The *** and the Parliament
Lauren
Where is he?
It was the only thing that my brain could process at the moment. The mindless chatter of my friends at the lunch table went in my left ear and made a beeline out my right. All my other priorities were pushed aside. I needed to find that boy.
I scanned the cafeteria for him several times, but came up empty-handed after each search. It became apparent that he wasn't in this room.
Where would a victim hide from a bully?
The problem with that question was that, no matter where he hid, he would never be safe. For someone like him, anywhere he might cross paths with a bully was a possible battle zone. Who would stop them? No one. People were selfish. Either their cowardice or their morbid curiosity would get the best of them, and they would look the other way, averting their consciences' cold stares. I had the impression he'd known this for a long time. He didn't trust anyone, which I respected. From what I could see, very few people in this world were worth trusting.
"Lauren?" Derrik whispered into my ear, breaking into my stupor and making me flinch. "Are you all right? You're being unusually quiet."
"I'm fine," I was able to respond. "Just thinking."
"About what?" Derrik pressed.
"Nothing. Just... thinking..."
"If you're thinking, it has to be about something," he rationalized. "Come on, Laur, what's on your mind?"
Where would a loser eat his lunch?
The very last place he would be safe from bullies.
No one would be around to save him. It was up to me.
Suddenly, I started running, but Derrik grabbed onto my arm.
"Derrik, I don't feel good," I lied, holding my stomach.
"I'll come with you."
"NO!" I yanked my arm away and ran, but not before seeing true concern spread across Derrik's usually stony face, an image that I knew would haunt me for centuries to come.
It was the only thing that my brain could process at the moment. The mindless chatter of my friends at the lunch table went in my left ear and made a beeline out my right. All my other priorities were pushed aside. I needed to find that boy.
I scanned the cafeteria for him several times, but came up empty-handed after each search. It became apparent that he wasn't in this room.
Where would a victim hide from a bully?
The problem with that question was that, no matter where he hid, he would never be safe. For someone like him, anywhere he might cross paths with a bully was a possible battle zone. Who would stop them? No one. People were selfish. Either their cowardice or their morbid curiosity would get the best of them, and they would look the other way, averting their consciences' cold stares. I had the impression he'd known this for a long time. He didn't trust anyone, which I respected. From what I could see, very few people in this world were worth trusting.
"Lauren?" Derrik whispered into my ear, breaking into my stupor and making me flinch. "Are you all right? You're being unusually quiet."
"I'm fine," I was able to respond. "Just thinking."
"About what?" Derrik pressed.
"Nothing. Just... thinking..."
"If you're thinking, it has to be about something," he rationalized. "Come on, Laur, what's on your mind?"
Where would a loser eat his lunch?
The very last place he would be safe from bullies.
No one would be around to save him. It was up to me.
Suddenly, I started running, but Derrik grabbed onto my arm.
"Derrik, I don't feel good," I lied, holding my stomach.
"I'll come with you."
"NO!" I yanked my arm away and ran, but not before seeing true concern spread across Derrik's usually stony face, an image that I knew would haunt me for centuries to come.