Chapter 17: The Harassment continues

Yuqi walked into school the following day, bracing herself for what would come. The weight of yesterday’s events still lingered heavily in her chest, but she tried to push through it, her shoulders squared and her head held high. She didn’t want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing how much the incident had hurt her.

The morning started quietly enough, with students milling about the hallways as usual, but as soon as the PA system crackled to life, the memory of the previous day came rushing back.

“Good morning, students,” Principal Keller’s voice boomed through the speakers. “This is a reminder to respect each other’s property and refrain from writing on lockers or any other school property. Let’s work together to maintain a positive and respectful environment. Thank you.”

That was it. There was no mention of the specific incident or acknowledgment of the hurt caused. It was just a generic announcement that felt hollow and perfunctory.

Yuqi clenched her jaw, her nails digging into the strap of her bag as she walked to her first class. She knew it wasn’t enough—not nearly enough—but she also knew it was the most she could expect from Principal Keller.

In her classes, the whispers started almost immediately.

“Isn’t that her?”

“She’s the one who freaked out yesterday, right?”

“Do you think she really did something to deserve it?”

Yuqi kept her head down, pretending not to hear. She focused on her notes, her textbooks, anything to block out the murmurs. She told herself they didn’t matter, that the people whispering didn’t know her or her story, but the words still stung.

Lunch was even worse.

As she walked into the cafeteria, the laughter started. It wasn’t loud enough to be outright confrontational, but it was deliberate and pointed.

She could feel the eyes on her, could hear the faint snickers and whispers as she moved through the lunch line.

By the time she found a seat, her appetite had all but disappeared. She sat at an empty table, her tray untouched, staring at her hands, willing herself not to cry.

At one table, a group of girls pointed in her direction, their laughter echoing in her ears.

“Do you think she’s still upset about it?” one of them said loudly enough for Yuqi to hear.

“Probably,” another replied, smirking. “I mean, if that happened to me, I’d be mortified.”

Yuqi’s cheeks burned, and she clenched her fists under the table.

Her friends, Elliot, Ian, and Stan, didn’t take long to find her. They sat down around her, their presence a small buffer against the noise of the cafeteria.

“Don’t let them get to you,” Elliot said quietly, his tone serious for once.

“They don’t even know what they’re talking about,” Ian added.

Stan glanced toward one of the laughing groups, his expression dark. “Just a bunch of cowards who don’t have anything better to do.”

Yuqi forced a small smile, grateful for their support, but the ache in her chest didn’t fade.

Not long after, Kelly appeared, sliding into the seat beside her. She gave the table of laughing girls a pointed glare, her expression icy. “Ignore them,” she said, her voice firm. “They’re not worth your time.”

Yuqi nodded, but it was easier said than done. The whispers, the laughter, the stares—they all felt like knives digging into her, sharp and unrelenting.

The rest of the day passed in a haze. Yuqi went through the motions, completing assignments and answering questions in class, but her heart wasn’t in it. By the time the final bell rang, she was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

She packed up her things and told herself she’d get through this. Somehow. But deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder if the whispers and stares would ever stop.

The final bell rang, signaling the end of another long day. Yuqi trudged toward her locker, her heart heavy with the weight of whispers, laughter, and stares. She just wanted to grab her books and leave, hoping to escape the cloud of attention that had hung over her all day.

When she reached her locker, she hesitated for a moment, gripping the handle tightly. After everything that had happened yesterday, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of dread every time she approached it.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door—and froze.

The inside of her locker was covered in black marker, just like the outside had been the day before. This time, though, the cruel words weren’t just a single insult. Dozens of nasty phrases were scrawled across the walls of the locker:

“Attention whore.”

“Watch your back.”

“You’re nothing special.”

“Why don’t you just leave?”

"You belong on your knees."

"You are worthless."

Yuqi’s breath hitched, her hand flying to her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. The sight of the hateful graffiti felt like a punch to the stomach, each word cutting deeper than the last.

Her knees weakened, and she stumbled back slightly, clutching the edge of the locker for support. The hallway around her seemed to blur as a wave of humiliation and anger crashed over her.

Students passing by began to notice, their gazes flickering toward the open locker and the growing look of despair on Yuqi’s face.

“Yuqi?”

She turned to see Kelly rushing toward her, her sister’s expression shifting from concern to fury as she caught sight of the inside of the locker.

