Commotion at school

Without context, Lillian was asked to rush to Lia's school that afternoon. She had no clue about what was going on, and upon reaching, she went straight to Mrs. Beth's office and saw two little kids waiting outside the vice-principal's office. Lia was sitting while the other boy leaned against the wall as he stood in angst.

Lillian spotted Lia first and saw her face in a wreck. It looked like there had been a fight between the two. Just as Lillian was about to announce her arrival to Lia, another two followed her with a loud entrance. Luther's parents saw their son standing outside the vice-principal's office with a broken nose. They noticed the little girl sitting by as well. Even so, they couldn't comprehend what had happened. Lia and Lillian reunited in the midst as Mrs. Beth finally came out of the room to address everyone.

"You are all here! Fine. Luther and his parents- please come inside. I would like to talk to you first," Mrs. Beth invited them as she cast a despondent look at Lillian.

Luther's father threw a doubtful glance at Lia and Lillian before stepping inside the vice-principal's office. Now that the crowd had disappeared, Lillian went and sat next to the little girl, who kept her face down, all the while.

Lillian dared not to utter a word and only spent time watching for any bruise. Just this morning, they had such a joyful time, and now staring at Lia, Lillian couldn't help but grieve inside. She wondered what must have happened to the cheerful little girl.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Lillian asked, still in doubt.

Lia shook her head in response.

"Don't Lie, and if you got hurt anywhere, let me know right away. You don't want to worry your mother," Lillian advised.

Afraid of facing her mother in such a state, Lia lifted her right hand to reveal some slight cuts from fighting with Luther. There were a few scratches from the boy's grasp and a thick blood clot around her wrist. Lillian sighed in misery.

Giselle is returning tonight, and somehow, she had to do something about these wounds, or Giselle might assume that Lillian isn't worth taking care of her daughter. She would never trust to leave Lia in her care again, which would break Lillian's heart. She started the day feeling energetic, but how had the reality turned out for her. She wondered if she would ever get a break from having to face trouble after trouble.

A while later, Luther and his parents finally came out of the room. All of their faces carried tension, and upon passing by, Luther's father saw Lia and Lillian together. Immediately, his face changed, and he looked at them with detestation.

Searing rage flashed across Lillian's face immediately. Yet, she remained still, for Mrs. Beth then asked Luther and his parents to wait while calling for Lia and Lillian.

Lillian signaled the little girl, and the two entered the vice-principal's office.

"What's going on, Beth?" Lillian hurriedly asked.

"Sit down, Lillian!"

Lia took a seat, still her face facing downward and refusing to look up. She knew she had made a mistake by hurting a classmate. And upon learning that Lillian was asked to visit, Lia felt upset at herself. All while living with Lillian Grey, she never wanted to welcome any unnecessary trouble.

Nevertheless, Lia had reached her limits of tolerance and finally reacted to the cause, which put her in a difficult position to face her family. The little girl was even afraid to look at Mrs. Beth.

"No! I need to know what's going on."

"If so, then you need to sit down first! I'm only trying to help you. Now, please take your seat, Lillian Grey," Mrs. Beth appealed calmly.

"Thank the lord that the headmaster is away at a conference, and I was told to overlook things at school.

Beth sighed to her growing fatigue. She had hoped that the day would go without trouble, and now something even more than trouble had invaded her office. She removed her glasses to wipe them out of habit and wore them again to stall some time while wondering how to handle things with the two sitting in front of her. She could see Lillian looked concerned while Lia appeared completely depressed.

"Can you please tell me what's going on now?" Lillian requested again.

"Luther, the little boy out there, is Lia's classmate, and upon investigating, he- had admitted to teasing Lia with his friends over the weeks."

"What?" Lillian gasped in surprise. She had always thought Lia must have received special attention at school because of Lillian's fame. But she had only considered one side of the spectrum. The other end questioned her relationship with Lia and has what bought her to meet Mrs. Beth in her office.

"Yes, and today at lunch- Luther and his friends again tried provoking Lia, right?" Mrs. Beth addressed to confirm with Lia, who silently nodded her reply.

"For what?" Lillian interrupted to ask.

Mrs. Beth heavily sighed to reveal Lia's situation to Lillian; how her appearance had influenced Lia's image around the school. Some teachers like Evelyn wanted to appeal to her to meet Lillian, while some tried to tease her relationship with Lia's mother.

"I tried my best to stop the word spreading around the school, but apparently Luther was influenced by his parents- from what I can see- because his intentions were merely a reflection of his parent's perception."

"I don't understand!"

