Chapter 7: A friend

It was Monday and its time to submit the informative writing that Mr. Miller assigned them. Lilith tries to talk with Ivy but Ivy was avoiding her. Lilith sighed and gave her best friend some time alone. She didn't mean to upset her. All she knows that when Ivy was still a kid, she often get scared and thought of not seeing from each other for almost 9 years, there will be change.

"Miss Barkley, can I see you in my office after class?" Mr. Miller said in the middle of the class. Lilith doesn't know what's going on, she nodded. After the whole class, the two best friends didn't talk with each other. Lilith went to Mr. Miller's office alone. New of the school, she didn't immediately arrive at the office and was asking a few questions of the students where was Mr.Miller's office.

"Come in," Mr. Miller said as he heard a knock on his door. A dark brown room with a shelf full of books behind Mr. Miller is what Lilith saw as she entered herself and gave Mr. Miller a subtle smile. "Sorry, I was late"

"Its okay, Miss Barkley. Come, sit down" Mr. Miller offered. She put her bag down and sits on a brown chair in front of Mr. Miller.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Miller?" Lilith asked. Mr. Miller grabbed the folder on the side of his table.

"Miss Barkley, what you've written is interesting but I'm afraid that I can't accept this. This is a solved case." Mr. Miller said as he put Lilith's work in front of her.

"But Si—"

"I'm sorry, Miss Barkley. But its already a solved case." As Lilith was about to speak, Mr. Miller cut her off again. "Miss Barkley, to be honest. This case shouldn't be discussed again after 11 years that passed"

"Why is that?" Lilith asked, brows furrowed with curiosity in her voice.

"Its because the case is solved" Mr. Miller gave her a half-smiled as if he is hiding something from Lilith.

"Sir, I worked hard on this. I even found this case on the internet, it is still unsolved. It's about the SFX make-"

"Miss Barkley, the internet sometimes gives us misinformation. This case is already solved." Lilith gritted her teeth on the side. No matter how she protests, Mr. Miller would answer the same thing. She believes that the case is still unsolved after having a nightmare. Her gut is telling her that this case needs to be solved.

"Are you trying to tell me that I have to make a new one?" Lilith said, leaning her back on the chair.

"Miss Barkley, I'm sorry. Yes, you should make another one. " Lilith smiled and replied, "Okay, sir. I'll submit another one on Thursday." Mr. Miller relieves that Lilith is okay with it, he smiled at her.

"May I take my leave?" Lilith asked as she grabbed the folder that Mr. Miller put in front of her.

Mr. Miller nodded, "Thank you for your time, Miss Barkley." Lilith took her bag and stood up, shot Mr. Miller a smile, and shut the door.

Lilith was pissed, she worked hard on it. She walked herself to the hallway, noticed students running in the hallways.

"Come on. Everyone was watching Louie at the rooftop, he said he'll jump from the highest floor" I overheard from a student, running on his way to the rooftop. My brows furrowed, a student from here will jump from the highest floor? I know I'm not close to this person but that sounds bad. I went upstairs.

Students were noisy, circling the student who's standing. I noticed students were taking photos and videos. Some were just looking, laughing, and somewhat motivating him to jump and end his life. I parted the crowd, "Hey" I called out. A ginger-haired boy with freckles across his face, wearing a black thick rimmed glasses standing on the rooftop edge.

"You are Louie, right? Look, I don't know you but what you are doing right now is wrong" I faced the crowd. "and you, students from this school… why some of you are just looking, mocking, and somewhat motivating him to end his life?"

"Because he is not good at all!"

"Because he is nothing!"

I rolled my eyes of their response and looked at Louie, "Louie, get down there. Jumping yourself from the highest floor here won't help"

Louie cried, "You don't understand! Everyone was telling me to jump, I want to end this life!" He said, glancing down.

"Louie, listen to me. Calm yourself. I know are having a problem here and I want to help you. Please" Louie still standing, glancing down and unsure whether to jump or not.

"Louie!" I said, almost like yelling. He was snapped back as if he didn't know what he is doing there, standing. He looked at me, "Are you sure you will help me? Will that solve my problem?"

"I will do my best to help you" Defeated, he lowered his head and got down from the rooftop edge, walking towards me avoiding the crowds' gazes. The students were murmuring, some faces were unentertained.

"Guys, why did you hate this student so much?" I asked as I point Louie that is standing beside me that still glancing down.

"He is just a show-off!"

"A teacher's pet!"

"Because he is annoying!"

"A fucking retard!"

The crowd responses are getting intense. I noticed Louie cried hard as he heard the response. Whilst looking at Louie, I put my palm in front of the crowd to stop them responding of my question. them

"Guys, we don't know his reason. He may have problems that you couldn't understand. And now, you motivate him to just end his life. How about you?" I pointed to a student, asking.

"What if I'll tell you all the insults and motivate you to end your life just because I hate you with God- knows-what reason." The student lowered his head, "And I wouldn't care of what's happening in your damn life and all I just want is to get rid of you, how does that feel?" I looked at the crowd that is looking back at me.

"It also applies to all of you, how does that feel when a crowd was telling you to end your life? Is this some kind of trend where you motivate a student to kill himself off?"

The crowd went silent. "Do you like it?" By the tone of my voice, I am angry. Angry that how fucked up these students were. Thinking how they treat another student, it sickens me. "ANSWER ME!"

"No" they answered in unison. Frustrated, I grabbed Louie by the hand, leaving the crowd standing.

"Thanks..." Louie said as he wiped off his tears, sitting beside me on the school field. "Why they are being like that to you?" I asked, munching my chips. "Want some?" I offered.

Louie smiled and politely declined the offer. "You know, I'm an insecure person. I'm the type of person who always do his best to be on the top. But the scariest part is.. failing. I failed once and..." He cuts his sentence off, tears start to flow.

"I was insulted by my parents of being a failure. They throw words at me saying, I'm not good enough. I'm a disgrace to the family. Always being told that I have an idiotic mindset and makes me believe I'm totally worthless. " I rubbed Louie's back as he continues to cry. "And with those words, with my classmates mocking me, I decided to jump. To end it all. I reached out to a counselor but you know what? He couldn't understand what I'm feeling. He just said that it's my mind who's thinking negatively." Hearing those words from him, I feel sorry. A lot of parents do that to their children, pressuring them, insulting them because of a one mistake that has done.

"You know, everyone is like that, Louie. Maybe your classmates are just jealous. I can tell they are a bunch of idiots" He laughed a bit. "And well, sometimes parents are like that. I sometimes get an insult from others even my parents. Fuck 'em. I have my life to live my own way. And counselors sometimes sucks" as I took another bite of my potato chips.

Louie looked at me, "thank you for stopping me there" I smiled. "just don't listen to those idiots. They just love to mess things up!"

Louie stared at me. "What?"

"Are you new here?" I laughed, "yes, I'm new here. Louie, I'm Lilith by the way!" I said as I offer my hand to shake. A ginger-haired kid with freckles across his face, Louie became my acquaintance.

"A suicide bombing happened around 10 am in a local store. Police found out…" I overheard from the television as I went inside my house. Dad and Mom were watching the news on the television. "Oh honey, you're here! Welcome home!"

"Hi, mom! Hi, Dad!" Walking to their direction and kissed their cheeks. I looked at the television. Police and investigators where on the screen, answering questions to a journalist. Another suicide case?

"Mom, Dad.. I'll go to my room. I'm tired" I said and didn't wait for a reply. What's happening these days.. Another suicide. We just got here and keep hearing those kinds of news, something is not right.