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Chapter One

THE PUNISHMENT

"Where's she?" Allison yelled as they made their way into the music room.

"You are just a loser and a coward. Yeah that's what you are Maya" Savannah added, looking across the room for any slim girl with long hair, hoping she would at least give up and come out from wherever she was.

Maya held her breath as much as she could, as she hid behind the closet in the music room. All she kept praying for was for them to leave.

Just immediately the school bell rang with an heavy sigh from Allison "Let's go". They left the music room heading to the cafeteria.

"I can't waste my lunch searching for a loser"

Just as they left, Maya came out of her hiding spot, she sighed in relieve that they finally gave up.

Aren't they just tired of tormenting her?

°

She sat in front of the big piano, her eyes were already glossy, not willing to hold in the tears for too long. She placed her fingers on the piano keys, and slowly played the rhythm of the song in her head.

How melodious it sounded, even to her ears. Music! It eased away all her negative emotions, she could feel the sweet flow of the sound she made from the piano. Just what she needed.

Not until she felt an arm on her shoulder, she almost froze. She turned slightly and was relieved to know it wasn't Allison or Savannah.

"Hey" The petite girl beamed. She sat beside Maya, opposite the big piano.

"Sav and Allison are gone, you can come out now"

"Oh, you... you saw all that?" Maya asked

"Yeah, there's no need to worry. I used to get bullied by them too, but I overcame it" another beam escaped from the small sized girl.

"Common let's go for lunch. It's lunch break already"

They dashed out of the music room into the school's hallway.

"By the way, I'm Vinna" she told Maya

"Oh I'm Maya"

"I know, I notice everybody but nobody ever notices me" Vinna sighed

'Just like me' Maya thought

"By the way, you were so good with the piano, you love music right?"

"Yeah I really do. To me music is life" Maya beamed slightly.

"Of course everyone loves music, well it ain't really my thing. Uhm-- anyway I heard there's gonna be a music talent hunt this season in Summer Camp. You care to participate?" Vinna told her.

"Sorry, no. I hate the sight of crowds and besides I'm not attending Summer Camp either"

"What? Why?"

"Personal reasons"

"Well I don't do funs stuffs so much, but I enjoy the sea and the Camp's whole environment. Seeing people make out is annoying, but it sure is a scene to behold. So I don't get why anyone won't want to go to Summer Camp" Vinna shrugged.

The word 'make out' almost made Maya puke, she hated to imagine it.

~

Meet Maya Logan, a slim girl with a beautifully long black hair. And no she isn't an interesting teenager like the rest of them. Would I rather say she's boring, almost too quiet, and an object of taunting and bullying for Allison and her friends.

Technically, she's a nerd, but a nerd without those huge glasses below their nose. Falling in love was never her dream, who would dare fall in love with someone like her ~ she would always think.

Besides all these, Maya loves nothing more than her Dad, arts and music.

~

They both got to the cafeteria and got their meals.

"Hey look that seat is empty, let's go"

Vinna squealed as she led the way to the spot. As they took their seat, she sighed.

"So perfect. I can see the view of the whole cafeteria from here" Vinna added.

They hadn't taken at least five chunks of meal when they heard a loud bang on their table.

It was Allison, she had hit her fist against their table. All the students' attention were drawn to them, the usual had began, murmuring.

"If it isn't Maya the runaway loser" Savannah chuckled.

She almost forgot she was hiding from them earlier.

"What do you two scums want now?" Vinna half yelled, picking up the highest courage she had, which earned her a slap across her face from Allison.

"You don't talk to us that way" she flipped her hair and starred at Maya who had been mute all the while..

"Hey Maya, cat got your tongue now? Oh and I thought you were never gonna come out from wherever you were hiding" Allison teased

"Anyway get lost. This is our seat, we've being holding our lunch for too long" Savannah added.

The murmuring had increased.

If Vinna could take up the courage to talk back at them, then she could do that also.

