The Cost of Silence

I was busy settling down after we all entered our various classes when I heard some noises coming from the back.

I turned to see what the ranting was about and noticed someone being pushed forcefully into his seat.

“You're very stupid. I can see that you're insane,” these were the words that came out of Nora's mouth as she furiously punched Andrew in his seat.

“Shut up, you spineless thing,” she kept ranting.

Andrew stood up from his chair, even as some of our classmates had already crowded around him. He took hold of Nora's hand and calmly pushed her away. Andrew has never been the type to do things violently. Boys' and girls' strengths have never been on the same level — otherwise, we all know who stands a better chance.

And again, as the head of the class, he was expected not to act on impulse.

Yet Nora didn’t rest. She took her school bag and threw it at Andrew.

“Oouu!!” The whole class screamed in a way I couldn’t even comprehend.

I soon realized that blood was already gushing out from Andrew's left cheek. Yet Nora still kept trying to hurt him more.

To be honest, I would be a big liar if I said I wasn’t disgusted by the fact that all of my classmates were just standing there. Almost all of them were simply watching the drama unfold.

Just as I was about to run out and call the nearest staff available, I turned back and saw Nora's hand hanging in the air.

“Let go of my hand, you're hurting me,” Nora's voice was shaking now as she struggled to free herself from Jack’s firm grip.

“All of you guys here suck, for real. Look at how you’re all here watching while your class head is being injured by this inconsiderate Nora.”

The whole class began murmuring. He was right, after all. They acted so callous and wicked.

I was honestly surprised too. That was probably the first time I’d ever heard Jack say so much.

He assisted Andrew to his feet as his face was now smeared with blood and helped him walk.

“I guess it’s easier to control animals than humans,” Jack said as he stormed off toward the school clinic with Andrew.

Lola and I joined them shortly after, but we were told to stay outside as we watched Jack return to class.

“That girl Nora, is she mad or is something wrong with her brain?” Lola fumed, her half-squeezed angry face scrunching up. She wasn’t having it with Nora's attitude recently.

“She’s been acting like a rabid dog lately. First, it was you. Now Andrew? I swear, I actually feel like tearing her into pieces. She really crossed the line this time. If they don’t do something about her, I’ll write a petition to the staff myself,” she added.

To be honest, I was even more confused than Lola. Since I resumed, there hadn’t been anything positive going on.

I stood there with my head bowed down, trying to figure out the reason for Nora’s outburst. She used to come for me, and I condoned it, but coming for Andrew — someone who didn’t do anything to her, she really crossed the line.

Did something happen again when I was absent from school? How come everyone knows?

“Know what?” Lola asked, unfazed.

Was she really trying to act clueless? As if she didn’t know what I was talking about?

“How come everyone in the school knows the reason I was suspended?” I asked.

“Didn’t you see the official school group account? Someone posted it there with some already-drawn portraits I couldn’t even understand. I barely recognized yours and Sara.”

Then it hit me. I remembered running into Sara over the weekend. I greeted her, but she didn’t reply. She acted like she hadn’t even heard me.

Well, I wouldn’t blame her. Not after what I put her through.

I didn’t even think I saw her around school today.

“I did what I did, and I’m sure everyone thinks I’m a hypocrite. That’s okay. I have no excuse for that.”

Honestly, I felt like I owed my classmates an apology.

“You owe no one any apology,” Lola replied faintly, patting my shoulder.

I really wasn’t in the mood, so I just shrugged her off.

“Look, Oli, you already did the best thing by owning up to it. You may have had good intentions, but you’re human. These things happen sometimes.”

I was surprised. I didn’t say that aloud yet it was as if she knew what I was thinking.

I felt so warmed and affirmed by Lola’s words. She may not be so serious and all that, but she always had a way of cheering me up at my lowest moments.

Maybe I just needed to give it time, I thought. Everything would surely go back to how it used to be.

We were brought back to reality when a voice asked us to come inside the clinic room.

As we stepped inside, Nurse Rose was already leaning over Andrew, gently cleaning the blood around his cheek.

Mr. Ben stood beside her, arms crossed, his usually stern face unusually relaxed.

“He’s lucky it didn’t go near his eye,” she said, her voice low but laced with something softer.

“He’s lucky you were here,” Mr. Ben replied, almost too quickly.

She looked up at him with just a flicker of a smile before turning back to her first aid kit.

I blinked. Did I just see what I think I saw?

Beside me, Lola whispered under her breath, “Wait, wait… tell me I’m not the only one catching this vibe.”

I didn’t answer. Because honestly? I was catching it too.

Before Lola could make another comment, a knock came on the clinic door.

“Mr Ben, Mr Smith wants to see Andrew and Olivia”.