Every day after school, Marvin routinely assisted his mother in selling snacks by going around the neighborhood. He never felt ashamed, even though his classmates frequently taunted him.
"You're such a poor kid!"
"Poverty-stricken kid!"
In school, many boys continuously ridiculed Marvin because they had seen him peddling snacks; Marvin tried to remain patient, opting for silence over confrontation.
Even now, his classmates' stares fixated on him, as if looking upon him with derision.
"I heard Marvin is fatherless, could his mother possibly be a prosti—haha…" A plump boy named Anton jeered.
Marvin couldn't contain his rage when somebody dared to insult his mother. He stood up, eyes piercingly fixed on Anton, then swiftly approached him.
Thud...
Marvin punched Anton in the face so hard that Anton, who was sitting on a desk, toppled onto the floor.
There was no forgiveness for someone who had the audacity to scorn the most precious person in his life.
Thud...
Thud...
Marvin kept on beating Anton, leaving the boy battered.
The other boys who had been mocking Marvin suddenly fell silent. They were petrified, witnessing Marvin pummeling Anton as if possessed by a demon.
"Marvin! Stop it!"
Mr. Andi, the teacher, was taken aback when entering the class and seeing Marvin attacking Anton.
Marvin was forced to cease his actions, standing breathlessly and glaring at those who had mocked him. His look was devilish, perhaps due to the seething anger within his soul.
Mr. Andi helped Anton to his feet; the boy was groaning, clutching his beaten face.
Slap!
Unexpectedly, Mr. Andi dealt Marvin a harsh slap.
"Do you know who Anton is? His father is a donor to this school. How dare you assault him." Mr. Andi berated Marvin.
Marvin touched his face, silently standing his ground, unable to retaliate against his teacher.
...****************...
But the situation escalated into a significant issue, and Marvin was expelled from school. Perhaps due to his impoverished life, people looked down on him, and without offering him a chance, they simply cast him out.
Marvin's mother, Mrs. Rena, pleaded with Anton's father, Mr. Tomi, not to expel Marvin from school.
"I implore you, please don't kick Marvin out of school. I assure this won't happen again, I beg of you," Mrs. Rena pleaded for mercy from Mr. Tomi, the investor in the elementary school Marvin attended.
"Sorry, I can't. Your son has gone too far. Because of your insolent child, mine is battered and bruised." Mr. Tomi's decision to expel Marvin was firm.
Mrs. Rena refused to give up; Marvin's future was too critical, to the extent that she would kneel before Mr. Tomi. "Please, I'm begging you. Don't expel my son."
Marvin couldn't bear to watch his mother kneel like that; he helped her up. "Don't ever do this again, Ma. Don't ever demean yourself for my sake." Marvin spoke through tears.
"But Marvin..."
He pulled Mrs. Rena's hand, leading her away.
"There are other elementary schools, Ma. I promise, I won't cause trouble again. I won't disappoint you anymore."
Mrs. Rena's heart twisted in pain as she gently wiped Marvin's bruised face. Why must a child his age endure such suffering when their desires were so simple, just to live a comfortable life?
"Ma,"
"What is it, dear?"
"Why do we have to live like this, suffering?"
Mrs. Rena's eyes welled up, "We haven't done anything wrong, Marvin. It's just that luck hasn't been on our side."
"Then I will find that luck, Ma. I want to be successful. And I'll always make you happy."
Mrs. Rena was profoundly moved by Marvin's words. Without realizing it, tears started falling from her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. She hoped for that too, to live longer with Marvin, to see him grow up and succeed, and one day to see who he would choose as a partner.
...****************...
Life was different for Nadine Leonardo. At school, she was worshipped by her classmates, treated like a princess, for her father, Mr. Rama, owned the prestigious Hope School.
Nadine felt someone's gaze upon her beyond the school gates, making her uncomfortable, prompting her to walk towards the gates.
Regrettably, the person hurried away too quickly, leaving Nadine perplexed as she watched their retreating back. It seemed to be an adult woman, perhaps around her thirties. Unfortunately, Nadine couldn't see her face clearly.
Nearly every day she felt observed, especially at school.
Despite living in opulence, with every whim fulfilled and pampered by her father, Nadine did not feel content. She was pressured to be an obedient daughter by her mother, to appear perfect, compliant, and she was pushed to always be top of her class, so her father would be proud to have a daughter like Nadine.
Nadine couldn't forget an incident three months prior, feeling immense guilt towards her father's first wife and Marvin, as their presence had led to their expulsion by her father. Yet at her young age, Nadine felt powerless to change anything.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments