10 years ago.
Break time. The only time any kid liked to hear that screeching bell.
I got my plastic lunchbox from my bag and zipped out of the classroom, leaving my shadow behind. My stubby frame rolled down the hallways excitedly, racing outside to the playground to meet Kenji at our spot. Shortly, we reunited at the monkey bars.
"Amara!"
I swivelled around. We performed our long hand shake with a series of complex movements, and ending by clasping our hands together and pulling each other into a one arm hug. Kenji had been my best friend since the beginning of time. He grew up here in Braidwood, but that didn't stop other kids from asking him where he's 'really' from.
"I gotta pee." He dashed to the metal legs of the monkey bars, placing his lunch bag down on the ground. "Will be right back."
I placed my lunchbox next to his, waiting for him to come back. I idly fingered the shiny charm bracelet that my grandpop brought me. It was so pretty with a treasure of sparkling pendants and diamonds. Boredom soon pawed at me, convinced that he was probably doing a number two. I climbed up the integrated ladder of the monkey bars and I latched onto the first bar, dangling before I swung myself expertly from one to the other like a trapeze artist.
It was fun. Until it wasn't.
My attention was snatched by a gaggle of boys, seven of them. They started making obnoxious monkey sounds at me. They hollered and cheered cruelly, like I was an animal trapped in captivity, doomed to be the entertainment of vile creatures. Humans. Even worse, the male species.
I wanted to be the bigger person like my dad taught me. So I just continued as I was, as if they were not even there. But that only made it worse. Their shouts swept up to uproarious barking.
"Do a trick!" One of them waved up their half-eaten banana at me jeeringly. "I'll give you treat."
Another boy nudged him with his shoulder playfully. "She'll just break the bars."
They spoke funny and often switched between English and a foreign language.
But just as my luck would have it. I moved to the next bar and my bracelet slipped off my wrist—I reached for it but I missed. The boys below made a collective sound, echoing wry fascination. One of them picked it up.
I dropped to the ground. "Give it back," I ordered. My anger overpowered my fear.
"Don't be silly," he laughed. "Monkeys don't wear jewellery."
I lunged for the bracelet. He raised it swiftly above my head, snickering in my face.
I grabbed at it. "Give it back—"
He shoved me back. I tripped—my but hit the filthy floor and they all burst into a fit of hysterics whilst I struggled to hold my tears back.
"Hey!"
A taller boy shouldered past one of them. The rest split apart so he could make his way to the front. My daddy had told me spooky stories about scary monsters with massive teeth and claws. But not the one with pretty brown hair and deep dark eyes. Vanko Chernenko, the author of my pain and the terror in my nightmares.
He said something foreign that sounded like a reproach, by the tell of his tone and expression.
"You should know better than to do this—"
He rushed at me to offer his hand. And against my better judgement, I took it. He pulled me off the ground.
"—animal abuse isn't funny."
A wicked smile split his face. He released me midway, and I fell right back on the ground.
"Now that's where you belong."
The group exploded into ricocheting laughs. Skinny legs sped past me—Kenji rammed into him, nearly knocking him over. The boy pulled back a fist, ready to throttle him until he saw who he was.
"Ooh," he said with fraudulent fear, lifting his hands in mock surrender.
Another background character stepped beside Vanko. "What you going to do, China boy?" he said whilst pulling the skin at his temples back to thin out his eyes.
"I'm Japanese, douchebag." He fixed his glare on Vanko. "If you hurt my friend again. You'll see what I'll do."
Vanko flashed a venomous smile before he launched a fist at his face, sending him to the ground. I hurried to him. Vanko and his group walked away laughing, and the other spun my bracelet around his finger triumphantly.
I helped Kenji up. "You okay?"
He straightened, his hand rubbing the ache out of his jaw. "Fine." His stare burnt all of their backs. "You?" He looked back at me.
"I'm fine."
Neither of us were fine. That day dribbled out a foreshadowing of my dark future. I just never fathomed how one boy could stain my soul, disrupt the fore-planned order of my life, and disturb the equilibrium of my entire world.