14 Chapter 14 : The first rebellion

[WARNING : This chapter contains a child abuse. Read it on your own discretion]

The fact that I managed to take out my anger on Harry didn't make me exempted from the punishment for not having my homework with me. Mrs. Gabrielle was a stern and strict woman. She didn't bat an eye when I showed her my torn book and ordered me to stand up behind the class until the end of the lesson instead.

To her and everyone else, it didn't matter who instigated it, they just didn't want to give me an easy way out. Why did I even bother trying to explain?

So I spent the first lesson standing in the back of the class. My feet were so sore. The bruises I got from when I was beaten up a few days ago didn't make this any easier.

My stomach was hurting as well. Harry kicked my chair so hard it propelled me to the front and made my stomach collided with my desk earlier. I endured it somehow, but now that I'm standing like this, the pain started to become unbearable.

I desperately tried to endure it. However, after an hour, beads of sweat started to form on my forehead, as my body gradually felt heavier than before. My head was throbbing, while my vision started to fail me.

Not good. I think I'm gonna...

I gingerly raised my hand, attracting Mrs. Gabrielle's attention almost immediately. She glanced at me sternly, looking displeased with my sudden interruption. But now that she noticed me, she couldn't pretend to unsee me.

"What is it, Miss Williams?" Mrs. Gabrielle's voice was cold. Everyone shifted their attention to me after hearing that.

The classroom was so quiet that if a needle fell to the floor right now, it'd cause a loud noise. I held my stomach, as I steeled myself to speak.

"I don't feel well, Mrs. Gabrielle. Could I ask for permission to go to the infirmary?"

Mrs. Gabrielle's eyes were narrowed, as she gazed at me up and down. "Do you have any dissatisfaction with how I conduct my class? Is the punishment too much for you? You even lied just to get away from it."

"No, that's not it. I truly don't feel well, Ma'am." Every word from my mouth made my stomach squeezed uncomfortably. Like there was a knot inside, and it grew tighter every second.

"Enough, Miss Williams. You are going to stand there whether you like it or not. Until the end of my class!"

Nobody said anything at Mrs. Gabrielle's commanding tone. Their gazes felt unreasonably cold and indifferent, making my body trembled involuntarily.

I should have known already. No matter how hard I plead or scream, nobody will give me any time in the day. This is how it always works, so why do I keep hoping? Alas, I was such an idiot.

The words that threatened to spill, I swallowed it down with a bitter smile.

"I understand, Mrs. Gabrielle. Then, please punish me harder when my condition is better." I turned my heel and walked slowly towards the door, not paying any attention to the commotion I caused, or how furious Mrs. Gabrielle looked.

"Stop right there or I'd make you regret it, Miss Williams! Do you want to get a zero for this class?" Mrs. Gabrielle shouted.

I hardened my expression so it won't show my inner turmoil. "Mrs. Gabrielle, I respect you as a teacher. I never disobeyed you even once, I never got bad grades, I never slept or played around in your class, so could you please just let this one go?"

"You dare to talk back to your teacher now. Very good! This just shows how bad your upbringing is! Sure enough, a bad seed breeds a bad offspring!"

Her shout was so loud it made my head throbbing even further. Is that even a sentence a teacher supposed to say? Nevertheless, I was not in the mood to continue this conversation, so I decided to ignore everything and walked out of the classroom.

Mrs. Gabrielle was shouting at me, threatening and scolding me like I just made a grave sin to her ancestor. Of course, my attention was elsewhere, so I just considered it as a loud backtrack.

I solemnly swear inside, that I'd stop putting any hope on these people. I...am alone.

My hand was about to reach the doorknob when a book flew at me and hit me right on the back of my head. The impact got me staggered forward. I put my hand on the door to stabilize myself.

I smiled as I turned my head. I didn't know what face I was making, but Mrs. Gabrielle behind me looked at me with astonishment and disbelief. "My head is hurt because someone hit me with a book. I will go to the infirmary now."

The class was still silent when I got out and closed the door.

I am alone.

***

"Why are you so slow? Hurry up and bring me my food!"

I flinched as I hurriedly scooped a ladle of soup to the bowl. I put it on the tray, along with a plate of rice and a glass of water.

With trembling legs, I walked slowly towards the dominating figure sitting on the floor. He leaned his back on the wall while gulping down a bottle of liquor. His face was flushed, and his eyes unfocused as he squinted at me.

I carefully put down the tray beside his legs, trying so hard not to utter any sound. That figure leaned down and clicked his tongue when he saw what was on the tray. Then, he swung his legs, shoving the tray along with everything on it to the side.

Unconsciously, I let out a muffled scream as I ducked and covered my head with my arms. My body trembled so hard. The sense of dread weighed me down like a force of gravity.

The tray was thrown aside and slammed to the wall, causing a loud crashing sound before it fell with pieces of glass along with it.

There was a heavy silence that came after that before he pulled me up using my hair.

"I said bring me my food. Does that look like food to you?"

I wailed as the painful sensation on my scalp made me stand up involuntarily, just to reduce the pain I felt. "I am sorry! I am sorry!"

I could only say sorry over and over again. I tried to stop sobbing, but the fear and sadness I felt inside was just too unbearable. That man was so big and terrifying. He glared at me with his cold, piercing gaze. His low and chilly voice felt like it could pierce me, "If you are sorry, then how about you kill yourself?"

I gasped in shock as he pushed me down to the floor and clenched my throat so tightly. My eyes widened as I looked up at his face. He stared down at me, but I couldn't see his face clearly. The sight of that man's face that obstructed by his hair, causing a shadow fell on his face, made this even scarier.

As my airway was blocked, I started to struggle and squirm to escape this torture. My legs were swinging frantically. My hand grappled and scratched his thick arms desperately. However, how can a little girl win the strength of a grown man?

I was gaping like a fish in the land. I couldn't breathe and my lung constricted painfully due to the lack of oxygen. My head was dizzy and my vision started to blur. At that time, I seriously thought that was the end of me.

I am scared. Someone, help me. Please save me. I...

My tears were flowing out of the corner of my eyes, as I croaked out, "I...don't want...to die..."

Almost immediately, the arms on my throat loosened. I coughed so hard I thought my throat was going to snap. I inhaled the air greedily, trying untie the knot inside my lung. But doing so only made me choked out of my breath, and I coughed even harder.

I couldn't feel any strength in me. I could only lay there, coughing and sobbing. I didn't dare to look up. I didn't dare to move an inch. My tears flowing out of my eyes uncontrollably, as the terror enveloped me.

I could feel that man's gaze on me. It made me trembled involuntarily. I bit my lip so hard it bled, trying to keep my voice from leaking. The last thing I wanted was provoking that man again. It was, after all, my first near-death experience, and my heart couldn't take the pressure.

He stopped choking me, but it was like I could still feel his arms squeezing my throat, because I forgot to breathe properly. I stayed like that until I could hear the sound of footsteps walking away. When the sound of the door closing came to me, I cried without restraint.