I lay lifelessly as I tangle my sun-kissed semi- body in lavender-coloured comforter and matching-coloured pillows, creating a life-sized clump of human--cotton on bed. My gaze wanders off to the twirling ceiling fan above head as my mind wanders off into a whirling pool of flashbacks:

"Daddy, why do schools have bullies?" 

Daddy stirred at the question I randomly asked. He slided his focus from his crumpled papers of scribbled numbers and names to the 2 windows of my soul. Beneath his aged brows decorated with deep wrinkles, he sent his serious gaze down to me. 

"Honey, is there anybody bullied you in school?" Be honest," he said in his stern tone. I honestly felt goosebumps jolted down my spines everytime he did that.

"No, Daddy," I shook my head vigorously, trying my best to physically assure Daddy. Our gaze met again in the next second as silence started to overwhelm the situation. The awkwardness forced me to blurt out what was in my mind. "It's just that, a junior gotten bullied today, and everyone was watching, and I felt pity for her, and the bullies did not want to let her go, and the bullies pulled her hair, kicked her, messed up her books and she was crying in pain, and I don't know what to do! So I kind of kick the bullies in their stomach and their balls" I confessed in fear and tears. I lowered my gaze as I felt my tears selfishly stained their way down my cheeks as a lump decided to protrude its useless head into my throat. 

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I know you hate it when I hurt others, but I cannot bear to see the girl being bullied anymore!" I whispered between tears of angst and fear of Daddy being mad. "I will accept your punishment for my attitude, Daddy" I said as I finally managed to gather courage to face his wrath.   

A pair of scarred overworked hands suddenly came into contact, wiping my tears away from my cheeks. His arms found their way up my tiny waist as Daddy pick me up into his hug. I felt his warmth of love and comfort flooded into my hollow heart.

"Daddy's baby girl has grown up! If Daddy is in your place, Daddy will do exactly as what you've done! Daddy is proud of you, sweetheart. You are brave to stand up against what is wrong, and that matters a lot. Good job, sweetie," cheered Daddy in his most cheerful voice.

That conversation happened when I was 9 years old, barely finishing few months of combat training and there I was standing together with a 8 years old victim against a team of 11 years olds with a huge courage from an unknown source. If I do not remember wrongly, she was bullied for being poor and having a broken family: an alcoholic Mom and an abusive Dad. Good thing she is living with her Grandma by then. However, she is raised in a very poor condition where her Grandma was hardly able to buy her a set of complete school uniforms and neccessities. Remembering back about that incident really made me think on how shallow-minded is our society. Just because someone is unfortunate, it does not means we have been given the rights to tease or bully them. Are not we are supposed to help them through? Wait, and there is me, settle things with aggression. 

Frustrated for so many unrealistic reason, I got out from bed and decided to give myself a rich shower, hoping to wash those disturbing thoughts away. I should not start my day with negativity! But I do miss Daddy, very much. 

How are you doing there, Daddy? I am fine here. 

Without my realisation, streams of tears start to glide down my cheeks, over a flourishing acne and weather-dried skin. I really, really miss Daddy.