Cristel left that class with one of the deepest voids in her soul she had ever felt. Her world stopped so abruptly, everything felt in slow motion and her breathing couldn't have been faster. She had heard of cases like this before, but never thought she would experience it herself.
The young woman sat on a bench, where she usually met her boyfriend, and began to look at her hands and legs. She had never felt more disgusted in her entire life, everything around her was spinning. She didn't know what to do, or maybe she did, but she was terrified of what would happen if she did it. She had no evidence, so how would she prove it?
"Hey love! How's it going?" Liam, her boyfriend, asked as he sat down beside Cristel, putting his arm around her shoulders. "They just won't stop giving us assignments today, I've already got four! Four! It's barely eleven-twenty in the morning, I don't understand what's happening today. I think all the teachers got together and decided to load us up with work for these days. It's not fair! They should discuss these things in the countless meetings they have, decide who's assigning what on which day and by when, and who's next, but not all at once! You know? Oh, I started drawing..."
During his rant, he noticed Cristel seemed distracted, perhaps more than usual.
"Hey... Cristel! Are you okay?" he asked, raising both eyebrows since he couldn't manage just one.
Cristel looked at Liam with one of the most desperate and frightened looks any human had ever seen; she told him everything.
Meanwhile, Daniel, a teacher with the most average face you could see on a man, was transferring attendance from a sheet to his computer when someone knocked on his classroom door. The man glanced at the small window in the middle of the door but couldn't see who it was because a red curtain obscured his view.
He stood up, straightened his pants, and went to the door. Upon opening it, he was greeted by what seemed to be Liam, one of his former students, with a very serious expression.
"Liam! Good to see you! How have you been?" he asked, smiling at the young man.
Out of nowhere, a second student appeared beside Liam, looking a bit concerned.
"Sir, have you seen my cellphone? I think I left it here..."
Ignoring the boy's question, Liam looked Daniel up and down, and suddenly punched him in the jaw, continuing to hit him as he fell to the ground. Several students nearby, witnessing the attack, intervened with all their might. Liam struggled and shouted as they separated him.
"Who do you think you are? Huh? How dare you touch her, you damn son of a...!"
Liam was pulled away from Daniel and found himself in temporary detention in the library, while the same fate awaited the teacher, who was in a school meeting room with the principal and another person. The principal, named Dante Rodríguez Jiménez, but everyone called him Don Rodríguez, was reprimanding the teacher at that moment.
"What do you mean you don't know what's going on!? You've gotten us into a huge mess, damn it! I have over twenty-one thousand messages in the WhatsApp parent group! There are students at the entrance wanting to leave school, there are parents at the entrance wanting to pick up their kids, nobody wants classes and there are many who just want to come in here and beat you up! It's a complete chaos with no end! So don't tell me you don't know what's going on because you damn well do. It's a damn, complete, irreversible and inevitable disaster that you caused, and I don't intend to give you an ounce of my empathy!"
"I'm serious, I really have no idea what's going on! That kid went crazy, he doesn't know what he's talking about!"
"But he said you touched someone, Daniel. That doesn't paint a good picture for us," commented Camila, a coordinator and counselor working at the institution, who was standing with crossed arms not far from the principal.
"I know. But it doesn't matter, because it didn't happen! Just... Don't call the police, okay? There's no need to make this worse..."
"Too late, we already did. It's part of the protocol in these cases," interrupted Don Rodríguez, causing Daniel to sigh almost irritably.
"Damn..."
Meanwhile, a student named Jacob was watching a video of the earlier commotion with a smile on his face. It was perfect. The young man began walking towards a classroom and sent a message in a WhatsApp group called "Colegiando". A few minutes later, six more students were in the same classroom; all of them were watching the video.
"Look at this. Look closely. What you're seeing is a building success for us! I'm talking about the news that will save us from being replaced by another club... These two just started punching each other not too long ago," said Jacob, pointing to Daniel and Liam on his phone. "Why? We don't know, but what we do know is that everyone is like us: No one knows what happened between Professor Daniel and that student. We only know that the professor is currently in trouble with the principal and the other one is locked in the library. So I want all of you to go out there, talk to everyone, and find out the reason for this scandal! Let's be a success, got it? A success!"
"But... Isn't that taking advantage of something bad happening right now? Couldn't we talk about it when everything has already been cleared up?" asked one of the students, Carlos to be exact.
