2 Bully

"She is leaving me with no choice now, I will have to move on with my life."

Paul whispers sadly after seeing Alex wedding pictures.

"Alex is happy where she is, don't segregate yourself from Happiness because of someone who doesn't care about you one bit. It's time for you to move on with your life." Jessie convinced.

"Move on? With who?." Paul asked almost shedding tears.

"You have me."

A long silence took place.

Thirteen years later, both Alex and Paul's daughters attended the same school. Although, the school fees was quite expensive for Paul to handle but all thanks to his wife Jessie who came from a very noble family they were able to send their daughter to such an elite school. Both girls were of the same age just a month and some days difference between them.

Ella and Linda were known to be enemies, although Ella has always been patient enough but Linda makes her loose it.

This time around they were having maths lectures and the teacher asked a general question almost all the students raised their hands. Immediately Linda got offended that Ella was raising her hands too, maybe she should teach her lesson after all she was sitting right behind her.

"Yes,jasmine." The teacher said giving room for a student to answer the question.

"The answer is 24."jasmine answered.

"No." The teacher disagrees. "You are wrong, have your seat, anyone else?"

Jasmine sat reluctantly and there was a little chaos some were laughing at jasmine for getting the answers wrong and some raising their hands to answer the question. All of a sudden Linda decided to do something drastic, she poured ink gently on Ella's white shirt. Of course, miss smith did felt something but couldn't look back when the teacher called her to answer the question.

"Miss smith." The teacher calls.

Ella stood up to answer the question and almost the whole class burst into laughter. They all saw the ink clearly because Ella was sitting in the front row. Ella was surprised, then her friend whispered to her.

"You have ink on your shirt Ella." Esther whispered.

"What?" Ella whispered holding back the tears and looked at Linda.

"Why are you looking at me?" Linda asked giving a devilish smile.

"What is this noise about?" The teacher retorts and walks to Ella and noticed the ink. She was startled. "What is this?" She looked at Linda and scoffs. "Linda, stand and explain what is going on."

Linda stood and looked at the teacher for a second or two.

"I don't understand what you are talking about. What do you want me to explain? I have nothing to do with the ink on her shirt." Linda tried pretending.

"Really? You don't know? You are sitting right behind her, only you can do this." The teacher smiled. "You know what, I have come to the conclusion that you are a bully. You do things like this almost every time."

"Mrs Johnson." Linda murmured

"I will have to discuss with your parents, come with them tomorrow if not, you won't be allowed into the school premises. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Linda nods sadly.

The whole class where shocked that the teacher took such actions, maybe she is tired and already had the height of Linda's nuisance. Ella was still looking devastated.

"Ella, do you have a jacket you can put on?" The teacher asked.

"Yes." Ella nods as she sobs.

"As from today, Ella and Linda will switch sitting positions." Mrs Johnson said with a very firm voice and then looked at Linda. "Let's see if you can still pour ink when you are in the front sit."

"Ma'am you are accusing me falsely, I did nothing wrong."Linda was prepared to argue with the teacher.

"If you try to argue with me, I will make sure you get withdrawn from the school. You pathetic bully."

The statement got the entire class. Linda got the right backlash she deserved. The teacher held Ella's hands and both went out.

Ella went home with the same mood but she met her grandfather and parents having a discussion.

"Good afternoon." Ella greeted in a weak tone.

"My dear grand daughter how are you doing?"

A man in his late sixties asked, he looked younger and healthier than his age. Obviously, he seemed and smelt very rich, a very striking resemblance between him and Peter. He has to be his father.

"Grandfather." Ella called and hugged him then begun to cry. "I don't want to go to that school anymore."

Everyone was taken aback with the statement. Especially her father.

"Why?" Mr David smith asked as he drew Ella from her hug and looked at her. "Tell me what happened."

"My child." Alex rushed to her. " what's wrong with you and why do you have a jacket on?"

"Don't be scared and just tell us what happened." Peter added.

Ella gently took off the jacket and showed them the ink and was again they were taken aback.

"Who did this?" Peter said in a very angry voice. "How can things like this happen in a school."

"Is it Linda again?"

Alex asked gently and Ella nods in support.

"I can't take this anymore, I would take actions this time around, this is bully. How can a girl constantly be bullying my daughter-"

"Ella." Mr David cuts in. "Go upstairs and take a shower."

"Yes grandpa." Ella obeyed.

Mr David eyes followed her until she finally disappeared into a room upstairs.

"Peter, what are you going to do now? Linda is bullying my only grandchild." Mr David sighs."you should have listened to everyone when they asked you not to give him a job at your hospital."

"I will make sure Linda leaves that school." Alex added. "I will do that by all means."

