The Mockery

I was very lively and cool and made new friends easily. Every being in class called me the chirping soul. Not that I was a talkative, but I was always cheerful.

Most times during leisures, I would be running around with two boys that I was always close to. They didn't mind that I am a princess at all, and that was what I actually wanted.

Other classmates and Teachers would be watching but I took no care. If I could play like this here in school and always stayed alone at home, why would I want to end it... that was what I thought then.

I used to enjoy playing around with them though, hahaha...

And the two boys bear the same name. One is Lixin Fenhua and the other is Haoyu Fenhua. I liked to play with Lixin Fenhua more though. They both were always there for me. Even when others rejected me.

Also I loved I used to go to the library and read with my three friends. Ai Lei who I took as my sister, Min Zhang my confidante and Ya Wei the one that is just there... her sole purpose in life was to mock and underrate one.

"But was she perfect?"Xiao Yaun asked. I looked at him as I gave him a funny expression before replying.

" Did you think anyone who critizes other people is perfect?" I asked. " She is far from perfect."

" I see..." He said, returning his cool expression.

" Like I was saying." I said, adjusting my dress. " My class was lively then until one thing happened that shook my very existence." I paused and looked at him to see if he caught the breather. His face holds no expression and I am beginning to fear what he is going to think of my next story.

....

l had at one time, being receiving rude remarks from fellow classmates concerning my odor. I would be in class and and will overhear them talking about me.

Comments usually were about me smelling bad, no one even cared that I was a princess, not like it mattered though. Some of the people in front of me would turn back to sniff the air and wrinkle their noses. Even those at my back never stopped using you as a subject of discussion.

I hadn't known when and what made it happen, as I was also perceiving it myself. I lost the zeal of concentrating during lectures, and most times when I needed to use the convenience, I got back to meet different sets of people twitching their noses as I walk them by.

Even my own three friends were among, more especially Min Zhang and Ya Wei. I had never expected that from Min Zhang though, but Wei's behavior didn't shock me at all.

It became worse as my junior students got to know about it, and my teachers too. Mostly the conversation that normally got to my ears were;

" I wonder what the stench that got to my nose now." One had said, " Are you perceiving it Dara?"

" It's coming from Princess Lee," the other had replied. " I wonder how she became a princess."

" And her servants would be happy for a bit of fresh air, until she gets back home to foil the atmosphere for them.," another one chirped in.

I was also receiving insults from some teachers. They were saying rude things about me but I normally passed them by. Except though for one person who happened to care.

He was my principal and I wasn't close to him until then. Most times, he would call me into his office and urge me to talk to him. But I always refused and I just told him that it was nothing. I wanted to open up, how would I have gone about it...

How do I tell one that I have body odor and I couldn't control it...

It continued to remain that way with me receiving insults from all corners.

Depression

l suddenly became a shadow of myself, with little or no care from others. l hadn't realized I was depressed till I thought of ending my life.

" Were you seriously going to kill yourself?" Xiao asked, giving me a serious look.

" Yes I was at the time." I answered.

" But how come that happened to you?" Xiao asked, intensifying his stare. " You are a princess and all that. lf you had any problem, it could have been sorted out by the royals. Or weren't you bathing or something?"

" Give me a break please," I said. " One question and the other. Of course I was bathing, but I don't know what happened. As far as being a royalty is concerned, everyone knew. As it's not like I could hidden it from them or something."

" So what did they do?" He asked, not wavering his serious look. " Your family..."

" They did absolutely nothing, no bothered asking me anything." l said to him.

" That was absolute neglect." He asked, turning around a bit.

" No one neglected me," l said. " Grandma just didn't find enough time. She was taking care of me plus the affairs of the palace. Dad too is a king and that was when things was hot for everyone here.

" That's okay then." He said, " Please continue."

As I was saying, the thought of ending my life was there until I met and spoke with my principal. He told me same thing happened to his sister and everyone was wondering what could have been wrong.

He also said that him and his family couldn't bear it, and that they couldn't help her other than advising her to maintain cleanliness and all those stuffs. And later on after he travelled for some time and came back, he noticed she didn't have it again. He was surprised but he didn't ask her how it happened.

He showed me ways on how to scrub properly, and also suggested I ask one of my servants for a bath perfume. I did that as I was happy the term was already coming to an end.

" That was how my high school looked like." I said, looking him straight in the eyes.

" You had what I call a nightmare of a school life." He said, " I wish I was there to help blow their tooth off.

" Hahaha, that would have been something." I laughed as I rested my back on the chair. " I really must start going back home."

"Same here." He said, getting up and giving me a hand. " Here, let's go."

" Sure." l said, before taking his hands and getting up.

We walked together towards our horses and laughed and joked before bading goodbye at road that divided our paths.

......

Xu Lee got home after walking with Xiao Yaun, and went straight to the hall after giving her horse to one of the stable men. As she went into the hall, she greeted her grandmother before heading to her suites.

What she met as she opened her door really shocked her....