Kaya sat on the bench waiting outside the principal’s office, the look on Amalie’s face when she fought Jill, Mia and the others who joined in when seeing Mia starting to lose, Kaya had never seen her look so angry before. It was scary.
But then, she only became like that when Jill mentioned someone named Lauren. Who was that? Was it someone Amalie used to go to school with? Was she sick and passed away?
She glanced to the door to the principal’s, hearing the principal talking to Mia and Amalie, and a woman, Mia’s aunt, came since her parents couldn’t. While Kaya and the others were waiting in the hallway for their parents, Jill softly cried.
“Why did she do that?” Jill spoke between sobs. “What’s wrong with her?”
Kaya grimaced, were they dumb? After saying something like that?
“It’s not your fault Jill,” Nancy said. “It’s all that freak’s fault.”
“Are you kidding?” Kaya spoke up causing the rest of Mia’s group to look at her. “You know why! It’s because of what you said! After what you said to Amalie like it was a joke! You both know what you did, you have no right to blame her for what you said!”
“And what would that be?”
Kaya froze, that voice, she turned to look at the other end of the hall where Amalie’s dad stood near her. She didn’t even hear him, and from the looks of the other’s faces, they hadn’t either. The boys especially looked terrified.
“Well? What did they say to Amalie that they thought was so funny?”
Kaya flinched, his normally warm sing-song voice sounded cold, and what’s more, his eyes. His eyes looked so scary with his ever-present smile.
She looked away, down at her feet, only to then see Amalie’s dad’s shoes in front of hers. He made sure that he was still in her line of sight.
“It… it wasn’t funny.” Kaya managed, unable to look up at the man, too afraid to. “It wasn’t funny at all what she said.”
“What did she say?” he sounded like he was closer now.
“That… that… that Amalie should die… that she should disappear like all the m-missing people. That she shouldn’t exist.” She lifted her head. “That’s what she said!”
And felt like ice water struck her.
For Amalie’s father was now merely a foot away, looking her dead in the eye. “Is that so?”
Kaya swallowed the limp in her throat. S…scary… was all she could think as cold sweat began to form along the back of her neck. She never thought Amalie’s father could be so scary. “Y-yeah… they said she should die… I… I couldn’t…” Tears began to blur her vision. “I couldn’t do anything…”
Alastor stood up before silently staring at the other five children in question, to which those children moved further away as they quivered in fear at the silent smiling man. Without a word, Alastor headed into the principal’s office. Leaving Kaya alone with knots in her stomach.
Never had she felt so scared before, but then, didn’t she deserve it? After all that she did?
* * *
Perhaps those miscreants will leave Amalie alone now. Alastor thought to himself as he knocked on the door before entering the principal’s office, where he could hear those kids now crying in the hallway wanting their parents. He smirked, ah how he hoped they learned their lesson from this, because if not, then a harsher one was in store.
But such thoughts of his stopped the moment he saw Amalie, her clothing dishevelled, her hair in knots and it looked like she had several bruises, most on her body one on her face and forehead. But from the appearance of the six children, besides Kaya, out on the bench, and the other girl in here, it was clear Amalie had done far worse to them than what they did to her.
Goodness, that’s impressive.
Taking on nearly six kids and holding her own was a feat within itself.
He couldn’t be prouder of her. Still, part of him wished she came to him for help, but even Alastor knew that sometimes kids wanted to sort things out themselves. He felt like his little girl believed that he might take things a bit too far.
Which, depending on what these children did, would depend on a response. He didn’t want to think too rashly, not in a delicate situation like this.
“Mr. Hilmarsson, thank you for arriving so quickly.” The principal said the moment Alastor closed the door. “I’m sure you’re aware of what this is about?”
“I was merely told that I needed to come here right away, that Amalie was in a fight.” And from the looks of it, Amalie was ganged up on by the others. “I was a bit taken aback when I received the call.”
“Yes well, as I was explaining to Mia’s aunt, this is something that can’t be excused, no matter who started it.”
“Even though my daughter had been repeatedly provoked?” Alastor asked.
The principal didn’t answer his question. How rude. Instead, the man turned his attention back to Amalie. “Amalie, I know you and Mia have your bouts, but don’t you think you went too far in how you acted?”
So you blame the victim, that’s classic.
“If Mia apologizes, do you think you can get along with each other from now on?”
Amalie didn’t answer, the principal looked to Mia as if to coax the girl into doing what he said. And from the looks of it, she didn’t want to.
“Ugh fine,” Mia muttered before facing Amalie. “Look, it was a dumb stupid fight, so let’s just forget it happened, okay? I’m sorry.” And offered up her hand from Amalie to take.
“Now Amalie,” the principal said drawing Alastor’s attention. “Mia’s offered a sincere apology; she didn’t mean to do what she did. Don’t you think you should accept it?”
He called that a sincere apology? Was he joking?
Even Mia’s aunt seemed a bit perplexed by this whole thing.
Only instead of taking Mia’s offered hand, Amalie just stared at it, unmoved.
“Why?” Amalie asked, looking at the principal with an almost disappointed gaze. “This solves nothing, it doesn’t fix anything. She’ll just tell me to die again like she always does. Like all the others in the class. Do you want me to die too?”
The principal flinched before looking to Amalie’s father.
Alastor was also angry in learning this but restrained himself as he kept his hands clasped together behind his back and kept his faint smile, refusing to give what the man wanted. The man caused this mess, let him drown in it.
“O-of course not Amalie, we’d never want that. Your friends, classmates and teachers don’t either. You’re an incredibly bright girl. No one would ever want to hurt you.”
“Liar,” Amalie said. “You’re lying.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Mia, Jill, Nancy, Edward, Brandon and Josh. A bunch of others, and Ms. Miller. She just lets, whatever happens, happen. You’re supposed to know what happens in the school yet you act like you don’t. Do you even care about us? Do we even matter? Because from where I stand, you don’t care.”
“Is that true?” Mia’s aunt asked before looking at Mia horrified who continued to sulk. “Mia what on earth? Why? Why would you do that?” but Mia didn’t answer, she only shook off her aunt’s hand.
Alastor merely glanced at the other girl before his gaze went back at the principal, he was taking too long to deny it, meaning one thing. His daughter was right. The man didn’t care at all about the children.
How dreadful.
“Amalie, surely you have someone you can be with to avoid Mia?” the principal asked.
“How can I make friends when she says things about me that aren’t true? Spreading lies about me? When she’s in my class? When she and her group follow me when I’m outside? When she won’t leave me alone even when other teachers tell her to? How am I supposed to do anything?”
He fell silent again.
“Mr. Hilmarsson I’m so sorry,” Mia’s aunt spoke up. “Had I heard this was happening sooner, I would have talked with my brother—”
“Like he’d do anything… besides hitting me, like he always does” Mia muttered so softly but Alastor could hear her. So did Amalie, as she glanced at the girl in response.
“Well, if we can’t resolve this peacefully,” the principal sighed. “I have no choice but to give you both, and the others who were involved, detention for one week.”
“What?” Mia snapped.
“Fine,” Amalie said flatly. “But you should know that if Mia or anyone else tries to do something to me, anything at all, then I’ll fight back.” she glanced at Mia. “I’m done with letting people think they can do what they want and get away with it.”
He couldn’t help it, Alastor let out a small chuckle, almost impossible to hear by the three regular people here, type of laugh.
Amalie was the only one to have heard him as she looked up at him with a questioning stare. His eyes did not show anger, no, his eyes were filled, with pride. Alastor was happy.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
His daughter was becoming her own and standing up for herself in the most spectacular fashion. How he wished she had done it sooner, but that mattered little to him now, for as long as she could, he would help her in any way possible.
“Then we’ll make sure that she’s not anywhere near you,” the principal said. “I’ll instruct the teachers to make sure she and her friends don’t bother you.”
