Hotel Selten

Unintentional Harm

5 years ago...

A noisy digital alarm clock woke up a girl in her blue pajama with Minnie Mouse spammed over it. It was 7:00 a.m. She rose, rubbing her sleepy eyes, as she looks at her clock. "Huh... Seven am..." She pressed a button to shut her alarm. She set aside her blanket as her bare feet touch the ground. She searched for her fluffy bunny flip-flops. "Lia! Breakfast is ready!" Just in time. She lazily stretched her arms, grunting a bit as she shouts, "Coming mom!" She twisted the doorknob and opened her so designed door with a lot of her drawings, she exited her room and walks to the stairs which are just a meter away from her room. She went to the dining table, which is in their own kitchen. There await her mom and her stepdad, sitting on their typical chairs. Her mom smiled and greeted her 'Good Morning' in an enthusiastic way. Her stepdad was the opposite of the enthusiasm that her mom just gave to her. He's just there, munching a lot of his favorite pancakes, mumbling a faint 'Morning' to her. The greeting was even muffled by the fluffy stuff in his mouth. She sat near her mom, their circular brown table is good for four people, which the fourth chair is empty as always.

She started eating her pancake, topped with butter, with a few whip cream and maple syrup. She hates foods that are too sweet, yet she like foods that are salty enough. She eats faster than everyone else. Her mom said that she inherited that from her real father whom she never met. She doesn't have even a single piece of evidence either of who he is. "Do you need anything, sweetie?" Her mom asked while sipping her cup of white coffee. "I just need 10 bucks, that's all." She said, drinking her soy milk. "10 bucks it is. Get ready or you'll be late for school." Her mom handed 10 dollars, which she accepted, "Thanks, mom." She dashes off the dinner table, went to her room to set her things up. She set aside the money in her small money purse. She went to the bathroom and takes a bath; she smirks as she excitedly opens the shower. It was the time of the day where she will have fun in the showers. It was her favorite time. She likes being near a water source and all alone. The water started dripping on her and such, with the gesture of her hand to stop, the water stopped from falling to her. The water droplets froze on their positions, floating in the air. They look frozen in time but they aren't. Their movements are just stopped. She giggled; she knew these old tricks. She told her mom about it, but it's either her mom who ignores it or changes the topic. She's curious why she has this. She asked a question once if her mother can do it but still, no answers were given. She just shrugged about it. All she cares about is to have fun with this little ability of hers.

She never says anything to her father, well, step... Father. He's nice anyway, it's just, she doesn't like him, unknowingly. Her guts hate him, she doesn't know why. Well, he is being a good father to her, even though they are not even connected. She always shrugs the feeling and smiles willingly at her acting father.

Out of her deep thoughts, she continued to bathe herself and prepared after. She grabbed her bag as soon she's in her uniform, then went downstairs as her dad waiting for her. She made a confused face as the man in front of her spoke, "I am going with you. I need to fetch something just near your school, a company might sound fun, right? I hope you don't mind, Lia." He said in assuring tone, as she nods, "Yeah, you can. I can show off to my classmates that I have a dad, at least lessen their bullying to me." Her stepdad is in his middle 30s, a 5'9 height, fair skin tone, he's a bit muscular too. His hair is brunette, just like Ophelia's. They kinda look like, people might mistake him as her real dad. He's wearing some red T-shirts and jeans and flip-flops for his feet. He chuckled at her, as he taps on her shoulder with the strap of her black bag. "Why would you be bullied about an absence of a father if you have one here. That's a bit awkward and stupid for them. Don't mind those little brats. Come on, let's go." He taps twice again then they go ahead to the door. "Mei! We're going!" Her stepdad bids goodbye to her mother which is in her apron, washing the dishes. "Yeah! Be safe sweeties!" Her faint, a bit echoing voice was heard in the kitchen as her stepdad smiles and exits their cozy home with her. 

They walk on the streets, no talking, just walking. It's a pretty awkward silence, since the street is pretty calm and quiet, with few noises to be heard, just people's voices. Her dad coughs and it broke the silence, then he speaks up, "Hey, Lia, Uhm... I know you are getting shy about me or whatever, it's been 8 years since I became your father. I just wanted you to know... Uhm.... like...." She cuts him, "Close? Hmm... Well, we are close... Dad... But not really open to each other. I treat you like my dad with a hint of being a friend." She smiles at her dad a bit, to assure she meant those, since he's her dad, well, an acting one. She still needs to have a warm relationship with him. Her dad is nice and organized, so she doesn't need to rebel against her mother. She actually has a perfect dad, but she can't honestly feel the connection. Actually, she actually hates him a bit, in a manner that she doesn't know. She has been puzzled by this since he is not abusive nor a neglecting father. You can barely hate something about him. But, sometimes, you got to listen to your gut feeling, you know? Her dad smiles back, "Well, I guess we are good?" She looked at him confusingly, "When is the time that we aren't good? I mean, we are good always, I treat you like my dad and you treat me like your own daughter. So, what's the point of this... Treaty?"

"Well," he sighed heavily, "I can feel the hate in your heart on me. Can you tell me why?" She was in shock; she didn't show any sign of hate nor rebellion. She treats her mother and father fairly. She knew she was getting kinda colder these days, but the words, it seems different. It seems her dad can read her mind and know her feelings. She doesn't know... She shrugged the thought in her mind. "Hate? No." She lied. Her dad opened his mouth and then closes it, he was gonna say something, but he shrugged and they focused on their walk.

