Chapter 11

           I was through with my first year in Prestige, I managed to come out with the best performance yet but now, I was struggling to keep up, my grades were nothing to write home about. I think my parents have a beef between themselves. I don't know what to do anymore, these days, all I do is to cry in a corner. My world is crumbling down ! Nobody told me life was going to be like this. I was slowly becoming depressed, I had no idea, no one else to turn to since I am all alone.

"Hello"

"Hey Peter"

"What's up with you ? You have been moody these days"

"I can't say I am feeling fine Peter, I am just putting on a fake smile"

"What's the problem ? You can tell me"

"My world is crashing down Peter, nothing is working out for me. It's like I have been cursed or something. Everyone, everything is changing"

"Then you need to adapt Joseph, come on, don't tell me you're giving up. Cheer up"

"Thanks Peter"

"Can we go have lunch now ? Stand up lazy bones"

"Hey ! Joseph !"

Here comes Benjamin and his friends, I wonder what they want from me. Since from day one, he never liked me. He totally reminds me of Jack.

"Yes, what is it ?"

"You think you're some kind of saint! Where is my phone ?"

"What do you mean ? I think we both know where it is, the principal confiscated it. You know very well that it is against the rules to have a phone in school"

"And you just had to tell on me, didn't you ? You snitch !"

"Please I have somewhere to go so..."

"Give me my phone !"

"Why don't you go to the principal and ask her "

   I don't need anyone to tell me that someone is going to get hurt. I tried to avoid it by walking away but Benjamin pulled me back. This time around, I am not backing down like before. I delivered a punch to Benjamin's nose before they could lay a finger on me. However, I got a beating of my life, it was awful.

       After getting treatment,we were asked to report to the principal's office.

"Alright, let me go straight to the point, what you all did was bad , I won't allow this in my school, as for you Benjamin, you have worsened your situation. Joseph I understand, you did it in defence but please next time, don't allow it to reach to that level, report immediately when someone is bullying you, you're off the hook. However, I called your parents to come to the school"

     "Josie ! Oh my God who did this to you ?"mom said

"Isn't it obvious ? He got into a fight, this is just your second year in this school ! You didn't even stay for that long " dad said

"You didn't even allow me to explain what really happened, you just came to a conclusion"

"That's exactly the problem with you Jeff, you think you're always right and you never listen"mom said

"My problem ! What about you ?"

"You know what, I am exhausted, I am tired of all this your nonsense, I am tired. I am not going to continue to fake it . Joseph, you need to know that I and your dad never worked anything out, we were just pretending for your sake . I can't stand him anymore !"

"What ? You mean all that was a lie ! So that's why you sent me to boarding school, so that I won't suspect anything, I get it. I can't believe it ! It was all a pretence !"

"Josie! Please I am sorry !"

I left with tears rolling down my cheeks, I just couldn't believe it .

"Mr and Mrs Anderson, it's nice that you came. Did your son tell you what happened to him ?"

"No, he didn't, what really happened ?"

"Your son was been bullied and he got beaten by some students"

"Oh my God !"

"But please ma'am, stay calm. I assure you that this will be the first and the last time this will happen to him or anybody else "

"I hope so "

"I am sorry but I noticed that Joseph's academics is not as good as it was, is there a problem ?"

"Yes but it's a family matter, it's private"

"Oh I see! Well you need to resolve it as soon as possible Sir, it's really affecting him. Excuse me I need to attend to an urgent matter"

"Alright, thank you ma'am bye "

"You see ! All these is happening because of you, we are back to square one. You really need to change Jeffrey, please, for our son's sake before something worse happens "

                         °°°°°°

Does it mean everything was just a pretence, the ' family' outing,the 'family' dinner,'family' fun time ! All these was a lie. The smiles, the giggles, laughter, was all fake. They fooled me !

      At least even if it was all a lie, I still have the memories of the good times we had together. Who am I kidding ? I can't take this, my heart has been crushed. What am I going to do ? Who am I suppose to turn to ?

  "Hey, what's the matter ?"

"Peter! My problems just keeps on piling up !"

"How bad, I am sorry to hear that and I understand why you don't want to share them with me, I don't know why these things are happening . However, there is a way to help you forget and relieve yourself of all this problems "

"That's not possible ! How ?"

"Follow me !"

We went behind the school building, I thought nobody comes here but I was wrong, a lot of students usually come here . I see some of them with cigarettes, some are  injecting themselves with a substance, some are sniffing another substance.

"Peter , why are .... we .. here ? Why did.. you bring me here ? I want to go back "

"No Joseph, relax. I told you that I will help you forget your problems , don't be scared "

"Hey man !" Samuel said, a student in Arts class

"What's up ?"

"Derrick brought a new one, this is good stuff, you want to try it out ?"

"Yeah sure "

Peter collected it and sniffed, I can't just stand and watch this happen right in front of me!

"God ! This is really strong, Joseph! Do you want to try ?"

"No thanks, I am leaving "

"What's wrong with him ?"

"Don't mind the guy "

"I hope this boy doesn't snitch on us just like the way he did to Benjamin . You made a mistake by bringing him here "

"No, I will make sure he does no such thing, I have to go "

"Alright later "

      I knew it ! Something was off . After the first year, I have  been noticing some changes in Peter's behaviour, not just Peter, even some of my mates too. From one problem to another! I am so unlucky ! Ever since he started hanging out with Samuel, he has been acting strange, now I know. My best friend is a drug addict ! Oh lord !