Chapter 130 - Harassed (2)

"Oh my gosh! Sof, it's really bruising. That boy had pulled your arm so hard!" Claire started seeing the handprint in Sofia's delicate skin.

Sofia nodded and for the first time, the calm expression on her face had totally changed into a dark one. It may sound overacting as the boy only grabbed her arm but to a gamer, it was a big deal. The coordination of their fingers to the arms could affect their performance in playing. One numbness of the hand could result in a full defeat.

"It's fine. I don't have class yet, I can take care of this matter, Claire," Sofia spoke hinting to the two companions that they could go ahead and attend their class.

"No, we won't leave you," Clark insisted with a worried expression all over his face. Leaving Sofia does not felt right and he was determined to accompany her as they headed to the clinic.

"You, two... don't worry about me. I know what to do. Go to your class before you'll get late," Sofia commanded with no room for argument. 

Claire looked unwilling but with Sofia's stern voice, she had no choice but to nod her head in agreement. Clark also felt the same.

"I know what to do, guys. In the meantime, avoid that group," Sofia stated before the two turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

Sofia finally moved her feet and continued to head to the clinic alone. 

She twisted her shoulder and arm then, raised them up and down. The stinging pain from where the male student grabbed her did not cause too much pain. 

But she could not imagine if the man did not stop his movement mid-way, she could have dislocated a bone. It would surely be the end of her gaming career if it happened!

While Sofia was exercising with her arm, Claire and Clark turned their back for the last time and looked at her retreating figure. They did not move their feet until they saw Sofia entered the school clinic.

"Those bastards! I'll make sure to destroy them in the game," Claire expressed angrily.

"Calm down, Claire. Let's just avoid the group for now. Sofia may have her plans." Clark instantly consoled her.

Claire sighed in frustration. In the real world, they were far from their online persona. Even if Sofia's tank was capable of taking all damages against their enemies, the player behind the character was as fragile as glass! 

"Okay," Claire agreed on Clark's reminder and did not speak anymore. But, she was still upset about what had just happened. In her silence, she was cursing the male student, 'You better pray that we won't meet in any form of the online match!'

"See you, later! After this subject, let's go and meet Sofia," Clark suggested when they both arrived at Claire's classroom. They had different subjects, and Clark only accompanied her.

"Sure," Claire chirped and forced a smile on her lips. 

She was really in a foul mood. The moment she entered, she maintained her head low and avoided all the eye contact with her classmates. Not that they were close to her for she only made few acquaintances to them.

"Claire! Congrats on winning the tournament!"

"Your assassin skills are terrifying in that game yesterday, Claire!"

"Claire, you have no boyfriend, right? My big bro is interested in you and wants to ask your number!"

The students quickly circled near Claire's desk and asked her one question after another.

"Thank you, guys! I was just fortunate to have a perfect lineup for my gameplay! And my squad is great," she smiled professionally at them. She had no choice but to push aside all negative emotions in her heart for she had an image to protect.

"Yes! We are so lucky to be your classmate, Claire!"

"That's right! We are lucky!"

Claire felt conflicted as more and more students gathered near her. "Guys, I am just like you. I am a student and not some powerful gamer. You can also perform those skills better than me!"

"Claire I heard of the altercation with you and the group of Ash and Arthur. Did Ash really challenged you to play an assassin vs assassin match?" another female entered the room and noticed the commotion.

Just as Claire was about to respond to her female classmate, their teacher entered the room and the entire place turned silent in a blink of an eye. Their attention quickly diverted to the teacher as their class discussion resumed.

Claire leaned on the desk with one hand supporting her head, the other hand was playing on her pen. But after a while, a voice of Sofia rang on her thoughts, scolding her bad posture.

'Sit properly and don't slouch!'

Claire quickly adjusted her sitting position and sat properly. But no matter how she tried to listen to the teacher, her mind would replay the incident. In the end, she excused herself to use their restroom.

The teacher also noticed her lack of attention but did not really call her out for her behavior. She could sense that her student was anxious. So, when Claire excused herself, the teacher quickly agreed.

As Claire stepped out of her classroom, she strode few feet and contemplated whether she would go to the clinic or head directly to the restroom.

"Yo!" the male student who grabbed Sofia suddenly emerged on the other corner, almost startling her in the process.

Claire opened her mouth and wanted to speak at the male student, however, she remembered Sofia's instruction. 

She gritted her teeth and turned around. Without any words, she walked away.

"Wow! You're head surely grow big after winning!" the male student stated, taunting her to talk back at him.

'Ignore, ignore, ignore,' Claire repeated her chant and returned to the classroom instead of going away.

Meanwhile, Sofia's bruise was also treated with some cream in the clinic. The school nurse was an old lady and was gentle to her.

"Aiyaa, next time, be careful not to bruise your skin," the nurse softly said as she assumed that Sofia may have hurt herself for being not careful.

"I will. Nurse Joy, please make me a clinic report," Sofia requested.

"Of course, I will issue you a clinic report. Let me just encode your name and other credentials in the system here," the nurse asserted and then sat in front of her computer.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy. Sorry for the trouble," Sofia respectfully said.

"No problem!" the nurse responded and then started typing on the keyboard. But as she looked at Sofia's current schedule in her system, a frown slowly creased on her already wrinkled forehead.

"You are in the night class?" the nurse asked, completely stopping what she was doing.

"Yes, that's right," Sofia nodded.

"Then, you have no class this time. I don't need to give you a clinic report. I'll just update your file that you visited the clinic," the nurse stated.

For some reason, this is their school clinic's protocol. The document that Sofia was asking for would help her to be excused by her class. But since she was in the night class, she has nothing to use on it.

"That could also do. But, I plan to head towards the guidance office after here. It is more convenient if I have the clinic report with me before I go there," Sofia stated.

"Ha? Are you involved in trouble? Why do you need to go towards the guidance office?" the nurse felt alarmed. Now, she had realized that some students may be involved in her bruises.

"A student grabbed me and caused this, Nurse Joy. So, I want to report him and discipline his outrageous behavior before it becomes worst," Sofia explained.

With how she picked the proper words to speak, the school nurse immediately agreed and proceed to print her clinic report. 

"I will accompany you. Hmmph! Some of the students in this school had actually become violent!" the school nurse clenched her hand and offered her support.

"I can't do that, ma'am! I have troubled you enough!" Sofia blurted when she saw that the nurse was about to pick her jacket to head out of the clinic.

"Why not? If I accompany you, then, the guidance counselor will surely sanction those responsible," the nurse reasoned.

"But if another student would come here and needed your care, then, it would be a problem if you are out," Sofia debated. 

She appreciated that the nurse was willing to extend her help but it was not necessary and practical for her.

By the time she turned her back to the male student who grabbed her, the incident was already wrapped in her palms. She was determined that those six students would learn their lessons.

'Since you made me waste my time and disrupted my plans for today, I'll have you pay my time with a price doubled!' Sofia mentally noted.

On the other side, the school nurse sat back in her chair and also realized the situation Sofia pointed out. "Indeed, I am the only nurse. If I leave the clinic now, some emergencies may be neglected. But, I'll warn you little girl, our guidance counselor is not really that friendly to students. If you needed my help to talk to the counselor, just tell me and I'll definitely come to your aid!"