Peter and Laura had said nothing when I had come into the house, choosing only to stare at me or rather to peruse my entire self as if looking for hurt on my body.
Their eyes had been like lasers, scrutinizing every inch of me as if they could see through my skin to the very core of my being. I had offered them a tentative greeting and shifted uneasily on my feet, feeling like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Finally, Laura had broken the silence.
"Go and freshen up, and take dinner. We can talk later."
Relief had flooded through me, though I knew it was only temporary. I had taken my time in the bath, letting the hot water soothe my nerves and wash away the grime and stress of the day. Each minute spent under the warm spray was another minute delaying the inevitable scolding.
I had lingered even longer at dinner, chewing each bite slowly and deliberately, trying to stretch the meal as far as I could. But eventually, the plate was empty, and I could no longer delay.
Now, here I was, sitting before Peter and Laura with my hands clasped tightly on my knees. The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. This time, Diana hadn’t been sent to bed.
Good choice, if I must say. Diana would have razed down the huts if we had thought to count her out of the gisting ceremony. She sat off to the side, her eyes wide with curiosity and concern, ready to pounce with questions or accusations if things didn’t go her way. Follow current novels on novel•fire.net
"What happened, Maya?" Peter finally asked, his voice calm but stern. "We heard a lot of things today from different people, adults and children included."
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for the barrage of emotions and explanations that were about to spill out. "It all started with the class feud between me and Professor Bullock," I began. The words came out in a rush, and once I started, I couldn’t stop. I told them everything, starting with how Professor Bullock had tried to humiliate me in front of the entire class.
Laura’s eyes narrowed as I described Bullock’s sneering comments and condescending tone. Peter’s jaw tightened, the muscles working as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. Diana, for once, remained silent, her eyes darting between our parents and me, absorbing every word.
"When he called on me to answer the question , he had expected me to fail," I continued, my voice trembling slightly. "But I didn’t. I answered him back, told him he was wrong, and he didn’t like that. He gave me detention in exchange. An hour, he said. But then, after everyone had left, after I had entered the detention room, he added another two hours on top of that. Levina had explained better when she had come to pick me up."
Peter’s fists clenched, and I could see the anger simmering just below the surface. Laura’s lips pressed into a thin line, her hands gripping the armrests of her chair. I could tell they were both furious, not just with me, but with the injustice of it all.
"And then there was the bullying incident," I said, my voice steadier now. "Rachel and her friends had been picking on Levina, the principal’s daughter. I hadn’t known who Levina was then, but I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. And so, I had stepped in, and things got a bit... heated."
"’Heated’ how?" Laura asked, her voice sharp.
"I had held Rachel by the neck, and drew her up from her seat. Then I had convinced her of courting death if she tried using magic on me."
"And, well, when she had bought my ruse completely, I poured orange juice on her head." I admitted, looking down at my hands. "But I don’t regret doing any of it. Someone had to stop her."
Peter and Laura exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Laura’s face softened slightly, though I could still see the worry etched in her features. Peter looked conflicted, caught between pride and concern.
"You did the right thing by standing up to the bullies," Peter said finally. "But you need to be careful, Maya. You can’t just go around fighting every battle. You have to pick and choose."
Laura nodded in agreement. "We’re proud of you for standing up for what’s right, but you need to think about the consequences. You can’t let your anger get the better of you."
I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt. "I understand. I’ll try to be more careful."
Peter leaned forward, his expression softening. "We’re just worried about you, Maya. We don’t want you to get hurt."
"I know," I said quietly. "I’m sorry for making you worry."
For a moment, there was silence. Then Diana, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire conversation, apart from the whistle she had released a few seconds ago, spoke up. "I don’t know about mom and dad, but I think what you did was terrific! Cool! My friends think the same too. It’s high time the princess let her lesson!"
"Diana!" Laura whispered a shout. "Stop that. You aren’t supposed to be gossiping with your friends about the princess or any of the royal family. That is a dangerous game. Don’t even contribute to the discussions. Stay away from them."
Diana pouted her lips. "Mom, so we are gossiping here then?"
Peter palmed his forehead.
I held back a laugh. Diana was really a handful. I watched as Laura ruminated on the best reply to give her inquisitive daughter.
"No, we are not. We are discussing as a family. And that’s because the princess had been involved in Maya’s day. If she hadn’t, we wouldn’t have talked about her." Laura finally settled on one.
"Well, Maya is like my big sister. So, when..."
"Enough Diana, unless you want to be sent to the room now."
Diana kept her mouth shut immediately.
"So, what are the Queen’s beasts about?" I asked, after a few beats of silence.