"Of course not! That's the point. Look, we're a journalism club. We're The Journalism Club! As such, our duty is to inform the masses about what's happening in school. We have to talk about this now, my dear, if we don't, when we do, we'll be the laughingstock of the school for doing it too late, instead of informing the situation when it was time, we'll literally be wiped off the map. And why? Because no one reads newspapers! We're a joke right now and the principal is looking for any excuse to get rid of us. We have to use this or else every single one of us will die! So go out there, find out all the mess going on, and come back here with a news success. Let's go! Go, go, go, go!"
And so, each of them began asking questions to everyone; Jacob included, who went to the library where Liam was. However, he abruptly stopped upon seeing a teacher watching the door.
"Oh, damn..."
The young man changed his mind... Or maybe not? He remembered something; the small library had a window with louvers. With this information, he had an idea. He headed towards the back of the classrooms and walked to the library window, being careful not to be seen. Upon arrival, he saw Liam sitting in a small armchair inside, hands on his head, looking down; the librarian was nowhere to be seen.
"Psst! Hey! Over here!" he whispered loudly enough for Liam to hear. Liam approached the window.
"Who are you?" he asked, confused.
"My name is Jacob, I work for the school newspaper, 'Highcooling'."
"'Highcooling'? Is that even a word?"
"Um... I don't know."
"Oh... Well, I've never heard of you guys..."
"No one has... Listen! I'm running out of time, I don't know when they'll come for you, so I have some questions to ask. In the confrontation you had with that teacher, you said he touched someone, who was it?"
Liam frowned and wrinkled his nose upon hearing that question.
"Look, I already have enough problems, I don't want to..." the student began to respond before being interrupted.
"No, no, calm down, it's just to inform others what's happening... Look, these kinds of cases are very difficult for the victims, especially when the teacher seems innocent. My duty as a reporter is to show the true face of people. If we don't do this, he might get off scot-free, just like that! Who did that bastard hurt, huh? You can tell me, I just want to help."
Liam sighed, looking at the ceiling. He started thinking about Cristel, whom he had left in his class when he finished lunch, just before attacking the teacher. He thought about her, and in doing so, clenched his fists; he should never have done that. Liam knew she didn't want to draw attention, as she usually preferred, but she did want to report her abuser. However, with his actions, the young man had thrown that idea out the window and made almost the entire school aware. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again.
"No, stop wasting my time," he said, walking back to the same armchair as before and sitting down, taking the same position he was in.
Jacob exhaled, groaning, and left, aiming to find someone more receptive.
Meanwhile, Cristel was in one of the bathrooms, trying to control her breathing. She felt like she was going to die right there, alone and helpless. It seemed like everything was falling apart, and she was about to be crushed by the weight of it all. It was a horrible feeling, invading her entire body, trapping her in fear and confusion so intense that not even her tears could escape.
Everything seemed to worsen until Roberta, a fellow student, entered the bathroom.
"Hey there! How's it going? Taking a break too? Seems like everyone is," Roberta said with a slight laugh, pulling out a small bag of makeup from her bag.
Cristel remained silent, still trying to control her breathing.
"Yeah, well, you gotta take advantage of these breaks. I've been sweating all day, it's unbelievable! Hate the sun... But hey, what can you do? Life throws some rough stuff at you sometimes. It's a real..." She stopped short when she noticed Cristel suddenly burst into tears, leaving her startled.
"Hey, hey. What happened? Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't..."
"No, no... It's not you, it's just that..." Cristel tried to speak but couldn't through her tears. "I-I just want to go home... I'm sorry, I..."
"It's okay, it's okay. Let me call your home, okay? What's the... What's the number?"
Shortly after, the police and Cristel's mother arrived simultaneously, despite the call to her mother being made twenty minutes later than the one to the police. The officers took Daniel away, and Ava, Cristel's mother, took Cristel home. Roberta, who had accompanied Cristel to the exit, scratched her head, confused, as she watched both cars disappear into the distance.
"Hey! Roberta, right?" someone suddenly asked. It was Jacob.
"Oh, Jacob! Haven't seen you since last year. Still doing that magazine thing?"
"Newspaper," he corrected. "And yeah, actually, I think you know something I need to know for a story. How does that sound?"
"How does it sound? Well, not great, to be honest, maybe..." She stopped when Jacob offered her ten thousand colones in his hand. "Well, maybe I do know a few things..."
