"Hey! Look who's here!" Carlos shouted.
I sighed when I heard Carlos' voice. I just walked into my school the next day and already i'm going to be bullied. This is what everyday life is for me. I wake up, go to school, get harassed, go home, clean, make dinner, do my homework, sleep and do everything all over again. It's like an endless cycle for me. I wish something different would happened. I know that Carlos and his crew aren't going to stop picking on me anytime soon but...I dunno. I guess I wish I had a friend to talk to about my problems. I obviously can't go to my parents about my situation because my dad might just tell me to man up and stop being a girl and my mom is too sick and worn out to do anything. I don't have any friends at school. People either act like i'm invisible or harass me. Sometimes I wish I could just...get away from everything.
I sighed and slowly turned to face Carlos and his friends. Carlos smirked at me as he walked up to me then pushed me against the wall. Carlos knees me in my stomach and I collapse onto the floor. Carlos then grabbed my bookbag and drops it onto the floor. He kicks me in my stomach and I let out a moan. Without noticing, one of Carlos' friends, Diego, grabs my bookbag and slices the bottom of it with a pocket knife then drops it back onto the floor.
"I hope you had fun washing that shaving cream out of your hair." Carlos said, planting the bottom of his foot ontop of my head and pushed it down onto the floor. That's when the school bell rung and kids that were left in the hallways scrambled to get to class before they're late. Carlos and his crew didn't leave yet.
"Hey! You kids get to class!" A male teacher said as he started to walk up to us.
"See you in class." Carlos said as he took his foot off my head then walked away with his friends.
I sighed as I sat up then grabbed my book bag. I stood up and slung my book bag over my shoulder when I suddenly heard books dropping. I looked down to see my books fall to the floor. I knelt down and looked over my book bag to see a hole at the bottom of my book bag. This wasn't good. This is my only book bag that I've had since 5th grade since we can't afford to replace stuff like this. And it's not like I have a locker to put my books into because once again, my family can't afford a locker at this school.
I can already imagine my dad chewing me out about the bag. I sighed then started to pick my books up. I held my books in my arms then tossed the book bag in the trash can that stood in the hallway. I quickly hurried off to my first class which is History.
My History teacher is pretty much dead beat. He either gives us long lectures or let's us do whatever. Right now, we're doing whatever. I'm still a bit peeved at my book bag being sliced. I bet it was one of Carlos' friends. Though, I can't confront them about it or they'll beat me to a pulp. I pouted as I stared down at my books when I felt a paper ball being thrown at my head. I knew that the person who's doing it is Carlos himself. He always throws paper balls at me everyday during class. I felt more paper balls being thrown at my head.
"Hey, Alfonzo, why don't you throw one?" Carlos whispered to him.
Alfonzo hesitated then took the paper ball from Carlos and tossed it at my head. I tried not to pay Carlos any mind since I thought that he was still throwing paper balls at me but I was wrong.
"Nice one, Alfonzo." Carlos said.
"Alfonzo?!" I thought as my eyes widen.
I sighed. I guess my crush wasn't the guy who I thought he was. Though, I can't find myself stop liking him. I've liked him for this long and I can't imagine myself waking up tomorrow, not having a crush on Alfonzo anymore. I rested my head on my books and closed my eyes, wanting this day to be over.
***
Finally, the day ended. I can't say that i'm eager to get home because I know that once I get home, i'll have to jump to cleaning and cooking but at least at home, I can avoid Carlos and his friends. I started to make my way towards the entrance doors of the school when someone bumped into me and I fell to the floor, dropping my books.
"Oops. Sorry." Carlos laughed as he walked away with his friends.
I sighed then started to pick my books up when someone knelt down and started to help me pick my books up. I looked up to see it was a boy I didn't recognize. I stared at him without realizing it till he looked at me and smiled.
"Here." He handed me my books.
I took them from him and stood up.
"Thanks..."
"No problem. I'm Emmanuel."
I nodded. "Ricardo. Are you new here? I've never seen you around."
Emmanuel nodded.
"Yeah. I'm starting here tomorrow. I'm just dropping by with my folks to check the place out and meet my teachers."
I nodded as me and Emmanuel started to walk towards the entrance and walked out the doors.
"Um...I gotta get home. I'll see you tomorrow." I said.
Emmanuel smiled. "Sure. See you tomorrow."
I smiled also then walked down the steps of the school and started to walk home.
***
"What do you mean your bag broke?" My dad asked.
"I can't use it anymore. There was a hole in it." I said.
My dad sighed.
"You know we don't have money to replace anything. Once it's gone, it's gone. You're going to have to continue carrying your books around or find another bag to use."
I nodded then started to make my way towards my room when my dad called after me.
"You're going to have to fix dinner tonight. Your mother is still sick."
I sighed then nodded and dropped my books off in my room before heading to the kitchen to cook dinner. I searched through the kitchen till I found a can of chili and decided to heat it up. It's enough for all of us to eat tonight. I even found a bag of biscuits that I can toast and we can eat it with our chili. I contently cooked the chili till I felt a tug on my shirt. I looked down to see my little sister, Carmen. She and Albert are both six. They were born in separate months of the same year. Carmen's the oldest, though.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I'm hungry."
"I'm making some dinner right now."
Carmen nodded. "What is it?"
"Chili and biscuits."
Carmen nodded again. I'm glad that she didn't whine about not wanting it. It's pretty much the only thing we have to eat right now. Once the chili and biscuits finished cooking, I called everybody to dinner. My siblings and dad all sat down at the table in the kitchen.
"Take a bowl to your mother." My dad said.
"Alright."
I made a bowl for my mom and dropped a biscuit in it then went to her bedroom. I walked inside to see my mom laying down in her bed. I smiled then walked up to her.
"Hi, mama. I made some chili with biscuits."
My mom smiled and slowly sat up. She took the bowl from me.
"Thank you for making dinner, Ricardo."
I nodded.
"Listen, your dad told me that your bag broke so I want you to have this."
She grabbed her purse and pulled out a ten dollar bill from it.
"Take this and go buy yourself a book bag."
My eyes widen as my mom handed me the money. I didn't even know she had money.
"Mama, I can't. You might-"
"Take it, Ricardo. I can't have you walk around the school with your books in your hands."
I nodded. I knew she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Thanks, mama. I'm going to go now." I said then kissed her cheek and left her room.
***
I went into a local shop that sold book bags. I started to look around the place when I heard that familiar voice.
"Look who's here."
I turned around to see Carlos and his friends.
"I thought your family didn't have any money." He said as he approached me.
I didn't say anything, though as I backed up then Carlos went through my pockets and pulled out the ten dollar bill.
"You don't mind if I take this right?"
"Give that back!" I shouted then tried to take it from Carlos when he pushed me back into the book bags.
"See you later." He said then left the store.
This wasn't good. That was probably my mom's only money that she trusted me with and now I lost it in less than five seconds.
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