Chapter 5: Figuring out
1072 Words
Chapter 5
Ana
"Lily, can I talk to you?" I ask her when the bell rings to end my class.
"Sure", she says and collects her things.
When the classroom is cleared I close the door and Lily frowns.
"What's up?" She asks. "Are you coming to that family dinner?"
"Nothing serious", I say. "And absolutely not".
"Why not?"
"Because you know I don't get along with our mother right now", I say. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about".
"Dad wants you to come", she says low. "And Elijah".
"Lily I actually wanted to ask you something", I say.
"Okay fine, what is it?" She asks and puts down her things on my desk. She puts her arms crossed over her chest.
"What do you know about Owen Lewis?" I ask and Lily frowns. "Do you know if he's distracted by something?"
"You mean besides being a total jerk?" She asks raising an eyebrow.
"Lilian, don't say that", I say.
"What? Did you forget what he said in your very first class? He's a total jerk", Lily says. "Why do you even care anyway? Is he failing the class?"
"Just leave, you have another class to get to", I say turning my back to her.
I can hear that she stands still for a few seconds before she takes her things off my desk and walks out of the classroom.
Something's going on with Owen, I know it.
Suddenly I remember that I have Lily in her next class. Music.
Shit!
I run out of the classroom and towards the music classroom. I notice the students staring at me as I run past them. So great that the music classroom is on the other side of the school. And it's a big school. Lucky me I'm in good shape. I run down the stairs, and without thinking I make a flip down the last three steps. I hear some applauds and cheering as I continue to run as fast as I can.
Finally, I reach the music classroom. I burst into the room, finding everyone waiting for me.
"I'm sorry I'm late class", I say, catching my breath. "I'm here".
I look out over the class. Lily looks slightly amused in and a sisterly evil way. The rest of the class looks shocked.
"Okay, I was thinking we'll start with music history, Beethoven, can someone name one of his works?" I ask, taking off my jacket because it suddenly got really warm after running.
I write Beethoven on the blackboard.
Owen reaches up to his hand.
"Yes Owen", I say.
He clears his throat.
"Für Elise", he says.
I smile.
"Very good", I say and write it on the board. "Anyone else?"
No one reaches up to their hands. Although Owen is looking around, waiting for someone to reach up with their hands. Owen reaches up to his hand when no one else does.
I nod at him.
"Maybe one of his most famous ones is Beethoven's 5th symphony, and there’s Beethoven's 5 secrets", he says. "Personally I like 5 secrets the best, it's beautiful".
It is beautiful. He smiles at me. I smile back.
"Dork", someone says.
Owen flies up from his chair, fists clenched.
"Say that again, and someone loses their teeth", he says.
No one says anything and Owen storms out of the classroom.
"Who was that?" I ask the class with a stern look. No one answers. I get angry. "If the guilty one does not come forward right now I'll give the entire class detention until winter break!"
Everyone's eyes become big. But some of them look doubtful like I wouldn't really do it.
"Oh, you don't believe me, do you? Really want to press the words out of me? I will", I say. "I count to five, then I'll give all of you detention until winter break if the guilty one does not come forward". I look at them. They take it as a challenge. "1... 2... 3... 4..."
"It was me!" Lily stands up. She knows I'm not joking.
I narrow my eyes. She's lying. She knows the guilty one won't come forward and she knows everyone will end up in detention. She knows me. She knows I'm hard and she knows that I’m not lying. Why is she lying though? She's never lied before.
"See me after class", I say short and turn towards the blackboard.
*
"We have to do something", I tell Amora in the teacher's room. "Today in my music class Owen answered questions about Beethoven that no one else could and he got bullied for it".
Amora sighs. "What can we do?" She asks.
"Talk to the principal about making a better anti-bully plan on this freaking school", I say. "Lily took the blame for the bully part, and after the class, I asked her and she stood by it, but I know she's lying".
Amora is about to say something, but she gets interrupted before even starting to say anything.
"So I've noticed some things", James says as he and Aiden sit down. "Owen is very talented and very smart, but he holds back a lot, like a lot a lot, and it's not just because of his bad concentration but he's afraid of being questioned, like being a smart kid or something, he wants to give away this tough boy image".
"And I noticed something else", Aiden says. "A bruise. On his ribs".
James snaps up his head.
"What did it look like?" He asks.
I frown and look at him.
"Well it was blue/purple", Aiden says.
"It was new", James says.
"What are you saying?" I ask.
"Owen is being beaten", James says.
I close my eyes. A child being beaten. Who can beat a child?
"By who?" Amora asks terrified.
"Because of his behavior I would say at home", James says.
"How do you know?" Aiden asks.
"Long story", he mumbles.
If it's true, we have to find a way to help. But how? We have to talk to the principal. We have to talk to Owen.
I hope we can help Owen. I really hope we can. But how do you help a child who doesn't want help? I will do everything I can to help him, even if he doesn't want to. He has to know that he has someone who will back him up.
- Writer
