Mom- Alice! Get ready for school baby. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Baby girl, it's time for school.
Alice- ...
Mom- get ready. It's almost 8. Your bus is on 9 right?
Alice- yes mom.
Mom- sweetie were you crying? What's wrong honey? Talk to me.
Alice- nothing. A nightmare maybe?
Mom- what was it about?
Alice- nothing...
[Alice gets up and starts getting ready for school. She starts with taking a hot shower. Her mom packs her lunch in the meantime. Her dad is already ready on the breakfast table checking his phone and the newspaper simultaneously. After finishing shower, she wears her uniform, puts on some lip gloss and perfume and sits with her mom and dad to do. Her and her mom and dad talk about the news, gossips and finally Alices school test results. Alice pretend to participate while feeling very dreadful because they nag until she leaves.]
Dad- ah 8.40. Time sure flies fast. Alice let's go to the bus stop.
Alice- yep.
Mom- have a good day at school honey.
Alice- why's mom so unusually sweet today?
Dad- who knows? Maybe she's crazy.
Alice- Something tells me this is just sweetness before an impending doom. Did i do something?
Dad- nothing i know of.
Alice- did you guys snoop through my stuff again?
Dad- not me.
Alice- did you get a promotion?
Dad- no.
Alice- did mom get a promotion? A bonus?
Dad- think harder.
Alice- are we adopting a new pet?
Dad- do you want one?
Alice- i like birds.
Dad- then why didn't you tell? There's a pet shop near my office.
Alice- you're always busy and mom thinks she will do all the work. She doesn't want me to waste my time on a useless pet.
Dad- bullshit. I'll get you one today.
Alice- hahaha. You don't have to dad. I have exams anyway. Maybe later.
[Alice walks to the bus stop with her dad.]
Dad- you good Alice?
Alice- what do you mean?
Dad- you look miserable. That's all. Did you not sleep? Is it about that boy?
Alice- what boy?
Dad- Melvin? You two are classmates, i know that. So, were you two close?
Alice- no.
Dad- ....you look sad.
Alice- I'm not sad dad.
Dad- it's ok to be sad. It's not easy to lose a friend that also to suicide.
Alice- I'm not sad.
Dad- yes you are.
Alice- i am thinking about chemistry.
Dad- i was in school too. Things weren't that great back in the day.
Alice- ....uha.
Dad- things are better now. So cheer up.
Alice- keep imagining dad.
Dad- listen don't spend too much time with your friends ok? Your mom and i saw the news. It said Melvin was gay and he hosted drug party in his house. Can you believe that? Kids these days....
Alice- ....
Dad- sweetheart, don't be depressed. Ok? He was a poor kid and got what he deserved.... i doubt he was even good in his studies.
Alice- he was good in his studies too. In fact he was a school captain until Damian took his place cause his scores were not too good recently.
Dad- your cousin Damian?
Alice- yeah. Who else?
Dad- i heard you two were close. What's he like? Is he a good kid?
Alice- he's somewhat ok...i guess.
Dad- He's not bullying you is he?
Alice- no. He's good. He got great marks in class tests. He looks good. He made friends in very short time. Teachers love him. He's a role model more than a student. I told you he became a class captain after Melvin right?
Dad- oh don't worry about that. I bet you're better than him.
Alice- I'm not. I am not half as good as him or Sydney or Johnny or Karen.
Dad- you're being humble now Alice. One class test doesn't define you sweetie. I know your mom has been hard on you lately but my Alice... my Alice is great. You're a champion. And i know you will bounce back in no time.
Alice- hmm...your bus is here dad.
Dad- oh. Alright. I gotta go then. Bye bye Alice. Don't be too hard on yourself ok?
Alice- bye dad.
Dad- don't bunk school.
Alice- yes dad.
[Alice takes the bus and finds Damian sitting alone in the backseat, looking outside. Alice sighs and sits next to him.]
Alice- morning.
Damian- oh... hi.
[Alice notices his comic book.]
Alice- what ya reading?
Damian- manga. Why?
Alice- how are your assignments going on?
Damian- good. You?
Alice- absoltue shit. Mrs. K thinks i need an attitude adjustment. Everyone in my team got above 15 marks in her project but she gave me less than 12 and didn't tell me any reason. If that isn't bullying, i don't know what is.
Damian- Mr J is even worse. What did you tell her?
Alice- nothing.
Damian- hmm...
Alice- to be honest she has always looked down on me.
Damian- any reason why?
Alice- i once stole a few pens from her bag. But i kept it back a few days later. That was back in 4th grade. We were playing truth or dare and she was substituting for a class.
Damian- maybe they belonged to someone special to her.
Alice- maybe. I have done lots of mean things to lots of teachers. It's nothing new. They all look down on me.... most of them do but they understand me as well. If it was not for my good scores and shifting teachers then i would have left the school way way back.
Damian- .....
Alice- ....fuck my life.
Damian- ....
Alice- i like isekai genre. I read webtoons. Do you like webtoons?
Damian- sure. Which ones your favorite?
Alice- bastard.
Damian- oh I've read that one. Same guy who made sweet home right?
Alice- yeah. It's really good.
Damian- ....there are many good ones.
Alice- i read this webtoon called thriller and sometimes i still get scared of all the people around me. There's nothing more scarier than humans.
Damian-.....
Alice- .....
Damian- anything else you want to tell me?
Alice-....no.
Damian- then can you sit somewhere else? I'm really getting distracted while reading. Please?
Alice- .... ok.
[Damian watches as she gets up and goes towards the front seats and sits next to another guy. A while later Amy boards the bus, ignores Alice and goes to sit next to Damian.]
Amy- hi.
Damian- hi.
Amy- sleep well?
Damian- yeah. You?
Amy- not really.
Damian- hmm...
Amy- looks like yor ex is here too.
Damian- yes.
Amy- Did you two talk?
Damian- who?
Amy- you and Alice?
Damian- yeah.
Amy- seriously? God...you should stop.
Damian- why?
Amy- i think your ex will get arrested soon.
Damian- ..what?
Amy- yep. I talked to Mitch. He is Melvins cousin. He said saw Alice handing drugs to Melvin.
Damian- what?
Amy- yeah. I knew she was always a whore and a drug dealer. I can't expect any less from her. All that good grades to hide her inner slut.
Damian- does the police know?
Amy- why shouldn't they? They investigated so much. If they don't, i will tell them myself. I will make sure she gets her jailtime. ...Hahah.. i knew it. Deep down i know she killed Melvin. YOU HEAR THAT ALICE? STUPIDASS BITCHASS MURDEROUS CUNT!
[The bus supervisor immediately walks up to Amy and starts arguing with her. They lash out violently screaming at each other. Damian tries to stop Amy. Other students huddle and watch while Amy keeps trashing over Alice. Alice doesn't leave her seat. She only stares back at Amy like Amy is some crackhead then avoids her a minute later. The supervisor gets really angry and makes Amy sit at the front in on empty seat. They argue a lot while sitting together. Some kids bash Amy while she cries after calming down. Alice goes to the back seat of the bus and sits with other boys. She takes a nap until she gets to school.]