Chapter 158 - The Filthy World

"I said...go away." This time her tone sounded a bit irked and profound as if she was getting bothered by her intervention.

Standing still like a concrete pillar, Eva took a few seconds to process her blunt rejection but clenching the piece of the handkerchief, she decided to approach her again.

"I...I know... you...you must be disgusted from inside. But...it's already the beginning of winter and you shouldn't stay in this drenched state. I promise I won't bother you after you take this." She stretched out her arm again, replying much boldly without backing off.

Slowly, the girl stood up from the desk. She shoved away a banana peel that was stuck on her shoulder, making a dismayed expression on her cast. Her eyes were cold and piercing as ice, and raising her chin up, she intensely locked her eyes with Eva.

"Today you are offering me this handkerchief, tomorrow you will offer me chocolate, out of pity and the next day you will become just like them. Stop this fake act of sympathy and be yourself." Murmuring her distraught words in a rugged voice, her blank gaze seemed to be filled with an undeniable void. Taking out a small sigh, she walked past her out of the door leaving her alone in the room, standing alone.

Though her words sounded much harsh, but...she could clearly perceive her wrecked heart behind that unfazed look on her grimace. She was shattered in pain and the realization was crueler for her to bear silently.

She clenched the handkerchief tighter on her hand and narrowed her eyes as if she was already thinking of a plan to execute for her sake.

.

Standing outside the Staff Room holding an anxious expression look on her face, she took a heavy sigh out before knocking on the door. After an anticipated wait of a few minutes, a deep feminine voice from inside summoned her to come inside. 

As she walked in, their homeroom teacher Mrs. Bonita sitting on a nearby desk quickly took a glance at her and smiled tenderly, "Oh Eva? How is your first day going here?" 

"Ma...Ma'am, I...I am here to...file a complaint." Fidgeting her tiny fingers, she frowned her small oval face before mumbling in.

Hearing her answer, she whirled her eyeballs in surprise as if it was something entirely unexpected from her on the very first day. "Complaint?"

"Ma'am... some...some of the classmates along with that arrogant boy, Travis were bullying a girl of my class. Th-They were calling her a mutt and...throwing water and garbage on her. It was something...horrible for me... I don't know her name--"

"I understand, you are talking about Clara." Before she could interpreter her point, she replied quite promptly scrunching her brows and taking a huff of breath out.

"Clara...But... wait... how did you understand ma'am that I am talking about her?" She asked.

"Because we are aware of the bullying incidents that have been happening since the past few months. It's the first time someone actually came here to lodge a complaint." Scowling her grimace, she lowered her eyes down on a notebook and started scribbling something on it.

"You...You knew about it?" Rolling her small almond-shaped eyes, she blurted out in surprise looking completely confused.

"Eva, you are new here and I believe you are a bright student. Don't bother about such stuff and I would advise that keep your distance from that unfortunate poor girl. Try to focus on your studies and score good marks, okay?" She murmured while solely focussing on her work.

All of a sudden, her heart started to ache terribly hard hearing the harsh conclusion from her teacher. She had an immense amount of hope buried deep down to score some help for the sake of that girl but apprehending their conclusion, she gnashed her teeth bitterly fuming in anger.

"But ma'am, how can I keep calm about all these? Tr-Travis tortures her way too much and it's even unbearable to witness! The whole class supports this wrongdoing and...you are asking me to keep my distance from her?" She protested aloud.

Looking a bit irked at her response, she quickly flipped over the notebook glaring at her eyes quite rashly. "Eva, you are just a middle school kid. The whole life ahead is awaited for you. We have our own reasons for supporting Travis because his father supports the funding of our school. And... if it was way too much unbearable, Clara should have transferred to any other school. She chose to stay here and cope up with everything and that's why we adults shouldn't meddle between kids." She asserted.

"She...She is enduring everything maybe because...she has nowhere to go..." Lowering her teary eyes down, she tried to put on her objection.

"Eva, be the smart child you are and focus on your studies. Don't bother about this stuff. You may leave now." She opened the notebook and started scribbling something again, turning her down in the most bitter way.

...

Standing in the middle of the giant hallway towards her classroom, Eva stood still lowering her teary eyes down. Her heart was suffocating to see this harsh side of the world where the grown-ups were favoring the side of evils. She clenched her fist, murmuring on her own.

"Should I just change this school? I think... I must tell daddy about all these. I must shift to a new environment. This place is horrible..."

Her voice trailed off suddenly when her eyes locked on the sight of the school playground from the window of the first floor. It was the recess period, most of the children were playing activities on the ground. But at the corner of the field, on a worn-down wooden bench, Clara was sitting alone. She looked completely lonely and a lost soul amidst the herd of the crowd, holding an emptiness in her gaze.

"But...what worse can possibly happen to her if I am gone? How...How can I leave her all alone?" She wondered, looking at her with the saddest gaze reflected on her eyes by the mild sunrays trespassing through the windows. 

...

After a moment of silence, Eva wiped her tears and started rushing downstairs towards the ground. Her face was lit up with a smile as she murmured on her own, "I...I will stay by your side. I choose you, Clara."