Alicia's gaze is steadied on mine as she takes in my reaction. I'm frozen in place,the crushed note in the palm of my hand feels like fire.
A fire that I was blind to.
Why didn't I smell the smoke?
"Bullying?" The word feels foreign on my tongue.
"Olivia is being bullied?" My brain is strained, trying to make sense of this situation.
Everything in me wants to deny this.My stomach twists into these unforgiving knots that seem to have no end.I want to laugh it off and ask Alicia for the real truth but the crumpled up note in my hand burns with the truth.
"How long has it been going on?"
Alicia exhales."It started later during the year in grade nine and it's been going on since now..."
My chest tightens an unforgiving feeling settling over my heart." So four years?"
Alicia nods.
"But how? How could this happen? What about the teachers? Why doesn't she report—" and I just keep airing out more questions. It's clear that most of them will remain unanswered but the tightening in my chest just wants relief.
"The teachers don't like getting involved unless it's physical; that's when they see it as bullying. With Olivia,her situation is different."
"..."
"Olivia doesn't even like saying the word, Leonardo. She denies it as bullying. She just says they tease her a bit but if it's not that big of a deal then why does she hide her tears in class when they gossip about her. Why does she always hide in the library during break away from people. Why does she —" Alicia stops herself.
"What?" My tongue is dry, the words wanting to remain stuck in the depths of my mind.
Alicia hesitates. "Leonardo this isn't my story to tell. It feels wrong coming from me but..."she bites her lip, her eyes straying away from me.
I'm practically pleading Alicia with my eyes but I keep the flurry of words on the tip of my tongue because she's right.
I'm supposed to be hearing this from Olivia. She's supposed to tell me. She's supposed to trust me.
Trust.
"Olivia hears the sound of laughter and thinks it's directed at her." Alicia pauses again, wanting to say more.
Her eyes glisten with tears but she keeps them at bay. She exhales,her eyes holding mine and a storm of emotions clash with mine.
"Haven't you noticed that Olivia's number isn't even in the class's group chat even though she's part of our class?"
"...I haven't."
"And then there's someone who writes these notes from time to time. The notes started in grade 10."
"I'm sure it's that fox, Wyatt."
Alicia shakes her head. "I told you that Wyatt isn't the enemy. He's interested in one thing and one thing only. Lisa.B. Wyatt didn't even know who Olivia was until recently."
"So who's writing these notes?"
"I feel like it's more than one person but I'm definitely sure that it's a girl. Olivia's bullies are girls. The boys don't bother Olivia and I. They're surprisingly kind."
"I'm such an idiot." I cast my gaze away from Alicia. "Why didn't I notice this earlier?"
Everything comes back to me, like the pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together.
YOU ARE READING
36 Questions to Fall in Love...in 36 days!
Romance" Olivia, I liked you from the moment you hiccuped your way into my life. It's funny really but it's the truth. I also wasted a lot of time and this is me trying to fix things. I'm asking you to give me 36 days to show my love for you and for you to...
