike me, Melissa didn't get to resit for hers.

I went to school as usual only to face a new loneliness once my legs walked past the gate. I opened my locker with a hope that Melissa would be there, giving her warm hug from the back. But she couldn't.

I studied in the class, imagining her sitting on the thirteenth row. I had my lunch at the cafeteria, remembering how Melissa would tease and look at me while I was eating. She would say ridiculous things that almost sounded so sexual about my lips when I chewed. But now she couldn't.

I had those whispers and back talks around me as they thought I couldn't hear them. They had became more audible since the incident occured, and even that couldn't brush my loneliness away. They were loud enough but I was still feeling alone.

Because all I wanted at that time was Melissa to be with me. It had only been three days and I could feel I was going crazy already. I just hoped that these two weeks of torture without her would go faster. She got suspended instead of expelled for her action; punching a student. Ms. Lee and her friends on the other hand were proven guilty for every report that was filed against them with the success of Jennie Kaltz who gathered more witnesses; including the workers at the canteen to give out statements for my bullying case. So those bullies got expelled without any reconsideration whatsoever.

I was relieved and forever thankful to Ms. Kaltz for everything she had done for me, and for Melissa. But Jennie was still being the usual jerk as she was before; calling me by the wrong name and telling that she did that for me only. She would say things like she wouldn't care about Melissa at all. On the contrary, I knew deep down she did. Melissa was still her friend anyway even though they never addressed themselves as one.

After that incident, I had a few conversations with Ms. Kaltz. I asked her about what she did to Mr. Principal on that day since I was so curious about it. How could she threaten him like that and it worked for Melissa and I to get out from troubles?

She told me that the most powerful thing in the world was the media. Everything that was given to the people through the news, TVs, radios, internet were among the scariest things and I couldn't agree more with her. But those words from her still didn't answer my confusion until I found out that her father was the media itself. She was the daughter of The Kaltz, the owner of Korea's national news centre.

Jennie also said that the media was feared by people like Mr. Principal, politicians, and also businessmen like Melissa's father who strived to success and build reputation through the public image. So it was so easy to play dirty with it once in a while. She had fun that day when she could finally do the right thing.

She used to be like other students who saw bad things happened right in front of their eyes but decided not to do anything about it just because it wasn't their business. She used to just observe from afar each time I got bullied at the canteen, ignoring the scene even though she knew it was wrong. She realised that she should have helped at least, but she never did before. And for that, she apologised to me personally.

On the day of the assault, Jennie happened to be nearby with her pack, and what Melissa did to stop the wrong thing was what amazed her. That kind of bravery encouraged her to walk into the Principal's office and did the same thing. Because of that, I started to see that Melissa really made an impact to people by her kindness and care. She was spreading compassion and love to her surrounding without her noticing it, and that would always be one of the reasons why I was so proud of her.