CHAPTER NINE : High school Bullshit

Someone from Alina's school ruined her high school leaked information about her mother's murder and how calling the police wasn't her priority when she found the body. They didn't bother to understand why.

Apparently, a classmate saw her getting outside of the police station with tears in her eyes, as he claimed, and she seemed troubled to him. He decided to run research on her and found out who she really is.

He sent all those resources to his girlfriend and the gossip made her way through every ear in the school, Alina was left with no choice. Bear with them until it was over.

She was wrong, it was never over.

They began harassing her, bullying her. Their persistence in making her get out of her shell was gradually pissing her off. She had a lot in her mind and no leisure time to spend on dealing with the school's bullshit.

If she defended herself, it would make it worse. If her guardians came to school, they'll continue bullying her for being a mommy and daddy's baby.

The classmate that screwed her social life over was the football team captain. The richest, coolest boy in the school. Alina hated him even before she was exposed.

She turned to Selena, her last hope. She asked for advice but before she made Selena swear that she would never go to school. They agreed; if Alina's plan isn't working Selena will interfere.

Alina started taking therapy sessions with Selena from that moment. She had sleepless nights thinking about how she is going to tell her about her past lies. After all, she needed to remember what happened that day. She had to remember.

The only person that stood for her at school was Marie. Her philosophy teacher.

Miss Marie would shut them up in the hallway, during her class and ground them. Sometimes they even suffered from detention. She was Alina's new hero.

"Why did you defend me?"

"You're not guilty until proven guilty by the courtroom; they have no right treating you like this just because your mother's murder isn't solved yet"

Alina was surprised, for the first time in her life somebody mentioned her mother's murder without hesitating. It was delightful.

"You know a lot about law I think?"

"My father was a lawyer, let your imagination fill in the rest"

"Was?"

"He died when I was 16 years old, a little older than you, and don't be sorry. It was a long time ago"

Alina didn't know what to say. Marie pursued "That's why I know for sure that you'll live through this. Life isn't fair all the time, but it can still be beautiful. When I lost my only parent I was devastated and I never thought I could get this far, but here I am!"

She said with glowing eyes, a smile covered her face when she was talking, Alina was left amazed and the thought that has been spinning in her head for ages, of whether she can ever pull it off instantly fade away. Marie made it feel easy and possible, after years of drowning herself in the ocean of guilt. Was she about to be rescued?

She wanted it to happen so badly.

Back to the school hallways, she stood shook at her locker. It was sprayed with red paint, capital letters that read "KILLER". She couldn't get her head around it, why she was treated like a criminal while she clearly was the victim, students gathered around her and started taking pictures and filming her reaction with big wide smirks on their ugly faces.

"I quit" she whispered. With an expression that made it clear she has had enough.

"What did you say?" said a girl standing beside her, giggling.

"I QUIT" She didn't feel herself screaming but it was apparently loud enough to make the noises near her stop for a moment. She wouldn't take back what she said so she continued.

"I don't why you're doing this to me when you obviously have no idea what it's like to grow not just without a parent, but also be there when you can't save them anymore!!"

"I don't why I am saying this to you because I know you don't care enough, but stop it. I don't have time to deal with you all" Her voice was about to break, she was holding back a cry and she'd rather die than be weak in front of them.

"Why? You have to hide other bodies?" Said the football team captain.

Everyone began laughing again. She tried to go but he held her hand hostage and wouldn't let go. "You didn't answer my question". He slammed her small diaphanous body against the locker and tightened on her arm. It was explicitly harassment, Alina said they didn't care enough and she was right.

A hand pulled her out from Marcus's body like a prison. She didn't who he was, she was thankful. He pushed Marcus away when the jerk tried to defend himself and keep his picture as the cool boy, then he got a punch that left his nose bleeding; it was Eren's fist.

Then he dragged her out of the school.

"Go elsewhere."

"Excuse me?"

"You need to ditch school, at least this afternoon, I just made Marcus angry and he'll take it out on you If you stay?"

"You think I can't handle it?" She was angry, "You just took me here to underestimate me, you shouldn't bother then!"

"I don't think you want to handle it"

Inside, she agreed. She was about to go when he stopped her.

"One more thing, um, your speech back there was" he didn't finish, she interrupted him.

"If you think it was a speech. Fuck off then"

She was gone before he could say anything; this was familiar in a way. Just like at the pet store, when they first met.

Alina ditched her last class, it was gym class and their comments about her moves weren't as cheerful as you might think.

Anyhow, even after what happened at school, she was still so excited to talk to Selena about what Miss Marie talked her through. Unfortunately, she wasn't home, Alina decided to go for a walk since she had no homework and Patrick was not home for another hour. They have forbidden her from going out since their neighborhood wasn't completely safe, unsafe for everyone save for her. She was a brave girl. A brave little girl.

[Flash Back]

It was a sunny Sunday, her mother's only day off.

"It's picnic day!" Said a little girl frowning when her mom had a work call.

"I know honey, but your mommy has to work. I'll make it up to you, okay?"

"But I only wanted to go on a picnic" The little Alina had said biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying. As much as it hurt her not being able to spend time with her mother, it was more painful to see her get hurt.

Lindsey noticed and hugged her saying, "My meatball, look at me"

She looked at her, hypnotized with her mommy's grey shiny eyes.

"You're a brave little girl! Nothing will ever stop you and I know you will achieve great things. Now, you have to stop crying, because brave can handle one day without their mommy okay?"

Alina nodded. Even though she didn't agree.

"You can go to the park and play, I'll call your babysitter to watch over you"

"Really? I can go and play with sand?"

"With whatever you want, meatball" Lindsey smiled and hugged her again, wiped her tears, and picked her a cute outfit.

It was her last sunny Sunday with her Mother.

[End of Flash Back]

While walking down the street, she saw a familiar face. It was Marcus, the team captain. She froze for a while and then started running like crazy. It was enough of what they did at school, no need for another disaster once they know where she lives.

Though she was suspicious of what was he doing in a modest neighborhood, she knew his ass lived somewhere more fancy. She decided to follow him, only to find out what she needed; an embezzlement weapon.

He was making out with a girl that was clearly not his girlfriend since she had blonde hair. Alina took a photo of what was happening and turned back home triumphant.

She was thinking about Eren, she knew he'd get detention, but she didn't know why he played the role of her savior grace. Alina was grateful, a part of her wanted to make friends with him but probably not after she got him into trouble.

She decided to surprise him later at the pet store, she had revenge to plan.