Under a Grey, pale-looking sky, the sun was dim, and the weather was exceptionally harsh.
It was Raining.
With all the kids in the school sheltered in their classrooms filled and tight.
All could hear the whistles of the wind.
In one of the classrooms, G10.
EVERYONE was chatting and having a good laugh, except for one kid sitting in absolute silence on the last bench, with an arched back and a black hoodie.
He had just sprinted here from the block of crumbling apartments half a mile away, every step hammering rain through thin canvas, so water pooled around his worn shoes when he slipped inside.
His hair, soaked through, clings to his forehead. His knuckles, raw from hours of hauling boxes of ice in the fish market.
Thinking in his mind, 'why am I not chilling and laughing like these other kids?
Why am I left alone? Is it…'
Before he could complete his line of thought, it was cut by his bully.
Grabbing him from the hoodie and slamming his head into the desk.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the whole class stopped murmuring!
"Ay Jess, why not go shower in the rain a little?"
Yes, Jessy was a stinky-smelling guy; he lost his family in a plane crash when he was a child.
As a result, he had to work his ass off day and night at different jobs to put his little sister to school.
He didn't have the means to go to a good school either, but even this school was not a government-owned school, but rather a privately owned one. So, kids were usually from middle-class families.
He didn't want to join school, but his grandfather insisted that he complete his education.
Back in G10, Thomas, the bully, as the grandson of the owner of this school, was never punished or warned for his actions.
Praised by every teacher, hoping to get a raise. Everyone in our class wanted to be friends with him, he was their winning card.
Teachers used to tell him the ins and outs of each quiz, even the finals, who would let such an opportunity pass by?
The situation was bad for Jessy. No friends to help him nor a family to back him up, added to that, Jessy was usually sleeping in class, which led Roger to give him the nickname SJ.
Smelly Jessy.
Jessy stood up. With an arched back and red eyes, wishing to sleep!
His goals in life were simple.
Firstly, rent a better apartment with a bigger, cozy bed, and secondly, pass this year and finally find a partner…. Or a friend at least.
He didn't want to end up alone, he hated it.
Passing this year was a great obstacle.
It wasn't because he's not smart; it was rather due to not being able to get a good night's sleep, as he only slept for a few hours between shifts.
Juggling school and working in a fish market and as a waiter in a restaurant.
Standing up, Jessy immediately noticed how all of the girls in this class were staring at him with hate, putting their hands on their noses!
Not a single girl wanted to talk to him.
He was an awkward, smelly coward who would even look at that guy?
Thomas, being a bulky muscular guy, pushed him over the desks, making Jessy fall in a way that almost looked straight out of a comedy show.
Everyone laughed.
'Another day in my sh*t life…'
Jessy wasn't stupid though.
His years of experience in dealing with people and selling things were good, he was good at sales!
He looks like an introvert when, in fact, people avoid him, so he never really talks.
Jessy tried to talk his way out of going outside in the rain.
Thomas looked convinced; he even turned his gaze away from him.
But in a sudden moment, he moved his hand at incredible speed, slapping Jessie's face.
SLAP!
"You think you are smooth, ha?" Thomas said while burning a cigarette.
'A cigarette in a school??? But I guess it's normal for an entitled kid like him.'
thought Jessy while rolling his eyes.
TING !!
The school's alarm rang, signalling the end of the school day.
Knock, knock. Opening the classroom door, a man with his clothes wet entered… it was Mr. Zein, the math teacher, he had brown skin color with a shirt and blue jeans.
He held the door open, and without a single word, everyone left the classroom.
The rain didn't stop.
The sky remained grey.
"Jessy" said the math teacher.
"Jina was just transported to the hospital. Sorry for not letting you know earlier, but….. I know you wouldn't want them to know anything about her."
Jessy felt like time had stopped; his eyes, once sleepy, turned wide open.
"Where's she?"
Mr Zain immediately sent him the location.
Jessy sprinted out of his school, not caring about the rain… but something unexpected happened.
A basketball was thrown at him from the side. Jessy dodged it but lost his stability and slid over the stairs.
Falling on the ground, he felt his heart pounding, finding difficulty to breath.
"Hahahahahaaha, smelly loser, you really deserve such a name"
Thomas said while patting Roger's shoulder as if complimenting him.
Jessy, filled with rage, stood up and threw the ball at Thomas.
Unfortunately for Jessy, he was a basketball player, so with a swift motion, Thomas grabbed the ball and smiled at Jessy.
Jessy immediately started sprinting again, not looking back.
He was so broke to even get a taxi, so he ran the whole way to the hospital, running with his worn-out shoes.
Thankfully, the hospital wasn't that far away from the school.
A few minutes later, he got to the hospital… everyone noticed his entrance.
Duh!
With that smell of his, it was hard not to unnoticed.
Someone escorted him to Jina's room.
"Sis, you goo…?" Jessy said with his mouth open for a few seconds.
"Smelly?! What brings you here?"