16

12 April 2015

In the room, I observed his furious gaze - the very eyes I found myself drawn to. His petite hands made contact with the desk as he rose from his seat. A beautiful smile graced his face, one that held significant value to me. I watched him speak, exuding an aura of leadership. Glancing down, I noticed my teddy bear in my hands, its arm broken. Amidst the chaos, the teacher raised her voice at him, "Ares! Apologize immediately!" The commotion was overwhelming, and I yearned for it to cease. The noise was causing me discomfort. I disliked the teacher's scolding. Ares, with his incessant chatter, retorted, "No! He had it coming, he's strange." Strange? I pondered, what had I done to warrant this treatment? I remained silent, clutching my damaged teddy bear. The teacher firmly grasped his arm, causing him to wince. She issued an ultimatum, "Apologize or I'll contact your parents." Her words struck a nerve, rendering him silent - a reaction he consistently displayed when his parents were mentioned. Approaching me, he met my gaze, which was fixated on him like a predator. He gulped, reached out, and uttered, "I'm sorry." However, his apology didn't register with me; all I could focus on were his eyes. The teacher interjected, her tone irate, "Is that all?" Feeling agitated, he rephrased, "I'm sorry for damaging your teddy bear." He then extended his arms for a hug. Yet, his words and actions failed to capture my attention, as I was still captivated by his eyes. He proceeded to lean towards me, placing his hands on my back and resting his head on my shoulder. I didn't reciprocate the hug. Instead, I uttered, "I forgive you."

As I uttered those words, the room fell silent. The teacher, seemingly satisfied with the outcome, returned to her desk. Ares pulled away, his eyes still locked onto mine. There was a certain intensity in his gaze, a mix of defiance and vulnerability that left me feeling both uneasy and intrigued.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I found myself stealing glances at Ares, trying to understand the complex emotions swirling within me. Part of me was still hurt and angry, but another part was curious about him, about the pain I saw flicker in his eyes when his parents were mentioned.

Days turned into weeks, and our interactions became less hostile. Ares stopped his teasing, and I started to see a different side of him. He was funny, smart, and surprisingly kind. He started sitting with me during lunch, sharing stories about his life, his dreams, and his fears. I found myself opening up to him, sharing parts of myself I had never shared with anyone else.

One day, Ares came to school with a new teddy bear. He handed it to me, his eyes filled with a quiet sincerity. "I know I can't replace your old one," he said, "but I hope this can make things right between us."

I took the bear, surprised by the gesture. It's such a white big bear, bigger than the old one. It was a small act, but it held a big meaning. It was a symbol of Ares's remorse, his willingness to make amends. I looked at him, my heart filled with a warmth I had never felt before. "Thank you," I said, genuinely appreciating his effort.

19 April 2015

Clasping my hands, he proposed, "How about we explore?" I agreed with a precious smile and a nod. His smile widened in response, and as our hands remained connected, he regaled me with tales that held my attention. We arrived at a lush, green spot adorned with a trampoline, slide, and swings. Gazing into my eyes, he inquired, "What do you think?" The tranquility of the place was amplified by our solitude, enhancing its beauty and peacefulness in my eyes. I replied, "It's lovely." He suggested, "Let's play then," and led me to the swings, never releasing my hand. He guided me to sit on one and gave me a gentle push, eliciting an excited "Woohoo! This is so fun!" from me. He echoed my sentiment, saying, "It is."

As I swung back and forth, the wind gently brushing against my face, I couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and freedom. Ares stood behind me, his hands firmly yet gently pushing my swing, his laughter echoing in the air. His presence was comforting, a source of happiness that I had come to cherish.

After a while, I asked him to join me on the swing next to mine. He obliged, his eyes sparkling with excitement. We swung in sync, our laughter filling the quiet, peaceful space. It felt like we were in our own little world, a world where only happiness and friendship existed.

After some time, we decided to explore the rest of the playground. Ares held my hand as we climbed up the slide, our giggles echoing in the stillness. We played on the trampoline, bouncing around like two carefree children, our worries and fears left behind.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, we sat down on the grass, our breaths heavy from all the playing. Ares looked at me, his eyes reflecting the beautiful sunset.

As I admired the sunset, he turned his gaze towards me. I commented, "The clouds are stunning, aren't they?" His eyes remained fixed on me as he responded, "Indeed, they are." Unaware that he was observing me, I turned my head towards him, my hair swinging in the wind. With a precious smile on my face, I expressed, "When we're grown up, can we go see it together again?" A smile graced his lips in response.

He replied, "I'd like that," his voice filled with sincerity. His smile was warm, making my heart flutter. We sat there in comfortable silence, watching as the sun dipped lower, the sky transforming into a canvas of vibrant colours.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, Ares turned to me. "We should head back," he said, reluctance evident in his voice. I nodded, not wanting to leave either, but knowing we had to.

We walked back hand in hand, the sounds of our laughter replaced by the soothing chirping of crickets. The playground lights flickered on, casting long shadows on the grass. As we reached the exit, Ares turned to me. "I..-" he said, his eyes meeting mine.

As we were engrossed in our conversation, my mother interrupted, exclaiming, "Thank goodness, they're here," signalling the presence of other individuals. Ares's mother appeared on the scene. I greeted her with a cheerful "Oh, hi mom!" However, Ares's demeanour shifted, and he seemed disheartened. My mother expressed her concern, "Where have you two been? We were extremely worried!" Ares's mother chimed in, directing her words at him, "Ares, let's go." She didn't seem particularly invested in the situation. Ares complied, following her as they prepared to depart. Our eyes met for a brief moment before they left. I barely registered my mother's scolding, as she continued to berate me. Eventually, I requested, "Mom, can we just leave now?" She agreed, stating, "Yes, we can. But promise me you won't repeat this behaviour." I nodded in agreement.

21 April 2015

All eyes were focused on me as people, including Ares's friends, gathered around me. I found myself laughing, conversing, and playing with them, all without Ares's presence. However, I couldn't ignore the sight of him sitting alone in the corner, seemingly isolated. This behaviour was unusual for him as he was normally fine. His demeanour suggested he was upset, possibly even angry with me.

I invited him to join our circle, but he declined. Feeling concerned, I approached him and inquired, "Are you alright?" To my surprise, he pushed me to the ground and shouted, "Back off!" The room fell silent as everyone stared in disbelief at his sudden outburst.

That's when he started to bully me.

The others expressed their anger towards him. One person remarked, "How could you treat him that way?" Another suggested, "That guy needs to leave." Even his own friends commented, "He's so rude. I'm glad I stopped hanging out with him."

Despite the situation, I maintained a smile and attempted to defend him by saying, "It's ok guys, he was just being-" However, he cut me off mid-sentence, saying, "Can you stop?" Confused, I asked, "What?" He continued, "Stop being so perfect all the time!" I apologized, but he persisted, "I hate how you always need to be the centre of attention. You're such a show-off, always trying to be the best at everything."

I just said nothing.

Just then, the teacher entered the classroom and addressed Ares, "That's enough. Go to the office!"

And he left.

One person commented, "You didn't deserve that." Another person asked, "Are you okay?"

I'm okay. But I don't know. I don't care if I'm okay, I want to know if Ares is okay.