Vivian

My father was a soldier posted at a small town at the countryside. I would often move from place to place growing up but we spent a large part of my years in this peaceful town. I had a lot of friends and although we had different conflicts we would always make up.

I expected to finish my years of high school in this town before moving out for college. Things never go as planned and my father got a promotion. It was an exciting time for me because we would move to a big city. My mom would tell me about how great her experience was at the school I’ll be studying in. The well known Goldstone Academy. This was her alma mater. Soon, it will be my Alma mater as well. I was excited.

We moved to a house bigger than our old one at the countryside. I finally had the peace of my own room. My younger siblings and I would enjoy board games out at the balcony during the weekends.

It was at Goldstone Academy where I joined a class filled with people who knew each other since childhood. Although I joined school during an odd time, I received the warmest welcome from Sarah Bravura, the eldest daughter of the city Mayor. She was the most beautiful, kind and smart person I’ve ever met. She was my first friend in school. She would invite me and our other classmates over to house parties, or to go on weekend road trips. I never ever dreamt that my highschool years would end like this. I saw her as a best friend.

I spent the rest of my third year in high school having the time of my life. Everyone from our class was friendly. I was also very interested in a quiet boy in class. His name is Jason. He’s always hanging out with Deon, who is alarmingly tall for a high school boy and Keith, the definition of a cool kid in class. Keith might be the most handsome one, Deon is the tallest one, but Jason is the kindest one among them. I liked him for it. He was like me, a transfer student at the end of Elementary school. He came from a quiet town filled with simple people just like me.

At the end of our third year, Sarah was our top honor student. It was a struggle for her to defeat the former top student, but she did. I was so proud of her. It wasn’t so bad for Deon though. He followed her as second, but got the top score for history and science.

At the start of our fourth year, Sarah was nominated to be the class president, but she told the class that she didn’t want to become the class president. Instead, she nominated Deon Graystone. The former top student. It’s an odd move coming from her, but everyone knew Deon, so they went with it. Soon after the class president was elected, the student council election followed. Our circle of friends pushed Sarah to run for council president, and it was no surprise that she won.

One sleepover, a few months into our fourth and final year in high school, Michelle, Maisie, Claire and I spent the weekend at Sarah’s house. We gossipped about the boys in class and the silly things the teachers would do, and we shared personal stories about our lives.

Although I saw Sarah as my best friend, I was always worried about her. She never opened up about herself to any of us. Maybe that’s just how things were in the Bravura household. I can imagine a life like that would be sad and lonely.

Michelle turned towards me and asked, “Hey Viv! Is there any boy that you like in class?”

I blushed. I only ever let out my feelings about my crush when I write about him. “Ahh, well… yes, ummm” I stuttered nervously. I’m not good talking about my crush. I can’t with words. I hesitantly took out my notebook and passed it to Sarah.

Sarah smiled kindly at me. “Oh so you like Jason.”

I smiled back at her and nodded a bit.

They giggled amongst themselves while reading through my notes about Jason.

I never thought that this would be the start of my life in hell.

Deon

Today isn’t a good day for me. It’s a very upsetting one because as the class president, I’d have to be the one pacifying everyone. The classroom was filled with boisterous laughter, papers torn from a notebook was flying everywhere like confetti in a party. You’d think there was a party except the celebrant was in tears.

Vivian Smith, the quiet and shy girl. During her first year with us, she seemed so close with the girls. I don’t understand why this was happening to her. Her face has bit of acne which the guys found gross, and her teeth were adorned with braces. She had nice blonde hair covered by hand knitted beanie and light green eyes that her thick rimmed glasses hide. Her poor fashion sense was, in a way, what completed her unattractive image. I guess she was at the unlucky side of puberty. With her soft spoken nature, the poor girl quickly became the class target.

“Jason, you were always the nicest boy in class. I want to go on walks at the beach with you and talk about lives. I really miss the simple days back at the countryside.” Michelle read mockingly.

Sarah sneers at the sentence. “This sounds like some trashy D rate romance. Jason likes Lilia. Oh sweetheart, you actually think you have a chance to be with him?” Sarah ripped Viv’s notebook and threw it up letting gravity decide where the pages fall.

Keith bursts into laughter “Here’s another one, I caught my dad walking with a girl in his arm. She wasn’t my mom. Ohhh snaaapp Col. Smith has more game than his daughter” he sneered

That wasn’t funny. That was private family issues that the class shouldn’t even know about.