Meanwhile, Ava was talking to her daughter about what had happened.
"So why did you call me, honey?" she asked.
Cristel didn't respond immediately; she was scratching her arms, leaving red marks but not drawing blood.
"I... There's a teacher... He... I didn't... Well... He... He touched me..."
Before she could continue, Cristel abruptly stopped as the car screeched to a halt. Her mother looked at her with astonishment and anger, not directed at her, of course. That's when she began calling people from the school, the Ministry of Education, and child services. Soon after, they were at the nearest courthouse.
A day passed. Cristel didn't go to school, nor did Liam, who was suspended for twenty days and had to give a presentation against violence. Jacob, with Roberta's help and their clubmates, published the newspaper and started selling it, causing a stir that summoned the principal to his office.
"Good morning, Don Rodríguez," they all greeted upon entering.
"Good morning. Please, take a seat," the man replied, pointing to a large chair in front of his desk.
"Thank you," Jacob replied simply, adjusting something in his coat pocket, likely his phone. "So, what's this meeting about, Don Rodríguez?"
Upon hearing the question, the principal stood up and looked out the window.
"I'm usually a calm man, kids. I've always loved this school since I arrived here eleven years ago; I aimed to improve it, make it the best of the best! However, that goal has been struck and crushed due to major reasons. Whether it's the little money MEP gives us, the quality of the infrastructure left by the engineers when they built the place, cases like the current teacher... And cases like yours." Mr. Rodríguez turned his gaze back to the young people, serious and terrifying to everyone except Jacob. "You're playing with burning and deadly fire right now, and that won't be tolerated. Understood? Do you think you've simply reported a common crime? That's not the case. You've put the school in serious trouble, and we can't get out of it anymore. What you did is breaking the status quo, disrupting the economic balance, and destroying the school's values. Death in person has come to take over the place, and you let it in. I'm not talking about literal death, but economic death. Do you know how many students join us every year? Five hundred, plus depending on the generation. That gives us the minimum, the minimum to survive. And then come the scholarships, which MEP doesn't give us enough to fully satisfy. By publishing those kinds of articles, you not only compromise the school but also the people studying here. Your actions cost the school a lot financially. If students stop coming, we'll go bankrupt. We'll be shut down completely."
This speech left Jacob indifferent, but Carlos was greatly affected.
"Very well," Jacob replied, looking Mr. Rodríguez in the eye. "I understand what you're saying. Of course."
"I'm glad we're on the same page," the principal said satisfactorily, before being interrupted.
"But... The article has already been published..."
"Yes, I know, and despite that..."
"You don't want us to continue publishing these kinds of things, of course. Although I also believe it's important to follow up on this news. I don't want to overstep my bounds; I know exactly what you didn't like about the article, so I want to propose something."
The principal didn't respond immediately but appeared interested in the proposal.
"I propose that we publish an article on how the school has handled the situation. This would, of course, be a continuation of today's article, but it wouldn't cast a negative light on the institution, nor on Cristel, who wasn't even named in the previous one... And as I can imagine, I think that's what the school needs right now... What you need... And your colleagues."
The older man thought about it for a few seconds, causing Jacob to sigh and get up from his chair. He looked at his colleagues and gestured towards the door with his eyes. Everyone, except him and Mr. Rodríguez, left the room.
"Listen, Don Rodríguez. You may want to help the school, but you need to realize you can't help if the students are against you. No matter how much you show you want to improve things, if they're against you, it'll all go downhill quickly. How can you convince them to support you? Well, what do today's teenagers want? They've been affected by all sorts of things—family problems, poverty, especially here at this school, bullying, climate change, the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, national elections, and many more—they're tired of seeing the world like this, they want something good in their lives. They spend hours on their own hobbies, watching series and movies, playing video games, reading, getting high, having sex or masturbating, trying to escape the sad reality; or maybe they do it for philosophical reasons, maybe they watch and analyze what they see, but at the end of the day, they don't really aim to change things, because, truthfully, they don't know where to start or they're waiting for a Messiah to guide them. They watch pornography, despite hearing a million times that it's bad for their minds, but they do it because they're lonely, they need to see someone; even if that person is a million kilometers away or died years ago. They watch violent videos or listen to stories like that, they watch people being mutilated and tortured because they think they don't feel anything, they believe they're better than others, they believe they can endure such situations; or maybe they just watch it because... Well, 'there's nothing else to do'. Sometimes they rebel against adults because they think their ideas and knowledge no longer fit today's world, or they think it won't work for their future. They take photos, alone or with their partners or friends, and post them as statuses, thinking someone cares, that somehow someone, somewhere, is interested in them. Some cry at night or want to, and they also want to scream, but they don't because the person or people living with them are next to their room, or even inside it, and they don't want to be an even heavier burden for those people... They need good news from time to time, Don Rodríguez, even if it's half-truths or propaganda news. The world is built on lies. Whether it's one to improve the world like... Christianity. Or one to make it worse like jihadism. You need one to make it better, so why not try?"