“As long as it’s anyone but Mr. Green,”
That brought a look of confusion to the principal’s face. “Is there a problem with Mr. Green, Amalie?”
She narrowed her eyes on him. “You know why,” and without another word, Amalie left the stunned principal’s office silently. Before stopping and waiting in the hallway before he could say anything back to that.
“What did she mean?” Mia’s aunt asked, her voice now pitched with concern. “What did that teacher do?”
“Nothing,” the principal said all too quickly. Another lie, he knew that this Mr. Green had done something. “Amalie never seemed to like him, but the rest of the kids do. He’s one of the best we have, everyone loves him.”
“No!” Mia snapped. “You do know what she means! You fuckin’ bitch! You know! You know exactly what she means! FUCK YOU!” and then ran out of the office and down the hall. The aunt, who looked flustered and confused, glared warily at the principal before going after her niece leaving Alastor and the principal alone in the man’s office.
The silence grew as Alastor kept his gaze on the now-open door before his eyes flicked to the pathetic man before him. “Well, that was something,” Alastor said dryly.
The principal sighed. “Mia’s always been like that, she spouts so many lies it’s hard to even know if she’s telling the truth about anything.”
“Even about this Mr. Green?”
The principal said nothing, making it all the more president of what this man decided to try and hide from the parents of the students. Such a horrible man this principal was.
“Sir, if I may. If what my daughter says is true,” Alastor spoke before the man had the chance to make up any more lies or excuses. “Then I think it’d be in your best interest to listen to her. Because if something like verbal disputes such as this slip past you, it makes me wonder what else you’ve chosen to blatantly ignore. And if that is also true,” his gaze became cold as did his voice. “Then we will have words, dear principal. Now if you excuse me.” And then shortly left the office and swiftly followed after his daughter to the girl’s bathroom where he stood waiting in the hall. That was when Zuri rushed towards the principal’s office but stopped when she saw Amalie emerge from the bathroom a little less dishevelled than before, looking very panicked and concerned at the little girl.
“Amalie, oh my god, what happened?”
Alastor glanced at Amalie who said nothing and just held his hand. Squeezing tightly as she did so. His daughter must have thought he’d be angry.
“Something that was well overdue, I believe. It seems your daughter was caught up in it as well.” He said then added. “She wasn’t hurt, but still, she was involved. Though, I don’t think you’ll get much done with the principal.”
“Mr. Hilmarsson, I—” Zuri began but stopped when Alastor shook his head.
“It’s alright. You don’t have to give any explanation; I don’t hold this against you or even your family for your daughter’s involvement. Although, I do wish your daughter wouldn’t join in such frivolous things like mob mentality or befriending bullies. Things like that could very well get her hurt next time, and all things considered, I think that’s the last thing you want.”
He only added that last bit because of what he knew of Elain’s circumstances and given how the colour drained a little from the woman’s dark complexion, left enough of an impact. He would have said more but felt Amalie’s grip tighten on his hand. She wanted him to stop.
So he did.
“Mrs. Ortiz, I do apologize if I sounded rude, I’m not angry, merely stating a fact.”
“No, I understand, and I appreciate that.” She said with a tired breath, as though she hoped to deal with something like this again so soon. “I am so sorry, though. I should have been more attentive with Kaya since she’s had it hard from the sudden move.”
“And if she’s been keeping that inside, I gather it was only a matter of time before something negative happened,” Alastor said. “Perhaps then, you should talk with her, allow her to air out all of her grievances, her troubles, with no bias or blame. I find doing that helps when someone is afraid, they might be judged for their words.” He noticed Amalie had looked away, but he hadn’t said that towards his own daughter but from personal experiences that he had dealt with. After all, getting someone to open up with no judgment was the best to hear unwanted secrets that a person wished to keep close. A useful tool when dealing with those Alastor disliked.
“Oh, trust me, this… this was something I’ve been wanting to do for a while but never had the chance. I guess it’s now.” With a short goodbye and a promise to talk later, Zuri went down the hall towards the principal’s office where her own daughter waited with the other kids.
