Phones buzzed around the classroom after recess. Daisy felt the
atmosphere shift as students whispered and pointed at her.
She discreetly
checked her phone and saw that Emily had sent a message to the class
group chat.
"Want more
proof Zakhrov is a Russian mobster? Check out Daisy Eddington. The
poor thing has been forced to get a boob-job and liposuction to
please her Russian overlord. #RussianMob #ZakhrovIsAMobster"
read the message.
Daisy's heart sank
as she read the message, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She
looked up to see several students staring at her, some with pity,
others with disdain.
Her phone buzzed
again, and she saw the group chat blowing up with messages.
"For real?
That's so sad! Poor Daisy!" read one message.
"That's crazy?
She got tatted up as well?" read another.
"I haven't
gotten surgery!" she furiously typed back, but her message was
drowned out by the flood of replies.
"You've got to
say that because he's got a gun to your head, right?" read one
message.
"Hey Zakhrov!
Leave that poor girl alone!" read another.
"No use asking
him over here! He's not even in the group chat!" came another
message.
"Yeah, he's too
busy counting his dirty money!" read another.
"Guys, stop it!
I'm fine! Aaron is not a mobster! I just got a new uniform!"
Daisy typed desperately, but nobody bothered to reply.
"All right!
Phones away! Class is starting!" barked the teacher, putting an
end to the chatter.
A group of boys
surrounded Aaron and Daisy once the end-of-day bell rang.
"Hey Zakhrov!
You may be a mobster, but you ain't gettin' away with cuttin' up
Daisy!" snarled one of the boys.
Aaron raised an
eyebrow. "Have any of you gentlemen had any surgery?" he
asked.
"No, but you're
about to need some!" growled another boy, cracking his knuckles.
"Hey, Douglas,
how long were you out after you got your wrist broken in Lacrosse
practice?" asked Aaron.
Douglas, the first
boy, looked confused. "Couple of weeks, why?" he asked.
"So a broken
wrist needed a couple of weeks to heal, but plastic surgery is
supposed to heal in less than a day?" asked Aaron.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
"That's enough!
Aaron didn't do anything! I just got a new uniform!" shouted
Daisy, stepping in front of Aaron.
"That's exactly
what happened. Now beat it all of you!" snarled Father Abel, who
had entered the classroom in time to hear Daisy's protest.
"Hey Teach!
You've been coverin' Zakhrov's ass all semester! You're a wise guy?"
asked Douglas, puffing himself up.
"Definitely
wiser than you'll ever be, Douglas! Now get lost, before you get
pulled up for threatening a kid half your size!" Father Abel
shot back.
The boys filed out,
grumbling under their breath.
"You two. Come
with me," growled Father Abel to Aaron and Daisy.
----
"You really are
a piece of work Zakhrov! I've never had to deal with so much of drama
over a damn wardrobe malfunction," grumbled Father Abel, as
Aaron and Daisy sat before him in his office.
"Father Abel,
please! Aaron did nothing wrong!" said Daisy, tears starting to
well up in her eyes.
"I know, I
know. I didn't mean to cause you further distress, Daisy," said
Father Abel, dropping his harsh tone.
He sighed, running a
hand through his hair.
"Aaron, I know
you meant well, but teenage mob mentality can't be countered with
logic." he explained.
"I don't
understand how they can keep up their biology GPA and not know how
cosmetic surgery works," sighed Aaron.
"Not everyone
has your iron-willed control over their hormonal impulses Aaron,"
chuckled Father Abel.
"And others
just want to feel superior by bullying others," added Daisy, her
voice trembling.
"Exactly.
Challenging Emily was good, Daisy, but you need to keep a low profile
until this blows over," said Father Abel.
"I understand,
Father. I'll be careful," said Daisy, wiping her eyes.
"Good. I've
contacted Ivan, he has agreed to be here early from now on to pick
you up, and I've asked Javier to escort you from class to the parking
lot," said Father Abel.
"Won't that
cause more attention and rumors?" asked Aaron.
"Maybe, but
it's better than having you two assaulted by a mob of jealous
teenagers," said Father Abel.
"Thank you,
Father," said Daisy, her voice steadying.
The door opened and
Javier, one of the school's security guards, entered.
"Ivan's just
pulled up. I'll escort you two to the parking lot," he said,
nodding to Father Abel.
----
"I wonder if we
should lean into these rumors instead of trying to fight them,"
observed Aaron, as Ivan drove him and Daisy home.
"What are you
talking about?" asked Daisy.
"The zero
tolerance policy of St. Ignatius Academy only extends to its campus.
If other students stop believing the rumors, it could lead to
assaults and harassment outside of campus because they have nothing
to fear from a physically smaller and weaker 13-year-old whose
parents are teachers. On the other hand, the implication that I am a
child of a Russian mob boss who can order a hit on them and their
families will cause even the most thick-skulled thug to reconsider
assaulting us," explained Aaron.
"Ooh so, we
pretend that you are a ruthless gangster, and I am the helpless gun
moll?" giggled Daisy.
"Why not? I
like the idea of arranging a tragic accident for Ms. Emily Clarke,"
said Aaron trying to imitate the accent and demeanor of a Russian
criminal.
"You're good"
whispered Daisy.
"I don't like
having the reputation of a Russian mob boss, but I see your point. It
did offer some degree of protection for me when I was in school,"
said Ivan wondering how his own father, who was an immigrant
construction worker, felt when he decided to play that stereotype in
school to protect himself from being bullied.
"Dad, I would
like to get marksmanship training during our winter break. A Russian
mob boss needs to know his way around a gun," said Aaron.
"Guns and
pretending to be a mob boss are not going to solve our problems
Aaron," said Ivan, as they pulled into the driveway.
"I understand,
but I would still like to learn to exercise my right to bear and use
arms," said Aaron.
"I would like
to learn as well Mr. Zakhrov. At least to be aware of the actual
power a gun possesses instead of what they show in movies," said
Daisy.
"All right. But
only how to handle and use a gun. There will be no firearms in my
house," said Ivan sternly.