Mrs. Beth found it difficult to articulate. She didn't want Lillian or Lia to feel disrespected. But considering the circumstances, she was in a position to do her job.

"During lunch, the boys sat close to Lia and her friends and started teasing her as usual- and-" Mrs. Beth paused.

"And?"

"Luther-"

Mrs. Beth revealed what had happened at the cafeteria and how Luther had used a foul word to insult Giselle and Lillian- and their relationship.

"Excuse me?" Lillian replied in shock.

"Lillian, I understand. What he did was unacceptable! Even I got shocked when I heard."

Searing rage returned as Lillian crunched her knuckles till they turned white.

"He was wrong! He- He- what he did to me today was wrong, and I would never forgive him for that," Lia remarked all of a sudden.

Both Lillian and Mrs. Beth were stunned to see Lia finally speaking out. Until now, the little girl looked as if she didn't have the courage to defend herself. Lillian glanced at her side to see throbbing anger coming from that small face. Lia was a child, and watching her made Lillian realize how long the poor girl must have been enduring. And that calmed Lillian from reacting. She didn't want to add trouble to Lia, which would end up affecting her school life. With Giselle's absence, these two cannot run free as their wish without ever pondering the consequences.

"I never said that he was right, Lia!" Mrs. Beth exclaimed sharply. It was clear that she was angry at the little girl.

"But-"

"I am disappointed in you, Lia!" Mrs. Beth exclaimed.

Lia flinched in her seat. She looked down instinctively out of fear.

"After asking around your classmates and some of the teachers, I did hear that you have been facing some trouble at school. I thought Evelyn was following you around, but it wasn't that which bothered you. It was Luther and his friends, your classmates. Why? Did it never occur to you that I am still here to help?"

Lia trembled under Mrs. Beth's allegations.

"Why didn't you come to me if you were having a hard time? Didn't I tell you on the first day itself? That I knew your mother, so it wouldn't hurt me to take care of you as well!"

Lillian remained speechless. Although she was burning with the guilt of disturbing Lia's peaceful school life, Lillian had no courage to speak out in front of Beth's claims. She was to blame for what had happened with Lia. If only the little girl didn't live with her-

Lillian instantly quivered in her seat. She had never once doubted or harbored such thoughts, but facing this reality had twisted her mind to feel otherwise.

"I- I didn't want to trouble anyone!" Lia confessed to her misery.

"So, you were willing to take the bullying instead of standing up for yourself?"

Mrs. Beth continued to confront, as Lia denied remaining quiet.

"I didn't take the bullying! I- I simply never reacted to them," Lia responded in haste.

"And that's your solution to someone trying to provoke you?"

Lia went back to looking depressed. Her face fell again in shame. Seeing how her words had damaged the child, Beth took a moment to calm herself down first. She never expected things to go out of control again, and she remembered what had happened to Giselle back then.

"I've seen your mother go through the same at your age, Lia.

Well, frankly, it's not the same as Luther seeing his parents and following them, but back then, people were simply that close-minded that even if someone was different, they'd transparently respond with hatred and disgust. Those people don't make friends even if they tried and are often outcasted by the other."

Both Lillian and Lia looked stunned by Beth's reveal. Upon seeing Lillian's clueless face, Beth pointed out Lillian's lack of knowledge about her partner.

"You think you can beat anyone who can talk like that? There are many Luthers in this world who would use any chance to rudely tease and make one feel miserable. They will try to break you down mentally!"

"So, I have to sit and let him insult my family!"

"No! Did I tell you to stay quiet? Your mother did that! For which I tried to help, and she refused to let me- she simply remained quiet and took all that bullying."

"I am not like my mother, Mrs. Beth," Lia protested.

"I know! And I'm not asking you to be. For once, your mother never hit someone with a lunchbox and broke a nose."

The mood somehow lightened from Beth's sarcastic comment. And that calmed down Lia to think about her actions.

"Violence should never be your choice of weapon, Lia!" Mrs. Beth addressed.

"I had no choice. I kept quiet for so long!"

"So that gives you all the right to hit someone? Thankfully, you are a child, and that favored you to settle things easily. Imagine doing this as an adult? Luther then has every right to press charges against you for physically assaulting him. Then what you're going to do? Say to the judge that he used words to insult you, so you hit him? Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Lia?" Mrs. Beth vented out desperately, hoping to enlighten the little girl.

She then looked over at Lillian and asked if she had expected this to be the reality of living together. Lillian looked dejected as well. Beth didn't mean to hurt them both, but she didn't want Lia to repeat the same mistake in the future.

