"Hurry up, Amanda!" Mercy shouts from their living room. "It's been ages!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Sheesh!" Amanda shouts back.
"It's already nine o'clock!"
"I know, I know."
Amanda comes out from her room looking as beautiful as always. She walks to the living room and glare at Mercy the moment she sees him.
"What's your problem, mister?" She asks.
Mercy sighs tiredly. "Let's just go already." He walks to the entrance door and stops, turning around to look at Amanda. "Everything set?"
She nods and he smiles.
He opens the door and walks out, Amanda rushing out after him.
"We are late." Mercy says with a tired sigh.
"We are just thirty minutes late."
Mercy nods and locks the house door. "I just hope this Monday will be good." He says, a hint of worry in his voice.
Amanda puts her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be with you throughout."
Mercy smiles in appreciation. "Thanks. Now let's get going."
They start their journey to school, talking and laughing throughout. They both ignore the people that are giving Mercy bad stares.
"Hey, brother."
"Yes?"
"I have a dare for you."
Mercy stops, turns and looks at his sister, surprised. "Oh?" He smiles. "What is it then?"
"Carry me to school."
"You aren't se-"
"I am!" Amanda shouts, drawing more attentions.
"Nah." Mercy says dryly and continues walking in silence, his sister following him behind.
He smiles to himself after some minutes of silence. "Good grief." He pauses and pulls his bag. Then he wears it at his front and bends down. "Hop on or I'll change my mind." He says with a teasing tone.
Amanda quickly jumps onto him and holds him tight. "Thank you!" She shouts happily.
Mercy smirks. "Child." He stands up easily. "Are you ready?"
Amanda nods in suppressed joy. "Yes!"
Mercy begins running fast. Zooming past people like a human bike.
After some minutes of running, he finally arrives at the big school's big gate and bends down, gasping for air.
Amanda comes down from him, beaming with joy. "Thanks big brother!" She shouts with a wide smile.
"Anytime." He replies with a smile, still gasping.
Amanda holds his hand in her hand and enters through the big gate, dragging him along.
"Did you charge your phone last night?" Amanda asks.
"Yeah. You?"
"Yup."
"That's nice."
"Yeah."
They continue walking together, holding each other hands and smiling.
"Remember not to listen to anyone, ok?" Amanda asks softly.
"Yeah, thanks I won't. Also do the same."
"Okay."
As they near their class, they begin hearing lots of people talking at once in their classroom.
They arrive and quietly go to their seat, which is beside each other at the front.
Nobody in the class notice them as they are still gathered around the mysterious person.
"Chill guys. It's just the new Eye-phone 20: Dark Eye Edition." A familiar voice says.
"Just?" One of the male classmate says in surprise.
"Shut up, side character!" The voice snaps.
"That's Josh." Amanda says in disgusts.
"Yeah." Mercy nods. "Looks like he got the new Eye-phone 20."
"Lucky him." Amanda sighs. "We don't need it though. Our Peace-phone: Jesus edition is still peak and new." She says with pride.
"Yup." Mercy nods in agreement. "Mum really surprised us." He smiles. "Looks like her work is paying her better now."
"Right?" Amanda smiles. "And that's nice."
The class suddenly falls quiet.
Mercy and Amanda quickly look up to see the whole class looking at them.
"What do we have here?" Josh asks as he begins walking towards them. He stops right in front of their locker and bends down.
Amanda and Mercy gives him a blank look.
"Hey, pretty." He says to Amanda, grining. He turns to Mercy, his grin vanishing. "Sup, Coloured coloured."
"Isn't it too early?" The former male classmates asks.
"Shut up, again, you side character!" Josh shouts.
"I am not a side character!" The boys snaps. "I am Micah and you know it!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Josh says dryly.
"You know he is right. Stop calling people side character when you are the one that is trying to become the main character so bad, even though you know it's impossible." Mercy says dryly, shocking everyone with his audacity.
The class erupts with laughter as almost everyone begins laughing.
Josh glares at Mercy, gritting his teeth hard. He slaps Mercy hard on the face, surprising everyone.
Mercy sits frozen, not moving.
"Know your place, you little side character maggot!" Josh snaps.
Mercy stands up from his seat. "Excuse me I need to go take some fresh air outside." He says dryly and begins walking off.
"Don't you dare walk out on me!" Josh shouts in anger. He grabs Mercy's hand, drags him back and lands another hard slap on his face.
All the student watch the sight with a mix of horror and shock.
Mercy smiles a wide smile and begins laughing aloud, surprising everyone the more.
The in and out of the class becomes filled with students who are watching the events.
Josh slaps him again. "How dare you treat me like a joke?!" He snaps, but Mercy continues laughing.
"I said stop!" Josh shouts and begins raining more slaps on Mercy. But Mercy keeps on laughing aloud, never stopping.
Everyone watches in fascination. Some in surprise and fear.
"Do you think he's on drugs?" A senior student asks his male friends beside him.
"It is either that or mental problems." One of his friends replies.
"I think he is demented." A girl whispers to her female best friend beside her.
"Don't say such cruel things about him!" The girl snaps. "It's not nice!"
"But, I might be correct." The other says.
"Look, Mary, I'm not in the mood!"
"Why are you defending him so bad, Vera?!"
"Whatever!" The girl, Vera, storms away in anger and irritation.
Whispers full the room in no time. Everyone with their own opinion.
Josh continues slapping Mercy who keeps laughing harder.
Micah walks forward and tries to separate them, but he is held back by a senior.
"Let's see how this will turn out." The senior says with a calm voice and a calculative look.
Amanda sits frozen, watching the scene in horror. Bad flashbacks running through her mind.
"No no no no no!" She mumbles as tears begins running down her face. "Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again...." She keeps on mumbling 'not again' and stands up.
She walks to Josh and slaps him hard, surprising everyone. "Why?" She says almost quietly.
Josh slaps her back. "How dare you, you bitch!" He shouts and pushes her hard.
She stumbles and falls hard to the ground, her cry intensifying.
For some reason no one comes to help her as she sits on the floor crying.
Mercy stops laughing and begins crying bitterly. "I see." He says calmly and quietly as his smile widens. "You want to pay with blood? I shall fulfill that, then."
Josh turns and looks at him with a wide grin. "That's what she-"
A hard punch lands on his face, causing him to stumble back. Before he could get himself, he is already on the ground.
Mercy begins laughing and crying at the same time. "Now, you pay with your blood!" He shouts.
"Mercy stop!" Amanda shouts in horror. "Don't do it!"
Mercy jumps on top of Josh and begins raining blows on him.