Things were going well. Too well actually that it made me feel nervous. My teacher got an ear full from the headmaster for letting me become the class rep because she had no idea about my history, but the rules are rules. I was elected by votes so I retained my position.
But of course, the words on the street were sure to catch up with my classmates sooner or later. This was something that I had been very worried about from the start, but it's not something I had control over anyways. It is here though that I realized my becoming the class rep by fluke was a blessing for me. Rather than being alienated as the scary dude who almost killed other students, I was somewhat seen as the guardian of the class, as in 'nobody will mess with us while Boh is our class rep'. I'm exactly the same as how I was before I left school last time, but just having a title made everyone see me differently. Prejudice can be a wonderful thing.
On the other hand, I felt like I was babysitting kids every day. I'm only a year older than them, but my classmates were just fresh out of middle school. And considering what I have been through, these kids looked like they were still living in bubbles.
"Boh, could you please stay behind after school today?"
My homeroom teacher asked, and I thought it was probably one of those mundane class rep responsibility things.
"Thank you for staying, Boh. I wanted to ask if you could do something for your classmate, as a class rep. I understand if you are not up for it, but please give it a thought"
"So what do you want me to do, ma'am?"
"There is actually a student in our class that hasn't been coming to school. It's been almost two months but she's still not coming. I was wondering if you could pay her a visit and talk to her"
"Er… the only way I know to 'pay a visit and talk' is not something you'd want me to do, ma'am"
"I think there's a lot more to you than just being big and strong. Your classmates trust you and rely on you. And you've been doing well in your studies too"
"But ma'am, you said it was 'she'. Wouldn't it be better to get some girls to go over? I'm not exactly someone that girls would find easy to chit-chat with. Especially if it's some girl that's really withdrawn"
"She shares something in common with you"
"Wait-, she also went to the juvenile detention center?"
"Well, not that. But from what I've learned, she is raised by a single mom who's mostly away from home for work. We tried to talk to her mom but the best we could do was reach her on phone and she was never able to come to school for consultation"
"At least her mom talks to you on the phone. My parents will not pick up if I or the school called them"
"I'm sorry to hear that"
"It's okay, I'm over it already"
"Also from what I've learned, she had a quite difficult time in middle school. Her mom said it was toward the end of her final year that she started to refuse to go to school. We suspect there might have been some form of bullying involved"
"That sucks"
"That's where you come in, the Big Boh. If you were to visit her and could convince her that you can keep her safe in school, she might open up a little"
"Well, I certainly wouldn't let any of my classmates be bullied"
"Exactly"
":sigh: I will give it a go. But most likely I just get turned down at the door. She's living alone and a guy like me turns up pressing her doorbell, she's not likely to even let me in"
"Just give it a go, it's not your fault if it doesn't work out. No harm in trying, right?"
"I'll do it, ma'am.
Since I was already kinda late leaving school, I thought I might as well pay this girl a visit on the way home. She happened to live near my flat.
:Ding Dong:
As expected, nobody answered the door.
:Ding Dong:
Nope.
:Ding Dong:
Nope nope.
:Ding Dong:
I can do this all day, girl. Answer the door.
:Ding Dong:
:crackle-:
"Who is it?"
A girl's voice asked through the intercom by the door.
"Hi, my name is Boh. I'm the class rep of your class. Our teacher has sent me here to have a chat with you"
"Go away"
:Ding Dong:
:Ding Dong:
:Ding Dong:
:Crackle-:
"Are you crazy?! I said go away. I will call the police you freak"
"Hey, hear me out, please. I don't know why you are not coming to school, but I quit school before too because things happened… and I only just got back this year. I know what it's like not wanting to go to school"
:Silence:
"I was so nervous going back to school on the first day. Well, let's just say I left school on really bad terms, and everybody hated me. But I managed to come back and now I'm even a class rep"
"… why did you quit school?"
"Er….I had reasons"
"You are just making up some bullshit. Get lost"
"No-, hang on hang on. I'll tell you. I was at a juvenile detention center, ok? Let me in and we can talk things through"
"LIKE HELL I'm gonna let you in now after hearing that"
"I went to the detention center because I beat up some seniors that were bullying my classmate, ok? You get it now?"
"….really?"
"Yes, and don't worry about me doing anything to you. I've already been detained once, if I mess up I'm in serious trouble. I'm the least likely person to cause trouble now"
The intercom went off with a crackle, but I heard the sound of someone approaching the door behind me.
"I'm gonna open the door now. Back away from the door and put your hands in the air where I can see them"
"What the heck?"
"Do it. Or I'm not opening the door"
I backed off and did exactly as she told me to.
:Clack:
With that, the door opened a little bit and a girl popped her head out through the gap. She ran her eyes over me and said,
"I have my phone in my hand ready to press the emergency dial. You try anything funny and you'll be in big trouble"
"Come on, man…. I get it I get it. I'm gonna get closer to the door now ok?"
"Slowly"
As I got closer to the door, I stopped leaving some distance between me and the door, trying to give her final assurance that I meant no harm.
She had very dark black hair that hasn't been washed for… long time, wore glasses, and looked like a cornered squirrel before a wolf.
"Can we just talk like this? I'm still not sure about letting you in"
"That's fine by me. All I'm asking is that you give it a go. Come to school tomorrow and if you don't like it you don't have to come again. I did just that. I went back to school, and didn't like it, so I quit. Now I'm back for some reason... But you see what I mean. There's no harm in trying"
"I'm… I don't feel safe going to school.."
"I'll walk you to school, ok? Stick with me and no one will harm you. Nobody will even say a single bad thing about you, ok?"
"You…you'd go that far?"
"I can't do it every day forever of course, but I will do it until you feel comfortable coming to school"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I promise. I won't say anything anymore. Tomorrow, 8 o'clock, I'll be here and bring you to school, ok?"
"… I might change my mind after all.."
"That's fine. Then you tell me tomorrow you don't feel like going. Then I will come another day"
"Why are you doing all this…? Just because you are a class rep?"
"Yes. Don't think much about it. Take it easy"
"Ok"
This was gonna be a pain in the ass. I didn't even know why I was going this far to bring some random girl to school. I just got carried away a bit in the spur of the moment and suggested all this, but seriously, how's this gonna all turnout? I just hope she settles down quickly to the class and that'll be the end of it.