CHAPTER SEVEN

"Dad!" I stood trying to compose myself. "How long have you been standing here?"

He looked pale and full of sorrow. With each passing day gradually drew life and hope away from him.  

Looking at how he gets to fight each day, struggling to stay alive for me and my brother, gives me determination to keep pushing. 

"I was contacted by your advisor." He said trying to maintain steady eye contact as if there was something he was looking forward to hearing from me. 

My heart froze. "Why would he…" immediately I noticed the change in his countenance, I knew I had failed him. 

I knelt immediately. "I'm sorry, Dad. I was only worried about David. But I'm promising to…." 

He suddenly placed his hands on my shoulders, inflicting shock on me.

"What are you talking about Elah?" Immediately, I stood up, looking like I had seen a ghost. 

"You said my academic advisor contacted you?"

"Yes. He did." He said and sat down on the floor of the basketball court. 

"And what did he say?" 

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No Dad." 

"Then why are you so bothered?" His gaze fixed and stern

"Dad, what's the matter." 

He sighed and before I could say another word, he burst into tears. 

Sitting in front of me, weeping profusely was my Dad, who was my hope, source of determination and perseverance. At that point, I knew it was overwhelming and he just couldn't hold it anymore. 

As much as I wanted to stay strong and console him, I found myself seated beside him weeping. 

I wrapped my hands around him, patting him gently as if he were a little child. And that was the first time my Dad would weep in front of me. 

The thought of my poor grade kept manoeuvering my mind, "Could he have probably seen my test sheet?" I couldn't fathom what exactly the issue was but then I couldn't bring myself to ask because hearing it was my grade would probably be more shameful. 

"Hahahaha." A mocking laughter and ridiculous chat was coming from behind me. "Father and daughter's sorrowful period." Some of the rich spoiled kids in my class said. 

"How about we make a video and post it to the class group?" One of them said,

"Nice idea." Another responded. 

"Stop that now!" I yelled at them, but it seemed I increased their morale. 

"What, you are having your time with your father, allow us to have ours also." They all chuckled 

I turned to my Dad and discovered he wasn't there anymore, looked around for him but he was nowhere to be found. 

"You didn't even tell me why you came," I said, still looking around to see if I could get a glimpse of where he went. 

But I guessed he was too ashamed to have cried in front of his daughter. 

Immediately I entered the class, everyone began to point their fingers, making jest of me. While some held their phones, others gathered around. 

"Elah." Mitchell, the most quiet and well-respected girl called out to me. 

Why did Mitchell always have my back, walk with me to the cafeteria even when others made fun of me, and avoid sitting at the same table with me calling me a lowlife and a wretched abyss? She still made friends with me and never allowed whatever was said to get to her. 

She was one of the sweetest people I knew. I could pray every day to never lose her to the hands of those who wanted us apart. 

"Are you okay Elah? Do you wanna talk about it?" Mitchell asked

"I'm fine. It's nothing serious." 

"Your Dad was also crying in the video, Elah. And you say it's nothing serious?"

My eyes widened in shock and rage. I stood up, banged the desk, and walked up to the ones I knew were responsible.

"You know, you are nothing but an asshole. How could you post that video, why!" My voice was loud and teary.

He looked at me as if my presence inflicted fear but then they all burst into laughter. 

"Who are you to call me an asshole?" He stood up, facing me so close that I could feel the hotness of his breath. 

"How dare you!" His voice was loud and scary. "I would let this slide because I'm in a good mood today. But if you try this next time, you won't like what I would do." 

He walked past me, clashing his shoulders with mine. I pulled him back and pushed him, and he nearly fell.

"Haha, it seems you need to be taught a lesson." He folded his hands into a fist and was about to throw a punch when a lecturer walked in. 

"What's going on here?"

Everyone rushed to their seats as though nothing had happened, leaving just the both of us standing, staring into each other's faces. 

"Hey, you both should sit down now."

"I'm not done yet." He said and walked back to his seat. 

I knew this wasn't the end. If I would continue in school I had to stay away from anything that would tarnish my image. 

The kids in my class are not the type to get into trouble with, their parents were ready to buy anyone off just to protect their kids and their reputation. 

After school, I knew I had an unfinished fight. Fear gripped me as I looked through the window and all I saw were these guys rolling their fists and giving a wicked smile.

I sighed, I had no one and I knew I had to finish what I started. "Either I get beaten or he does," I said to myself, my heart beating more than usual.

Immediately I stood up, I felt a grip on my shoulders and my heart skipped. "Elah, you can do this, you can fight back." I kept trying to encourage myself. I turned with my hands folded into a fist reaching for the face of whoever it was.

And immediately I noticed who it was, my almost close fist came to a stop.