“What the hell is this?” Kelly snapped, stepping closer and slamming the locker shut.

Yuqi shook her head, unable to speak. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Kelly placed a protective arm around her, glaring at the lingering students. “Get lost!” she barked, her voice sharp enough to make most of them scatter.

Elliot, Ian, and Stan arrived moments later, their faces a mix of worry and anger.

“What happened?” Elliot asked, his gaze darting between Yuqi and the locker.

“Someone got into her locker,” Kelly said through gritted teeth. “It’s covered in nasty messages.”

Ian clenched his fists. “Are you serious? Who would do something like that?”

“Cowards,” Stan muttered, his voice low. “That’s who.”

Yuqi finally found her voice, though it trembled with emotion. “I don’t understand… Why are they doing this? I haven’t done anything to anyone.”

Kelly hugged her tightly, her own anger barely contained. “Because people are cruel and think they can get away with it. But they won’t. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Elliot stepped closer, his tone gentle. “Yuqi, let’s go talk to someone about this. We’ll figure it out.”

Yuqi shook her head, wiping her tears. “It won’t matter. The principal doesn’t care. He barely did anything yesterday.”

Kelly’s eyes narrowed. “Then we go higher than the principal. Mom and Dad will handle this. And if the school doesn’t take this seriously, they’ll regret it.”

The determination in her sister’s voice gave Yuqi a sliver of comfort, though the pain in her chest remained.

“Come on,” Kelly said softly, guiding Yuqi away from the locker. “Let’s get out of here.”

With her friends and sister by her side, Yuqi left the school, and the hateful words burned into her memory. She didn’t know how she would face another day, but for now, she clung to the support of those who cared about her, hoping it would be enough to get through.

Yuqi sat on the couch, staring blankly at the floor, her body feeling heavy and numb. The hateful words from her locker swirled in her mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. Her fingers twisted together in her lap, her usually sharp mind dulled by the overwhelming weight of the day.

Kelly stood nearby, pacing back and forth as she recounted the events of the day to their parents. Her voice was sharp with anger, each word dripping with frustration.

“She got to her locker after the last bell,” Kelly said, her hands gesturing emphatically, “and someone had gotten inside and written all kinds of disgusting things. And you know what the school did about it? Nothing! Just some lame announcement this morning about not writing on lockers. It’s like they don’t care at all.”

Their mom sat in the armchair, her face pale with fury, while their dad leaned forward on the loveseat, his hands clasped tightly. Both of them listened intently, their expressions growing darker with every word.

“They didn’t even check who might’ve done it?” their dad asked, his tone sharp.

“No,” Kelly snapped. “And yesterday, the principal practically blamed her for what happened, saying maybe she ‘gave someone the wrong idea’ because of how she’s dressed. Are you kidding me?”

Their mom’s lips pressed into a thin line, her hands gripping the armrests of her chair. “That’s completely unacceptable,” she said, her voice low but trembling with anger. “No one should ever speak to my daughter that way. Especially not a principal.”

Kelly stopped pacing and turned to Yuqi, her expression softening slightly. “She’s been dealing with stares, whispers, and laughter all day. And now this? It’s disgusting. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Yuqi blinked slowly, her vision blurry with unshed tears. She finally looked up at her parents, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t understand why this is happening.”

Her mom moved to sit beside her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetheart,” she said firmly. “This isn’t about you. It’s about people being cruel and small-minded.”

Her dad stood, pacing for a moment before turning back to the group. “We’re going to handle this. I’ll call the school first thing in the morning, and if the principal doesn’t take this seriously, we’ll go to the superintendent. Or the school board. This stops now.”

Kelly nodded, her arms crossed. “Good. Someone needs to put their foot down because Keller clearly isn’t going to.”

Yuqi sniffled, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. “What if it just makes things worse?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Her mom cupped her face gently. “It won’t. You’re not alone in this, Yuqi. We’re going to fight for you, and you have people who love you and support you.”

Yuqi nodded slowly, her chest tightening. She wanted to believe her mom’s words, but the fear of more humiliation gnawed at her.

Her dad sat down on the coffee table in front of her, his voice steady and calm. “You’re strong, Yuqi. Stronger than you know. This is just one chapter, and we’re going to get through it together.”

For the first time that day, Yuqi felt a flicker of hope. She wasn’t sure what the next steps would look like, but sitting there, surrounded by her family, she felt the faintest glimmer of strength returning to her.