Out of excitement, Keith jerked his back against the window breaking the glass. The sound of the glass wasn’t enough to pacify the noise. I didn’t want to step in. I knew that if I bothered, I would become the new butt of the joke. Thankfully, the principal heard the noise and called the attention of my classmates, getting ready to punish them. I didn’t realize that amidst all that chaos, the victim of this entire fiasco fled from the scene. As class president, I was given the painful job of looking for her.

I used to be the shortest kid in class… but come high school, I turned into the tree at the back of the classroom. I was always the plain kid. Pretty agreeable, so I never made any enemies. I’m not handsome, average at best. I have light brown hair and icy blue eyes. Being the tallest kid at the classroom gave me a good view of everything happening, that allowed me to be in the loop without being directly involved. I never saw myself as a part of the popular crowd, an outlier maybe, but an outcast.. not really. You see, I grew up with all of my classmates. I guess I was always able to slip in and blend with all the social circles and slip out just as easily. That's why on my last year of high school, the Queen Bee put me in a position I never planned to be a part of. Class president.

In a way, that position has it’s advantages but it was mostly more work for me. The greatest advantage was how closely I got to work with Sarah Bravura, the queen of high school and our council president. I was one of the boys at her feet, worshiping her in secret. She’s the most beautiful girl in school. Cheesy as it sounds, she has the silkiest raven hair, deep emerald eyes and rosy porcelain skin. She’s got a nice slim hourglass figure with a bit of muscle from being the former captain of the volleyball team. Add brains and talent to the mix, what more could you ask for?

I never realized how wrong my perception of her was.

Until today.

I used to think all that teasing was hilarious, maybe because I wasn’t the butt of it. Today was different. I might have just grew out of it. As I turned towards the girl’s washroom, I heard Vivian cry along with rustling noises. I checked the door but it was locked from the inside. I felt something was unsettling… Well, given the earlier situation it was horrible. This was different… I climbed up to peek inside. At this point, I didn’t care if people called me a peeping tom. I was genuinely worried about my classmate.

I wasn’t wrong to worry. Looking in the window, what I saw made me realize that my classmates are evil. I tried to stay calm, despite the fact that I was about to break into the girls’ washroom.

I went in through the window and calmly said, “If I was in your situation I’d be plotting murder.” Wait, no. That’s not right. “Or at least my revenge.”

I definitely caught her attention because she stopped what she was doing to stare at me. I can feel her intense judgement. She didn’t speak, so that means I should add to what I said—right? Man, how do you stop someone from hanging themselves?

“You felt embarrassed about your feelings being put out there without your consent right? If that was me, I’d think of ways to make it worse for her. Embarrass her in her own playing field just so she no longer messes with me.”

Vivian seems to like my proposal. She lets go of the makeshift noose made from her necktie. “Aren’t you close to Sarah? Why are you telling me to bring her down?”

She isn’t wrong about me being close to Sarah. Our time at the student council made sure of that. “It’s a theoretical situation. If she messed with me, I’d make it worse for her… but since she benefits from being kind to me… she plays nice. I guess that’s how she is. You’d have to offer some kind of benefit for her to be nice to you. And avoid pissing her off.”

“I never did anything wrong! I know Jason wouldn’t like me because all the guys are in love with Sarah… she has everything… so why is she mean to me… we used to be best friends...”

I frowned, is it that obvious that I like Sarah?

Vivian noticed my dissatisfaction and immediately stuttered. “You’re not one of those guys who fall at her feet!” She seems nervous. “I don’t think anyone knows who you like at all.”

I sigh. Brushing off what she said. “Forget Sarah. Forget her horrible ways… or have your revenge. For now, get yourself together and go to class. If you don’t want revenge, calm down and spend your last days of high school hell in peace” I say softly.

I look at her warmly. “I know it’s hard, but try to live. Give this hell five months and it’ll be over. You’re free to cut us from your life and become successful wherever you want to be. I’m sure you can find happiness outside of this hell. If you continue to live on, you would save your parents from the pain of losing their kid. So try to endure just a bit more.” I turn and walk out the girl’s washroom. I sincerely hope nobody sees me.

Hopefully, she decides to listen and live a peaceful life. Like any normal teen would want to. On my way back, I pondered on her situation, I couldn’t help but feel thankful that I wasn’t in her place. I’m sure she has other problems for her to want to end herself that badly. I’m just glad that wasn’t me.