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The principal looked directly into the young man's eyes, trying to find something, but he didn't find it.
"If I say yes... How long would it take you to do it?"
Jacob smiled satisfied.
"Give me 1 day," the young man replied.
Rodríguez nodded, and Jacob walked to the door. However, before leaving, the principal asked.
"How did the world end up like this? I don't remember it being so..."
"So tragic? I don't know. Maybe it was always like this, maybe it got worse. I'm a reporter, not a historian, my job isn't to analyze the world, just to talk about what happens in it."
And that's how the conversation ended. During that time, Liam took the opportunity to visit Cristel and apologize.
When he arrived at the house, he stood still for a good thirty seconds before knocking, but he gathered courage and did it. Ava, his girlfriend's mother, opened the door.
"Oh, Liam, hello, how are you? Come in," greeted the woman, pointing inside the house.
The young man entered, took a quick glance around; however, he didn't see Cristel anywhere, so he turned his gaze back to the woman.
"I'm fine, thank you... Is Cristel...?"
"Here? Yes, in her room. You can go..." Before she continued, her voice was interrupted by the sound of an old song that Liam didn't recognize; it was the woman's phone ringing—someone was calling her. "Oh, sorry, I have to take this..."
Liam nodded, and Ava left. The young man took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and walked to his girlfriend's room. When he reached the door, he knocked and heard her voice allowing him to enter.
Upon entering, he saw her lying down, surrounded by several stuffed animals she had refused to sell because they were so precious to her. They looked into each other's eyes for a short period of time, which felt like years. However, it wasn't uncomfortable; it felt comforting, like seeing someone you haven't seen in years.
"I'm so sorry, love. I shouldn't have... I'm really sorry..."
Tears of guilt began to flow from Liam's eyes. He had no explanation, nor excuse. He was just angry and did the first thing that came to his mind. Despite this, out of nowhere, he felt something embracing him; it was her. Her hair brushed against the young man's chin, almost tickling him. There were no words, just a mutual agreement between them, and a kiss in the end.
Meanwhile, Roberta was at school walking, as she spent most of her time, before being intentionally bumped into by two classmates who passed her on the other side. That wasn't new, but it did irritate her as it usually did.
The girl entered a classroom to attend classes. However, the last thing she received there was an exam with a low grade. It was unusual for her to see that, as she had studied a lot, really putting effort into several sleepless nights, trying to be the best to pass the exam, but in the end, all that effort was in vain. After leaving the class, she walked to one of the bathrooms, took the exam sheets, and tore them all in half, all at once; it was a 14-page exam.
Finally, she had realized how angry she was. She didn't know why or with whom, but she was going to make herself noticed one way or another. Eventually, she decided to do the same thing Cristel did, accuse a teacher at the school of abuse. She thought about it for a while and then decided to blame Jorge, her Chemistry teacher, even though he wasn't her first choice, as she had previously considered her math teacher, but dismissed the idea knowing that no one would take her seriously if the abuser was a woman. That's how she thought it, and that's how she would do it.
Shortly after meeting with the director, Carlos went to have lunch with his boyfriend.
"I read in the chat that the director gave us the green light. How did you manage that, Jacob?" His boyfriend let out a small laugh and replied, "Let's just say I told him what he needed to hear. That man is desperate; he knows the school needs money, so I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."
"Oh... I see... I still think we should have left her alone..."
Jacob raised an eyebrow at this. "Leave who? Cristel? Well, these things happen. It was either us or an external news source. You know that, right?"
"Well, I guess... But..."
"Carlos..." Jacob leaned closer to his boyfriend. "You know, right?"
