‘The nerve of her to walk down these halls’

‘She’s lucky she’s even accepted in the school’

‘Oh wait, she isn’t!’

Laughter rang in her ears. Their mocking voices never ending. You could say it’s always been like this. From the start, she was seen as a weirdo, someone completely different, an outcast –a reject.

But, it wasn’t her fault. She wasn’t as outgoing as the others were; she isn’t as fabricated as all the others were, she wasn’t as popular as the others were. But all these reasons weren’t good enough to scorn her existence and constantly throw her off her ground just so she could stand up and then thrown back down all over again.

‘What are you girls doing? Is it you again, Lee? Don’t influence my students with your dirt-filled self.’

Her heart tightens in her chest.

Pain

The pain from their laughter, the pain from their insults but what hurt most was the pain from the truth in their words.

It was true; she had no rights to be walking carelessly along the Special Division Halls –where only the smartest and most-talented students where allowed at.

It was true; she was lucky to get a scholarship for such a young person. She wasn’t smart, she knew. She just forced it into herself to become one the top students in the school.

And yet it was also true; that even though she goes to school here, she studies here and she learns from here, she was never accepted by the whole student body.

All their abuse and taunts have left her broken and alone in the dark. There wasn’t any hope or light for her. The darkness had engulfed her whole existence and had long since trapped her in a hole full of misery and suffering.

She hated it. She hated how defenceless she was. She hated everything that was happening to her. She wished that she could just do something about it.

But she just wasn’t that type of person. She’d rather take a beating and get wounded than to fight back. She’d get hurt and stray down deeper into that dark hole that offers no comfort. She was blinded and numbed from the all the pain. What could she do?

She’d constantly think of something or anything that she had done to deserve that kind of treatment. She could think of nothing. Restless nights of thinking and thinking would take effect on her and she’d cry out. She’d cry out in pain but her cries were mute. No one could hear her. She was deprived of comfort and intimacy from another person.

She would often dream of how it would have felt like if she had a real family and real friends. She would talk to them, play with them, laugh with them and smile with them. It has been so long since she ever smiled truly from her heart. Her heart wasn’t capable of giving her those kinds of emotions anymore –it was broken, into tiny pieces that was almost impossible to fix.

When would the day come when she could finally see the clear blue skies, the sun shining on her face and the feeling of a free heart? Never was what she believed.

Time passed by quick during lessons. With the usual taunting and paper-throwing, she didn’t even notice the clock strike three, signalling the end of school. The little girl quickly packed all her things in her bag, rushing to get out before any more things happen. After throwing all of her stuff in, she hustled towards the door, only to be pulled back by the collar. Not expecting the force, she fell down hard on her .

After wincing at the pain, she looked up to see three of her classmates –the same ones that would constantly do all the physical abuse. She whimpered in front of their gazes.

“Hey ugly Lee, where are you rushing to, huh?” A question, but they weren’t expecting an answer. It was just something to drag on time –and to scare the little girl more.

“I-I have to reach home early today. We’re having a family gathering and my mom asked me to be early to prepare.” She stuttered out. It was relief enough to be able to stutter out a whole sentence, especially in her situation. But the girls’ expressions only darkened more.

“Excuse me? Did you forget one important detail? It’s our cleaning duty this week! You have to do it for us!” They walked slowly towards her like how an animal would do to its prey.

“Or maybe you’re just lying so you could escape, aren’t you, Lee?”

Oh the irony of your words, honey.

“No! Please, you have to believe me. You could ask Soo Min!” she offered and begged anything that will make them believe her.

Soo Min, her cousin, stood near the door, staring at her; who was now looking back with pleading eyes.

“Well, Soo Min? Is ugly telling the truth?” One of girls asked with scorn.

Soo Min looked from her cousin to the three girls. “What family gathering? She’s most likely just trying to escape from doing duties.” And she walked away, leaving the helpless girl on her own –to fend for herself.

Laughter could be heard from the three girls as they joked about how patheti