"Act fast then!!" Mr David exclaimed loudly. "Did you see how helpless your only daughter was? Someone is making her look helpless and frustrated just for fun."

"Father, it's not our fault things happened like this." Peter tried to calm his father. "We have a good news for you." He looked at his wife and both smiled. "Alex is pregnant."

"Really?" Mr David asked happily then laughs. "This calls for celebration, after thirteen years."

Mr David laughs.

Paul got home from work looking very tired. He removed his wrist watch and dropped it alongside with his car keys on the table.

"Welcome honey, you look very tired and stressed." Jessie greeted giving him a warm hug.

"Welcome daddy." Linda greeted too.

"Take a shower and come and eat. I prepared your favorite-"

"Did your daughter tell you what happened in school today?" Paul asked cutting his wife off.

"Something happened in her school today?" Jessie asked and faced Linda. "Linda what happened?"

Linda seem not ready to give replies to the questions.

"Why are you keeping quiet? Say something this very instant." Paul shouts. "Your teacher called and said you poured ink on someone's shirt. She also told me this is not your first time of doing things like this, coming to the conclusion that you are a class bully."

Jessie began to speak. "Honey, you have calm down. You shouldn't be shouting at her-"

"Calm down?!" Paul cuts her of. "You say this every-time I want to scold her for doing something wrong. Yes she is a child but we have to always correct her when she is wrong."

Paul said annoyingly and walked out of their premises.

Jessie looked at her daughter and said. "Why didn't you tell me this before? If you had told me I would have know what to say to your father. This got me so unaware."

"What are we going to do mom?" Linda asked frightened.

"Don't worry I would talk to your father, we would go to your school tomorrow."

"Thank you mom." Linda said and hugs her mom tightly.

Jessie and her daughter walked into the principal's office and was surprised to see Alex and some parents seated probably waiting for them.

"Hello." Jessie greeted happily. "I didn't know you people would be here."

There was no reply from anyone of them, even the principal and the teacher kept quite and was giving her and Linda a very irritating look.

"Have a seat." The principal offered

Jessie obeyed without a word and Linda stood beside her.

"Linda, do you know us?" A woman in her late forties asked.

"No." Linda replied with her head down

"We are the parents of the children you have been constantly bullying." Another woman added.

"Bully?" Jessie scoffs. "Is this commotion because of the accident that happened yesterday? Are you all ganging up against my daughter? This-"

"From pouring water in her classmates food to pushing them down the stairs on purpose to hitting heavy objects on severe parts of their body to pouring ink on someone's shirt." The third woman said annoyingly with a very loud voice. "How can you say we are hanging up against your devilish daughter?"

"Mind what you say to me and my daughter?" Jessie lost it and was ready to go head to head with her.

"Ladies." The principal interferes. "Calm down, let's talk about this amicably following the legal rules." She faces Jessie. "It has been Confirmed that your daughter is a bully, not just a bully, a very pathetic one."

"What? Mrs principal be mindful of what you say?" Jessie warn firmly.

The principal gives Jessie a document.

"The entire PTA has submitted a petition, your daughter would be expelled."

Jessie was devastated so as Linda. Jessie looks at Alex who has kept quite all along in a dreadful manner.

"You want to expel my daughter?" Jessie asked almost crying. "I won't accept this."

"There is only one way out, apologize to the victims and parents, then we would allow you withdraw her from school." The principal advised.

"What are you saying? You people are determined on making her leave the school at all cost. Linda is only a child, please forgive her and give her the last chance."

All this while Linda sheds tears silently, regretting her actions but still didn't feel sorry enough to tender an apology immediately.

"Your daughter is a threat to our children. If you she doesn't leave the school, we would withdraw our children and then report the principal to the human rights officials for not taken proper precautions and housing a pathetic bully in the midst of children." Alex finally spoke with a calm voice then faces the principal. "Would you rather loose your job and probably shut the school for a while or take proper precautions?"

"Mrs smith, the case is already settled. It is either her child gets expelled or she apologizes and have the opportunity to withdraw her." The principal said with a smile.

"I see." Jessie laughs bitterly. "This is all your doing right?" Jessie said facing Alex directly.

"You should have trained your daughter well." Alex said smilingly and stood up then face the principal again. "I hope to hear good news in the next 48 hours." Alex picks her bag. "I would like to take my leave now."

The other parents stood up and left too. Leaving just the principal, teacher, Jessie and her daughter.

"Principal, please help me out. What can I do?" Jessie asks shedding tears already.

"Madam, apologize to the victims and their parents then Withdraw her at least it is better than expelling her."

The statement left Jessie with no positivity. She walked out of the room helplessly and her daughter followed.