Carlos looked at the other young man, uncertain for a moment, but nodded. In response, Jacob kissed him on the forehead and stroked his hair. "That's my boyfriend," Jacob said, before being interrupted by Roberta's arrival.
"Jacob, I need you to cover a story."
The mentioned young man raised an eyebrow, curious. "A story about what?"
"A teacher," she replied, pulling down one sleeve of her coat, revealing a scratch mark and a bruise underneath.
Jacob examined the mark on her arm, knowing it hadn't been caused by a teacher. "Oh God, are you alright?" Carlos asked, concerned.
"Is that the only mark?" Jacob asked, ignoring his boyfriend's question.
"No, I have more."
"Alright, it'll be done. Who did it?"
Roberta smiled.
Elsewhere, specifically at Cristel's house, she and Liam were discussing what had happened in court.
"So they can't have a trial without evidence?" her boyfriend asked, angry and confused.
"No... The Prosecutor's Office wants evidence; I need something and... Well, he didn't do anything that can be noticed..."
"God..." Liam managed to say as he rubbed his face with his hands. "How is that even possible?"
"For now, they've only issued a restraining order. He can only be within 100 meters of me or the house..."
"I guess it's something..."
There was silence for a moment, until Cristel asked, "L-Liam?"
"Yes?"
"After all this, would you still see me the same way, or will it never be the same?"
They looked into each other's eyes. Liam stroked Cristel's cheek, and she took his hand.
"Cristel, love, listen. We've been together for two years; three if you count before we were dating. I've known you and I've known your mother, who, by the way, is a very good person... I didn't fall in love with you out of pity; I fell in love with you because you're the best woman I've ever known in my entire life... And, to be honest, you're also very beautiful. I love you because you're a real person, and a good influence on me, compared to... You know who... I love you because in this world full of bad people, I found something good: You, I found you. So no, I won't see you differently and I won't stop loving you. I'll support you in every way I can, and I'll never go far away."
The two kissed. There didn't seem to be any justice coming, but at least they would have each other... Until someone knocked on the door.
"Cristel, could you please open up? I'm on a call!" her mother shouted from the kitchen.
Cristel sighed and headed for the door. However, she stopped before opening it; she was scared. Liam noticed this, so he carefully moved her away from the entrance and then opened it. There stood a student, the same one who had left his cellphone in Professor Daniel's class.
"Hello... Uh... Is Cristel here? Or her parents?"
Liam raised both eyebrows, confused. "Yes... Why?" As he asked, Cristel appeared behind Liam.
"Oh, um... Hi. I, uh... I don't know how to say this, but... Well, here it goes... No... I don't know who I am. Every day I look in the mirror and I don't recognize the person standing there. A scrawny, scared, pathetic teenager stares back at me, and I completely lose my ability to understand that it's me. I've lied for so long, to others and to myself. I've lost my ability to discern between reality and lies, I no longer know what I'm supposed to be. I don't know what my dreams and goals are. I don't know who my family and friends are. I don't know if I'm capable of doing some of the things I say. Half the time I don't even know if the information I know about my past is true, or just something I made up to impress someone a year ago. What have I done to myself!? Who the hell am I!? What have I become!? I am the personification of a lie, and did I want that? I don't remember anymore... But now I don't want it! I'm sick of being the personification of a lie. I'm tired of not knowing what I should say to a person and what I shouldn't. Confusing the story, my story. It's a horrible feeling that won't leave me alone, and probably never will. I just want to be alone... Focus on myself instead of what others think of me. Spend my life improving, being the person I want to be, not the person others see in me. I hate my life. I hate it so much because deep down, I know I'm not anything I've said in my life. So that's what I'll do. I'll leave, no matter where. I just know I'll leave, far away from people. Far from everything I know to create a new me in me. To hell with everyone else! I also have the right to live and I will! The thing is... I want to start that part of me by helping someone... You see, I'm bad at remembering things, especially classes, so... Sometimes I put them to record with my cell phone. That day, I left it right in the same class where everything happened, and I recorded... Well, it's better if you listen to it..."
And so, they finally got the proof Cristel needed so much.
The morning of the next day arrived. The second article was published, but it wasn't what Don Rodriguez expected; it was an article about another sexual assault, even worse than the previous one, naming Professor Jorge as the perpetrator. Not long after, Jacob was in his office.
They stared at each other; the director with anger, the student with a mocking smile.