"Lia, if you wish to continue here, I beg you to come to me if you ever feel like you're getting bullied or facing any difficulties at school. I couldn't be there for your mother back there even though I tried. I know you're braver than Giselle. But don't resort to hitting or fighting with other kids. And I'm not asking you to be quiet as well. Neither would ever help you in the long run."

Having said all that was needed, Mrs. Beth then repeated what she had told Luther. Lia would be under suspension for two days for getting involved in a fight with a classmate. She is also demanded to write a letter to reflect on her conduct and promise never to do it again. Lillian desperately pleaded with Beth to reconsider her decision. However, Mrs. Beth had to punish both for their behavior at school. Lia never complained and quietly accepted her penalty.

Personally, Beth apologized to Lillian for Luther's behavior with Lia and the word he had used to insult Giselle and herself.

***

Coming out, Mrs. Beth followed to ask for attention from both sides and told the kids to apologize to each other for their behavior. Nonetheless, their reasons to fight back and forth. Lia had broken Luther's nose while Luther triggered her to do so and even engaged in continuing the fight.

"Now, come forward, both of you, and say sorry and mean it! Promise that you won't commit to such conduct in the future."

Upon Mrs. Beth's words, Lia stayed put in her seat. She didn't want to say sorry to the boy who had just insulted not only her mother but Lillian as well. Lia was still angry enough to remain stubborn. Luther didn't care enough to have such persistence except for his broken nose. Still, he was looking forward to hearing Lia say sorry to him.

Mrs. Beth's voice returned but only stronger this time. She aimed her tone at Lia and encouraged the child to admit her misbehavior.

Still unable to utter an apology, Lia shook her head in denial. Luther's father, who had had enough of watching this delay, opened his foul mouth.

"My son here didn't do anything wrong. He had only seen the crazy shit happening to comment on it. It's not like what he had said was wrong. Look what's going on in the society now, two women are in a relationship, and we had to sit here and digest this sickening vulgarity."

Luther's mother tried to stop her husband, but he pushed her hand out to protest.

Lillian watched the big, pot-bellied man speak obscenely. She took a step forward, and that cued Mrs. Beth to take action immediately. She warned Luther's father to mind his language, especially in front of the kids. The man continued to rage against Lia's violence and her family's affairs, pointing out the obscenity of having to share the room with Lillian. Lia dreaded and was about to cry hearing his blasphemy until Lillian reacted when Luther's father crossed his line by insulting Lia's father in his wickedness. Lia trembled under such abusive statements, and Mrs. Beth had continually warned Luther's father to mind his words.

Having sustained enough insults indirectly and directly, Lillian walked straight to face the foul-mouthed parent. Not a single drop of fear or inferiority in her eyes as she glared right back at him. Luther's mother begged her husband to stop causing more trouble.

Lillian's cold stare didn't matter to Luther's father as he continued to look down on her.

"Don't you dare open your filthy mouth to insult Lia's father! He is a far better human being than you, at least. And why the hell does it matter to you and your idiot son about our family? We are not spreading some kind of virus to make your son gay, aren't we? We are simply trying to live in this world, so why can't you shut your damn mouth and let us live in peace? I understand you grew up so narrow-minded, but look what you're trying to teach your son,"

Lillian then looked down at Luther, who was also trembling in front of the adults.

"Well, if you keep following your dad, then you're going to end up like him. A big, fat, foul-mouthed dummy, idiot running his damn mouth!"

"Ms. Lillian, I warn you again. Both of you, stop it, right now! If you don't want me to extend the kid's suspension, then please stop it! You are all at school, and the kids are watching you!"

"We are not asking for your permission, so keep it to yourself, mister. We don't want your opinions as well," Lillian replied before stepping out and backing up a little. She called Lia and asked her to apologize to Luther, and Lia obeyed without a protest.

Mrs. Beth asked Luther to do the same, and Luther wanted to apologize right away, but looking at his father, he trembled under terror. Luther's mother pushed him to apologize, and he finally did.

As soon as Luther apologized, his father turned away in rage and soon left the building. Luther and his mother followed him likewise. Meanwhile, Mrs. Beth gasped from the stress. She warned Lillian never to speak as such to another parent. Lillian quickly apologized, but she knew she couldn't keep quiet when such an attitude was thrown at her and the little girl.

To her embarrassment, she even defended Ethan, which honestly irritated her, but at least she felt glad about giving it back rather than keeping quiet.

Mrs. Beth then asked the two to leave for the day as Lia's suspension commenced.