The next day at school, Isa and her friends sat at their table discussing. Today was a club day and Isa hadn’t chosen one yet.
“You can’t not have a club, that’s absurd” Ciara stated rolling her eyes. She had been arguing with Isa since she said she doesn’t want to join a club.
“Joining a club is absolutely, indisputably, compulsory, so you must have one” she continued “besides, all of us have our clubs”
“She’s right Isa, you’ll have to choose a club if not, you’ll miss out an all the fun and friends” Campbell reasoned.
“And the knowledge” interjected Ciara.
“Yeah, that too” Campbell said rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be in a club, and I’m pretty sure I’ve had enough fun for the rest of the year” Isa said coolly while munching her garden salad.
She was convinced that the people living in this town were insane and the best way to maintain her own sanity, was to put a fair distance from them.
Campbell was about to argue when Dylan spoke “well you know Isa, it’s probably possible to not have a club at all but then the principal would surely take notice of it and put you on cleaning duty with the janitor during club days. The last time that happened to a student here, he ended up going insane from all the time he was forced to spend with… you know… crazy Charlie. He ended up running and screaming his head off to the principal to put him in any club as far as he would get away from crazy Charlie. But I think you could handle crazy Charlie quite alright, couldn’t you Isa?”
Isa was still staring at Dylan with her mouth open as she tried to process what he’d said.
More madness with the janitor?!
No, thank you!
Giving her sweetest, she cocked her head to the side and asked “what were you saying about clubs?”
Cole mentioned the clubs they had in school and explained the ones they were in.
“So Dylan’s in the evergreen club and they make sure to take care of the forest in town. They make sure mother nature has all the comfort and peace they can offer”
“We also take note and observe plant species that grow in the forest. We check out herbs and how they can benefit us or how they can kill us too” added Dylan flashings Isa a smile.
“Campbell and I are in swimming club and we… swim. Learn new skills, have competitions and the works.”
“I love swimming club and Cole and I are very decent swimmers. It just feels really good to be in the water. If you join, I’ll teach you some moves and we can even go swimming in Redwood lake sometime” Campbell gushed. Isa smiled and thought that she might like to join as she wasn’t really good in swimming but would love to learn”
Leaning towards her, Cole whispered evilly “know why I like swimming, coz there are a lot of hot girls who like a guy in a swimsuit”
Dylan rolled his eyes so hard it could have gone into his brain and Isa jabbed Cole in the ribs. Cole laughed at her “need to work on that doll” but still rubbed his side.
“Anyway, last but certainly not the least we have Ciara in the all so mighty, prestigious and knowledgeable young scientist club where all they do is talk nerd”
Cole suddenly hissed in pain and rubbed his aching arm, where Ciara had thrown a mean punch.
Isa along with Dylan and Campbell snickered gleefully at Cole’s pained face and Ciara’s sour look.
He probably had it coming anyway.
“My club conducts voracious research and come up with ways we can tackle current world problems and move ourselves to a new era of science. We also work on inventions and test how far our knowledge can go” Ciara stated with dignity.
“So you DO talk nerd”
Ignoring her brother’s comment, she continued “we believe that with our knowledge, and the data we’ve collected, we’d be able to have an excellent college application and make a name for ourselves”
“Ah, I see, so you want to become a famous nerd. What are you and other nerds going to invent; a time machine or a teleporter or a laser gun that makes crops grow ten times their size and solve world hun…”
Cole suddenly shut his mouth when he received a death glare from Ciara.
“Maybe we WOULD invent one of those things your full brain managed to squeeze out, and actually do something with our lives, unlike you that prefer to flaunt you baby body in front of mindless skirts that are as empty as the cupboard you call a brain. If I were a cockroach, I’d probably let myself get eaten than die out of the stupidity of your cupboard brain”
Ouch!
Cole blinked several times, clearly stunned from Ciara’s words. He immediately pulled a smile and rubbed his chest “jeez Ciara, harsh! Baby body? Cupboard brain? I don’t know what got hurt more, my heart or my ego”
Laughing out, Isa said “Alright enough. I’m going with swimming. I want to learn better and I’ll definitely hold you up on that lake swim Campbell”
“Counting on it” replied a giggling Campbell.
“Glad you’re opening up to new things” Dylan said, smiling at Isa.
“That reminds me. I found a box in my parents library while I was reading. It looked more like an old chest or something, but it was locked, and I’ve got no idea where t find the key” Isa narrated, eating the last of her garden salad.
She hoped to get an idea on where she could look for the key.
“Did you look everywhere in the library?” Dylan asked calmly.
“Not yet but I’m planning to”
“Maybe you could check your parents room” suggested Cole. Isa immediately disagreed “no, not there”
“Why not?” Cole asked, confused but Isa just shrugged.
“Okay… maybe you could break the lock?” Cole went on.
“What do you mean break the lock?” Dylan asked carefully, a small frown on his face.
“What I said. Break the lock. Maybe with an axe or a jack hammer” he turned to Isa “what’d you say Isa?”