Alastor merely watched in silence before turning his attention to his own child softly saying. “Let’s go home Amalie, I think you’ve had enough school for one day.”
Amalie remained silent as they walked to her locker to retrieve her things, while doing so he caught a woman, Ms. Miller, watching them from a classroom. He merely smiled at her coldly, if this woman had done her job, this wouldn’t have happened. As if sensing his animosity, she went back into the classroom, a smart woman.
“Is that everything you need?” he asked.
Amalie only nodded as she quietly closed her locker, she didn’t want to bother any of the other classes. Even after everything that happened today, she was still considerate of those wanting to learn. She then grasped his hand as he took her backpack in his other free hand and slung it over his shoulder. However, she remained standing still. Her eyes were fixed on the person who was about to walk past them, he didn’t even so much as say a word. But he did look at them, looking at Amalie before his eyes landed on Alastor, and the man had an almost smug expression. Haughty and arrogant. Did this man think that he could take him on in a fight with just one glance? Really? Simply because he had a thinner build than this man, how precocious.
Ah, Alastor thought with a sly smile when the man walked past them. You must be Mr. Green. No wonder my daughter dislikes you. Such a foul smell. You must be rotten to the core.
Silently, Amalie tugged Alastor’s hand, wanting to head home. Whenever she became like this, be it upset, fed up or annoyed, she would go silent most of the time. Only give ques with her expression or the grip of her hand if he was holding it.
Some would find this ridiculous, that she should talk and use her words, but given that Amalie had all but exhausted every avenue with words she would fall to this. Childish, yes, but she was a child. She wouldn’t get loud unless she was hurt badly, she had never even thrown a temper tantrum, the screaming kind, at least. The worst she’d get would be by hiding in a place where he couldn’t find her easily or sitting in the corner not even looking at him.
He could still recall one time when she was four when he tore a drawing she did on accident, mostly, and she just sat in the corner hugging her little legs while eyeing him silently telling him that he was a jerk for what he did and refused to talk to him for the rest of the day.
Alastor smiled at his daughter as they walked to the car to take her home, though he had concerns on his mind. About his daughter, the cause of the bullying, and that so-called teacher.
“Amalie, what did Mr. Green do?” he asked when they were both in the car.
“I don’t know,” she said softly. “I really don’t.”
He looked at her through the rear-view mirror, she was being honest, she didn’t know. But he guessed that it must have been something, otherwise, she wouldn’t have said anything to the principal in such an accusing way.
Should I do something? He thought as he drove them home. If it was something as bad as he expected, he could think of multiple ways of dealing with such a pig. But… was that something that she wanted?
If it was, Amalie would have said something, but she hadn’t. Perhaps she was looking for something to make it so that she’s believed? Such a thing would be hard to do when someone was that young. And he couldn’t do anything himself, besides, get rid of the repugnant man.
Oh, how I want you to tell me, Alastor mused in his thoughts. But I can’t force it.
“Dad?” she spoke up when they were back home, she had been silent the whole car ride, not uttering a single sound until now when she was safely inside the house and away from the rest of the world.
“Yes?”
“Am I in trouble?” she sounded worried as she asked so hesitantly.
His smile softened. “No, sweetie, you’re not. You did what you felt like you had to. It’s why you did it, right?”
“No…” her voice quivered. “I did it because they changed from attacking me… to attacking Lauren.” She looked up at him as tears threatened to fall. “They said she was dead, that she was gone and died and that I should be like that too. But Lauren can’t be dead… she can’t…”
Alastor silently picked up his daughter and hugged her, silently swaying, rocking on the soles of his feet.
“She can’t be dead Dad… not Lauren… I don’t want her to be dead…” she said as she cried into his nape and shoulder.
So she did that because of what someone was saying about a person she cared about but didn’t care about herself. A self-esteem issue? Or did she feel like she needed to defend a person who couldn’t defend themselves?
Or was it that those bullies stated something that Amalie deeply feared?
That she was afraid Lauren was dead, and she blamed herself for it.