Minutes later, they arrived in her school, Crescent Elk Middle School. She turned to her father and smiled, "Thank you for the company, appreciated it." He smiled back, "Don't worry, it's just a little... Father and Daughter bonding." She waved goodbye to him and trots inside the campus, while his father walked in a different direction. He walked towards a convenience store, to the cashier, and whispers something to her. The cashier looks at him in an assuring way, "This way then." She motioned her hand straight to a certain path. They walked to the shelves and a door saying,"PERSONNEL ONLY"

Ophelia walked to her classroom, it is a little bit noisy, since her classmates keep throwing papers and such, she peacefully sat on her chair, she set down her bag on the floor. She zips the zipper open as she draws a notebook out and her fabric rectangular pencil case. She opens it and pulls out a ballpen, as she opens her notebook and starts scribbling on it. She keeps on drawing a sea dragon-like creature, which appears always in her dreams. That certain notebook is full of scribbles and doodles, she usually pulls it out from her bag whether she is bored or she is waiting for someone or something. 

"Hey, the weirdo is here!" A distant shout can be heard from her back, she let out a short grunt as she continues to doodle. "W'atchu doin' weirdo?" Three teens are standing in front of her, one petit blonde girl with her arms crossed, she's wearing a jumper with pink tees. Beside her is a black girl wearing an orange shirt and jeans. The last one is a tan-skinned boy in a red shirt and black trousers. They are looking intently at her and yes, they are the bullies. 

"Can you leave me alone?" She grunts as she still doodling, trying not to make eye contact with them. "Why should we? You aren't answering Lily's question yet." Neva said tauntingly, the girl whose hair is blonde, as she pokes her forehead. "Doodling, isn't it obvious? Sheese..." She flicked her tongue in her mouth in annoyance as she continues to doodle. "Now you're talking back, huh. Feeling brave enough?" 

Gary, the boy in the g**g swished her pen off, making her drawing a little bit dirtier because of the line in the middle, which is from the trail of her tripping pen. It fell on the ground, which made the three giggle, as they once again disturb her successfully. She bends her body to reach for it. As her hand touches the ground, she can feel something touched her hand's back, it's putting weight on her, as she realizes it's someone's shoes, specifically, Gary's shoes. The weight gets heavier as her hand seems to crush, she struggles as she grunts in pain. Then, an unknown strength came to her, she suddenly can lift her hand so hard as the boy stumbles on his rump. He propelled on the air like he was been thrown. He fell on the ground with his head too which leads to his consciousness shut down. His friends circle on him as they tried to lift him. Their classmates stopped in their places as they witnessed something impossible happen, the others rushed to take a peek at the scene while others glued on their places, shocked at the event. 

On the other hand, Ophelia stands as she shakes her hand in pain, she pants as she endures the pain Gary caused. "You monster!" Lily said as she tries to lift him. Neva keeps on shaking him to "wake" him up as he calls his name. Ophelia was shocked, she's a limp and weak girl, she can't even run meters without stopping. She can't out-strength Gary. Neva and Lily start to sob and cries for help. Their classmates search for school staff to help them. The school bell rang as a teacher walks in the door. She gasped and rushed on the unconscious student. "Boys, carry him to the clinic." She commanded the boys in the classroom as they lift Gary and rushed to the clinic. "All of you, to the guidance. I need some witnesses in this incident."

"Miss Hutchinson, why did you throw Mister Smith?" A middle-aged man spoke, sitting on its comfy chair, with his hand and fingers that are interlocked with each other resting on the office desk. Three known personas are in front of him, Neva and Lily, the bullies, and Ophelia. The best friends were sitting on the same sofa, while Ophelia makes a safe distance to them, she sits on the opposite sofa. "I didn't throw him, sir, in fact, I was the victi―" Neva caught her sentence. "No! Gary was the victim! She pushed him!" "We are just asking how is she, then she got mad! She's crazy sir!" Lily added while she points her fingers at Ophelia. The principal sighs. "Is that true, Miss Hutchinson?" She sits firmly. "Sir, THEY are the bullies, they always do that to me. They always interrupt me―" "That's not true mister principal. SHE IS THE BAD ONE." Lily interrupted her. "No sir, they are the bad―" "NO! SHE IS THE BAD ONE SIR BELIEVE ME." Lily, again, interrupted her, this time she stood and keeps pointing fingers at her. Her face was in real anger, not because she was the victim but because the principal is in the near truth. The principal shushed them. "Miss Hernandez, please calm and sit down. Observe proper etiquette." 

She sat on the sofa with her arms crossed and pouting. Neva patted her back to calm her. "As I said sir, I am the victim. I only did that because Gary was stepping on my hand." Ophelia calmly explained to the principal. Lily wants to slap her in the face, but it can lead to her suspension or worst expulsion. "I believe Miss Hutchinson, your teacher, Miss Cris, said that there are times that you two," He points at the two evil incarnates. "keeps on bullying Miss Hutchinson and some of your classmates." "But sir―" Lily protested. "No buts, Miss Hernandez, these actions must have a rightful punishment. You two are suspended for 2 weeks and you aren't excused for your missed exam." "You can't do this to us―" "That's final now. Now you may go." Ophelia left the principal's office first, then Lily and Neva followed, the bell rings, it's lunchtime. 

"We are not done with you!"