Bottle of Stories (79)

Before Shermaine's confrontation, Jayson was in the classroom first which is followed by the other students. He was approached by Ryan who always compliments his hair.

"Your hair is so smooth and I'm jealous. If I have a hair length like yours I will always tie it in different ways. Hey, hey, can I tie yours?" He picked from his pocket and showed a some hairbands.

"Sure, but can I ask you about something?"

Ryan went to Jayson's back and tapped his pointer finger on his shoulder. "Comb, you have?"

Jayson gets his comb from his bag and gives it to him.

"Go ahead, I'm all ears."

"You are friends with the girl waiting outside right?"

"Oh, Shermaine, yeah." They glanced at her who's near their classroom door.

"Why she's being nosy about Rey's absence?"

"She's worried about Rey's welfare. Last three weeks, we have a practice for our group project. So, we went overtime and Rey's father has to come and fetch him. Shermaine followed him to make sure he goes home safely because it was her idea to have a surprise rehearsal. She saw Rey's father pinch his ear and about to punch him. The next day, he was absent that lasted for a week. Shermaine felt responsible so when he came back she apologized."

"But it's not her fault."

"That's what Rey said too." Ryan finished tying the right side of Jayson's hair so switch to the left side of the hair and started combing.

"So he disciplining his son?"

"In public, really? That is not the first time it happened so for sure if you asked old students especially Annie, they will know how strict his father could be. I transferred here last year, in grade 5. It was examination day, and Rey went to school with his face covered in bruises. My classmates thought that he got into a fight before going to school but when our previous adviser did it he said it was his father. He explained that his father got mad at him playing basketball on the day of the examination. Annie and Isko confirmed it because they are with him when it happened."

"So it was Rey's fault."

"No, you don't understand. It's literally abuse. That's why when he is absent, we always have the same assumptions; he is not going to school so we'll not see him in a bad condition again. Because once that happens, his father will get called again in the guidance office."

"Then he should have let Rey experience the consequence of his actions."

"Yeah, but knowing Rey, he will do well on exams because he always studies in advance. Do you see how active he is in our class? I'm finished!"

"They are here."

"Who?"

"Rey and Annie."

Ryan glance at the door and Shermaine is not there anymore. "Phew, I thought they were really here. How embarrassing if they heard me talking about them."

Jayson recognizes the shriek coming from the hallway so he has to go and see it.

~~~*List of Chapters*~~~