Alastor held his daughter tight, not enough to hurt, but enough to give her comfort. His baby girl must have been holding that in for so very long since Lauren vanished.
“Oh, Sweetie…” he mused in an attempt to soothe her. But those attempts would die the moment she uttered her next words. Words that should never come out of a child’s mouth. Words that should never even exist in her vocabulary. Words that he wished to rip right out of his very ears.
“I’m the one who deserves to disappear…” she kept her face buried in his nape, her little hands clawing at the back of his vest and shirt. “If I was dead then this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Don’t say that.” He said, no soothing tones in his voice as he stopped swaying, a hand resting along the back of her head as if to make sure she stayed close to him. As though he feared that very thing she spoke of. “Don’t ever say that Amalie, if you weren’t here… if you weren’t here, I don’t know what I’d be.” He kissed her head keeping her close as she continued to cry. “My baby girl, you are so important to me. More important than anything else. Even if the world wishes you were gone, I would never. You are all that matters.” And if the world wants you gone… “Then I’d rather kill this world and make it all disappear if anyone dared to try.” His tone shifted to a darker note as his smile became tight with rage at just the mere thought of it.
Amalie moved to look at his face. “What did you say?” she asked sniffing back tears. Looking up at him as his hold on her relaxed a little.
He was smiling lovingly at her. Oops, he did not mean for that to slip out verbally. Just the mere thought of her not being here made him think something truly awful. Thankfully, even while in that state of mind he still had the forethought to say it so softly that even she wouldn’t catch it. If she blamed herself for his thinking, Alastor might not forgive himself for it.
“I said that you matter, to me, and so many others. I know what they said hurt, that it hurt a lot, but know that I, Vivian, your aunt, Lukas, Lauren, Mr. McCrae, Madam Andrews, and even your grandparents would never want you to disappear or die. You are important to us, and we love you.”
She looked unsure. “Even grandma? Cause I don’t think she likes me much.”
Marie’s mother, ah yes. That insufferable old crone, at least the husband was a decent and good fellow. He was genuinely mortified when he learned what his daughter did to Alastor, although it’s because of it that something so wonderful and good came into Alastor’s life. Still, when it all happened, he vowed if he ever had the chance presented to him, he’d kill that old crone of a woman and make it the most painful he could inflict on a living person.
The only good people who came from that side of the family were Marie’s sister, her father, her brother… no. Just, no.
“Do you like her?” Alastor asked.
“No really.” The wait she admitted that like it was something bad to say was so adorable.
“Then you want to know something?” he pressed his forehead to hers. “I don’t like her either. But you have grandpa and your aunt, and they both send you texts and pictures all the time, don’t they?”
She made a sound of agreement.
“Then that just shows how much they think of you.” He wiped the tears from her slightly bruised face with his thumb. “Now, why don’t we get you comfortable? Have a nice warm bath and fix up your injuries. Do they hurt at all?”
“Not really.”
She was his daughter, pain was something that he could handle with ease, and so could she, but Amalie’s would probably be far greater than his tolerance in every shape and form.
“Well, we’ll make sure everything is okay, and then we’ll have dinner. I made beef and potato stew, then I’ll give you a nice slice of pumpkin pie, would you like that?” he asked as he carried her up the stairs to the bathroom.
She nodded.
“Is there anything else you want? Anything at all?”
“Can I sleep with you tonight?”
He hugged her again. “Of course, you can.” If you asked for the world, I would give it after finally standing up for yourself. You make me so proud my little doe.
Yet a part of Alastor couldn’t help but feel that nagging aggravation of what took place today, the incompetence of the majority of the school’s staff, and the principal and Mr. Green in particular.
Perhaps it was time to contact an old friend, Bishop Huxley, for a bit of a favour that needed to be owed.
He hummed to himself as he kissed his daughter’s cheek, Alastor had no intention of ruining whatever his daughter wanted, but he thought he could at least, help out a little.
After all, what kind of father would he be if he didn’t do this much?