"It's amazing to realize that, even when the whole world seems to turn its back on you and nobody believes you, there is always at least one person willing to trust you blindly."
After finishing the challenges and giving the scores for the five groups, we ended up winning.
TEACHER: Group 5 wins! At the end of the day, during dismissal, come see me because I'm going to buy you candy.
US: Thank you, teacher!
TEACHER: Everyone out to recess, the bell already rang, nobody stays in the classroom.
(At that moment, Dina whispered to me).
DINA: Follow me.
ME: What happened, Dina? Tell me.
DINA: I don't believe you did that... You know what I mean, and I want to talk about it with you.
ME: Alright, let's meet at the kiosk.
DINA: No, don't go there. These past few days you missed, I heard some things about you.
ME: Like what?
DINA: Let's talk outside.
After the bell rang, I headed toward the school shop and ran into Dina, who led me to a hidden area inside the school grounds.
DINA: Let's go further, this way.
ME: Alright... Uh, what are we doing in the bathrooms?
DINA: Come on, it's further back.
ME: A fence, a hallway... Oh, I can see the street, but it's kind of dark.
ME (THINKING): What could she possibly want to tell me? And why so far away? The bell's going to ring in a minute...
DINA: I found this place once when I was wandering around the bathrooms and fell into the plants. I realized that past this fence there was something, and sure enough, all this was here! I usually come here when the rest start saying things about you or bothering me a lot.
ME: What do you mean they talk about me? What kind of things exactly?
DINA: You're not even going to ask how my week was...
ME: Oh, right. How was it?
DINA: You don't even care... (She whispered).
ME: Huh, did you say something?
DINA: No, nothing.
ME: So... how were these past few days?
DINA: So-so... Without you, everything felt weirder.
ME: How so?
DINA: First, Sayuri started getting closer to Dairo, and I also saw Fernando hanging out with that annoying kid.
ME: Oh, wow. That's al—
DINA: I'm not done yet.
ME: I'm listening.
DINA: The day after you missed school, I asked Sayuri if she knew why you weren't there.
(FLASHBACK)
DINA: Hi, Sayuri.
SAYURI: Hi, Dina... What's up?
DINA: Do you know why Ángel missed school?
SAYURI: Haven't you heard what happened between Ángel and Fernando?
DINA: No, I don't know... What happened?
SAYURI: From what Dairo told me, yesterday during recess, Ángel hit Fernán. Then another kid stepped in and called the principal, so both sets of parents came and stayed talking in the office until dismissal.
DINA: But I saw Ángel during recess...
SAYURI: Yeah, but classes ended early yesterday because they had to fix something, I'm not too sure. The thing is, we left early, so they moved recess forward... Didn't you know?
DINA: No, I thought we all left at the same time.
SAYURI: Well, after they called the parents, it looks like Ángel won't be coming to school for a while.
DINA: Oh, wow. Do you know who the kid was that broke it up? Maybe he knows more.
SAYURI: I don't know, I just know Fernán told Dairo, and you know how Fernán is, he's kind of weird.
DINA: Yeah, I think he's a bit weird too... But do you really think Ángel would do something like that?
SAYURI: I don't know, but I don't think Dairo is lying to us.
DINA: But he didn't even see it! (Voice raised).
SAYURI: Calm down, Ángel will be back in a few days, just ask him.
DINA: Yeah, you're right.
(END OF FLASHBACK)
DINA: And that's how the days went by... The first few days you were gone, nothing happened, but during the last two days, people started hearing things about you.
ME: What kind of things?
DINA: Well, I heard stuff. I remember Dairo was talking with Sayuri. On previous days he only talked to Fernán, but those last few days he was talking more with us, and I also saw him get closer to that annoying kid.
(FLASHBACK)
At that moment I saw them and thought about going over, until I saw that annoying kid walk up to them.
SAYURI: Oh, Dairo, do you know what happened in the bathroom with Fernán?
DAIRO: Fernán told me he hit him because he wanted his little toy car back.
SAYURI: Ah, that must be why he's not here.
DAIRO: Yeah, same.
And right then that kid walked up, I think his name was Brayan... Well, I only remember his last name, not the first one. Oh wait, what is your first name again?
ME: I'm not telling you.
DINA: Ah, well, I'll keep telling you. When he walked up, he told Sayuri and Dairo that you grabbed a rock and were going to aim for his eye, but he jumped in and stopped you. After that, he started telling everyone what you had done. So can you tell me what actually happened?
ME: That jerk! He told nothing but lies.
DINA: Then what really happened?
ME: That day I went out to recess like normal. Before that, I gave my toy car to Fernando because he wouldn't stop staring at it, and once I gave it to him, I went out to recess. Remember I was playing with Dairo and the others?
DINA: Well, now that you mention it, I did see you playing. At that moment I was talking with Sayuri.
ME: After that I went to the bathroom and saw Brayan kicking Fernando. When I saw that, I thought: "What do I do? Do I go tell the teacher or separate them by force?"
DINA: You idiot... You should have gone to the teacher and none of this would've happened.
ME: Relax.
DINA: It's just not fair.
ME: There's more... After I stepped in and punched him, he ran off straight to the principal. Then I bent down to check on Fernando —who had his eyes closed out of fear— and he just swatted at me. When I complained, he said: "No, don't hit me". And right then the principal showed up and that was that.
DINA: Ugh, that liar! How could he do this? He was our friend!
ME: Yeah, you're right, but there's no use getting mad, what's done is done.
DINA: And what are you going to do? What's your plan?
ME: I already have a plan, but now I need to ask you a favor.
DINA: Yes, I'll do anything.
ME: Stay away from me.
(BELL: TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC, TIC)