"So, what's this meeting about, Don Rodriguez?" Jacob asked, feigning confusion in his voice, but not on his face.
"We had a deal."
"Yes, we did."
"Why didn't you fulfill it!?" Don Rodriguez asked, raising his voice a bit.
"It didn't work for me."
"What do you mean it 'didn't work for you'?"
"Yes," Jacob interrupted the man, "it didn't work for me. I must admit I deceived him. I don't actually think people want happy endings, what they want is justice... Not truly 'fair' justice, more like revenge. Revenge for whatever they've received, no matter what. They enjoy seeing others suffer. They enjoy watching high-ranking individuals suffer, even if they've done things right. They want to feel they're in control, even if they're not. They want to believe they're right, that they're good, even if deep down, they know they're the worst sort."
"I'm going to shut down the journalism club," he said, trying to interrupt.
"Oh, I don't think that's wise for you right now."
"I don't care what the students think now. I'm going to..."
"But you do care about your job, don't you?" Jacob responded, pulling out his cellphone. "Did you know the agreement we made the other day isn't in your favor? You should've canceled us instead of doing what you did."
On his phone, Jacob played an audio recording... It was their conversation with the principal the other day. Don Rodríguez was left speechless.
"People are angry right now, that's what they've been taught: 'Get angry and all your problems will be solved.' It's like in action movies, when they kill someone dear to the protagonist. The bad guys must pay, right? So they're killed by the good guy... Ha... It's so easy to say that in fiction... Sometimes people don't realize reality is much more boring and complicated than that... Relax, I'll write the article, just in my own time."
With that, the conversation ended.
The police arrived for Professor Jorge shortly thereafter. All of this while Roberta gave a speech in the middle of lunch, in the cafeteria.
"I've been here for four years. In these four years, I've seen people's true faces. Students are the future of humanity... And people like him!" she said, referring to the professor who allegedly abused her. "People like him terrify me about what might happen to us if we let our guard down! We spend nine hours and ten minutes in this place, nine hours and ten minutes! Five days a week, nine hours and ten minutes, we spend here, trusting that the people in charge will protect us. Protect us from the dangers of the outside world, protect us from the evil out there; however, they didn't. They blame us for the school's problems, blame our parents, but they also have responsibilities. And if they don't fulfill the bare minimum they should, then why are we even here? They come and give us food that's not good to eat, talk to us about things that won't serve us in our future, fill our heads with ideas they shouldn't, as if that's how the world should work. That's not how it should be! We have to form our own opinions, we have to defend our rights as human beings. We are just minors, for God's sake, our lives do matter! So I want everyone to make themselves heard. I want everyone to make themselves heard! I want them to rebel against adults, go tomorrow, make their signs, and shout, 'We are just minors, for God's sake, our lives do matter!' I want everyone to come tomorrow, I want them to come to school and come in... I want them to come in, make signs, express their ideas and shout with all their might, 'We are just minors, for God's sake, our lives do matter!' I want them to shout it again and again and again! Together, no one can defeat us. Together, no one can destroy us. So I want them to rise up, come tomorrow, make signs, show their anger, and say with all their might, 'We are just minors, for God's sake, our lives do matter!' And we will keep doing it until the problems stop. And if they try to silence us? We'll use our fists! And if they tear off our hands? We'll use our feet! And if they take away our feet? We'll roll around and make ourselves heard! But first, I want them to come tomorrow, make their signs, and shout with all their might, 'We are just minors, for God's sake, our lives do matter!'"
Gradually, all the students began to shout that phrase. It was a stampede of sound that reached more than 100 meters from the school, maybe even farther. Roberta had gotten the attention she so desired. Cristel, who had arrived at school that day, witnessed the entire event, and all she could think was, "What happened while I wasn't here?"
Later that afternoon, there was a call for all students to gather in the gym, to receive a brief speech from the counselor, Camila.
"Good afternoon, students and teachers. We've seen that in these last few days there have been several situations that have left a great mark on the school, and I, along with the teachers, the principal, other counselors, and administrative staff, are here to tell you that we hear you. If at any time you've been victims of any kind of personal attack, the necessary processes will be done to improve and protect..."
Before she could continue, the woman was interrupted by a student's voice.
"Take Professor Santiago away!" she shouted angrily.
"And Professor Gabriel too! That old pervert doesn't deserve to be in this institution!"
"Arrest Don Rodríguez, he's useless and doesn't protect his students!"
