The Bullied Friend

While chasing Irish, Mark felt me and called me but I just ignored him because I knew that Irish needed me than him.

" Francine, why are you running? wait for me", Mark called me.

Drake showed up and he stopped Mark from chasing me.

" Bro, we have a serious problem that we need to deal with right now", Drake said to Mark.

" But Francine needs me, Drake, she needs a friend right now and I knew to myself that I should be there for her because she doesn't have that many friends in university", Mark explained to Drake.

" It's the gang!", Drake exclaimed.

" What?", Mark shockingly asked.

Mark and Drake quickly went separate ways from me.

I don't know that "gang" thing but why is it that when Mark heard the word "gang" he quickly went away together with Drake. I smelled something fishy about this "gang" matter.

" What's the matter between that "gang" thing and Mark and Drake?", I asked myself while continue chasing Irish who is still walking away.

" Irish, please stop because I am already tired of chasing after you", I pleaded to Irish.

Irish stopped from running and breathed heavily.

" Thank you for listening to me Irish", I said to her while breathing heavily.

"Francine I am so tired of experiencing this kind of feeling, the feeling of being humiliated countless times already!", Irish shouted and complained to me while crying.

She shouted because she knew that no one can hear her. After all, we were standing on a deserted place which is located nine kilometers away from the back gate situated behind the university.

" Do you think that you are the only one who is experiencing that kind of feeling? the feeling of being different from the people around you? I just want you to know Irish that I am experiencing also that kind of feeling no lesser than you! (tears starting to flow down from my eyes) but the difference between us is that I already knew how to handle and face that feeling", I replied to her sincerely.

" It's good for you Francine that you already figured out how to handle the said feeling, but what I am wondering right now is why are they so disgusted by me?, am I that peculiar who is very unlucky?, well, I cannot consider myself a peculiar because I don't have that special powers like the X-men", Irish said to me in a sobbing way.

" It's not what you think Irish because being peculiar is not just having superpowers like x-men but it is being different in our simple ways from the normal things that we were used to. Well, all of us can be peculiar in the ways that we want to but we shall also bear in mind that being peculiar can sometimes cause humiliation and embarrassment to ourselves. My point in saying these words to you Irish is, it is not about being peculiar, being different, or being humiliated and embarrassed because all of us can experience these horrible things in this unpredictable world we are living but what I am trying to say to you is, it is all about how to face and handle that horrible thing that we experienced and might experience in the future", I explained to her.

" I am not like you Francine and most importantly, I don't have the guts to face that arrogant and inhumane person who humiliated and made me embarrassed in front of the crowd", Irish replied hopelessly.

" I understand you Irish because a few months ago while finding ways on how to handle the same problems I was also thinking the same things that you are thinking right now, I also thought that having the guts to fight and face that arrogant person can solve or can lessen our problem but it is a wrong way of thinking", I said to her.

" Then how Francine? what is the correct way?", she asked.

" I cannot say that it is the correct way but rather it is the better way to handle the said problems and what I am referring to is, instead of thinking ways on how to fight and face the people who did bad things to you why not start with yourself? What I meant is that you have to face and fight yourself first, you have to conquer yourself and your weaknesses because in that way you will have the guts to control your emotions when you encounter the same people, and when that happens the embarrassment and humiliation that you will feel will be lessened or sometimes you cannot feel those horrible things because you already conquered yourself meaning conquering yourself is just like loving your whole true self", I explained.

" I agree with you Francine and believe it or not while I am listening to you I felt comfortable and I felt hope", Irish replied and smiled at me.

I immediately hugged her.

" Thank you for your advice Francine and I promise to you that I will do the things that you just said earlier", she added.

" You are welcome Irish, you are my friend and as a friend, I must help you in any good means", I replied.

" I am so lucky to meet a kind and very nice person like you", she said to me.

" I am also lucky to have you as my friend", I replied and smiled.

" So can we go back now or we will be late for our next class?", I added.

" Oh I almost forgot that we have a remaining class to attend to, I am sorry again Francine if I caused you trouble today", she said.

I smiled at her and we hurriedly went back to the university.

We already arrived in our classroom.

" How are your feeling right now", I asked her.

" I am feeling better and I really thank you", she replied with a smile.

" The both of you (he pointed at us), where have you been?", Jandric inserted.

To be continued...