“I think I’ll stick with a key for now”
During classes, Isa was on her way to the rest room when she heard some noise on the other side of the hallway. She heard laughter and some other male voices. She tip toed closer and the voices became louder and more distinct.
She frowned slightly.
Hiding behind the wall she leaned close and peeped.
Three senior boys had cornered the janitor and were bullying him.
The middle boy snatched the mop the janitor had in his hand and swung it in his face, which made him to cower back in fear. The janitor was shaking and whispering prayers silently. Seeing that the boys burst into laughter and shoved him around. The janitor clutched his broom tightly with his trembling hands and hid his face behind it.
Isa’s frown deepened as she watched them
What are you doing you silly man?! Whack the heck out of them with your broom and get away from there!
Another guy kicked his bucket over and spilled the water in it. The janitor on hearing the sound of spilling water opened his eyes, only to shut it back in fear.
The seniors guffawed at his reaction.
After laughing, the third guy spat out “you stupid and weak old thing. You’re nothing but garbage, a sack of old bones and rotting flesh walking around and polluting our school. I mean look at you”
He dragged the janitor by the scruff of his shirt only to push him back in undisguised disgust.
Isa bit her trembling lips and clenched her fists as she watched the janitor stumble back.
Why are they doing this to him? And why isn’t he doing anything about it?
The guy who had snatched the mop from the janitor snorted and said “yeah, a pretty ugly creature he is. He looks like the very devil”
The burst into laughter again.
The janitor’s eyes flew open and his face squeezed into one of anger as he bit out “you haven’t set your eyes on the ruler of the damned in your little worthless lives. If you want to know what the darn devil looks like, then go stick your bloody face in a mirror”.
The hall became very quiet after the janitor’s outburst and the senior he addressed gripped the mop so hard that Isa feared it might snap in two. His muscles flexed under his tight shirt and Isa’s face paled at the possibilities of him hurting the janitor… physically.
Quickly, he moved towards the janitor and brushed him off his feet, making him to fall face down in a pool of dirty mop water. The guys burst into laughter while the guy that hurt the janitor had a smug look on his face.
Isa’s heart broke then and she’d decided that she’d watched enough.
“Hey you!” Isa yelled causing the laughter to abruptly stop. She emerged from behind the wall, marched towards the guy that hurt the janitor and stood in front of him.
Her determined face met his amused one.
The guy had blond hair that stopped at his neck; blue eyes, thin brows, thin pink lips and an angular face. He was way taller than her; a 6″4 to her 5″5 and a few inches taller than his buddies.
“Are you not ashamed of yourselves for bullying an innocent, old man? Leave him alone and get out here or I’ll…”
“Or you’ll what?” He bent low and asked, an amused look in his eyes.
“Or I’ll report you”
At that, they burst into laughter; the blond laughing the hardest.
The guy that insulted the janitor asked in between laughs “Demitrey, can you believe this girl?!”. He had dark skin and went on a buzz cut, brown eyes and plump lips.
Demitrey wiped off the tears from his eyes and smirked at Isa. Isa held herself from slapping that stupid smirk off his handsome face.
Handsome face? Nuh-uh
“Report me? Go on. I won’t mind. No one cares about that pathetic excuse of a janitor”. He looked at the janitor, still lying on the mop water and turned back to her “he doesn’t even care about himself, so who are you to interfere little mouse?”
“I’m someone who cares, and unlike you, I still have a sense of humanity in me. I can’t disgrace myself to stoop so low as you have to hurt an old man”. She came closer to him until she was just a few inches away from him and she jabbed his chest with her finger saying “he’s a hundred times the human being and the man you and your stupid friends could never be”
The buzz cut guy clenched his fists and moved towards Isa “why you little bit…”
But Demitrey without looking away from her, stopped him from moving further.
“Leave it Troy”
Troy breathed deeply and glared at Isa with so much hatred, but he backed off.
The other senior argued “did you hear what this girl said. Let Troy teach her a lesson”.
Demitrey shook his head “no Tyler”. Tyler’s green eyes glared at Isa and looked back at Demitrey. He shook his hair so hard that it flew in all directions. He was very disappointed in Demitrey; letting Isa off.
Demitrey straightened up and shoved his hands in his pockets still maintaining eye contact, but Isa didn’t back down. She glared at him which only made him laugh.
“I’ll just let this one slide for personal reasons. I don’t go around beating up little girls. My boys and I are gentleman so we’ll let you go this time, and never repeat those words to my face again or else, I won’t be so gentle next time” he bent low and brushed her cheek “we’ll meet again little mouse”.
They walked away from Isa and she watched them silently until they disappeared around the corner.
She breathed out the breath she didn’t know she was holding and violently rubbed off the spot that Demitrey had touched.
She turned around to find the janitor gone without a trace. The mop water, the mop, broom, all gone!
She stared with her mouth open at the spot where he was supposed to be.
What the…
Rubbing her face tiredly, she returned to her classroom.
