***** Vol.2 Chap.27 Trouble on the way to school *****

One morning, May-Ling could not find Haw-Ting at their usual place and time. She waited for a little while but was eager to get to school and to catch a little study before the test that morning. As she walked away, four neighborhood kids that were very rowdy followed her. She walked a little faster, but they would walk a little faster as well. They kept following her at a respectable distance. To get to school, she had to pass an empty field. When she was halfway through the field, the neighborhood boys made their move. They hastened their steps and came behind her. One boy grabbed her school bag while another one tucked and pulled at her clothes. A third one grabbed her arms while a fourth one, apparently the leader, stepped in front of her, blocking her way. She was solidly pinned between four husky boys and did not know what they were going to do. She shuddered at the thought.

“Hello, May-Ling.” The leader spoke to her in a teasing way.

“Let me go!” She struggled. But the arms holding her were strong.

“Well, we just want to have a little fun here.”

“Let me go!” She demanded.

“Not so quick!”

“I have to get to school! I got a test today!”

“The test is the least of your worries right now.”

“I will scream!”

“Spunky, aren’t you?”

“I will.”

“I don’t think so. You don’t want Charlie here to get mad now. Do you?”

She screamed, but she found a hand flew over to cover her mouth and no sound seemed to penetrate through that hand. She also tried to struggle, but the arms were also too strong for her to break free.

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“Calm down, May-Ling. We just want to find out how much money you have in your bag.”

“I don’t have any money.” She mumbled through the hand that covered her mouth.

“Charlie, let her talk.” The hand over her mouth was withdrawn, but not the arms holding her. “Now, what was that?”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Now, you expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t have any money. That is the truth.”

“Well, we will just have to see for ourselves. Charlie, go through her bag.”

She tried to struggle harder. She almost broke free, but another boy saw her and ran over to help hold her down.

“There is no money in her bag. Just a sandwich.” Charlie reported after searching the bag.

“That is too bad.”

“I told you so. Now let me go.”

“Not so fast. We will let you go, but you must first give us this nice blouse and this nice skirt that you are wearing. We will have to take them and sell them for money.”

“No, you won’t.” She was frantically swinging her arms to break free.

“Watch me.” There was a smirk on the leader’s face. “Charlie, pin her down while I unbutton the blouse and skirt. Hold her tight because I don’t want the clothing to be torn.”

She was really frantic now. She knew she was not as strong, but she kept wriggling, trying to break free. At any chance she got, she would scream as loud as possible. The leader managed to undo the top two buttons of her blouse amidst all the struggling. As he tried to undo her third button, she lunged forward and bit hard on his hand. Surprised, the leader recoiled backwards with an angry and painful yell. The other boys turned to look at what had happened. In a split second, she broke free and ran away from the boys as fast as she could. Almost at the same instant, she caught sight of Haw-Ting running towards them. She immediately turned and ran towards him and hid behind him. As he got closer, he picked up a stout stick and waved the stick at the boys.

“Get away from here, you rascals. Go! Get away,” he was swinging the stick like a wild man. Their game being spoiled, the gang dispersed and ran away.

“Get away! Don’t you ever bother her again!” He shouted after them.

She was so happy to see him. Instinctively, she gave him a big hug.

“May-Ling, are you OK?”

“I am OK. Now that you are here.” May-Ling said, swallowing the tears within her. Her emotions had finally caught up with her. She sat down and sobbed.

“Thank you for coming, Haw-Ting.”

“Sorry that I was a little late. I had to get the shopping list from my parents.”

“I should have waited for you. I thought I would go to school a little earlier to study for the test.”

“Well, next time wait for me, OK?”

“I will definitely wait for you from now on.”

“We better get to school before it is too late.”

“Yes, let’s go.” She straightened her blouse, picked up her books, and walked with him towards the school grounds.