"Kill all those worthless perverts!"
"Damn crappy school!"
"Go to hell!"
"Get rid of Matías!"
"They're all bast..."
The shouts continued, and the counselor gave no speech.
Shortly after, Jacob met with the principal near the administrative office.
"Jacob, come here for a moment, I need to tell you something."
Jacob raised an eyebrow and approached the principal.
"I've been thinking... I don't care what you do with what you recorded, I'm going to shut down the journalism club," the man said with a smile.
Jacob didn't take him seriously.
"Ha. No, seriously, why are you calling me? I think we've had this conversation..."
"Yes. I know... But unfortunately, the Ministry of Education assessed my achievements and... Well, there aren't many here it seems. They're putting in a new principal soon. So, I don't care much anymore, to be honest..."
The young man lost his smile; Don Rodríguez was serious.
"But don't worry, Jacob, I'll let you publish one last time tomorrow."
With that, the principal left, leaving Jacob stunned. Nevertheless, he saw an opportunity. If Don Rodríguez left, the new principal could revive the journalism club. That was what he ended up believing, and it would be the only thing that would keep the club alive. Everything was going to continue as normal.
At the end of the lessons, the journalism club was called together once again by Jacob, who, when they all arrived, began to talk about a great business opportunity.
"That girl is definitely going to be useful to us. I see Roberta as our next big success, after the news of the fight. I see a woman who will speak about the faults and sins of this school! A Jesus among us who suffered for our sins. It's incredibly sensational! And if we use her story, we'll become her disciples. If we express what she thinks, we'll be like damned Saint Peter for Christians, the fishermen of men of the Messiah! Ah...!" he said, crossing himself. "I can already imagine it. We're going to earn thousands and thousands of colones for every student who reads it! I can already imagine how many people will come to join us! For now, I need you to find out everything about her. Invent that she was conceived without sex if necessary, but that she's the holiest person on this earth, got it? Go, go."
Everyone left the room except Carlos, who took a paper out of his pocket and handed it to Jacob, leaving the latter confused.
"What's this, Carlos?"
"I'm going to quit the club..."
"What? No... But why?" Jacob took the young man's hands as he asked.
"Because... Because sometimes I wonder if it's good to be with someone who turned out to be as... as bad as you."
Jacob, for the first time in a long time, was speechless; he simply let go of Carlos's hands slowly.
"W-Well... I... I'm sorry..." Jacob said, feeling a sense he couldn't describe other than sadness and shame for himself.
Carlos nodded, kissed him on the cheek, and left the room. Jacob was alone, completely alone... Until a young woman arrived at the door.
"Excuse me, is this the journalism club?"
The next day, Roberta was waiting for the protesters at the school gates, but no one came, everyone went to classes as usual, leaving her confused.
On her way, she met Jacob, who was in a free period.
"Jacob. What happened? Where is everyone? I thought..."
"That everyone was going to join your little strike against the school's wrongdoings? Yes..."
"I don't understand... Everyone was with me, I..."
"You were important for a day... You know why I wrote about you in my newspaper in the first place, Roberta?"
Roberta tilted her head, intrigued.
"Because people were losing interest in the first news. The one that started it all. The fight... These days people can't stand repeated news, they want something new. They're used to their minds being caught by different information, every day, all the time..."
"But..."
"There was no difference with you. It was anger for a day, the next day there's something new to read... Like this..."
Jacob pointed to a newspaper lying on the ground. The front article was about her, and about the lie she had told. Apparently, a student saw her hurting herself and recorded it.
"I-I was... I was..." Roberta repeated that phrase over and over, trying to make sense of it all.
"Someone... For a day. No one the next. That's how it works... That's how it's always worked in a world as damned as this one... For example, I recently found out that the new principal coming in is a friend of Don Rodríguez, so they'll shut down my club anyway... Heh... It's so stupid. I guess I brought it upon myself..."
Jacob got up from his seat and, without saying a word, walked somewhere he didn't even know where it would be.
Several months passed. Professor Daniel was imprisoned thanks to the evidence against him. Professor Jorge, despite being proven innocent, was marked as a rapist for life. Roberta continued in her loneliness, as did Jacob. Carlos started to meet new people, in a different club, and finally, Liam and Cristel spent all the rest of the time together. Despite how crazy the world was, they were united to face it. Despite everything, they had each other, and that was what mattered.