INSIDE THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE.
The principal's office stood hushed, its lavish and well-designed furniture speaking volumes of the school's wealth. Megara, though seated, her eyes scanned the entire room, from its intricately painted ceilings with Greek-style characters to its Italian-inspired furnishings. She couldn't help but admire the skill of the craftsmen who dedicated their time to ensuring the creation of each piece.
She remembered vividly that the office was not like this during her last visit three weeks ago, so she wondered when it was changed and who had done all of these beautiful works. But for now, she had to set aside her excitement and focus on the matter at hand.
Mr. Armani's face held no smile as he slammed the brown envelope on the desk. Megara's heart almost leaped into her throat, but instead, she composed herself, awaiting his judgment.
Megara clutched the letter; the bold black ink danced before her eyes, her throat dry; she felt like her throat was constricting. "This, Mr. Armani, is the letter containing the plea of the Boomers to expel me from the school for fighting their son, or else they're going to press charges," she explained, her eyes still fixed on the letter.
Mr. Armani clasped his hands, rubbing them on his face before exhaling deeply. "Well, although no decision has been made about your stay in this school, your actions yesterday were rather unsuitable," he reprimanded, earning a frown from her.
"Mr Armani, the player from yesterday started it. He had been harassing me from the onset of the game, and I had to endure it," she explained, meeting his gaze. "I'm a lady, and my rights need to be protected. He slipped his hand into my shorts, and that I cannot tolerate whatsoever."
Mr. Armani shifted at his desk, carefully evaluating her statement. "You said he molested you, and if I remember correctly, that was an all-male team, so what were you doing there in the first place?" he asked, and Megara looked down.
"Uriel threatened to have my friends do it if I didn't join his team, as one member was away," she replied, tucking a loose strand of her hair. "I had to, or else Hugo's injury could get worse, and Jane can't afford to lose her pretty face. I haven't provoked Uriel, but he has been bullying me, and it's obvious to everyone."
"So you're saying Uriel was the reason all this happened, and you were a victim of the outcome?" he asked, and Megara nodded vehemently. "There's no proof to back up your claim, but I'll see what we can do. It's a good thing the media was blocked, or else this incident would have been broadcast."
Megara breathed out a sigh of relief, her mind reeling with the possible outcome if yesterday's incident was broadcast online. "I'm so sorry about yesterday's incident, and Uriel didn't mean it. I know he's been nothing but rude to me, but he didn't mean to hit that boy."
"You don't get to decide the fate of Uriel; that would be decided by his family members, but as for you... that's a different situation," he interjected, writing on a yellow paper. "Now you're to head to the media room today after school and clean it up."
Megara took the paper, blankly staring at it, her heart pounding against her ribs. "Yes, I'll do it," she replied, finally standing up from the seat.
"You can see yourself out; we're done for now," he said, and Megara nodded, leaving the office. "You are not to speak to anyone concerning this matter; this is to remain a top-secret."
"Yes, sir!" Megara agreed before walking out of the office, her hand clenched, folding the yellow paper in her hand.
"The calming scent of rose and lavender filled the school hallway as she moved, each step echoing the lingering tremor in her hands. Her earlier fear, a cold knot in her stomach, had begun to loosen, replaced by a quiet surge of relief. The threat of expulsion, a dark cloud that had loomed over her academic future, had dissipated, leaving behind the surprising lightness of a battle temporarily won."
Megara entered the classroom, her gaze fixed on the marbled tile. A low murmur filled the room as she stepped inside, her heart pounding. Her blood boiled from the menacing stares of her classmates, who had never experienced harassment or the blame that came with defending oneself.
She remained frozen at the doorway, her hands clutching her skirt as if the class were a terrifying nightmare.
Mr Grayson, the physics teacher, cleared his throat. Megara's head snapped toward the sound. "Good morning, Miss Smith, perhaps an invitation to the classroom will do the trick, wouldn't it?" The class erupted in laughter, some students pointing at her. "Silence! And you, Miss Smith, you're disrupting my lesson."
She bowed slightly. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Grayson. I'll head in." She apologized hastily, walking to her seat, but tripped over Amaya's foot.
Amaya covered her mouth as the classroom burst into laughter. "Oops, looks like Miss Tough is having quite a hard time," she mocked. Megara pulled herself together, finally standing. "I didn't do it on purpose; my leg probably slipped."
Tanya laughed, but Megara found no humor in it. She rolled her eyes, trying to control herself. "You did that on purpose, Amaya. But if you're looking for someone to bully, it better not be me. You should go get a mirror. You look like you burst out of a Halloween disaster." Amaya's mouth dropped open in shock, her veins throbbing with anger and shame.
The class fell silent at Megara's savage reply; they had never expected it. Amaya, having no other recourse, stood to hit her, but Hugo caught her hand mid-air. "How dare you insult me, bitch?! Hugo, you need to snap out of the spell she cast on you!" she screamed in raw anger. "Why are you helping her? She's just a nobody!"
Hugo grabbed Amaya's hand, pulling her closer, his eyes flashing with intense, unspoken anger. "Don't you dare speak to her like that, Amaya, or else you won't be able to take me head-on," he threatened, shoving her aside before turning to Megara. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, and thanks for the save," she replied, appreciative. Amaya stood stunned by the unfolding events.
"Mr. Arnold and Miss Smith, enough with the romance! We're not in a poetry class, for Christ's sake," Mr. Grayson groaned in frustration, earning a glare from Hugo, who looked ready to devour him.
Hugo straightened up, walking toward the teacher. "Since you're such a comedian, Mr. Grayson, wouldn't it be much better if you quit your job and moved to a circus instead of parading your stupidity for the class to see?" he retorted, his voice dripping with venom. "Where were you when Amaya attacked her and didn't apologize? Is this how you conduct yourself? She's a student and deserves justice, even if it's just a little."
Mr. Grayson stood still, his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth; he knew better than to answer that question. "Do continue with your lesson and stop your judgmental attitude. And also, it's best to know that refraction occurs as a result of differences in optical densities and critical angle deviation ," Hugo pointed out blatantly, walking back to his seat triumphantly.
The students' heads whipped in his direction; they all wondered why he was so determined to defend a new student. The Z3 was known to be a mirror of the students' ruthless and calculating moves, so it led most of them to conclude he was using her and would soon show his true colors.