You're different

Later that day, a student came into the clinic.

"Excuse me..."

The boy was in his P.E. uniform and his head was hanging low as if avoiding her eyes.

"Yes?"

He hesitated at first, lowering the side of his jersey as if hiding something. "Do you have... an ointment for bruises?"

"Bruises?"

"I... got hit by a ball earlier..."

This time when the student raised his head, Violet saw a small cut on the side of his lips. She stood up from her seat and walked towards him. "What happened to your face?"

"We... we were playing dodgeball and it hit my face…" He chuckled awkwardly as he averted his eyes from her once again.

"Then why are you asking for a medicine for bruises?"

"I… got hit on my arm the next round… I easily get bruised so… yeah."

Now that she thought about it, she remembered this same student from last semester. He has been asking for the same ointment whenever he visited the clinic. She never really thought much about it but now that he was back when it was just the start of the semester, she could feel that there was more to it.

Could it be possible that… he was being bullied?

She took a piece of paper from her desk and gave it to him. "Here fill this up." She went towards the medicine cabinet after.

While the student was busy filling up the log sheet that she gave him, Violet took the ointments for bruises and cuts from the cabinet and went back to her desk to fill up another form.

"Please sit over there after you're done and remove your shirt. I will apply the ointments for you."

"I-I can do it myself, Ms. Song…" He quickly said, looking so vigilant all of a sudden.

She would usually allow him to apply it himself but this time, she wanted to check the locations on where his bruises were located.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Gael. I have already seen different kinds of bodies, it's not like yours will be different." She knew that he wasn't worried about having his body seen, it was most likely the wounds he received from being bullied... if he really was being bullied.

Gael was hesitant. The way he clenched his jersey didn't escape Violet's eyes.

"Okay…" He finally gave in after moments of thinking. He could just make other excuses if she asked.

And so, he went and took a seat on the chair she pointed to earlier before he took off his jersey. It was just his jersey but the mark on his arm already caught her attention. When he took off his shirt and revealed his upper body next, Violet's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I… fell on my way here…"

He fell? Only a fool would believe that.

"Who did this to you?"

The sight of purplish discoloration in parts of his body and the swellings were serious enough for her. "Who did this to you?"

"N-no one, Ms. Song… It was my fault for being clumsy…" He chuckled a bit.

If there were people who could turn a blind eye to things such as these, there were also people who could never sit still knowing that something like 'bullying' was happening.

She approached Gael and reached out to hold his hand, "Listen, Gael, you shouldn't be quiet about something like this. You can tell me you know."

"I-It's nothing, really…" He insisted.

If he was this persistent about not telling her, then it was possible that the students who bullied him have something that can keep his mouth shut this way.

"Don't be afraid. No person can tell you who or what you are, you build yourself with your own choices, as do they. With every choice to be unkind, they build themselves to be unkind." She released his hand before she took some cotton and wet it with an antiseptic.

The student clenched his fists as he lowered his head once again to hide the discomfort in his face.

"You're different. With every choice you make to be kind, you build yourself into a kinder person. Kindness will never be a weakness, Gael Xuan." She went back to him and cleansed the parts where his bruises and wounds are, making him flinch in pain.

She knew how he felt, how scared he was. The ways of bullying between girls and boys were different but no matter how one looked at it, it was still the same. It was still considered wrong.

What students like him needed was to know that someone was there, willing to take their side and protect them.

Violet couldn't believe that even to this day, bullying others in school was still happening. No matter how strict a school was, some students still find ways to torment others.

"It is those who cannot handle their stress with grace, who attack the gentle-natured. You are attacked because you have self-restraint."

"M-Ms. Song..." His voice croaked.

Her eyes walked from one injury to another, taking in the gore that was the boy. Violet could see the conflict already, the raw need to weep welling up in his eyes. "It's alright, you can cry."

It must have been really hard for him all this time.

Just then, a loud bang from the door was heard when someone barged in.

"Gael!" A female student paused and looked at the school nurse. "I-I'm sorry for suddenly barging in, Ms. Song!" She bowed deeply at her.

"I-it's fine..." Violet stuttered, obviously still surprised by the newcomer.

A loud gasp was heard next from the girl when her eyes landed on his body. What shocked her more was to see her friend's face filled with tears.

"Those bastards! I already warned them! How dare-"

Violet cleared her throat, interrupting the girl. "Language please."