"I see no name inscribed on the seat" Maya told them plainly.

"Did you just talk back at--"

"Yeah I did, you wanna slap me too and think I won't make a fuss about it? Enough Allison!"

Allison smirked, surprised at their sudden change of behaviour

"I guessed right, Vinna really gave you some of her courage pills. Listen to me Maya, we can't possibly fight and argue with lowlifes like you, so just get up from the damn seat and buzz off"

"We're doing no such thing Allison" Vinna added.

"That does it" Sav muttered, she took a bottle of water from her tray and emptied the whole content on them. The students were taking pictures and videos of the scene.

Maya couldn't take it any longer, she had already had enough of their torments. She picked up her whole lunch and emptied them on both Sav and Allison. Vinna did same "Now you can have the seat"

"Let's go Maya" Vinna shot and walked past them with Maya trailing behind. They had wasted their lunch on those pests.

'Worth it' Maya muttered

"My hair" They heard Allison yell

"Oh my gosh, my dress"

~

Maya sighed before she walked into the Principal's office.

"Mr. Principal, you sent for me"

"Yes Miss Logan, have your seat"

She watched the middle aged man remove his small glasses and place them on the table before him.

"You know your offence right?" He began. Maya said nothing but bowed her head awkwardly.

"Your offence isn't minimal. Pouring your lunch on your fellow student isn't something good to find in your record"

"But Sir, I didn't meant to--"

"I don't need your explanations dear Amaya" The Principal told her "I do hope you accept your punishment justly"

"Please don't suspend me, my dad would be really mad at me if I get suspended" she pleaded.

"Who says I'm getting you suspended? Your punishment is simple, you're attending this year's school Summer Camp"

"Summer Camp? But that isn't a punishment"

"To me, it is. I've gone through your files, and you've never participated or attended Summer Camp. Maybe if you mingle and make more friends, you'd learn how not to pour your meal on other students" The Principal beamed, putting on his glasses again.

"I don't want to go to Summer Camp. Is there any other punishment?" Maya asked

"I'm sorry but no. That's the only punishment you get. Besides it's a punishment, you're not expected to want it."

"There definitely has to be another punishment I can do other than this. Please not Summer Camp" she pleaded again.

"Amaya non of your pleas would change my mind. You may leave now, I have a lot to do"

Maya sighed heavily before angrily leaving his office.

"Not summer Camp" she muttered as she made her way to her locker.

~

With the afternoon scorching sun heating up the whole of the city, Maya got home and was glad her Dad was home already.

"Hey Dad" she greeted looking uninterested.

"Hi sweetie, how was school?" Mr Logan asked.

"Horrible" she snorted

"Why horrible?"

"Cause I get to be tormented by my mates and then I get forced to attend this year's Summer Camp. Ain't it horrible?" She grunted

"Attending this year's Summer camp? But I don't find that horrible honey" her dad said plainly

"Dad! It's really horrible. Do you know the number of students that will get to attend Summer Camp?"

"Alot?"

"Exactly! A whole lot of them, and I hate all of them. Every single one of them, why do I still have to see their faces even when the school is on break?" She snarled.

"Dad look, you have to write a petition to the school"

"Petition?"

"Yes dad. A petition that you don't want your daughter attending Summer Camp. I'm sure the school would approve it, coming from my Dad" she ranted this time.

"I don't think that's necessary dear. You've never gone to Summer Camp, why don't you give it a try? I'm sure it's not all that bad" her dad reassured.

"Do you really wanna risk my life, Dad?" Maya shot at him

"Common, it isn't too dangerous to risk your life"

"I never said it was dangerous. The people there are dangerous. Dad please I don't want to go to Summer Camp" she whined.

"I'm sorry darling, but you have to go. Since its a suggestion from the school, I can't decline it. So just go, try and have fun for once in your life Maya"

Maya sighed heavily, she couldn't tell her Dad that going to Summer Camp was her punishment.

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