During club hours, sat at the side of the pool in their swimsuits with their feet in the water. Cole on the other hand was talking with a group of girls at another end. Isa narrated her encounter with the seniors to Campbell, making sure to remove the part of the janitor disappearing or Demitrey touching her cheek.
“How could they do such a thing to poor Charlie?” She asked, heartbroken.
“I know right? It really broke my heart to see them treating him like that. It’s probably not the first time and I don’t think he’s the first victim. I mean, what kind of seniors are those?” Isa complained, kicking the water.
“Senior citizens” Campbell scoffed. Isa scoffed back “senior citizens my foot!”.
“Yeah!”. They both gazed at the water sullenly until a face joined theirs.
“Bailey!” Isa exclaimed looking up. Bailey sat beside Isa and smiled “didn’t expect to find you here. Hey Campbell”. “Hey Bailey, glad you could join us” Campbell smiled.
Bailey looked around “did Cole leave swimming club?”
“Nah, he’s over there” Isa pointed at the far end and just on cue, Cole looked their way and winked. He turned back to the girls and they giggled loudly.
Raising her brows Bailey shook her head “busy I see”. She turned to Isa and asked “so this is your new club?”
“First club actually. Campbell coerced me into it” Isa replied.
“Coerced is a strong word” Campbell folded her arms and looked flatly at Isa. The three girls giggled.
Isa kicked the water and continued “just trying out something new. See if I can swim”
“You’re comfortable joining the same club as Heather?” Bailey asked incredulously.
“Wait what?!”
Cocking her head to the side Bailey asked “you don’t know?”. She pointed to another end of the room “she’s over there”.
Heather leaned against the wall in in a baby pink swimsuit and her hair tied in a neat french knot. She chatted away with her friends and as if sensing their stares, she glanced their way. Her eyes widened in surprise first, then a frown replaced it before a full fledged scowl covered her face.
Isa rolled her eyes and looked away.
“Well I don’t care. Clubs are for everyone and I’m not gonna leave because of her”.
The swim teacher, Miss Beverly came in and blew her whistle “c’mon everyone, I want laps now”.
Everyone gathered at one side of the pool as each member ran, jumped and swam as the teacher called their names in order.
“Miss White, you’re up” yelled the teacher. As she stood up to go, she got encouraging hugs from Campbell, Cole and Bailey. She whispered to herself “you’ve got this”.
Staring straight at the pool, Isa ran and accelerated towards the pool. Coming towards the mouth of the pool, she began to jump but tripped over a leg, stumbled and fell into the pool. Hard! Her fall made a slapping sound.
“Damnit!” Miss Beverly cursed under her breath as she took off her jacket and dived into the pool.
Students gasped and some screamed as they all ran to the mouth of the pool and watched as the teacher dragged Isa out of the pool.
“God who did that to her?” Campbell asked herself as she craned her neck to see over the crowd. “I’ve got no idea” Cole replied scanning the crowd with a suspicious face.
The teacher placed Isa on the floor and waved her hands in front of her eyes to check if she was conscious.
Isa groaned and moved her head. “Give her some space!” Miss Beverly yelled at the pressing crowd of students.
Isa’s skin was red from the painful impact of the world. “Miss White, are you okay?”
Isa turned to look at the teacher.
You’re seriously asking me that? Sure with my skin all red, raw and painful, coupled with my mortification, yeah, I feel like a million bucks!
Miss Beverly turned towards the murmuring crowd and barked “who caused this?”
“It’s probably herself Miss Beverly. She can’t run a fair distance with those cricket legs and probably can’t swim either, but still came out to make a fool of herself and disrupt or club time” Heather spoke up coolly.
“Miss Goodman!” The teacher reprimanded. Heather smiled sweetly at the teacher and flipped her hair nonchalantly.
“That’s not it” Cole spoke up “you’re the one who put your feet in her track”
Heather flipped her hair “I don’t know what you’re talking about”.
“Did you do this Miss Goodman?” asked the teacher.
Gasping dramatically, Heather put her hand to her chest and defended “me? How could I do such a thing?”
“Yeah, I won’t be the least surprised if you killed a puppy” Cole said flatly. Everyone snickered at a shocked Heather.
“Don’t talk to me like that!” Heather turned red.
“Stop denying that you hurt Isa and on purpose” Cole pressed on.
While they were arguing, Bailey came over to Miss Beverly and whispered into her ear. Her face turned from one of confusion to anger and she barked “Miss Goodman, detention”
Stunned, Heather stared at the teacher in disbelief. Then she turned red and screamed “why?!”
“Because I said so Miss Goodman” Miss Beverly screamed with the same tone.
Heather screamed some more, stomped her foot, turned away and stormed out of the room.
Everyone was quiet when she left. The students were too stunned to. Heather getting disgraced and given detention was a rare event.
“Can… can I…” Isa groaned and stretched her hand towards the teacher.
“Miss White? What is it? What’d you need?” She asked in a hurry.
“Please take me to the nurse’s office”